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Map-Making Software for RPG Campaigns?
mandrake*rpgdx writes "I'm looking into downloading/purchasing some map making software for my Table Top RPG group. I've heard about the free (GPL'd) AutoRealms and wondered if anyone with experience can compare it to commercial products like Campaign Cartographer, and if there is any Linux based map-maker I can grab?" The one I've been most impressed with, and might pick up at Gen Con this year, is Dundjinni. Anyone else have any software favorites?
...it's called MS Paint or The Gimp.
Remember this? The real reason to get map software
... and not just for RPGers. I contribute to Wikipedia, which is really undersupplied with maps, due to copyright issues. Sometimes the only thing to do is draw it yourself. But I, for one, lack the skill.
AutoREALM is pretty nice, however, there's some small clumsiness in the UI. It's the kind of software that you want to use to create really complex maps, because it sure isn't smooth enough to do anything really simple.
It's sure very powerful, has some nice drawing tools and such. Very nice layering functionality too. The symbol library feature helps too.
The only problems I had were with snapping/accurate ends, zooming and panning (there's a separate pan tool, no mouse shortcut, and panning tends to screw up the display until done). Also, in this day and age, I'd definitely expect the program to do EPS or SVG exporting, but nooo-oo, not yet! Okay, it's been an year since I used it - hope it's being improved a bit...
AutoREALM had one curious feature, too - name generator, based on context-free grammars. I found it a pretty strange coincidence that I spent this day tweaking my context-free grammar based text generator, and the first thing I see in Slashdot after that is some question about AutoREALM. This generator of mine happens to have one AutoREALM grammar as an online demo =)
I've played with most of the mapping software out there[1] and it all has problems that limit how useful it is, especially for a GM that does not work off a laptop when gaming. I've seriously thought about writing my own; I have many pages of notes on how to implement the system and a few directories full of testbed code and graphics. My biggest problem with mapping programs is how they force you to think within their structure rather than being a more freeform tool.
Here's a map I'm using in my current Firefly GURPS game.
[1] I have not played with Dundjinni. It looks very "pretty", but I prefer Tolkien-esque lineart maps for the simple fact that they don't use four gallons of ink to print out.
--
Evan
"$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
I'd suggest looking into using SVG for game map creation, because there's getting to be a lot of Open Source tools out there (like Inkscape, that I help develop) that can edit, convert, etc. them. I've done some map making with it and while it lacks many of the advanced features that commercial map tools have, it's got the basics, plus if you can code, you gain the option of adding the feature in yourself. ;-)
Making maps with Inkscape / SVG is different than using CAD-style software like Campaign Cartographer, but you can achieve pretty much the same things. With features like alpha blending, text-to-shape, layers, grouping, shape fills, tiling, and infinite zoom, you can make much "prettier" maps in much less time than it'd take to do in a CAD-like program. See the screenshots to get some ideas of what can be done with these features. It has a fancy calligraphy mode that could be quite handy if you need to hand-write calligraphic text on a map. There's also a nifty bitmap-to-vector tracing tool that might help in converting hand-drawn maps to vectors. Also comes with several useful tutorials (in the Help menu).
There's also a site for sharing SVG clipart (like map symbols), the Open Clip Art Library. Not a lot of RPG art yet, but there's some and it's likely going to grow a lot. Plus, since all of its content is Public Domain, there's no restrictions at all placed on your maps if you use it. I could *easily* imagine this being a way for RPG mappers to collectively build an open library of RPG map symbols and artwork.
What the hell is up with AutoRealms? I have to sign up for a Yahoo account to RTFFAQ?!
I have been creating software in flash for this purpose for a few weeks. Its a simplistic approach NOT meant to take over the game. It isn't quite done yet. Flash Magic Map
As a long-time gamer and sometime-artist (that is, I know enough technically to not be laughed out by my artist friends), I'm somewhat surprised that nobody has mentioned that before you get into all this mapping software, you really should think about the map. Sketch things out, make notes -- whether they're on paper or in a word processor or on MS Paint/GIMP/Photoshop. There has not been one map-making program I know that will help you out with the planning stage. In fact, most of them are detriments to it.
If you already have a map, that's another matter.
I don't like Campaign Cartographer specifically because it's a CAD program. It's slow and a pain to fix or alter things on other layers. The one thing it does better than (so far as I can tell) any other gaming-mapping program is link and keep track of notes. In today's XHTML computing world, though, this isn't that impressive.
Even so, I've seen more interesting maps drawn by inartistic DMs using a pencil than I have with inartistic DMs using mapping software.
But that's just map-MAKING software. What I'd love to see is software that has a GM map and a player map on the same computer. The GM map would include pop-up notes for the GM, icons for who's where, but the player map would only have those areas flagged by the GM to be player-viewable. I'd love a SIMPLE interface, or an interface I could use simply.
Normally we just use a Battle Mat, erasable markers, and dice representing where we are. We save more money for pizza and elvish hookers that way.
There are simply so many ways and reasons that someone would want, or care for, RPG Map-Making Software. I just touched on the two that meant the most to me.
This now concludes our broadcast day.