Mapping software

[Aramis Simara]

All,

I am looking to purchase mapping software to map fantasy outdoor and indoor locations. I would like input on the 3 mapping programs that caught my eye, Dundjinni, Paintshop Pro, and Photoshop. Cost is not a factor. What I'm looking for is quality of the image, community support and easy of use. Any suggestions?

 

[Grimstaff]

Dundjinni is best for miniature-scale maps, but Campaign Cartograper seems the most popular choice for mapping utility in general. Plus you can try them out for free.

 

[Thanee]

PS and PSP are not really mapping software.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Maldin]

As Thanee already said, PaintShopPro and Photoshop aren't mapping programs, however they are very powerful drawing programs that can be used to draw anything.... including maps. If you want a program dedicated to mapmaking (and therefore limited to mapmaking), there are a variety of programs with different styles of output. Dunndjinni, Campaign Cartographer, and Autorealm are some of the more popular, although there are others out there.

You may find my Guide to RPG Mapmaking webpage helpful (I'm a Photoshop user myself, however much of my advice is software-independent) in deciding what you think you'll be doing and what you might need to accomplish that. I do briefly discuss the various programs that are available. That particular page is located at http://melkot.com/mechanics/map-guide.html however feel free to peruse the rest of my site as well! ;-)

Denis, aka "Maldin"
===================================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com

 

[Psion]

Dundjinni can turn out some nice site maps, but I haven't seen it have too much in the way of large scale outdoor map utility. You need something like CC2 or Fractal Mapper for that. (The formal being my preference, especially with Fractal Terrains to spit out world maps.)

 

[DonTadow]

Last year, Dundjinni was the best purchase I'd made the whole year. It's designed specifically for gaming with a variety of ways to adjust the grids. The user community is pretty active and the forums are full of maps and items for your own map.

Their campaign edition is pretty good for regional maps. Continent and world maps I'd stick with cartographer.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I bought Dundjinni Platinum and add-ons last year.

It is the worst software purchase I have made in a long while and I wish I could have my money back. The software is slow....slow....slow.

Did I mention slow?

I really think this program is extremely overrated.

The best over all mapping utility I have come across is the NWN Toolset.

 

[DonTadow]

I bought Dundjinni Platinum and add-ons last year.

It is the worst software purchase I have made in a long while and I wish I could have my money back. The software is slow....slow....slow.

Did I mention slow?

I really think this program is extremely overrated.

The best over all mapping utility I have come across is the NWN Toolset.

Have you checked any of the updates? I know it was slow in the beginning but its pretty speedy now, no different than any of my other programs. What type of computer are you running it on??

The other thing that will slow the program is if you use the picture scroll feature and have a ton of items in the folder. This is easily fixed by dividing the folders.

 

[ssampier]

...

You may find my Guide to RPG Mapmaking webpage helpful (I'm a Photoshop user myself, however much of my advice is software-independent) in deciding what you think you'll be doing and what you might need to accomplish that. I do briefly discuss the various programs that are available. That particular page is located at http://melkot.com/mechanics/map-guide.html however feel free to peruse the rest of my site as well! ;-)

Denis, aka "Maldin"
===================================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com

You must really dislike AutoRealm and CC2.

Basically, I can't draw very well on paper (my dungeons are decent, but not imaginative). I have some experience in archaic version of Photoshop (I use Paint Shop Pro now). Any chance a non-artist can produce a decent map using PSP or should I stick to Auto Realm?

 

[Maldin]

You must really dislike AutoRealm and CC2.

Basically, I can't draw very well on paper (my dungeons are decent, but not imaginative). I have some experience in archaic version of Photoshop (I use Paint Shop Pro now). Any chance a non-artist can produce a decent map using PSP or should I stick to Auto Realm?

You misread my page (as did a small number of CC2 users). I don't dislike CC2. In several places I say that the program is quite capable. Its not a problem with the program, but with the designer using the program. I HAVE seen some VERY good maps done with CC2 (and say that on the page).

Using Photoshop or PSP is like using a pencil. What you can produce is only limited by your imagination. But it is from "scratch". The mapping programs (which really are specialized CAD programs) automate some of the mapping by giving you specific tools and symbol sets, and therefore make it easier to produce maps that actually look like maps.

But buying a program (any program) will not turn anyone into an expert mapmaker (and not everyone WANTS to make expert maps anyways!). CC2, and other similar programs, do make it easy to take shortcuts in design. People often don't really think too much about what they are doing, and the easiest thing to do is just drop buildings willy-nilly all over the place. That produces a not-so-realistic (fantasy or not) map. I tried to point out the common mistakes, and how to overcome them, no matter what program you are using, CC2, Autorealm, Photoshop, or PSP. The purpose of my webpage was not to stop people from using certain programs (or to stop them from turning out maps that they find useful in their own campaign), but to help people make better maps.

The rest is in the hands of all the countless DMs out there to do what they like.

Denis, aka "Maldin"
================================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com