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Mapping software?

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5 replies [Last post]

Fri, 02/25/2005 - 11:40

Anonymous

I want to make maps with a hexgrid on top for board wargaming, and I was wondering what other people use for this.

There is a producted call Campaign Cartographer which has all the features, but I downloaded the demo, and the interface is not anything near what could be called standard. And which it does have features I need, most of the features are really designed for people who play D&D.

Campaign Cartographer
$40
http://www.profantasy.com/Products/cc2.asp

Another option is Microsoft MapPoint. I don't know if it has all the features I need (like making a hexgrid), but it certainly will have standard functionality.

MapPoint
$300
http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/products/default.mspx

The next level up is probably ridiculous for a hobby, but ESRI makes professional mapping software. It certainly has every possible feature you could need and more, and it has a standard user interface, but it costs a lot.

ArcView
$1,500
http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcview/index.html

Does anyone use any of these (or other) programs for making board wargame maps?

Fri, 02/25/2005 - 11:44

#1

Anonymous

Dunjinni

Skip all of those. I love this program:

http://www.dundjinni.com/

You can add your own graphics into the mix and their are tons of stuff that users have created for it.

Regards,
Rob Stone

Fri, 02/25/2005 - 12:22

#2

CDRodeffer

Offline

Joined: 08/04/2008

Re: Mapping software?

Topos wrote:

I want to make maps with a hexgrid on top for board wargaming[....] Does anyone use any of these (or other) programs for making board wargame maps?

Try AutoREALM. It's free, open source, and can easily overlay a hex grid on top of other board graphics. If you're also looking for a good way to make terrain graphics, especially from real data, such as digital elevation models from the U.S. Geological Survey, then I would highly recommend Estierra as the program of choice for pre-processing maps. It's shareware.

Fri, 02/25/2005 - 20:09

#3

Anonymous

Re: Mapping software?

Wow, these look awesome! I am going to download them all and try them.

Thanks for the info!

By the way, if you need background maps, here is a great website:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/

Wed, 04/20/2005 - 10:00

#4

Anonymous

Fractal Mapper

You can also try Fractal Mapper

http://www.nbos.com/products/mapper/mapper.htm

It's very intuitive, yet powerful, and very inexpensive (US$39.95 + S&H or US$34.95 Download) and lets you put an customizable overlay square or hex grid, what else can you ask for ;-)

Wed, 04/20/2005 - 17:11

#5

VeritasGames

VeritasGames's picture

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Joined: 08/01/2008

Mapping software?

Campaign Cartographer I've used quite a lot. Not for making board wargame maps, but for other RPG uses. Realize that CC is actually part of a suite of software. Each one does something different. Some design modern settings, others design dungeons, some design city maps, one is a fractal mapper. I could certainly see using fractal mapper and then moving it into Campaign Cartographer to make a Risk-like board.

Alternately, if you are handy with Photoshop, you can look up some software called "Wilbur" on the net. It's free.

Re: CC's interface. It does look pretty standard to me -- for old-fashioned CAD software, which the code was based on.

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