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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 7:55AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Apr 20, 2008
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Does anyone know what program the people at Wizards use to make their maps? For examples see these: www.wizards.com/dnd/images/Map_ECG/8.jpg www.wizards.com/dnd/images/Map_ECG/12.jp... www.wizards.com/dnd/images/Map_ECG/1.jpg (large one) They've got quite a different look to the ones made with the popular Campaign Cartographer and would like to give it a try myself.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 8:07AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Oct 10, 2007
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No idea, but I wish I could find a program that would allow someone with no artistic talent of drawing to make continental maps, like those found in eberron, the realms and dragonlance. different terrain, special locations and settlements. While still looking damn good. My maps make me feel sad. I generally use maps from other games or settings. But I hate doing that, especially when my players know about the other game or setting.
Long Live Dragonlance and the Nexus! I still want an athasian nightmare beast and a warforged dragon mini! "Look, Meat, I'll tear your face off, rip your throat out and eat what's left-because that's what I do to food like you." ~Thrikreen Intimidation Tactic. My Custom 4th edition Content (New Content:2)
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* My Personal 4e Darksun Material found below:
Updated Weapon Options. (critical impact, repair, salvage)
http://www.4shared.com/document/bMZK2PNy/Updated_Optional_Darksun_Weapo.html
4th edition Athasian Sloth v1.2 (includes three monster write ups and a new disease)
http://www.4shared.com/document/lj561SRh/4th_edition_Athasian_Sloth_v10.html
4th edition Athasian Flailer v1.0
http://www.4shared.com/document/JGi9PqSe/4th_edition__Athasian_Flailer_.html
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 8:08AM
#3
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Date Joined:
May 16, 2007
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I doubt they use a program made for mapping and instead think they probably just draw it out on some general art software, like photoshop or illustrator.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 8:10AM
#4
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Wacom Tablet + Photoshop CS4 + Skilled Artist = Good Map. This is what I, as a mapper myself, am currently also trying to get to... encounter maps. Sadly they are hard to draw when you have zero actual drawing capabilities.
If you have questions about 4th Edition - don't hesitate to ask me via PMs. Join the Community Monster Manual Group and help to collect a mass of monsters which will make your life as DM easier, and your life as Player pure hell!  I am a cartographer. You can find some of my maps in my profile, free for non-commercial use. Also, if you happen to like maps or make them yourselves, join into the Cartographers Group!
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 8:13AM
#5
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No idea, but I wish I could find a program that would allow someone with no artistic talent of drawing to make continental maps, like those found in eberron, the realms and dragonlance. different terrain, special locations and settlements. While still looking damn good.
You only need Photoshop or GIMP and a fine tutorial. Look at my maps (see sig). I have no talent whatsoever in drawing, if I had to draw a persons face, a mountain behind a big tree or a skyscraper, I couldn't do it even if my life depended on it - it wold just come out ugly and as an utter failure. Mapping on the other hand, takes no artistic skill per say, if you make normal maps. Just a very basic unerstanding of some things (rivers) and a technique you can quite easily learn over at the Cartographers Guild.
If you have questions about 4th Edition - don't hesitate to ask me via PMs. Join the Community Monster Manual Group and help to collect a mass of monsters which will make your life as DM easier, and your life as Player pure hell! I am a cartographer. You can find some of my maps in my profile, free for non-commercial use. Also, if you happen to like maps or make them yourselves, join into the Cartographers Group!
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 8:25AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Apr 20, 2008
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Wacom Tablet + Photoshop CS4 + Skilled Artist = Good Map.
Had a suspiscion is would be this. I think I can mostly see how it would be done in Photoshop (CS3 anyway, I'm behind the times!), but it seems like something that would be so much easier achieved with the right software. But I guess if it doesn't exist it doesn't exist 
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 9:39AM
#7
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Wacom Tablet + Photoshop CS4 + Skilled Artist = Good Map.
This is what I, as a mapper myself, am currently also trying to get to... encounter maps. Sadly they are hard to draw when you have zero actual drawing capabilities.
You got it! I would through in Illustrator CS as well. These are what I use to create my maps. Here's the current world my game is placed in. This is a small version of my official map, that I use. 
And here is a handdrawn version for the players, where not everything will be included of course. 
Looking at the maps in published books from WoTC, I can see where they used Photoshop (sometimes poorly). The great thing about Adobe Creative Suit is the ability to create tools and smart images, which can be reused, making map making (ha ha ha) quicker. Still a good map requires a level of personal touch. You can't do everything with filters and effects without it looking just like that. I also use painter 11, for that natural look, like in the second map. For encounter maps, I have a lot of dungeon tile sets, I arrange those and take a picture, and then add things in photoshop or InDesign, like where monsters start. Then i take the tiles for that encounter and put them in a baggy with a print out of the set up. It's very Martha Stewart meets DnD. But they are all ready to go, and quick to set up, take down.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 9:43AM
#8
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Wacom Tablet + Photoshop CS4 + Skilled Artist = Good Map.
Had a suspiscion is would be this.
I think I can mostly see how it would be done in Photoshop (CS3 anyway, I'm behind the times!), but it seems like something that would be so much easier achieved with the right software. But I guess if it doesn't exist it doesn't exist
The software does exist, it's just doesn't always allow you the effects of what you seem to want. They are basically what you see is what you get, in terms of looks. To get really great maps, you are going to have to use a program that lets you customize the tools as you need.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 6:04PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Aug 30, 2007
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I have used Fractal Mapper with great success. Its pretty easy to use and I was able to map out my entire world (and it even had a globe view, which was pretty cool). You can have it create random shapes for you, or you can draw out a rough outline, set the fractal level, and the program will finish it off. You can put in different fill patterns, map icons, manage layers (including a hidden layer that will not show up if you project the map to another screen), and even hyperlink maps (so if you click on a city, you can have the program bring up the map of that city). Unfortunately an idiot friend of mine broke the hard drive that the program and all my information was on, and data recovery services do not come cheap. Still, I plan to purchase the newest version and it honestly won't be too difficult to remap the world, just a little time consuming to put all the cities and villages back in place.
Owner and Proprietor of the House of Trolls.
God of ownership and possession.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 15, 2009 - 9:37PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Feb 15, 2008
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ProFantasy's Campaign Cartographer is a good program, here's an example of my work with it (I have no artistic talent at all either):
"So shall it be! Dear-bought those songs shall be be accounted, and yet shall be well-bought. For the price could be no other. Thus even as Eru spoke to us shall beauty not before conceived be brought into Eä, and evil yet be good to have been."
- Manwë, High King of the Valar
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