Location Maps

[DickNervous]

Is there a good source or tool for creating location maps?

Maps of star ports, cities, buildings, etc? Does anyone have maps of locations that they are willing to share? Even deck plans for ships?

I'm looking into using Fantasy Grounds to help me with my campaign since the game store we play at has a TV right by our usual table. I could hook my laptop to it and display maps and even track movement. Not going to build an entire ruleset to play (don't have time for that), but thought for this function at least it would be pretty good.

 

[Spinward Scout]

You could look through the images here on CotI. There's a bunch. Google is also a good source.

There are several programs you could use: Campaign Cartographer, with the "approved for Traveller" Cosmographer add-on; Dundjinni makes nice maps.

 

[CosmicGamer]

http://rpgmapshare.com
http://rpgmaps.profantasy.com/?tag=user-maps

http://www.cartographersguild.com/content.php has a map gallery and all kinds of info in the forums including this thread listing software
http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=1407

 

[Aramais]

You could look through the images here on CotI. There's a bunch. Google is also a good source.

There are several programs you could use: Campaign Cartographer, with the "approved for Traveller" Cosmographer add-on; Dundjinni makes nice maps.

I use the Campaign Cartographer, and have used a computer screen. A largish screen on its back can be used with miniatures, and allows the GM to do faster scene changes than with a printed map.

A number of location maps are found in the CD-ROM version of Cirque, including segments of several space stations, a large mansion, etc., in both CC3/Cosmographer and pdf. Plugging my own work.

 

[DickNervous]

As usual around here you guys provided me with way to many choices! Now I have to sort through them all!!

Thanks!

 

[JimMarn]

I have 518 planets on my Traveller site in Traveller/Cosmographer icosahedron flat maps.

And around 400 surface maps on my AD&D 1e game world.

The Traveller one is in my .sig. My Crestar site, nothing there actullay in 1E:

http://crestofastar.drivein-jim.net/

 

[DickNervous]

I have 518 planets on my Traveller site in Traveller/Cosmographer icosahedron flat maps.

And around 400 surface maps on my AD&D 1e game world.

The Traveller one is in my .sig. My Crestar site, nothing there actullay in 1E:

http://crestofastar.drivein-jim.net/

Wow... that's a lot of maps!

Seeing as you have made so many maps, which map making tool would you suggest to a novice map maker?

And I will be checking out your site! Thanks!

 

[Patron Zero]

My suggestion might be to create a basic template for a starport, perhaps based of a real-world airport's layout, then additional features as needed.

I've based a few Scout outposts and frontier 'ports on small municipal airfields, maps of such are surprisingly available in large quantities online.

 

[DickNervous]

My suggestion might be to create a basic template for a starport, perhaps based of a real-world airport's layout, then additional features as needed.

I've based a few Scout outposts and frontier 'ports on small municipal airfields, maps of such are surprisingly available in large quantities online.

I started looking into that as well and got some great ideas from things I found online in general and here on COTI in the Art Gallery and Files section. I hand drew something quick for what I needed for my session yesterday and will be expanding upon it and then either scanning it in or re-creating it with a mapping tool. Once that is done I will post it for others to use.

The only problem I have found with the official airport layouts is that there is a lot of "stuff" to remove from the images and my photoshop skills are fairly basic. I was even thinking of using screen captures from Google Maps of airports in NY, Chicago, Frankfurt, London, etc. but I can't seem to find a way to turn off all the labels except in satellite view, and that view has too much other stuff.

I've realized that fleshing out a Traveller campaign is much more work than for other games such as D&D, but I am loving it. I just need to put the group "on rails" for a few sessions so I can get caught up with my preparation.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Here's a Google search, if you are looking for something like a starport map.

 

[DickNervous]

Here's a Google search, if you are looking for something like a starport map.

I swear I did that same search and did NOT get those results! o:

I know how to use Google... really... I do. I promise. Maybe I just need more of this.. :coffeegulp:


(Thanks!)

 

[JimMarn]

Wow... that's a lot of maps!

Seeing as you have made so many maps, which map making tool would you suggest to a novice map maker?

And I will be checking out your site! Thanks!

Thanks. My Crestar site had over 2000 maps, but I decided my attempts to learn with CC2 should be removed and I'm making new ones.

I use Campaign Cartographer 3. CC3Plus just came out, they are in the process of converting all symbol sets, Annuals ( 12 issues one per month of a mapping style with symbols templates and a pdf), etc.

I used Fractal Terrains 3, a stand alone program, to make the Traveller maps. So if that is what you want to make, you only need that.

profantasy.com is the company.

They know me, but I won't get anything if you buy their stuff. I already own everything they sell.

I hope this much detail is okay.

edit:

Oh, I do have one starport at my 'Nessie of Marsport' site: http://blue.cwahi.net/marsportarea.html

The Nessie site started out as a joke, but I'll be placing some good maps there.

 

[DickNervous]

I found a site called Snazzy Maps that exposes the Google Maps API in a GUI so you can turn things on/off and tweak the heck out of it. So I played with it to make a style I like for use as a base for maps for starports and other things.

I then used the Snipping Tool in Windows to clip the areas I wanted and have uploaded them to the gallery here. If you want some info on how I did it, just let me know. I figure between this and my limited PS skills I can make some decent maps.

Here is a sample of the one for JFK

 

[Spinward Scout]

I swear I did that same search and did NOT get those results!

Are you clicking on 'Images' across the top?

 

[DickNervous]

Are you clicking on 'Images' across the top?

Yeah. Like I said, I know how to use Google, heck I found this place didn't I.

Probably just misspelled something. Thanks again for the help. I think between what you pointed out to me and what I was able to do with the maps should have me mostly covered. At least for downports. Highports are another story.... But I'm getting there.