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This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it goes:
I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
anything prefered?
Any help would be appreciated.
-- Pawel
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Pawel Nazarewicz wrote:
>
> This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it goes:
>
> I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
> people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
> anything prefered?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
If you had said Windows I would have directed you to Campaign
Cartographer. That might still be a good choice if you have a Windows
emulator.
I have used draw packages before. Illustrator would probably do a fine
job.
--
Frank Filz
-----------------------------
Work: mailto:ffilz@us.ibm.com (business only please)
Home: mailto:ffilz@mindspring.com
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In lugnet.castle, Frank Filz writes:
> Pawel Nazarewicz wrote:
> >
> > This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it goes:
> >
> > I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
> > people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
> > anything prefered?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
>
> If you had said Windows I would have directed you to Campaign
> Cartographer. That might still be a good choice if you have a Windows
> emulator.
>
> I have used draw packages before. Illustrator would probably do a fine
> job.
What's Campaign Cartographer? I haven't heard of it before and I'm a little
interested in seeing what it is.
Thanks,
~Nathan =)
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In lugnet.castle, Nathan McDowell writes:
> What's Campaign Cartographer?
Find it here...
http://www.profantasy.com/
It's a map drawing program written for role playing gamers. It's been around for
years. Do a web search for it and you'll see tons of stuff written about it.
Amy
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On Thu, 15 Mar 2001 05:47:02 GMT, "Nathan McDowell"
<Skiing_Scotsman@Hotmail.com> wrote:
> In lugnet.castle, Frank Filz writes:
> > Pawel Nazarewicz wrote:
> > >
> > > This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it goes:
> > >
> > > I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
> > > people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
> > > anything prefered?
> > >
> > > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > If you had said Windows I would have directed you to Campaign
> > Cartographer. That might still be a good choice if you have a Windows
> > emulator.
> >
> > I have used draw packages before. Illustrator would probably do a fine
> > job.
>
> What's Campaign Cartographer? I haven't heard of it before and I'm a little
> interested in seeing what it is.
>
> Thanks,
> ~Nathan =)
Campaign Cartographer is a map making program that was designed for
use with role playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons and the
like. I don't have a link handy though.
Mike
--
All other themes are just spare parts for Castle! :^)
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I used CC years ago. I don't know if theyv'e improved the interface but I
found it very difficult to use and bet a satisfactory result (this was a dos
based version, theyv'e gone windows now for all I know) Iv'e resorted to
photoshop now for maps I know the package and it does the job nicely. (dodge
and burn the contours :) )
james
www.minifig.co.uk
"Nathan McDowell" <Skiing_Scotsman@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:GA85EE.FG6@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.castle, Frank Filz writes:
> > Pawel Nazarewicz wrote:
> > >
> > > This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here • it goes:
> > >
> > > I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what • is
> > > people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is • there
> > > anything prefered?
> > >
> > > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > If you had said Windows I would have directed you to Campaign
> > Cartographer. That might still be a good choice if you have a Windows
> > emulator.
> >
> > I have used draw packages before. Illustrator would probably do a fine
> > job.
>
> What's Campaign Cartographer? I haven't heard of it before and I'm a • little
> interested in seeing what it is.
>
> Thanks,
> ~Nathan =)
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CC is an excellent tool. They've done a lot to improve the interface. I use
it quite a bit and think the results are outstanding, especially with the
City Designer plug in. I wish they could do a little better on the prices
though.
-Kyle
In lugnet.castle, James Stacey writes:
> I used CC years ago. I don't know if theyv'e improved the interface but I
> found it very difficult to use and bet a satisfactory result (this was a dos
> based version, theyv'e gone windows now for all I know) Iv'e resorted to
> photoshop now for maps I know the package and it does the job nicely. (dodge
> and burn the contours :) )
> james
> www.minifig.co.uk
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kyle peterson wrote:
>
> CC is an excellent tool. They've done a lot to improve the interface. I use
> it quite a bit and think the results are outstanding, especially with the
> City Designer plug in. I wish they could do a little better on the prices
> though.
