Tile maps for games - where to start!

[TDTF]

Hi, I am really interested in designing dungeon/game maps for D&D games (on and offline). But I am at a loss regarding where to start.

I have looked at some of the great work on the site and also on RPGNow. I would like to create some maps to give away and sell online.
Does anyone have any tips in regards on how to get started?
Is there any profit in map/tile creating?

Hope you can help,

Thank

[Trenloe]

I would like to create some maps to give away and sell online.

You'd have to be careful what materials you're using to make your maps - some graphics/symbols providers have limited licenses that don't allow you to sell on maps using their symbols. Others allow you to use their symbols in commercial maps as long as the "map" isn't just a sheet of symbols that others could easily take the graphics from.

I use Profantasy's Campaign Cartographer 3 to produce my maps (not commercially) and they have a good redistribution/commercial policy: https://secure.profantasy.com/servic...FAQ_commercial Which allows me to distribute my maps using their symbols. Some examples of my maps created with Campaign Cartographer are here: https://www.cartographersguild.com/album.php?&u=23781

Joe Sweeney has done lots of videos on how to use Campaign Cartographer - there are a couple here that show you how to create battle-tiles quickly and easily: https://www.profantasy.com/annual/2009/special09.html It includes a free battle-tiles add on for Campaign Cartographer.

Is there any profit in map/tile creating?

There are lots of companies who now do this (just look on RPGNow to see many companies creating digital maps) so you'd be getting into a pretty competitive market. You're never going to get rich in this hobby, but you might makes a few pounds here or there if you produce a nice, usable, needed, (unique?) product at a good price point. You'll never end up getting a good hourly rate from this though, so don't quit your day job!

[TDTF]

Thank you very much for the reply, these links are very helpful. The maps look great.

I was planning on just creating my maps which will all be drawn from scratch and not using any symbols - do I really need to have symbols?

Thanks you again for the advice - I will now get to work.

[Mask_of_winter]

This professional has many good tutorials on his site. https://www.fantasticmaps.com/
Also, this forum has many tutorials on how to make maps; prints or digital, using gimp, inkspace or photoshop. https://www.cartographersguild.com/

[Trenloe]

I was planning on just creating my maps which will all be drawn from scratch and not using any symbols - do I really need to have symbols?

If you're good artistically (which I am not) then absolutely you can draw them yourself. Although, if you're created a lot of "tile" type maps you'll find that creating frequently symbols and textures will save you time in the long run and will give your maps more of a reproducible theme/look. But, if you can do that manually and are more comfortable doing everything from scratch then do what works for you. There's no right or wrong way, just what is the least hassle for you and what produces good results.

[TDTF]

Great, thank you for all these. These are very helpful and the advice is really appreciated.

[Zacchaeus]

This professional has many good tutorials on his site. https://www.fantasticmaps.com/

Ah, well he's famous everywhere now. The chap behind Fantasticmaps went to school with my eldest son and along with a couple of others was a mainstay of my gaming group throughout his teenage years. He was always the one designated to draw the party maps, and now with the Westeros maps from Game of Thrones behind him he's everywhere on the internet. (Incidentally map drawing is just his hobby - he does have a proper job too). Sadly they all moved away to University and then jobs abroad. If it wasn't for time-zones Fantasy Grounds would have brought us all back together. At least my three boys are still in the same time-zone, so at least part of the group are reunited around the (virtual) gaming table.