What do you use to make maps? City maps, dungeon maps, land/wilderness maps...

Thanks.

Edit: I'm going to be using it for my products.

First, let me say that there is at least one huge thread around here somewhere (my forum-fu failed me) that has a bunch of information about how various folks here create maps. I found some threads about hand drawn maps, and such, but I can't find that other thread (I think it's Maps, Maps, Maps or Maps for the Map Obsessed something).

Second, please allow me to use this opportunity to pimp the work on Dunfalcon, using CC3 (the links there will lead you to samples over on d20 Haven), as well as a thread on d20 Haven wherein Rob Conley shows a step by step method of creating awesome maps.

Quote from: James J Skach;273023First, let me say that there is at least one huge thread around here somewhere (my forum-fu failed me) that has a bunch of information about how various folks here create maps. I found some threads about hand drawn maps, and such, but I can't find that other thread (I think it's Maps, Maps, Maps or Maps for the Map Obsessed something).

Second, please allow me to use this opportunity to pimp the work on Dunfalcon, using CC3 (the links there will lead you to samples over on d20 Haven), as well as a thread on d20 Haven wherein Rob Conley shows a step by step method of creating awesome maps.

Maps for the Map Obsessed

-clash

Thanks.

Is it worth the $200 for the fantasy CC3 bundle?

Sorry, I don't have much cash these days (or for the last many days). So I just bought the basic software...oh, and Fractal Terrains because I wanted to have the world sketched out before I decided on a continent on which to focus.

My only issue with the software is that it's not as straightforward as I think it should be. The approach to CC is a bit different and you need to do things in steps more than I thought.

Those seem like big deals, but in reality once passed the learning curve (the first issue), it's a piece of cake. And the second issue I've come to realize is pretty much the same no matter what software used (at least, that's the idea I've come to given various discussions here and on d20 Haven - like robs step by step).

I have used autorealm, and Fractal Mapper. Both have their good and bad sides. I have resorted to using Paint Shop Pro. This give me more creativity and I think  better design.

I've got some gift cards I need to burn.... maps... mmmmm....maps

Love threads like this, lots of freeness. I've reviewed a city map generator as part of my free rpg blog posting. It's really cool.

I use CC3 and Fractal Terrains for my campaign and online game mapping. Though CC3 has a lot better symbols than CC2 did, you still might consider some real graphics program for finishing effects if you get good enough and want something publication worthy.

Quote from: Narf the Mouse;273088Thanks.

Is it worth the $200 for the fantasy CC3 bundle?

If you are going to use it a lot then yes, but you better like CAD style interfaces* Also your maps will tend to look like they were done in CC, fortunately the CC3 release has improved that quite a bit.

If you already know how to use photoshop there are quite a few tutorials on creating RPG maps with them that look way better than anything CC3 can turn out.

* CAD programmers seem to go out of their way to make something difficult and ass backwards that should be easy and intuitive.

I know how to use Gimp.

Could you (And anyone else feeling helpful) post links to those tutorials? Thanks.

Certainly

Here are a couple of youtube videos to get you started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSDDTLt75Bk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8ElqUA6B5

This guy has around 20 videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO4XZfaSAoA

This guy also has a few
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we_iPsNG4r0

You should also stop by the Cartographers Guild lots of good info on fantasy mapping there, and several tutorials using GIMP on the tutorials subforum.
http://forum.cartographersguild.com/index.php

Paint.net isn't map software per se, but it's free. It's much easier to use than Campaign Cartographer, doesn't look like toss like Autorealm, and is more intuitive than GIMP with all its pain-in-the-arse windows.

I tried GIMP for a couple of weeks and couldn't quite get the hang of it. I'm guessing because I haven't used Photoshop before the learning curve was a little steep for me. I've been using Paint Shop Pro for about 6 years now and Love it.