using CAD programs?

[macximus]

I am a designer by trade, so I have AutoCAD to use for making maps and such, but I don't have any libraries of pregenerated symbols and such that programs such as Campaign Cartographer (et al) have. Since I already have AutoCAD I don't want to drop more cash on CC (or any other) just to get them.
Has anyone made any symbol catalogs for AutoCAD?

Mac

 

[MarauderX]

Hey, I use AutoCAD exclusively also, and haven't dropped a dime on another program. If you search the web you can find all sorts of free symbols for whatever you may need. You can also import those images of whatever into ACAD and scale, clip, resize them to whatever you need - and for me it's much faster doing it that way than running a memory hog like anything Adobe.

For starters I just go with whatever plot size I can get out of my printers available or what I want for my table. Lately I've used 24x36 or 30x42 instead of 36x48 because it fits better and works well with using Tact-tiles. After that I made a base grid to fit the print size in paper space, and then I can create whatever I want in model space. Then I can scale it to 1"=20', 1"=10' and 1"=5' so that the party can see what is firing at them at the long distance spell range. This also works wonders for running into situations where people are moving quickly on and off the map or flying in and out. Got an abandoned keep the party is assaulting? Print the overview map at the 20' scale and tape it up on the wall behind you and use a marker to outline where the reach of their catapults is.

Check out this thread I made here for some inspiration, and I'll be posting more AutoCAD-made items soon enough.
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=102844