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Thread: Maps

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    DrowGirl

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    Default Maps

    City, Region, Country, World- all of these things need maps, damn it.

    Beyond the traditional graph paper dungeons, where do you go to get your maps? Do you just make them? Is there a neat site?

    I could use some helps.

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    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    The most versatility you get using graphics programs like Photoshop or Gimp, which is free.
    Takes some time to learn how to use it, but you can get something quite good looking relatively quickly without a lot of work once you've figured it out.

    The best thing about it, is that you can try out things and modify them quickly using layers. It's like drawing on a stack of transparent papers, so when you want to add a forest or cities, you can easily move them around on the map without making holes in it, since you are only moving the layer on which the forest is drawn and all the mountains, rivers, and coastlines on other layers are not affected. If you put the layer with rivers on the top of the stack, you can draw a forest or a swamp "under" it without having to draw the river again.
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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    GreataxeFighterGirl

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    Default Re: Maps

    http://www.cartographersguild.com/ <- This site taught me a lot about mapmaking, and is a great source of inspiration.

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    Ettin in the Playground
     
    TheWombatOfDoom's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    I generally still hand draw my maps, and start planning it out by creating a rough draft which gives me the basic forms of land masses as well as experiment with placements of areas. Here's an example:
    Spoiler
    Show


    Then I use better supplies and paper to do a final draft, reallocating areas or coasts to look better as I need to. Like this:
    Spoiler
    Show


    Then I scan the final image onto my computer.

    As Yora said, its often very useful to use Photoshop, even if it's just for touching up the picture or coloring it. Its often best to use a drawing tablet like a wacom to do anything aside from touching up, but I made due a long time without one (though now that I have one, I can't believe I'd ever gone without it!).

    If you are not artistically inclined, you can use existing maps of real places. The Xanth series by Piers Anthony uses a map of florida as it's map (modified to fit the setting), and the author of the John Carter series used maps of mars to make his maps. You could even take an existing land mass, turn it in a new direction so it is less recognizable (I'd also refrain from using things like italy, that boot will look like italy no matter how you turn it) or even throw some maps together to make your own.

    Last you could commission an artist to draw you one. You'd have to work out the specifics of that between you and the other person, but that's always an option!
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    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Obnoxious Hydra's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    I used to draw my maps on Paint until very recently, when I discovered that Photoshop is a far nicer tool to use. Layers are extemely handy, because it lets you easily hide things like mountains, rivers, etc. in order to draw things more easily. Plus, it's really easy to make a nice parchment texture on Photoshop to make your map seem aged.

    Here's the country map I've created for a PbP game I'm running on another site (I've also made a world map which shows continents, but it's far less impressive).
    Spoiler
    Show


    I've never tried making a city map or a dungeon map in this style though.. don't know how easy it would be.
    Last edited by Obnoxious Hydra; 2012-09-10 at 03:32 PM.

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    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    I am trying out hexGIMP, which is a free addon to the free GIMP graphics program, that turns it into a hex map editor.

    Still have to see how it works, but hex editors have the advantage that you don't need any skill at all. It's like building your map out of a giant Settlers game.
    Last edited by Yora; 2012-09-11 at 06:43 AM.
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Tzi's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    Honestly for awhile I just handmade maps. GIMP is a great free program and the Cartography guild is good.

    But sometimes for like big regional or world maps, sometimes just a giant sheet of paper, some pins and pencils and a ruler can be just as good at not as space consuming on your harddrive.

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    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Griffon

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    Default Re: Maps

    I don't know about computer mapping, but if you want to hand draw head over to gnomestew.com; there's a (somewhat old) series of blog posts on how to make a really striking map.

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    Ettin in the Playground
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    Despite having tried learning a good dozen or so mapmaking and drawing programs, from Gimp to AutoCAD to Hexmapper and AutoRealm, I still mostly make my maps by hand. When I'm lazy, I might search the net for few ready-made ones, or buy pre-made adventures.

    In the past, I used a style similar to old D&D hexmaps, or the generic "fantasy map look" that is well-presented in this thread. Lately, I've started using real world geographical and orienteering maps as a baseline. I find this modern style more informative and easier to draw than elaborate symbols. I also use ASCII-style numerical and alphabetic notations on grid paper.

    If I ever get a CAD program with good key shortcuts, I will start drawing my dungeons according to real world technical standards. Because I can.

