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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?
http://www.galactanet.com/gametable.html
"Gametable is a remote RPG host/client app that allows use of a D&D style battle map, die rollers, etc online."
Not exactly what you're looking for, but in the ballpark of nifty RPG related software.
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Remember this? The real reason to get map software
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... why anyone actually uses such complex map generating software that does such things as break the whole map into grids and hexes and calculate travel times and such. Let me illustrate, go put on your roleplaying hats and compare:
... What demon had to be slain that left its ichor to stain this map?
GENERIC OMINOUS SOOTHSAYING SAGE (GOSS): You need to go to Ramadamadingdong, which is eighteen hexes out from your location and standard rules are to roll for encounters each hex. Check hex D14 on your map.
Players: Ok. Let's see we'll need 18 standard ration units then, let's make it an even 20.
---- vs...
GOSS: That which you seek lies in mysterious and distant lands unknown (stretches gnarled finger to emphasize that whole "way out there" thing). Your path is perilous, your tread is treacherous, your fly is unzipped.
Players: This journey, how many days? And thanks (zip).
GOSS: I know not, but this burned fragment of a map drawn on the skin of a Dire Wallaby shall guide your path. Beware, for the hand of a madman was that who authored, or the madman guided the mad hand, or perhaps a sane hand of a mad man--
Players: --Yes, this shall do! (snatches map)
GOSS: Oh, I merely ran out of tissue...
---
OK, I'm feeling a little silly, but you can see how even realistic props can enhance silliness. Nothing wrong with the GM having the hex maps, but for godsakes, please stop exposing these to the players.
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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 =)
The majority of the other "map" making software out there is really drawing software. Dunjinni fits into that category. You can draw pictures, but they are just that, and not functional as real maps. They may be prettier, and easier to use if you have more experience with drawing programs.
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