Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I'm trying to design a map for the life long campaign my wife and I play against each other(besides the one for who gets the remote) set on the Blighted Isle of Ulthuan.

I've already got a rough outline of it in jpeg form that I did from a scan of the map of Ulthuan in the 7th edition Army Book.

Does anyone have a decent map designer software for things as geeky as this? There are a great many projects I'd like to design maps for, ideally in high enough resolution to get poster size prints of them done up if not a bit bigger.

Halp?

Campaign Cartographer 3...

 Alfndrate wrote:
Campaign Cartographer 3...

That works. Follow up question, is there software for this that isn't $45?

Gimp is your best bet for making what ever maps you want.. It will allow you to do anything.. Look for a website called cartographers guild.. They have resources for gimp and photoshop that will allow you to create maps so much easier..

 Aerethan wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
Campaign Cartographer 3...

That works. Follow up question, is there software for this that isn't $45?

High quality? Not that I know of

 ruff wrote:
Gimp is your best bet for making what ever maps you want.. It will allow you to do anything.. Look for a website called cartographers guild.. They have resources for gimp and photoshop that will allow you to create maps so much easier..

Oddly enough, Gimp is what I created my "template" in. Granted it's insanely basic, just a flat green island with blue water around it at the moment.

Thats all you need to start out with.. The outline is the start.. Now using the program you can refine it to make a map that is something to enjoy and use in your games.. My last campaign I created all the maps, from the ones you use for states and cities, to their encounter maps.. My players and myself loved them, but they were a huge amount of work and expense to undertake.. The current campaign I am running I am using more readily available maps and making them fit my story..
So definitely work on what you feel is relevant to your game.. Cartographers Guild is a fantastic resource that will get you running in no time.. They not only have a website, but a great following on facebook..

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RPGartists/ - Facebook Group

http://www.cartographersguild.com/forum.php - Cartographers Guild

Hope it helps you..

But, I gotta tell you - Campaign Cartographer 3 is insanely fun to play with. One of my favorite toys.... I can easily lose eight hours, just putzing around in Overland mapping mode. (Not as fond of the dungeon mapper, but....)

And the Annuals add so danged much - I have an entire campaign that started because of the Mercator mapping template in the very first issue of the Annual. (A game set in a 1630s analog.) It took me about two hours to nail down the world map.

Dig around in the Annuals to find a style that works for you. Then decide if you want to get the program - for me the Annuals make it all worthwhile. There are about half a dozen map styles that I just keep coming back to, both fantasy and historical.

The Auld Grump

*EDIT* Added link to Annuals page.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Just for giggles, went through the maps that I have made, or at least started, over the last twelve months - these were the templates and styles, aside from the styles included with CC3, that have been used at least twice in that time:
Mercator
John Speed City Maps
Both of these are used in my 1630s game – the city maps are slightly anachronistic, but only slightly.

Sailing Ships – Arrr! I clean forgot about this one! And I can use it for next week's Pathfinder game!

Strip Maps... I had a 'doh!' moment when I first saw this template... something that I woulda, shoulda, coulda done, but had not. Used in a wide spectrum of games, 1600s through 1800s.

B&W Cities - For general purpose fantasy city maps, this is the one I grab, I like it better than the color maps.

B&W Dungeons – My goto template for interiors.

Jon Roberts Dungeon – the one I use to make Christmas presents for my fellow Gms. Available as a free download. (You still need CC3 to use it, though.)

I have no idea how many hours were spent making maps, but....

The Auld Grump

Can I just say how lucky you are to have a partner to always play with?

 Enigwolf wrote:
Can I just say how lucky you are to have a partner to always play with?

Now if only I could get her to paint!

 Aerethan wrote:

 Enigwolf wrote:
Can I just say how lucky you are to have a partner to always play with?

Now if only I could get her to paint!

My girlfriend does.

You have no idea how happy that makes me.

The Auld Grump

 TheAuldGrump wrote:

 Aerethan wrote:

 Enigwolf wrote:
Can I just say how lucky you are to have a partner to always play with?

Now if only I could get her to paint!

My girlfriend does.

You have no idea how happy that makes me.

The Auld Grump

I (jealously) hate you guys so much.