    My hints for mapmaking:

    1. If you ever find a program with good key commands, forget the mouse ever existed. Instead of drawing, learn to use XY coordinates and make those objects go exactly where you want them to!
    2. Forget looking good. A map is for telling where stuff is, being a work of art comes strictly second. Emphasize only key items that map is for such as nation borders, roads and rivers, and leave all needless detail OUT!
    3. A table or two for random item generation accompanied by a few rules of thumb for how they affect their surroundings (f.ex., rivers flow downhill, mountains gather moisture and stop clouds etc.) will help you seed your world with intereting stuff.
    "It's the fate of all things under the sky,
    to grow old and wither and die."

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    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Seharvepernfan's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    I'm making a solo sandbox-esque campaign for my friend, the area of which is to be about the size of county (50 miles to a side). I was considering using gridpaper, with each square being a certain size, and detailing the contents of each square. I think a hexmap would be better.

    She'll start near the center of the map, in her cottage home. She can explore and interact as she pleases. Each square contains certain terrain, structures, inhabitants, it's own set of random encounters (including one-time encounters, like the "hallowsprings griffon"), and any miscellaneous things I can think of.

    Each square will be the same size, naturally, say, one mile to a side?

    I might even make a map of each square, as I go.

    Have any of you ever tried this or otherwise have any experience with this or something similar?
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    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    That's pretty much a Sandbox game in a nutshell. There should be a couple of threads in the Roleplaying Games forum.
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

    Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying

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    Ettin in the Playground
     
    TheWombatOfDoom's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    It's interesting that Hyde asked for help, but hasn't responded to any of us. I hope one of these was of use to Hyde, or someone else who might have had the same question.
    Scientific Name: Wombous apocolypticus | Diet: Apocolypse Pie | Cuddly: Yes

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    Yora's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    The most important lesson I took away from university is, that talking about things is the most efficient path to learning and understanding. Comparing oppinons and formulating explainations makes you understand more than reading the instructions can ever do. There are no useless discussions.

    I have a question of my own, for which I don't want to start another thread.

    What are peoples experiences of designing worlds based on hexes? I've seen mentions in a couple of places that speak about "there needs to be a source of water in a hex to support settlements" or "you need X hexes of available farmland to support a city of a given size".
    It depends of course on how large you make each hex and what ratios of resource consumptions you come up with. But is there actually any advantage of working with hexes during world creation instead of just winging it and laying a hex grid over the finished map to measure distances?
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

    Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying

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    Ettin in the Playground
     
    TheWombatOfDoom's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    Quote Originally Posted by Yora View Post
    The most important lesson I took away from university is, that talking about things is the most efficient path to learning and understanding. Comparing oppinons and formulating explainations makes you understand more than reading the instructions can ever do. There are no useless discussions.

    I have a question of my own, for which I don't want to start another thread.

    What are peoples experiences of designing worlds based on hexes? I've seen mentions in a couple of places that speak about "there needs to be a source of water in a hex to support settlements" or "you need X hexes of available farmland to support a city of a given size".
    It depends of course on how large you make each hex and what ratios of resource consumptions you come up with. But is there actually any advantage of working with hexes during world creation instead of just winging it and laying a hex grid over the finished map to measure distances?
    I assume there would be advantages of some sort, but I've never implemented a hex system at all. It might be worth looking into, however. Having conditions per hex might in the end aid in a realistic world creation. I guess you can do that on the fly too, but making it a science is intriguing!
    Scientific Name: Wombous apocolypticus | Diet: Apocolypse Pie | Cuddly: Yes

    World Building Projects:
    Magic
    : The Stuff of Sentience | Fate: The Fabric of Physics | Luck: The Basis of Biology

    Order of the Stick Projects:
    Annotation of the Comic | Magic Compendium of the Comic | Transcription of the Comic
    Dad-a-chum? Dum-a-chum? Ded-a-chek? Did-a-chick?
    Extended Signature | My DeviantArt | Majora's Mask Point Race
    (you can't take the sky from me)

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Yora's Avatar

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    Default Re: Maps

    Someone at cartographers guild recommended me A Magical Society: Guide to Mapping. It's a free pdf so you can just google it and download it from anywhere without having to make an account at any of the online stores.

    It adresses the subject from the perspective that geography determines to a great deal how things would have happened in the past and why things are as they are in the present, and also what people will predict of the future to be like because you can already see many potential opportunities and conflicts just by looking at the landscape.

    Edit: It seems to be a preview for Magical Society: Ecology & Culture. Which got lots of excelent reviews. For $13 at RPGNow, I think this is a purchase I'll risk.
    Last edited by Yora; 2012-10-08 at 07:45 AM.
    We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.

    Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying

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