How to choose a tool for mapping?

[nichendrix]

I'll personally always recommend Photoshop as a mapping software. It takes a little time to get really comfortable with it, but once you do and combine it with a graphics tablet, there is no limits to what it can do for you. This is also a fantastical place for learning this stuff; I can honestly say that everything I know about using Photoshop today, and I dare say I'm getting pretty handy with it these days, I have learned from the tutorials on this Guild. I knew practically nothing about it going in.

As far as vector software goes, I for one can give a warm recommendation for Affinity Designer. I use AfDe for pretty much all my vector needs and I really like it. I kinda prefer it to Illustrator, it just is less troublesome with some essential little things.

I know a lot of people use the ProFantasy software for mapping, but I've never really used any of those, with the exception for Fractal Terrains which I own for the occasional inspiration boost. So I'm not the best person to say yay or nay on them. Many people do like them though, so I doubt they are too terrible.

My very biased personal view on this, feel free to ignore this PS nut

@Kellerica I have enough skill with Photoshop and GIMP to do most of my digital drawings and paintings, but I could never translate my skills to mapping, but to be really sincere, I didn't put enough time/effort on it, but in the end the few things I've tried to do on PS took me substantial time, which is my main limiting factor. I have at most 8 hours a week to make the maps for my game sessions, most weeks I would have less than that. I may be that if I get the right tutorials and invest some time to it, I can be faster using PS for mapping, but out of the box, I think it is the more time consuming of them.

Greetings!

Sorry I didn't see your posting earlier.

There are a couple of crucial points that you've defined too vaguely for me. You write



and



but you don't make quite clear what your goal is. Why do you want to make maps? The things I quoted suggest that you might want to make maps to use in RPG gaming, but that's not necessarily the case. I would give you varying answers to your base question, depending upon the purpose of your maps.

If you plan to run one or more RPG campaigns as game master, then you will need to make the best maps possible in the least time possible so that the map(s) is/are on the table at your next gaming session.

If ... like the three members of our project group ... you're publishing and all members of the group have equal responsibilities for text and cartography, you also need to complete maps quickly. In that case, all three of us use the same software programs and we map according to a binding style book to map the maps look as though the all come from the same source.

Some guild members make maps on commission for RPGs without text responsibilities. They have various deadlines to meet. Some have to produce a map in a week's time. Others have three of six months or maybe even a year. Those with short deadlines may need different software than those with long deadlines.

There also are lot of guild members who aren't involved in RPGs and who make maps simply for the joy of making maps. They post their work here and elsewhere and that's its end line. Such cartographers are fortunate in a sense, because the only deadlines with which they have to be concerned are those that they set for themselves.

If I were a cartographer with long deadlines or one who simply was making maps for the joy of doing it, I would stay away from cartographic programs like MapForge (more or less successor to Dundjinni), Fractal Mapper 8 or Campaign Cartographer 3+. I have licensed versions of and have used all three of them myself. Many people have done magnificent work with these programs. But I've never seen a map anywhere made with any of them that in my judgment approaches the quality of the best Photoshop and GIMP creations posted here at the guild. If time is on your side, my recommendation is that you go with Photoshop or GIMP and add whatever other graphic programs that you prefer for secondary work.

However, neither the other members of the Vintyri Project nor I have time on our side. We sometimes need to complete two to three maps in a day's time to drop into a campaign accessory or an RPG in decent (we hope) quality albeit below masterpiece level. Our main goal is strategic usability rather than the beauty of the masters. We've found that we've had no choice but to use a program like MapForge, Fractal Mapper or CC3+. However, which of these programs is best for you depends upon your needs, usage and budget.

One issue goes across all three of these programs in their current versions: They are 32-bit applications, making them quite dated technologically – late 20th century. They can address the resources of a modern PC only to a limited extent. Most frustrating is their ability to use only 4 GB RAM when your computer many have 16, 32 or 64 GB RAM. Photoshop and the GIMP are available in 64-bit versions.

My interest in mapping is mostly to use on my RPG games, though I've done some maps by hand as an exercise. If time wasn't a factor, I could easily use Illustrator, CorelDraw, but the process is very time demanding if I want it to look good, which is why I'm looking for a more plug and play approach since I'm playing on a weekly basis.

The main problem I have with the dedicated mapping software I've seen is that they seem to focus on medieval fantasy settings, not the sci-fi stuff I usually play, If I have to make all textures and props and everything I use from scratch I would end up needing more time than I have available.

By your description it seems that FM8/9 is the way to go, as it has a 64-bits version to be released soon. Unfortunatelly it is not possible to tweak with the Smart Building tool so it does sci-fi stuff as well as fantasy settings. Unfortunately I've never seen sci-fi (starship, cities, "dungeons") made in FM8, in this regard CC3+ have quite a gallery of stunning maps/deckplans available.