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Post by RAVENEYE on Oct 9, 2020 4:52:28 GMT -6
My favorite map-building program is Wonderdraft. It is not free, but the results you get are so worth it. It builds gorgeous maps for world-building or RPGs. It allows you to open images of scanned hand-drawn maps as templates over which you can build the digital one. You can change the theme of your map at any time and customize all kinds of things like borders, water edges, colors, fonts, etc. There is also a small number of community-built content that you can download and use. If those aren't what you're looking for, you can open your Wonderdraft map in Photoshop (or equivalent) and add any brushes, images, or fonts you own. I'm currently trying to adapt the tools to creating a city map, which has been challenging. Example map: I got a little font-happy on this one.  Still, it's so much better than the black-and-white hand-drawn one I used for so many years. The image has been shrunk down, but the full-size image in on my website along with a couple of others: HERE Do you know of any other software that you prefer? I'm looking for a map-builder that lets me create pretty city maps. Please share links or image URLs below. |
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Post by Alatariel on Oct 9, 2020 15:18:06 GMT -6
Oooohhhhhhh this is great info. I'm always looking for an easy to use map maker. I currently use a free one online that's pretty simple and really satisfying. It gives me a better rendition of my world than hand drawing at least.
It's called Inkarnate and there's a free version or one you can pay for. The free one is pretty great so I'm not sure how much better the paid on could be!
Not sure if it does cities well, haven't tried, but you can play around with it for free so why not try?
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Post by RAVENEYE on Oct 10, 2020 12:52:02 GMT -6
Yes! Here's the link to INKARNATEI wonder if both Inkarnate and Wonderdraft are by the same people, b/c the User Interfaces and results of both are almost identical. Hmm... The in-map graphics that appear to come with Inkarnate look more detailed though, so maybe Inkarnate is the newer version of similar software? And it looks like the folks are Inkarnate hopped onto the subscription train. There's free or there's monthly subscription. As far as that goes, I prefer Wonderdraft's one-time purchase. But it doesn't appear to have the variety of stamps that a sub at Inkarnate has. Pros and cons. |
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Aubrey
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Post by Aubrey on Oct 10, 2020 13:13:08 GMT -6
I will admit, I bought Wonderdraft. A friend was using it and her map looked so pretty. It wasn't quite what I expected and I wish there was a randomly generated map shape that I could play with. I think Maps are just my weakest link art-wise, so mentally figuring out the software is hard for me.
That said, it is relatively intuitive and very pretty. I'd love to do a walk-through lesson on how to make it work for me. (Especially since I can combine it with Photoshop once the base is done.)
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Post by longhand.hearted on Oct 10, 2020 13:19:08 GMT -6
Thanks, both great resources!
So I always find a map handy when actually writing (in terms of where to send characters or just when generally referencing places) but how do you draw your maps?
Do you just place things randomly using natural tendencies as a guide? Or use real maps as inspiration?
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Post by Alatariel on Oct 10, 2020 14:13:29 GMT -6
Thanks, both great resources! So I always find a map handy when actually writing (in terms of where to send characters or just when generally referencing places) but how do you draw your maps? Do you just place things randomly using natural tendencies as a guide? Or use real maps as inspiration? I do both, random and use real maps to help generally guide my topography. But I'm not well-versed in how to make realistic choices based on science. Just what I want to be there or feel is needed. At some point, if my world is ever published, I might have a real expert weigh in on the location of my lakes, mountains, rivers, marshes, grasslands, etc. But right now it's just like "North is cold, south is hot, middle is moderate. Here's a forest." |
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Post by doublejay9 on Oct 11, 2020 11:32:56 GMT -6
But right now it's just like "North is cold, south is hot, middle is moderate. Here's a forest." That's how I handle most of my world-building these days -- well, when it comes to the physical mapping of places. Though in my fairy tale world (which stubbornly wants to be known as the Five Kingdoms), I deliberately flipped it. "North is the warm sea coast. South is cold and mountainous. Middle is mostly temperate forests and grasslands. Here's a swamp where the gnomes live."
The story I'm currently working on for my blog -- "Crystal Towers" and "On the Red Line" -- has been an exception. Early on, I needed to draw out a map of the city's subway system, since that's how my characters will primarily get around town. So far, it's been working well as a substitute for your typical street map for plotting out where everything is.
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Post by Nessa Arandur on Oct 23, 2020 1:54:09 GMT -6
I just bought Wonderdraft to replace my previous go-to Autorealm! I am really excited about it, but I haven't had the time to use it too much yet. |
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Post by RAVENEYE on Oct 23, 2020 12:32:35 GMT -6
I just bought Wonderdraft to replace my previous go-to Autorealm! I am really excited about it, but I haven't had the time to use it too much yet. Awesome! It produces such lovely results. The tutorial was worth doing, and I wish the community content provided more options, but it's a great tool, regardless. Hope you enjoy it. |
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Post by DreamingoftheMist on Dec 6, 2020 14:25:53 GMT -6
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Meth
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Post by Meth on Oct 7, 2022 21:03:16 GMT -6
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Post by RAVENEYE on Oct 10, 2022 9:51:15 GMT -6
Round planets!!!! Gah, I'm all over this. This will help so much with time zones and spatial stuff that's hard to achieve on a flat map. Back in the day, I tried converting my maps by drawing them on beach balls. Terrible. I rage-quit.  Stabbed the ball with scissors and threw it in the trash. Not my best moment. |
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Meth
Smoke
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Post by Meth on Oct 17, 2022 4:20:08 GMT -6
This will help so much with time zones and spatial stuff that's hard to achieve on a flat map. Back in the day, I tried converting my maps by drawing them on beach balls. Terrible. I rage-quit. Stabbed the ball with scissors and threw it in the trash. Not my best moment. Haha, that's a creative solution! Maptoglobe also measures straight distance between two spots on the globe, which is really handy. It also renders maps in all sorts of projections. Unfortunately you can't reorient the map in these projections, would be cool if you could (most of my continent is at the pole so my maps are all stretched unless i screenshot the globe |
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Still, it's so much better than the black-and-white hand-drawn one I used for so many years. The image has been shrunk down, but the full-size image in on my website along with a couple of others: HERE
Stabbed the ball with scissors and threw it in the trash. Not my best moment.
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