Author Topic: Map Creation  (Read 670 times)

Legacy_DM Frayne

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Map Creation
« on: December 18, 2015, 11:32:54 pm »


               

I want to create a particularly swish world map for my game.  As far as I know there is no way of displaying it in-game (other than maybe a loading screen) but obviously it will be offered elsewhere.


 


I had a look at Campaign Cartographer (£30)


 


But for now I’m just hand-drawing stuff with a view to scanning this and tidying it up / colouring it in some program in the future.


 


Any thoughts?



               
               

               
            

Legacy_PLUSH HYENA of DOOM

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Map Creation
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2015, 03:03:45 am »


               

A map - or any other image for that matter - can be made into a texture which can then be applied to a Placeable object. This Placeable can then be placed, hence the name, anywhere you like, in the game...


 


Here, for example, is a map I created for my Maldrapur Chronicles series, rendered as a Placeable which is stuck to a wall in Rajatnur Palace (from over on my PHoD Things thread...).


MaldraMap1.jpg


As Custom Content goes, this is a very easy thing to do... It's probably also the best way of rendering a world map in-game.


 


The Placeable can be any size you like and, if you don't want it on a wall, you can create it as a horizontal object so that it lies on the floor. You can thus have a floor map of your world covering several Tiles in an Area. If you wanted, you could then add little Placeables on top of the map to highlight cities and other features which could have scripts attached so that when manipulated, they teleport a player directly to that place... NWN is fairly versatile in that respect.


 


As to creating the Placeable Map itself, it really is very easy to do such a straightforward object. If you're not familiar with gmax and so forth, someone here will doubtless help you out. I'll happily splat the map texture (when you've got it finished, obviously,) onto a big blob for you if you advise what size, orientation, etc, you want...



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Proleric

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Map Creation
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2015, 09:37:17 am »


               http://neverwinterva...-map-custom-gui
               
               

               
            

Legacy_Tarot Redhand

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Map Creation
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2015, 12:04:25 pm »


               

You have looked at my Map Mats haven't you? Also the person who produces the free Greenfish Icon Editor Pro also makes the free Greenfish Relief Map Generator. If that doesn't suffice have a look at the tutorials on the cartographers guild website. There are tutorials on there which will help you to make a map using free software such as the Gimp.


 


Finally, for an extra flourish, you might like to take a look at my Micro Maps version 2.


 


TR 



               
               

               
            

Legacy_DM Frayne

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Map Creation
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2015, 01:02:02 pm »


               

Thanks for all the suggestions here... lots of options to consider. 


 


I still have not found anyone who has used Campaign Cartographer. '<img'>



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Tarot Redhand

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Map Creation
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2015, 05:32:54 pm »


               

Why use Campaign Cartographer when there are free alternatives. Here's a couple. First there is the free open source (python) Pymapper. Then there's the real contender Autorealm. I did find others but they are either paid for, unfinished or abandoned.


 


TR



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Fester Pot

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Map Creation
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2015, 05:55:53 pm »


               


http://neverwinterva...-map-custom-gui





Very unique way of going about world travel. ':wizard:'


FP!


               
               

               
            

Legacy_Pstemarie

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Map Creation
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2015, 11:20:20 pm »


               


Thanks for all the suggestions here... lots of options to consider. 


 


I still have not found anyone who has used Campaign Cartographer. '<img'>




 I use this for my pnp campaign. I'm just learning it myself so I can't be much help with using it.