Map Creation

[Solomoriah]

MapMatic was designed to produce maps that have a very, very specific style. If you're not a fan, I understand... but MapMatic makes maps the way I want them to look. It's not the easiest map-drawing program in existence. I'll be the first to admit that. Making it easy to use is a lot of work, and I didn't need it any easier than it is now.

[MedievalMan]

Well I was just creating this dungeon for my own personal use. So I went ahead and used a program that I was familiar with. I wasn't trying to be offensive or say mapmatic wasn't as good. I was just relating my own preferences.

[Solomoriah]

Oh, I'm not offended. Just explaining.

[MedievalMan]

Of course, of course. We all have our own preferences and whatnot. I just have worked with cad in the past and dungeonographer works like it in some regards. Maybe for others it wouldn't work quite so well, but for me at least it was easy to pick up and use.

Hey Solo I have a question. How would you personally go about populating a large complex? I decided to sort of redo Sunset House as a much larger structure and am trying to wrap my head around populating something so massive.

[Solomoriah]

Ack. I hate doing large, organized populations. "Normal" dungeons are so much easier.

[MedievalMan]

Oh its not an organized population dungeon. Its just an abandoned mansion. The size is intimidating though.

[Steveman]

If you care, whenever I populate any large structure that is full of intelligent creatures or whatnot, I set up zones that are considered each group's turf. Then set up contested zones.

Within a groups' turf you're most likely to encounter that group, and may encounter them while they are fighting with another group.

In the contested zones you see mostly patrols and raiding parties.

[Solomoriah]

Is that what he's talking about? Perhaps I should have reviewed the material... I thought it was a fortress with a homogeneous population. I hate those.

[MedievalMan]

No its supposed to be a sort of dungeon/haunted house. Their really isn't any population to speak of at all. I don't know where anyone would get that idea from. I used the term complex in place of building.

[Metroknight]

I use gimp and a lot of tiles I've collected over the years. I have a hex grid and square grid script installed so that I can make grids as I need them for any map I'm creating or altering.