I am looking for software to make basic identifiable square based maps. Mind you this is combat maps not world maps. I don’t have high demands its just that I am not that good with Photoshop and the amount of work I tend to have to put in it is just …  its annoying for me as a DM.

I don’t want to just use “Asci art” because that’s confusing and often times unhelpful. I guess I am looking for something possibly free but maybe if its just not crazy expensive for what it is it would be ok to.

I would rather its not WoTC`s stuff.

Thanks
This message was lightly edited by a moderator, as it was the wrong forum, at 11:20, Fri 12 Apr 2013.

In reply to Burn (msg # 1):

Hmm a few suggestions.. for simple battle maps I have tried a few things.

I have used google draw and also if players are savy Roll20.net has an easy to use mapping system with a search bar for tiles, monsters, accesories, and player characters.

Also I am looking for any suggestions to include as posts :-)

Go with Maptools.

Just use Google Docs spreadsheets. It's not pretty, but you can have a clear and solid combat map ready in a few minutes. It's also super easy to update and change, so you don't have to worry about uploading or image hosting and all that.

I use Maptools too.  Pretty easy with a good walkthrough, but you can make it more complex as you get good at it.  It has a good selection of maps and icons to download.

Hmm  Roll20.net looks interesting and easyish i will poke around some with that see how it works out.

RPTools.com has a free mapping program and a few other helpful tools. I haven't used it myself but have been told its not a lot of work and fairly easy to learn. Worth looking into.

I don't know if you can still find on the web, but Dungeon Crafter was a free tile-based mapping tool that I used years ago. very simple but did the job.

Is this the map tools found on RPTools.net?

My personal favorite is Google Draw, or what used to be called Google Draw.

From Google, go to Drive. Then create a new Drawing. This can be shared in a litany of ways, and you can upload images to serve as your backgrounds. It gives a nice GUI map over Google Docs spreadsheets, and you can view revisions in case a player messes up or does something he/she shouldn't.

Here's one I had from a while back.
https://docs.google.com/drawin...2qjbFKHN8dJIcbM/edit

I use Campaign Cartographer 3 with the Dundgeon Designer add on.  It's not free but the program is great for all types of maps (battle, world, cities etc.)

I run games using MapTools. Here is a link to my server where I host the maps. I use MapTools to create them.

http://thruxus.shadows-angels....athfinder/Kingmaker/

Each BattleMap is named, for the Encounter, and then updated each time someone does there action. Right now we are doing the Kingmaker Adventure Path for Pathfinder. They are in a massive battle at the Bandit Camp. If you follow the BattleMaps chronologically, you can almost follow again in the combat.

JQuacker, that's a beautiful map!  Did you draw it yourself?

Ha no. My Photoshop work pales in comparison. That's straight from the Lair Assault book.

Just found this query thread.

For really simple maps, I'm using MS Word drawing tools. You can insert any pic as a background, overlay a transparent png hex or square grid, and use Word's shapes to make and colour tokens, or you can insert and overlay png token images from elsewhere. You can move them around on the master and then Printscreen a jpg to upload here.

Works for me.

Ditzie is really good.
Even I can figure out how to use it (mind you I have yet to set it up).

I hope my GM won't mind me posting this example from one of our games.
http://beta.ditzie.com/12/5173332e1e171


It's really simple.
You move the part you want moved and hit return.
Once that is done it gives you a new url to display.