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Author Topic: Favorite Map-Making Software?  (Read 1455 times)

Jace

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Favorite Map-Making Software?
« on: 10 Sep 2014, 21:46 »
I have no idea what section to post this in, so into The Speakeasy it goes.

I am working on some more story and fiction for one of my characters and would like to make a territorial map. Does anyone have a favorite map-making software? Preferably freeware. I used to just make it by hand in Photoshop, but I really do not have the time nor inclination to put quite that much effort into it this time around.
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Anyanka Funk

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #1 on: 10 Sep 2014, 22:03 »
SketchUp is free. They have plenty of pre-made models in the 3D warehouse.
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Esna Pitoojee

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #2 on: 10 Sep 2014, 22:40 »
While I can't admit to knowing any good mapmaking software, your OP has me interested - what are you making?
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Jace

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #3 on: 10 Sep 2014, 22:44 »
Quote from: Anyanka Funk on 10 Sep 2014, 22:03
SketchUp is free. They have plenty of pre-made models in the 3D warehouse.

Is that not an architectural program? That would work for buildings I need to make, but would it work for maps do you think?

Quote from: Esna Pitoojee on 10 Sep 2014, 22:40
While I can't admit to knowing any good mapmaking software, your OP has me interested - what are you making?

I am laying out the lands of my Holder to help better organize my fiction related to him.
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Anyanka Funk

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #4 on: 10 Sep 2014, 23:11 »
Quote from: Jace on 10 Sep 2014, 22:44
Quote from: Anyanka Funk on 10 Sep 2014, 22:03
SketchUp is free. They have plenty of pre-made models in the 3D warehouse.

Is that not an architectural program? That would work for buildings I need to make, but would it work for maps do you think?

Quote from: Esna Pitoojee on 10 Sep 2014, 22:40
While I can't admit to knowing any good mapmaking software, your OP has me interested - what are you making?

I am laying out the lands of my Holder to help better organize my fiction related to him.

You can totally make a top-down map with it. Add in models and even add in your character(s) as 2-d model(s).

Good luck!
« Last Edit: 10 Sep 2014, 23:15 by Anyanka Funk »
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Jace

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #5 on: 10 Sep 2014, 23:26 »
Quote from: Anyanka Funk on 10 Sep 2014, 23:11
You can totally make a top-down map with it. Add in models and even add in your character(s) as 2-d model(s).

Good luck!

Good to know. Hopefully it does not have too high of a learning curve with it. I downloaded it a while back but have never actually run it. Thanks for the info.
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Steffanie Saissore

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #6 on: 11 Sep 2014, 04:31 »
They are not freeware unfortunately, but these are the tools I have tried using in the past:
CC3 (Campaign Cartographer)...powerful tool, but if you don't know anything about CAD the interface is not very intuitive. The bonus to it though is all of the various modules that can be added to it.
I have also used a couple of programs from a NBOS: Fractal Mapper and AstroSynthesis (AS is nice if you want to create solar systems, galaxies, etc.)
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Jace

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #7 on: 11 Sep 2014, 07:12 »
Quote from: Steffanie Saissore on 11 Sep 2014, 04:31
They are not freeware unfortunately, but these are the tools I have tried using in the past:
CC3 (Campaign Cartographer)...powerful tool, but if you don't know anything about CAD the interface is not very intuitive. The bonus to it though is all of the various modules that can be added to it.
I have also used a couple of programs from a NBOS: Fractal Mapper and AstroSynthesis (AS is nice if you want to create solar systems, galaxies, etc.)

I have heard of CC. Does it ever go on special or sale or anything of that sort? Last time I looked it up, it seemed rather expensive. And I have AutoCAD, so the interface should not be too big of a problem.
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Aedre Lafisques

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #8 on: 28 Sep 2014, 11:34 »
http://www.cartographersguild.com/content/116-ascensions-atlas-style-photoshop.html

Though you mentioned not wanting to have to do it 'by hand' but I feel like this one kind of generates itself, all the same when you follow the steps. It still requires some personal input, but the result is great. I had a really great result with this after just one sitting, which you'd probably have to do with a generator anyway :p
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Jace

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #9 on: 28 Sep 2014, 11:39 »
I haven't been on that site in ages. That style might work as well. Thanks.
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Silas Vitalia

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Re: Favorite Map-Making Software?
« Reply #10 on: 28 Sep 2014, 12:14 »
Sketchup is a great piece of software for the price (free).  If you haven't used 3d modeling programs before, it's easy to pick up and you won't reach its limitations for quite a while.  There are plenty of add-ons and the program has a very nice 'warehouse' where you can essentially google search for models other people have made.

So say you want a 'car' in your model, type in the car you want, and out there in the interwebs is someone who spent 3 days making a detailed model of a model T Ford, and has shared it for free to input into your model.

We use this software sometimes at my office for quick and dirty visualization for clients, worth its weight in free gold.

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