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View Full Version : Need help finding a reliable World Building tool



kkplx
2013-12-17, 01:58 PM
Hey there!

Currently trying to put my world into images, and I'm having a hard time finding a tool that lets me build a world - they're usually either extremely simplistic or flat out lack basic elements like ice/cold terrain in general.

If possible it should be an application/online interface/etc that lets you create it yourself, not a generator or only partly automized.

During my research I've made the experience that most links are dead and highly misleading, os I'm asking here, hoping for a clearer round of suggestions.

Thank you all in advance =)

WbtE
2013-12-17, 02:07 PM
Have you tried hexographer (http://www.hexographer.com/)?

kkplx
2013-12-17, 04:58 PM
Tried, yes, but it's one of those that looks too simplistic

2E Phoinex
2013-12-17, 05:31 PM
The civilization III editor has proved useful for me in the past. (If you don't play Civ. essentially the editor allows you to create the world in which you play, mess with the rules, and add units if you so desire) But it is a square tile grid not hex.

Ignoring the civ specific game concepts, it will allow you to place tiles of terrain-including your tundra and snow capped mountains- or if you so choose you may generate random maps. Take a screen shot and presto, you have your world. Now if you are looking to make a political map that could be a bit more difficult. I have yet to make a decent one using the city placer since there isn't really a way to extend the borders. Perhaps that could be done by changing the rules somewhere but I would need to look into it before making promises.

The editor comes with the game, but I think you can download it free. Do keep in mind that I don't know anything about the other Civ. game editors they could prove far more useful or entirely unsuited.

Good luck.

WbtE
2013-12-17, 05:48 PM
Tried, yes, but it's one of those that looks too simplistic

Hmm. What sort of functionality do you need? I may not be able to help you, but if you're clearer in your request another playgrounder might know the answer.

kkplx
2013-12-17, 07:44 PM
Hmm. What sort of functionality do you need? I may not be able to help you, but if you're clearer in your request another playgrounder might know the answer.

Basically different terrain brushes with which you can draw a map like on a canvas, that don't look too splintered (see hexographer) due to "brush size"

TheThan
2013-12-17, 07:48 PM
I use adobe Photoshop.
And this random approach to maps:
1: Open a new file of any size, and make sure background and forground colors are set to black and white.
2: create a new layer name this layer “continents”.
3: create a cloud effect. In my version its’ filter-render-clouds, your version may be different.
4: next kick the contrast up to 100. In my version, it’s Image-adjustment-brightness/contrast. Yours may be different.
5: now you remove the white portions of the image you are looking at. There are a couple of ways to do it. to get them all select the color and delete it. In my version that’s select-color range. This brings up a mini box with an image of the image you created on it and your pointer turns into an eye dropper. click on the white bit once and hit ok. This automatically selects everything white. Then hit delete. You won’t notice a change because the background layer is still white.
Now you have a basic world fleshed out with continents and oceans. The black bits are continents, while the white bits are ocean. You can repeat the same process to create forests, mountains, countries; just about anything you really want to.

I'll get an example pic up later.

kkplx
2013-12-17, 08:24 PM
I use adobe Photoshop.
And this random approach to maps:
1: Open a new file of any size, and make sure background and forground colors are set to black and white.
2: create a new layer name this layer “continents”.
3: create a cloud effect. In my version its’ filter-render-clouds, your version may be different.
4: next kick the contrast up to 100. In my version, it’s Image-adjustment-brightness/contrast. Yours may be different.
5: now you remove the white portions of the image you are looking at. There are a couple of ways to do it. to get them all select the color and delete it. In my version that’s select-color range. This brings up a mini box with an image of the image you created on it and your pointer turns into an eye dropper. click on the white bit once and hit ok. This automatically selects everything white. Then hit delete. You won’t notice a change because the background layer is still white.
Now you have a basic world fleshed out with continents and oceans. The black bits are continents, while the white bits are ocean. You can repeat the same process to create forests, mountains, countries; just about anything you really want to.

I'll get an example pic up later.

This sounds ridiculously amazing, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do it in PHotoshop - I'll try that regardless as soon as I've seen how it looks :D.

TheThan
2013-12-17, 09:15 PM
This sounds ridiculously amazing, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do it in PHotoshop - I'll try that regardless as soon as I've seen how it looks :D.

Here’s a work in progress map I’m working on.
Made entirely with the possess I’ve described above.
I’m working out how to do ice/snow better.


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g42/TheThan/WIPmap01_zpsf0378a11.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/TheThan/media/WIPmap01_zpsf0378a11.jpg.html)

Grinner
2013-12-17, 09:50 PM
This sounds ridiculously amazing, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do it in PHotoshop - I'll try that regardless as soon as I've seen how it looks :D.

I believe this (http://www.cartographersguild.com/content.php?116-Ascensions-atlas-style-in-Photoshop) step-by-step method is similar.

You can do something similar in GIMP.