For the past 5 years of my life as a DM, I have created several homebrew worlds, but as a terrible artist, I cannot effectively draw maps for them at all. I've heard that some people use photoshop to make maps as an alternative to drawing them but is there a reliable computer program besides photoshop any of my fellow DMs could recommend?
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DM | Dragon Heist: Hell of a Summer Jasper Garrai - Aasimar Ranger/Cleric | The Dark Below Hyacinth Hagsbane - Hexblood Ranger |Witchwood Petra Pebblefoot - Svirfneblin Wizard | Tomb of Annihilation
If I knew how they did it, I would recommend using WoTC map-making techniques.
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Devious serpent folk devoid of compassion, yuan-ti manipulate other creatures by arousing their doubts, evoking their fears, and elevating and crushing their hopes. From remote temples in jungles, swamps, and deserts, the yuan-ti plot to supplant and dominate all other races and to make themselves gods.
If I knew how they did it, I would recommend using WoTC map-making techniques.
WotC's technique is to pay professional artists to illustrate the maps.
However, you can use Campaign Cartographer to pretty closely approximate the WotC maps after a bit of practice because one of the artists that frequently make WotC maps, Mike Schley, contributed a resource set for just that purpose. And it's not really an art program, so it might be easier for a non-artist to use. The purchase of the program also happens to come with a pretty helpful guide book that walks you through the process of making a map in the program.
So I say if you've got the coin to spare, go check it out.
If I knew how they did it, I would recommend using WoTC map-making techniques.
WotC's technique is to pay professional artists to illustrate the maps.
However, you can use Campaign Cartographer to pretty closely approximate the WotC maps after a bit of practice because one of the artists that frequently make WotC maps, Mike Schley, contributed a resource set for just that purpose. And it's not really an art program, so it might be easier for a non-artist to use. The purchase of the program also happens to come with a pretty helpful guide book that walks you through the process of making a map in the program.
So I say if you've got the coin to spare, go check it out.
Thank you, I will certainly check that out.
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DM | Dragon Heist: Hell of a Summer Jasper Garrai - Aasimar Ranger/Cleric | The Dark Below Hyacinth Hagsbane - Hexblood Ranger |Witchwood Petra Pebblefoot - Svirfneblin Wizard | Tomb of Annihilation
I found myself in the same predicament -- and found that really it's going to take a ton of time to learn to use a program even, instead of learning to draw. I found this site (Cartographer's guild) upon my various searches, and it goes over how to use GIMP, an open-source software similar to Photoshop, to create maps. It explains the basics of how it works and how to draw maps within the several tutorials.
Like anything, if you want to be really good at it (want your maps resembling those of WotC/professionals) you are going to have to spend a ton of time learning it. There isn't a "quick way" to learn how to become a professional cartographer anymore than there is a quick way to become a professional <insert skill here>. I am someone who had no experience at all with this type of software and was trying to understand the concepts of "layers" and other things they speak of that I'd imagine are familiar to anyone with photo-editing or map-making skills, but not even having a foundation on what those terms referred to made it extremely difficult.
thatwestonkid: My super advanced mapmaking technique - a handful of dice makes the map nice
takeo14: My question is do the die affect topography any or just set the borders?
somethingdnd: I imagine it’s up to the person making the map. But maybe the more dice in a single spot, the more mountainous or forested the area. Maybe choose a few dice to be deemed cities, and some dice for ruins.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
I'll second the recommendation for Campaign Cartographer. It's a bit pricey, especially if you get the Dungeon Designer with it ( which you should!), but it's been my go-to for map making since I got it.
I will caution that there's a bit of a learning curve. It's not intuitive if you're used to programs like GIMP or Photoshop. But there's plenty of tutorials, both video and text. I'd do about three practice maps to make sure you have it down before attempting your campaign map.
Try pyromancers.com they have a full click and paste map making system you can pay for or a dumbed down version for free. It even has item placement such as terrain, water, beds, chests, barrels etc.
For the past 5 years of my life as a DM, I have created several homebrew worlds, but as a terrible artist, I cannot effectively draw maps for them at all. I've heard that some people use photoshop to make maps as an alternative to drawing them but is there a reliable computer program besides photoshop any of my fellow DMs could recommend?
DM | Dragon Heist: Hell of a Summer
Jasper Garrai - Aasimar Ranger/Cleric | The Dark Below
Hyacinth Hagsbane - Hexblood Ranger | Witchwood
Petra Pebblefoot - Svirfneblin Wizard | Tomb of Annihilation
If I knew how they did it, I would recommend using WoTC map-making techniques.
Devious serpent folk devoid of compassion, yuan-ti manipulate other creatures by arousing their doubts, evoking their fears, and elevating and crushing their hopes. From remote temples in jungles, swamps, and deserts, the yuan-ti plot to supplant and dominate all other races and to make themselves gods.
DM | Dragon Heist: Hell of a Summer
Jasper Garrai - Aasimar Ranger/Cleric | The Dark Below
Hyacinth Hagsbane - Hexblood Ranger | Witchwood
Petra Pebblefoot - Svirfneblin Wizard | Tomb of Annihilation
I found myself in the same predicament -- and found that really it's going to take a ton of time to learn to use a program even, instead of learning to draw. I found this site (Cartographer's guild) upon my various searches, and it goes over how to use GIMP, an open-source software similar to Photoshop, to create maps. It explains the basics of how it works and how to draw maps within the several tutorials.
Like anything, if you want to be really good at it (want your maps resembling those of WotC/professionals) you are going to have to spend a ton of time learning it. There isn't a "quick way" to learn how to become a professional cartographer anymore than there is a quick way to become a professional <insert skill here>. I am someone who had no experience at all with this type of software and was trying to understand the concepts of "layers" and other things they speak of that I'd imagine are familiar to anyone with photo-editing or map-making skills, but not even having a foundation on what those terms referred to made it extremely difficult.
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
The most fun way to make a map:
thatwestonkid: My super advanced mapmaking technique - a handful of dice makes the map nice
takeo14: My question is do the die affect topography any or just set the borders?
somethingdnd: I imagine it’s up to the person making the map. But maybe the more dice in a single spot, the more mountainous or forested the area. Maybe choose a few dice to be deemed cities, and some dice for ruins.
I'll second the recommendation for Campaign Cartographer. It's a bit pricey, especially if you get the Dungeon Designer with it ( which you should!), but it's been my go-to for map making since I got it.
I will caution that there's a bit of a learning curve. It's not intuitive if you're used to programs like GIMP or Photoshop. But there's plenty of tutorials, both video and text. I'd do about three practice maps to make sure you have it down before attempting your campaign map.
Try pyromancers.com they have a full click and paste map making system you can pay for or a dumbed down version for free. It even has item placement such as terrain, water, beds, chests, barrels etc.
Thank you all so much for your input. :)
DM | Dragon Heist: Hell of a Summer
Jasper Garrai - Aasimar Ranger/Cleric | The Dark Below
Hyacinth Hagsbane - Hexblood Ranger | Witchwood
Petra Pebblefoot - Svirfneblin Wizard | Tomb of Annihilation