making maps

[Mysteria_Sdrassa]

now i know this is probably not the place to post this, but 5e ruleset is my gameset of choice and mods can feel free to move this where they want.....
However, i am in need of some map assets.. particularly, a funeral barge, some sarcofogi, and maybe some statuary in an egyptian style. anything else i can kinda make do with current assets.
An help in this matter, pointing toward specific stuff would be greatly appreciated... not just general posts like... check reddit search, etc.. i've already done that, otherwise i wouldn't be here...
anyway... thankyou in advance to anyone who can help

[LordEntrails]

I use Campaign Cartographer. It's incredibly powerful, but it's not for someone just looking to put together a quick map if they don't already know how to use it (if you do, it's fast, but not fast to learn). They have a good community there, and often people post maps, but not sure it's going to be conducive to find a completed map to your specs; https://forum.profantasy.com/

You can check out other map making programs here; https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...ftware-summary

Perhaps the best collection of mapping assets is Vintyri, but these are not maps, but for making maps; https://www.vintyri.org/vintyri/ One of these days I want to look into getting this into a FGU ready package(s), but that's not going to be trivial and many of the assets there have specific distribution licenses that will require some hoops to jump through.

The Cartographer's Guild is another great resource, but is geared toward serious cartographers. And again, lots of maps posted there, but you will have to spend time to see if they have exactly what you are looking for.

[Mysteria_Sdrassa]

Thanks for the tips LordEntrails.... I already have the map made, I use DPS because it's fairly simple to use... I just need some egyptian style assets to flesh it out a bit... seems like they are fairly uncommon

[LordEntrails]

Ok, Vintyri will be what you want to look at. I suspect the number of symbol/brushes/assets there is in the hundreds of thousands.

[GavinRuneblade]

Perhaps the best collection of mapping assets is Vintyri, but these are not maps, but for making maps; https://www.vintyri.org/vintyri/ One of these days I want to look into getting this into a FGU ready package(s), but that's not going to be trivial and many of the assets there have specific distribution licenses that will require some hoops to jump through.

Honestly I think the most realistic way to make a FG resource from Vintyri would be a Kickstarter where you raise money to pay some of their contributors for help. Wouldn't need to be big or fancy, but having looked at their assets before, I know what you mean about licenses, and getting help from their own community (which has pretty amazing people) seems the easy way.

And to Mysteria, I also recommend Vintyri. Lots of stuff there. But as an alternative, there are some pretty powerful mobile aps in the "background eraser" category. Find a picture that you like, run it through one of them, and boom, you have a simple image with a transparent background you can drop onto your maps. Not always the ideal resolution, but it is fast and easy.

[kronovan]

I think LordEntrails suggestion about searching the forums at profantasy.com is a good suggestion, because the very Egyptian symbols you're seeking were in the June entry for the 2019 Annuals pack - packs with 12 months worth of submissions of map symbols and tools for Campaign Cartographer. It's only been out for a year, but it's possible a member of the community may have created something with those symbols. I don't own that annual because it just doesn't contain much of anything I need - the mythical Mexico symbols & tools are pretty darn cool though.

Otherwise, I do find it hard to find fantasy-themed symbols that aren't medieval European in theme and flavor. I have a decent sized library of symbols for just about any other theme & genre I could want, but ancient or modern Asia and Africa not so much. I've been currently making maps that are set in late Feudal and early Meiji-Restoration Japan and I've had to make my own symbols more than once. Not to mention there's next to no maps out there that has something even close to what real Japanese architecture is like. I had to check out the classic Japanese Homes & Their Surroundings book from my library, just to be able to create some buildings that were remotely close to the real thing. Creating tabletop maps is a hobby for me as much as a tool to build game maps, so it's all a labor of love and I don't gripe too much.

[Mysteria_Sdrassa]

thanks kronovan.. and yes.. it seems like if it isn't midevil fantasy its very hard to find... but your suggestion helped alot

[GavinRuneblade]

thanks kronovan.. and yes.. it seems like if it isn't midevil fantasy its very hard to find... but your suggestion helped alot

If you happen to come across anything Mesopotamian in your searches, let me know. Things like this or that but as a map asset.

[kronovan]

If you happen to come across anything Mesopotamian in your searches, let me know. Things like this or that but as a map asset.

I'll post back if I do.

Of course object, terrain & architecture symbols are just one part of it. There's also character symbols that are suitable to use as FG tokens, which are often harder to source.
Not that I want to be discouraging or anything; I just think there needs to be a sort of conscious/cultural awakening in the tabletop crowd that mythologies outside of Medieval Europe can be fun to play with. I don't blame the artists, because I'm sure if there was a demand, they'd create.