Every slap-up story has to kickoff somewhere, for many adventurers this volition be sat effectually a tabular array in a tavern, drinking some ale of dubious origin while recanting exploits and tales of keen valor. It's then that a mysterious stranger joins, with a round of drinks, and hands over a map, a small money bag, and exclaims that, "Heroes such as yourselves, would fare well nether his employment!"

As the Dungeon Chief, your job is to set up the perfect start to the session, whether it is a single, one-off adventure or a multi-role entrada that has been running for several years. Nothing makes a story more existent than a prop that your players can concord, the near basic of which is a map. It's hard to imagine a earth without the full-color, detailed maps that game studios produce today, just this wasn't always the example. I tin can even so call up cartoon my own maps, and I took my design cues from the D&D source books and from authors such every bit J. R. R. Tolkien. This oft resulted in a badly hand-crafted map. Thankfully, today nosotros have meliorate methods bachelor only I will ever have a soft spot for the dungeon maps that I created using a pencil and some graph paper, surrounded by pixel sprite dragon doodles of course.

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Earlier We Showtime

During your campaign, adventure, or single session dungeon clamber, your players may encounter one or more maps. Each map tells a different story, and this is a unique opportunity to exercise something special. The map is the first things that the players will see and it should be more than simply a "You are here" pointer and "X marks the spot." There should exist mystery and intrigue that tin can draw the focus away from a linear path. Yes, it's a game, and yep, anybody knows what they have to practice and where to do it, merely the players don't want to experience forced. They want to live in a rich and vibrant world, full of opportunity and treachery. A advisedly designed map makes the earth experience real. We don't want to spend forever working on our maps. We want to strike a balance betwixt creating something that stands out but doesn't take years of our life to craft.

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Software

This is going to be a flake intimidating to some of you, peculiarly those, shall nosotros say, more artistically challenged. That's why map creation software comes in handy - even for the more artist folk out there. Software tin can help y'all 'cut corners' with the blueprint and layout by letting you employ preset blueprint elements. This can then be printed out using an ink-jet printer and aged and weathered to look quondam. Nosotros'll go a bit more than into finishing your maps later. For now, let's focus on the software and today it's the turn of Pro Fantasy'south Campaign Cartographer.

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Opening upwards an art program can experience quite daunting, only this software has a slightly retro however familiar feel to it. The interface has echoes of programs you'll likely be familiar with, similar Paint and Office, notwithstanding is tailored for the purpose at mitt. It may not be the most sophisticated solution only it more than gets the job washed and the nuts are piece of cake to grasp, which is specially important for those new to map creation.

The first affair to note is that you can create maps of different types and this will adjust the options bachelor to you. For instance, an OVERLAND map offers the selection to create oceans and islands, just past clicking and dragging. Only marker some points on the map and the software draws a realistic looking rugged coastline between the points y'all prepare. Dungeons, on the other hand, have dissimilar tools to create rooms and corridors of different sizes.

Each map blazon also offers a choice of related icons or symbols (as they telephone call them) to cull from, meaning you don't take to hunt through masses of unrelated tiles. These are themed to the type of map and include markers for treasure, points of interest, quests and many more related items. However, the map software tin as well be used for much more specific purposes than a map showing a general overview of a world. Thanks to the icons and tools you can plan out a building, or fifty-fifty a room. If yous want to have maps to refer back to for the layout of a building, as well as what each room contains, then this tin also exist done with the software.

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About of the functionality is based on a elevate-and-drop system, but in that location are additional plug-ins and avails that will offer users additional map types, more flexibility, and greater command. This means users are given the option of if they want to create a more basic reference map or explore the extra options and functions to create something epic.

If yous want sophisticated, high finish graphic manipulation so this program won't be for you lot. But if you are searching for map cosmos software that enables you to draft simple, functional and practical maps quickly, then Campaign Cartographer could be the answer. Factor in the impressive results y'all tin can achieve once you know the software then yous are definitely onto a winner. Below the surface, Entrada Cartographer really is an impressive piece of kit, for fantasy map makers and DMs alike.

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Weathering and Crumbling

I mentioned before about using an ink-jet printer. To be fair, any printer volition practise but an ink-jet, as the name implies, uses ink. While yous will not get the true feel for handwritten place names or hand-drawn outlines, the ink used will be absorbed into the newspaper and will not leave a glossy finish the aforementioned style that a laser printer gives. This is important for weathering as something that adheres to the surface volition stand up out. There are several techniques you tin can apply to age and weather paper, but the easiest and well-nigh attainable is using java and tea to stain the pristine white paper a stake brownish. Paper should exist soaked for short periods of time and is a procedure that tin can be repeated several times to build upward to the desired wait. Extra staining in smaller areas volition enhance the effect - you don't want to accept it too uniform and you lot can fold and crumple the newspaper to give it wear and tear, and the more brave of yous could burn part to give the effect of about disaster. Finally, the apply of stamped molten sealing wax will give an heir of authenticity that is otherwise unattainable. Whichever route you go accept fun but be careful to not go overboard.

Campaign Cartographer is currently bachelor as part of the Maps Caricature Encore Apprehensive Parcel.

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