The Top 5 Map Creation Tools??

[hakfson77]

Okay. Got a question for all you dnd map making pros out there. I am interested in taking a stab at creating my first series of maps. I know art for maps is hard to come by now and then. Although some much free out is out there also. Obviously I want something that will have blending effects, shadowing, and all that jazz. I wanted to ask what are some of the best DND map creation tools. Not really looking for a definite list. Just some ideas. Thank you.

[Tiqon]

Haven't made any custom maps yet, but I plan to use this one when I do. Found the link somewhere in this very forum and if my memory is not cheating me, as it often does, the creator even is a member of our fine community!

https://pyromancers.com/dungeon-painter-online/


MAP AWAY!

[Zeus]

Top 5 (but not necessarily in the correct order) I would say include:


Campaign Cartographer 3
Dundjinni
Photoshop/GiMP
Pyromancers Dungeon Painter
PyMapper

[Valarian]

Depends on artistic ability:
Artistic -> Photoshop/GiMP/Inkscape
Non-artistic -> Campaign Cartographer 3

[gmkieran]

Also depends on willingness/availability of time and money to invest. GIMP and Dungeon Painter (and I think PYMapper) are free. Photoshop, Dundjinni and CC3 are significant monetary investments and Photoshop has a learning curve that is maddening.

I do much of my dungeon building in Google's Sketchup app (also free), which has the added advantage of allowing the creation of flavor images from any desired angle (3D cad). It's somewhat limited on decorations and not great for wilderness maps (though I've seen people do them and well), but you can do large sections of dungeon in relatively short order and I found the learning curve to be vastly less than the artistic programs; a little editing in GIMP goes a long way, too.

just my $.02. :D
GMK

[Olodrin]

Assuming you own legal copies of the Black Isle games (Baldur's Gate etc), you can use a community mod program called Infinity Explorer (references the Infinity Engine used in the games) to extract all of the maps used in those games.

I have done so for my group, and this has resulted in a database of roughly 1k high quality maps, many of which can be cut up into smaller encounter sized maps. I've included a screenshot below.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[Griogre]

As has been mentioned already there are several trade offs in map creation, primarily amount of time invested per map, time invested learning to use an tool, cost of the tool and actual artistic ability/training.

On the free, easy and fast to create but not the prettiest is an outdoor Hex mapper Hexographer.

[dr_venture]

As a Photoshop guy, I'd only recommend it to people who are inclined to use it for other purposes than gaming, due to the learning curve and price. I use Photoshop for job-related purposes, so I already have it and know how to use it, which makes it useful and versatile for me... but the average person would have to devote an awful lot of money and time to come up to speed.

I'd think that the average person would be much better served by using something like Dunjinn or Campaign Cartographer. I'd also recommend the less expensive Fractal Mapper 8, which I also own and enjoy - it has less functionality and flexibility than Campaign Cartographer, but is easier to learn to use and much less expensive.

[leozelig]

I have limited artistic ability but I have learned some simple tricks in GIMP that add significant depth to very basic maps. Of course I take a minimalist approach to my maps, so a statue is shown by a circled star, and a bed or table, if I even bother to include it on the map, might be a rectangle with some minor details and a drop shadow. Add some basic textures (cgtextures.com is my favorite) or even just a parchment map background, and they look respectable.

I find dedicated mapping software like Campaign Cartographer to be too visually overloaded/busy and no easier to use than GIMP, which is free.

[Trenloe]

I use Campaign Cartographer a lot. Yes, it has a steep learning curve and costs money - but there are good videos and step-through guides to get you going. Plus, lots and lots of different styles via the monthly releases from the annuals. These styles can be better to learn with as the amount of symbols is reduced and can be less overwhleming.

I have absolutely no artistic talent at all and I've managed to put a few maps together. Find some examples here: https://www.cartographersguild.com/members/trenloe-albums.html

Spoiler alert! If you plant to be a player the the Pathfinder Rise of the Runelords adventure path, don't look at that album as it contains a dungeon map which will spoil it for you! :)

[JohnD]

I use Campaign Cartographer a lot. Yes, it has a steep learning curve and costs money - but there are good videos and step-through guides to get you going. Plus, lots and lots of different styles via the monthly releases from the annuals. These styles can be better to learn with as the amount of symbols is reduced and can be less overwhleming.

I have absolutely no artistic talent at all and I've managed to put a few maps together. Find some examples here: https://www.cartographersguild.com/members/trenloe-albums.html

Spoiler alert! If you plant to be a player the the Pathfinder Rise of the Runelords adventure path, don't look at that album as it contains a dungeon map which will spoil it for you! :)
IMO you're being a little too modest about your mapping skillz.

[Trenloe]

IMO you're being a little too modest about your mapping skillz.
Thanks very much John.

These are good examples that with the right tools even an untalented "artist" such as myself can make maps. :D

The effects feature within Campaign Cartographer is very powerful and used well can turn average maps into stunning cartographic wonders! Is cartographic a word?!? ;)

[damned]

i do like clovers crossing - such a pretty little village!

