3D Map MAking Software

[BriniaSona]

not looking for much more than terrain and landscapes, dont need buildings as map markers will suffice. I want to make a 3d skyrim style map. Oh and a way to import vector lines would be nice so I can easily map it out instead of trying from scratch.

[Deadshade]

Wilbur is great and free. Beware an extremely steep Learning curve - you'll need a few months before achieving something reasonable.
Fractal Terrain creates realistic 3D worlds but is not as flexible as WIlbur and not free either. You may explore a bit the forums - there is a sticky listing most software that can be used for cartography.

[Midgardsormr]

Those aren't really 3d, but they will create heightmaps that can be used for displacement.

Take a look at Vue. The Pioneer version of the software is free, or it was a couple of years ago. It's designed for landscape renders, but it can do map-like imagery if you put the camera high enough. It does require quite a long time to render, though.

[johnvanvliet]

there are many tools but they all have a rather steep learning curve

i tend to use mostly opensource code
but Wilbur is rather nice and dose run in the Microsoft Windows emulator "wine"

for say a FPS
that would be ties of an area using a LOD approach with the GAME ENGINE

however making a square tile that dose NOT have to be joined to others is the easiest to do

a WHOLE planet at very hi resolution is a bit harder ( do to the HUGE file size )
I work on planets that JUST the height data might be 24 Gig


as to software
look at the section on the forum about programs

I tend to build the source code for the programs i use
this leads to a mix of programs that i use

one thing i use is Blender
a 3d modeler and 3d GAMING CREATION tool
http://www.blender.org/download/
there is a built in tool ( needs to be turned on )
Called " ANT "
http://cgcookie.com/blender/2011/03/...dscape-add-on/

and a oldish program
"FracPlanet "
http://www.bottlenose.demon.co.uk/share/fracplanet/

libnoise
a library and c headers for c code


now for something like this google search find for skyrim
http://static-1.nexusmods.com/15/mod...1396623946.jpg

the FREE tool wilbur will do just fine
however the site is down

the good news is that making basically an island ,even a big one, is the EASIEST to do .

there are many tutorials here on this site for that