I have been looking for a good map program and i have ran across several decent ones.  Alot of people skip the mapping programs and use real world maps.

Some map programs I have tried are:

http://www.profantasy.com/  Campaign Cartographer...this thing has tons of features that it just overwhelms you...

http://www.dunjinni.com/  Dundjinni....lots of stuff uses java, and does nice focus area maps for things like heroclix and such (will even print grids)

http://www.nbos.com/products/mapper/mapper.htm  Fractal Mapper very good at larger maps decent at city maps and town maps and such...

Ive treid them but couldnt get a good solid fell of them, lots of stuff and things tend to become overwhelming...

the main sucky thing is most of them are set for fantasy and charge for modern stuff....so when i mention modern maps, people suggest yahoo maps and such and those are ok, but hard to edit in what i want and such....

so anyone have any other mapping programs or www links?

See I've used Campaign Cartographer and it has a lot of stuff it can do.  But its so complex and has so many options that its overwhelming.  Its great if you knwo how to use it as tahts what most WotC maps are done with.

I'm actually looking for something that does cities really well.  Having to traw out multiple levels of the city by hand does not appeal to me.

Some of the video games available, such as Age of Empires and Civilization, have good map-making programs as well. Although these are rather specific in their scale.

Quote from: KnightcrawlerSee I've used Campaign Cartographer and it has a lot of stuff it can do.  But its so complex and has so many options that its overwhelming.  Its great if you knwo how to use it as tahts what most WotC maps are done with.

I'm actually looking for something that does cities really well.  Having to traw out multiple levels of the city by hand does not appeal to me.

I know what you mean, ive been trying to design stuff for my AFMBE game and keep getting annoyed at the mapping programs and not having the skill to do it by had for what i need...

I've had some great successes with Map Maker Plus

It's just a package of fonts and clipart.  But you use them with any of your favorite image editing programs...  PaintShop, PhotoShop, even MSPaint.  It's all just cut, paste and edit.

When I get home, I'll upload one of the latest maps I've made with it, so you can see what it looks like.

Just like I promised. Two maps I made using Map Maker plus...

The first is a map I made for a campaign that revolved around 3rd edition coversions of old OD&D and 1st edition modules I had lying around.



The next is a map I made for my wife's home-brewed D&D setting.



Each of them took about one afternoon of work to create, and another afternoon of work to make pretty.

Quote from: CyclotronJust like I promised. Two maps I made using Map Maker plus...

Wow.  Very nice work on the maps.  Those look great!

Quote from: CyclotronJust like I promised. Two maps I made using Map Maker plus...

Those are nicer than many published maps. Very cool!

Those are some nice looking maps there.

Quote from: CyclotronIt's just a package of fonts and clipart.  But you use them with any of your favorite image editing programs...  PaintShop, PhotoShop, even MSPaint.  It's all just cut, paste and edit.

I do something similar , but import those images as "stamps" in the Gimp. Should be doable in PS or PSP as well.
Much easier.
The font I just import as well.

I'll dig up some scribbles I made that way.

Here's one , I could find quickly:

Quote from: MegamieuwselI do something similar , but import those images as "stamps" in the Gimp. Should be doable in PS or PSP as well.
Much easier.

The font I just import as well.

Hrm...  I'll have to look into that.  Stamping the mountains and forests and such would probably cut my map making time in half.

Cyclotron, those maps are outstanding!

Awesome work!

Quote from: CyclotronHrm...  I'll have to look into that.  Stamping the mountains and forests and such would probably cut my map making time in half.

Forrests and mountains and the like , I imported as brushes , btw.
Set the rate reasonably low and : PRONTO!
(only "con" is that you HAVE to start at the top and work your way down , else it becomes a mess....)

Quote from: MegamieuwselForrests and mountains and the like , I imported as brushes , btw.
Set the rate reasonably low and : PRONTO!
(only "con" is that you HAVE to start at the top and work your way down , else it becomes a mess....)

It'll be something for me to fiddle with one of these weekends...  

I've got to finish a set of hyperspace charts of the Tapani Sector for my Star Wars game first, though. Since I only really need distances and which systems connect to which, I'm thinking I might model them after modern subway system maps.