[hakfson77]

I use Campaign Cartographer a lot. Yes, it has a steep learning curve and costs money - but there are good videos and step-through guides to get you going. Plus, lots and lots of different styles via the monthly releases from the annuals. These styles can be better to learn with as the amount of symbols is reduced and can be less overwhleming.

I have absolutely no artistic talent at all and I've managed to put a few maps together. Find some examples here: https://www.cartographersguild.com/members/trenloe-albums.html

Spoiler alert! If you plant to be a player the the Pathfinder Rise of the Runelords adventure path, don't look at that album as it contains a dungeon map which will spoil it for you! :)

I heard alot about CC3, was considering this one more than the others.

[hakfson77]

saw your maps. you did all 6 maps?? great job on dungeon.

[Valarian]

Here are some more Campaign Cartographer 3 examples (https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112452490185104873918/albums/5472546343176345425). This from someone with almost no artistic ability whatsoever ... me.

[hakfson77]

not bad. can use it for simple maps. but what if I wanted to resize the objects. didnt see an option for that. Also, because its web broswer based. its not going to be a secure one. You never are going to know when they are going to shoot the server down.

[Valarian]

It's not browser based. Campaign Cartographer is CAD based software on your PC. The albums I've created are online but the software isn't.
Resizing the objects is a case of setting the size of the object in relation to the base grid. Because it's based on CAD software, the learning curve is steep. but the results are worth it.

[hakfson77]

Sorry, was reffering to Pyromancers Dungeon Painter

[JohnD]

Here are some more Campaign Cartographer 3 examples (https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112452490185104873918/albums/5472546343176345425). This from someone with almost no artistic ability whatsoever ... me.
Looking good.

I may need to have my wife get me CC3 for Christmas.

[hakfson77]

so, I want to bounce off and ask, where do you get art packs, and If i bought art packs form DNDJinni, will I be able to use them in CC3??

[hakfson77]

good job. looked at them

[Zeus]

so, I want to bounce off and ask, where do you get art packs, and If i bought art packs form DNDJinni, will I be able to use them in CC3??

You can get art packs for CC3 from their website or import your own custom art.

For Dunjinni I believe the answer is no, unless your able to extract the images from the proprietary format Dundjinni uses.

However if you check out the CSAUC packs from Fractal Mapper or Dundjinni you can convert them to CC3. See this page (https://forum.profantasy.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=3164) from the ProFantasy website. I did something similar to convert all my old art packs for use in Photoshop.

[hakfson77]

You can get art packs for CC3 from their website or import your own custom art.

For Dunjinni I believe the answer is no, unless your able to extract the images from the proprietary format Dundjinni uses.

However if you check out the CSAUC packs from Fractal Mapper or Dundjinni you can convert them to CC3. See this page from the ProFantasy website. I did something similar to convert all my old art packs for use in Photoshop.

OK, I am bought and sold. not going to get 3 different map makers. think its going to be more confusing. just going to go get cc3. thnx everyone for the help. Hope that my non artistic skills will come alive out of no where and I make some great maps for my games

[Trenloe]

However if you check out the CSAUC packs from Fractal Mapper or Dundjinni you can convert them to CC3. See this page from the ProFantasy website. I did something similar to convert all my old art packs for use in Photoshop.
There is now a CC3 compatibility pack for CSUAC that brings it all into CC3 for you: https://www.vintyri.org/CSUAC/

[Zeus]

There is now a CC3 compatibility pack for CSUAC that brings it all into CC3 for you: https://www.vintyri.org/CSUAC/

Yep, the ProFantasy page I linked to links to the same page on vintyri.org/CSAUC

[Trenloe]

Yep, the ProFantasy page I linked to links to the same page on vintyri.org/CSAUC
Sorry, your link wasn't working originally! :)

[Valarian]

OK, I am bought and sold. not going to get 3 different map makers. think its going to be more confusing. just going to go get cc3. thnx everyone for the help. Hope that my non artistic skills will come alive out of no where and I make some great maps for my games
I will caution again on the CAD background of CC3 and the learning curve involved. Go through the tutorials in the guides included and you will get to grips with it and it will pay off - at least it has for me. But it won't necessarily be something that can just be picked up by playing with the software and intuition. Especially if you're used to art packages like Photoshop or even MS Paint.

[Trenloe]

Valarian's words of caution are very true. You will need to spend a bit of time when you first use CC3 to get to grips with it - don't just try and jump in.

Have a look at Joe Sweeney's great collection of videos regarding using Campaign Cartographer for overland maps, dungeon maps, complete world maps and sci-fi ship maps: https://www.youtube.com/user/joesweeney88?feature=watch

They're great - it is what I used to learn. The best way to use these is to run them in conjunction with CC3 - play the video a bit, pause, try it in CC3, play a bit more of the video, repeat... :)

There are also some good step-by-step PDF guides that come with the product.

The results are well worth the initial time investment.