Hello Cartographers

[lab205]

I signed up for this site about a week ago, and I have yet to acknowledge my existence here... sorry. I'm just coming out of hiding and saying hello to everyone. I've been browsing the map here and looking at the tutorials; I haven't posted on any of them yet, I guess that makes me a lurker. I will remedy this and post on a few things later.

Now about myself, I like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain... oops wrong site. Okay, for real now. I've been playing rpgs for a few years now, and since the release of 4th edition (Gurps & DnD), I've been interested in running my own campaign. I found this website from a link on a website about creating your own campaign setting. I've decide to run my first game in Eberron, since I want to get experience as a GM before making my own world. Since most my fun budget went into the new DnD books, magic cards, and a Personal Soundtrack T-Shirt (look it up) I have been limited to free PC programs and good ol' pen and paper to make my maps and dungeons. In the future I may invest more money into Cartography, but I think I'm good with what I have for the time being. My goals on this site are: to learn from others how to make my own great maps, to use other people maps in my campaign (with permission of course), and to one day raise that number next to "Reputation" by posting my own maps.

I would like to end this post by thanking this here community, In that week that I've been lurking around here I've seen some of the most beautiful maps. I am serious, a few of them go beyond professional quality fantasy maps to the point where they could concievably be real place. So without further gilding the lily, thank you Cartographers Guild.

[Gamerprinter]

Welcome to the Guild, Lab205!

While we certainly prefer participants to lurkers, everybody is welcome here.

There are plenty of great applications for mapping that fall under the FREE designation: GIMP, Inkscape, and countless other tools. There are tutorials for using those apps in this forum, so you don't have to feel you can't afford the tools necessary to craete masterpieces. Many of the best maps on this site use those FREE applications.

Any maps that use with a CC license attached is free for you to download and use in your personal games, while some versions of that license allow you to post elsewhere, you do need to mention its creator and the source of that map. Note: some maps have other licenses including All Rights Reserved, which do not allow you to download and use, as they are generally for paid-for maps used in actual publications.

Enjoy your stay, explore the site, and definitely download one of those free apps, GIMP is a good place to start as their are plenty of excellent tutorials to get you towards making your own masterpieces. And post a map soon, the best way to learn is through the comments, critiques and suggestions on what to do next.

Again, welcome to the Guild!

GP

[NeonKnight]

Welcome to the Guild!

Plenty of GIMP users here so you are well on your way!

[Gidde]

Welcome aboard!

[Steel General]

Welcome Aboard!

[ravells]

Great to have you here and let's see those maps!