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  1. #1
    Guild Novice Facebook Connected
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    Default Hello

    Hello Everyone,
    I am new here, I love maps and I cant wait to see what other people are doing with their maps and such. I love looking at them and observing them and even drawing them myself. I do not have computer software for such maps though. I don't know which one to use and any help here would be greatly appreciated in deciding which software to use. I hope to learn a lot. Thank you for allowing me on the site and hope to become well informed.

  2. #2
    Guild Master Chashio's Avatar
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    Welcome! I look forward to seeing what you map.
    Computer software is not technically a requirement for making maps, but I do love my Photoshop. There are a few threads floating around the forum somewhere about the various softwares one can use for mapping... likely in the software discussion section... hmm. Yeah, here it is: Software Discussion
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  3. #3
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    Thank you very much for the help. Ill definitely look into it

  4. #4

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    Welcome to the Guild CorranHorn (one of my favorite Star Wars characters BTW)! Firs of all, you don't need any computer software do make maps. There are a handful of artists here who work almost exclusively with hand drawn media. However if you wish to learn how to create maps digitally, and want to know which software to get, then check out the link that Chashio posted. A good starting program is GIMP. It's free, fairly powerful, and well supported in the tutorials sections here. You may also wish to browse through the tutorials sections to see what styles are possible given different forms of software.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

  5. #5
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    Arsheesh, Mine also, since I read "I Jedi" he is the best haha. I have a small hand full of drawn maps that I will put up. Just a few that I like to draw in my spare time and critique. Ill look into GIMP and the tutorials. Thank you again for the help.

  6. #6

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    My pleasure. Oh and "I Jedi" may just be my favorite Michael Stackpole novel.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

  7. #7
    Guild Expert Facebook Connected Meshon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by arsheesh View Post
    My pleasure. Oh and "I Jedi" may just be my favorite Michael Stackpole novel.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh
    CorranHorn, I'd add Inkscape to the recommended free softwares (though if I'm gonna recommend it I should really learn to use it!). Just finished Michael Stackpole's Ghost War, definitely enjoyed that.

    cheers,
    Meshon

  8. #8
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    I'll look into it Meshon, thank you what do you think about it as a program?

  9. #9
    Guild Expert Facebook Connected Meshon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CorranHorn View Post
    I'll look into it Meshon, thank you what do you think about it as a program?
    I've only barely played with Inkscape. I've been using Illustrator for a long time so it's what I have and what I'm used to, but Inkscape does wonderful things. It's a vector program, so its uses are a bit different than Photoshop or GIMP. I use it a lot for layout and to create complicated outlines for walls or stairs or streets. Then I import those illustrations into another program to add depth and texture. Of course you can use a vector illustration program as your only tool as well. Just as examples, here are a couple of old maps that I used for a D&D campaign awhile back, both done just with vectors.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Also, Inkscape is free, which saves you from getting involved in this debate

    cheers,
    Meshon

  10. #10

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    Hi and welcome!

    You can start by sketching on paper with a 2B pencil with a 6B for shadows. That's what I do, no software needed!
    Last edited by krasimir; 05-07-2013 at 04:06 AM.
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