DIY - Map Making For Wargames

[Capn Darwin]

I told Longblade I would jump right in and add some information. So here is a summary of the tools I use to make maps for a number of Lock 'n Load world at War and Nations at War modules for playtest use. I'm also using these tools on a few of my own design projects.

For Hex maps, the best piece of software I've used and continue to use is Jo Bader's HexDraw 1.1. This is a shareware tool but the low cost coupled with the great results I get make it a must have. Does it do everything. No. There are a couple of things I'd like to see fixed like saving the images for roads and rivers with the map and a bit better control of map scaling. Minor issues. There are a good number of texures and overlay elements out there from users and it is easy to make your own.

There is good info and some art on the CSW page: http://social.consimworld.com/group/hexdrawusers

His site for the software is here: http://www.hexdraw.com/

Questions welcome. I'll post some shot of maps I've done as soon as I find a good hosting site. I'll also try to talk methods and map design a bit more in detail too.

Here's a WaW playtest maps that we used. I based it straight off of a google earth snapshot.

[LongBlade]

The only mapmaking software I've used is Dunjini and that was several years ago. It featured a hex overlay, but was primarily designed for making RPG maps for buildings and passages. IIRC you could add customized art and stuff.

[Staggerwing]

Very interesting. I've had a few ideas for games in the past so I'm all ears (or eyes as the case may be).

I'll post some shot of maps I've done as soon as I find a good hosting site.

I use Photobucket.com because it's painless to use. It has some great features like automatically giving you the URLs
of your saved pix to copy and a firefox plugin that lets you upload and save right from the browser window where you
are viewing the target image you want to save.

[Capn Darwin]

Staggerwing and LB,

Thanks. Went with Photobucket for images. Works just fine. 

[TheCommandTent]

I have a thing for maps I am enjoying this thread and looking forward to what else I can learn from it.

[GJK]

Here's a remake of the S&T game "The Desert Fox" that I did a while ago.  I thought that this one came out nicely:

http://garykrockover.com/uploads/Desert-Fox-Map.jpg

The original map is here:

http://boardgamegeek.com/image/467209/the-desert-fox

Antietam: Burnished Rows of Steel

Mine: http://garykrockover.com/uploads/Antietam-Map.jpg

Original: http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic185624_md.jpg

Remember AH's Air Assault on Crete/Malta?  Here's the Malta map done as an exact replica:

http://garykrockover.com/uploads/MALTA.jpg

John Prados' Third Reich done with different colors:

http://garykrockover.com/uploads/JP3R-ZunTzu-Color.jpg
(ZunTzu gamebox)

Every play this game (NFL Strategy)?  I took mine out of the box and drew it for a VASSAL module:

http://garykrockover.com/uploads/NFL-screenshot.png

The Gamers In Their Quiet Fields as a VASSAL module (map and counters redrawn):

http://garykrockover.com/uploads/ITQF-WAR.jpg

This map was a b**** to draw.  A remake of GMT's "Ardennes '44".  I like my bulge games to go east to west but GMT decided to print the map north to south (Germans come from the south).  I re-orientated the map and redrew it how I like it. 

http://garykrockover.com/uploads/A44-screen1.jpg

Tons more that I could post but those are some of my better examples I think.  I strictly use Photoshop (old version 7) for all of my stuff.  I also had a lot more free time to do all of this when I was married too.....  :O

[Staggerwing]

Those are Amazing! How long does it take you to do something along the lines of that Malta map?

[GJK]

I think I finished that one in a weekend.  The larger maps could take a number of weekends to complete. 

[Capn Darwin]

GJK,

What software tools are you using to make those? Very nice work.

[GJK]

Just an old version of Photoshop (7) with mostly the stock filters, I have a few of the Eye-Candy stuff and others but I don't use those much.