Just wanting to know what programs people use to make battle maps on here for their various games.

When I ran a tactical-combat-heavy 4e game, I used GIMP (freeware photoshop clone). Otherwise, I try to use ASCII text maps.

Depends on the needs of the game. For a relatively simple game where all that's really needed is a rough idea of who is where, I've found that a basic ASCII map will do the trick. For the ones that call for a more-detailed map, or where my urge to make things look nice kicks in, the methods vary.

I've made maps using Dungeon Crafter, Masterplan, or imported screenshots from MapTool. I try to do as much as I can within the tool being used, to try to avoid editing -- like Zed, when I need to edit I use GIMP or even MS Paint. (Sometimes I have to use GIMP to crop a picture, scale it, or change the file format.)

Once those are done I stick it on a picture-hosting site like Photobucket or Imgur. From there, it's easy to post an IMG tag.

If you want something to run an interactive map on, I'd suggest  a site called Dabbleboard. It's an online whiteboard and your players can move themselves around on it and you can run enemies on it.

I make all my maps in Illustrator and Photoshop adding all my player's avatars, a comprehensive grid, compass, etc. I start big, little details (for combat over 100+ feet) and zoom in where applicable.

For instance, I just got through combat where four centaurs took down 20 or so orcs. It was snowing at the time so I would progressively add flurries + the accumulation of snow on the terrain. Whenever my player scored a crit, or killed an orc, I would dabble some red on the terrain to set the mood. All in all it was about 180x270 feet.

I used to use Dungeon Crafter, would probably do it again, if I ran a game that needed battlemaps.

If I just want a quick overview of the battlefield, I'll use ACSII or Paint.

I use Google Docs. not so realistic but its awesome in simplicity and beats the way ACSII gets messed up with each edit.

Fractal Mapper:  permits more than a dozen different layers that you can store little surprises on for when the party doesn't search for traps or if you have combat going on a couple different levels.

ASCII maps are pretty simple once you have the template you want.

Alternatively I've been known to use a tablet (iPad for example).  Background picture stays the same (the grid).  Use pen or finger to draw elements.  Cut and paste doesn't kill the grid (because it's the background).  Export directly to photobucket.

Blank map

      a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h   i   j   k   l   m   n   o   p   q   r   s   t   u   v   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 3  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 4  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 5  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 6  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 7  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 8  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 9  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
10  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
11  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
12  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
13  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
14  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
15  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
16  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
17  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
18  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

---

Edited map

      a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h   i   j   k   l   m   n   o   p   q   r   s
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---+---W---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W   |   W   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W-D-+-D-W-W-W-W-W---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W   |   |   |   |   |   W   |   |   |   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W-W-W-w-P-P-P-P-P
 3  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   D   |   |   |   |   |   Z S | A |   |   P    DL P
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-w-P-P-P-P-P
 4  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   w   |   |   |   W   |   |   |   |   |   W   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---+---+---+---+---+---W---W
 5  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W   |BRQ|   |   W   |   |   |   |   |   W   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---w-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W---+---+---+---+---+---P-P-P
 6  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   P   P
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W-W-W---+---P---P
 7  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   D   |   |   W   |   P   P
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---+---+---+---+---D---+---+---W---+---P---P
 8  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   D   |   |   W   |   P   P
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---P-P-P---W-W-W-W-P-P-P
 9  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W   P   P   |   |   |   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---P-P-P---+---+---+---W
10  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W   |   |   |   |   |   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W---W
11  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W---W
12  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   D   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | G W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---D---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W
13  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   D   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W---+---W-W-W-W-W---+---w-W-W-W-W---W
14  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W S---S W   |   W   |   W   |   W   W
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-|   |-W---+---W---+---W---+---W-W-W
15  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   W S---S W   |   W   |   W   |   |   |
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---W-W-W-W-W---+---W-W-W-w-W---+---+---+

    D = Door
    Z = Smashed Door
    P = Pit
    S = Stone statue

ASCII maps are a good place to start. I like to color code things to make them a bit more player friendly.

Also if you want to you can make larger grids like this

The larger squares make it a bit easier to read or get more information per square

In my game, I went on Paint, used the line tool to make a grid pattern, and saved it as a template. When I need to make a map, I open the grid, draw the map, and save it as a different file. I use colored circles for PCs, and white circles with Z1 in it for Zombie 1, and so on. I have a key at the bottom, of course, so people know what they're looking at. It isn't pretty, but it works, and the players know where everything is.

I use minecraft.  The creative mode lets you easily make the tiles/maps you want -- the F2 button is the screenshot -- upload it to your server or photobucket; and BAM! you're good to go.

I have even started using people's character portraits and just pasting them in, via paint.