Yes, I think it is improved. It's also Windows 95 based now. It does
have some powerful features since it uses a real CAD engine as it's core
(I forget what the CAD engine is, but it's normally a $500 product or
so). One nice thing about it over many draw and paint programs is that
as a CAD engine, symbols come from a symbol library, and your file only
has references to the library. I haven't played with all the possible
aspects of this, but I have worked with CAD systems in the past where
you could swap the library out and get different symbols. I made big use
of this kind of thing when doing a chip layout in college once, when
laying out the chip, I used a library which just represented each logic
gate as a rectangle with a name in it. This allowed for very quick
re-draw speeds. When I was ready to produce a final image, I swapped in
the complete gate library.
--
Frank Filz
-----------------------------
Work: mailto:ffilz@us.ibm.com (business only please)
Home: mailto:ffilz@mindspring.com
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In lugnet.castle, Pawel Nazarewicz writes:
> This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it • goes:
>
> I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
> people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
> anything prefered?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> -- Pawel
Do you mean a full-fledged GIS / business mapping package or just something to
draw maps to your house for a party?
There are several mapping packages for Macintosh (ESRI and MapInfo both have
packages) but they can be pricey..... There is also a mapping add-on to Excel,
but I don't know if it is available for Mac Excel.
Paul Sinasohn
Geographer
LUGNET #115
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In lugnet.castle, Paul Sinasohn writes:
> In lugnet.castle, Pawel Nazarewicz writes:
> > This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it • goes:
> >
> > I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
> > people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
> > anything prefered?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > -- Pawel
>
> Do you mean a full-fledged GIS / business mapping package or just something to
> draw maps to your house for a party?
>
> There are several mapping packages for Macintosh (ESRI and MapInfo both have
> packages) but they can be pricey..... There is also a mapping add-on to Excel,
> but I don't know if it is available for Mac Excel.
I worked at MapInfo for several years....
The Mac version hasn't been made for a few years. The Microsoft Map
developed by MapInfo was never made for Mac. MapInfo at version 3 (last
version I have for Mac) could import (not edit or compute on) raster images
but the rest was vector. I recently used this to plot telecom networks over
raster maps.
There were a number of raster based mapping programs, which didn't address
the same markets. These might be more appropriate...
Anyway, I would probably suggest going with Illustrator if your primary goal
really is illustration! Unless you require accurate, numeric registration,
a GIS is probably going to leave you wanting for more graphical effects like
gradients.
Game editors on the other hand....
Pawel, you tried the WC2 editor, right? Take a look at Railroad Tycoon 2!
It has some nice scenery and it puts snow on top of the mountains for you. (:
-Erik
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In lugnet.castle, Erik Olson writes:
> I worked at MapInfo for several years....
Now why doesn't that surprise me? I never worked there but knew several folks
who did.
For those wondering about my comment, Erik and I both attended RPI (Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute), and MapInfo is probably one of the best known companies
started by RPI alum (or students? I forget all my history), and especially for
one which is still active and presumably still has lots of ties to RPI (of
course there are more well known and well used products of RPI grads, hmm, lets
see: the Ferris Wheel, the Brooklyn Bridge, Sendmail [or was it SMTP], and many
more...).
Ok, back to your regularly scheduled .castle stuff, this discussion to be
continued (or just plain ignored) over in lugnet.people...
Erik - have you thought about modeling the approach? I should dig out the
pictures I have from before it was rebuilt and build a "before" model. We used
to have our own "Greek ruin"...
Frank
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In lugnet.castle, Erik Olson writes:
> In lugnet.castle, Paul Sinasohn writes:
> > In lugnet.castle, Pawel Nazarewicz writes:
> > > This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it • goes:
> > >
> > > I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with ... what is
> > > people's experience with such things? Should I use illustrator, or is there
> > > anything prefered?
> > >
> > > Any help would be appreciated.
> > >
> > > -- Pawel
> >
> > Do you mean a full-fledged GIS / business mapping package or just something to
> > draw maps to your house for a party?
> >
> > There are several mapping packages for Macintosh (ESRI and MapInfo both have
> > packages) but they can be pricey..... There is also a mapping add-on to Excel,
> > but I don't know if it is available for Mac Excel.
>
> I worked at MapInfo for several years....
Was that the Mac map software outfit in Clearwater FL ? I interviewed there
once, but ended up across the bay working for another company.
> The Mac version hasn't been made for a few years. The Microsoft Map
> developed by MapInfo was never made for Mac. MapInfo at version 3 (last
> version I have for Mac) could import (not edit or compute on) raster images
> but the rest was vector. I recently used this to plot telecom networks over
> raster maps.
>
> There were a number of raster based mapping programs, which didn't address
> the same markets. These might be more appropriate...
>
> Anyway, I would probably suggest going with Illustrator if your primary goal
> really is illustration! Unless you require accurate, numeric registration,
> a GIS is probably going to leave you wanting for more graphical effects like
> gradients.
I've used DenebaCad with some success. I have a very large DenebaCad document
covering the four counties where I live. I use it to measure distances between
towers, paths, etc. Unfortunately, DenebaCad not being designed for GIS, gives
all the distances in feet or meters (rather than miles or kM).
Ray
fut .offtopic.geek
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In lugnet.castle, Ray Sanders writes:
> Was that the Mac map software outfit in Clearwater FL ? I interviewed there
> once, but ended up across the bay working for another company.
Nope, MapInfo is in Troy, NY. (Actually it's in North Greenbush.)
> I've used DenebaCad with some success. I have a very large DenebaCad document
> covering the four counties where I live. I use it to measure distances between
> towers, paths, etc. Unfortunately, DenebaCad not being designed for GIS, gives
> all the distances in feet or meters (rather than miles or kM).
I might have to refresh my memory of DenebaCad...
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In lugnet.castle, Pawel Nazarewicz writes:
> This is a bit off-topic, but on the other hand, it's right on, so here it >goes: I need a map making software for the Mac to mess around with
Could you be more specific, Pawel? What is your goal?
-- Hop-Frog
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> Could you be more specific, Pawel? What is your goal?
>
> -- Hop-Frog
I want a map for reference for the structures and places in my kingdom. I
suppose the Warcraft editor is ok, but I was hoping for something easier
to manage ...
-- Pawel
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In lugnet.castle, Pawel Nazarewicz writes:
> > Could you be more specific, Pawel? What is your goal?
> >
> > -- Hop-Frog
>
> I want a map for reference for the structures and places in my kingdom. I
> suppose the Warcraft editor is ok, but I was hoping for something easier
> to manage ...
I wasn't seriously suggesting Warcraft again!
Playing with Railroad Tycoon just now, it's possible to do some very nice
looking maps, starting with a picture (elevation map) and massaged with
elevation tools. (Raise, Lower, Smooth.) It has nice ground cover mixing and
vegation cover is independently sprayed on. Also a few house and building
types. Rivers, roads and of course railroad tracks are available. You can
put labels on your map. It supports borders to differentiate political
territories. Nice little toy GIS!
For all that, it only offers 4 rotation views (but much zoom level, with any
level of detail). And there is really no way to track any data of your own.
However, that can be done after you make the pretty map.... Speaking of
which, I am looking for a way to do a screen dump out of the game!
For the other desirable things:
I've experimented recently with HTML, using a large image with little iconic
graphics layered over it. It's easy to change positions of the icons. A
homemade GIS in HTML. Open horizons: you can make the icons into links, or
attach scripts. I got the necessary concepts from Danny Goodman's book,
Dynamic HTML (O'Reilly.)
You can preview the whole works of that (uses nice map of Mediterranean) at:
http://www.ancient-theme.com/map/
I'm still trying to dump out Railroad Tycoon 2 pictures....
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In lugnet.castle, Pawel Nazarewicz writes:
> > Could you be more specific, Pawel? What is your goal?
> >
> > -- Hop-Frog
>
> I want a map for reference for the structures and places in my kingdom. I
> suppose the Warcraft editor is ok, but I was hoping for something easier
> to manage ...
>
> -- Pawel
Alrighty, I ran with my idea and created these maps of the mythical kingdom
of Oakria. See them at http://olson.pair.com/maps/
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> Alrighty, I ran with my idea and created these maps of the mythical kingdom
> of Oakria. See them at http://olson.pair.com/maps/
Very cool! Just what I was looking for. Thanks :)
-- Pawel
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