I don't have any idea what I'm doing!

[Mithril Maiden]

I'm trying to start making my own maps for fantasy settings, but I'm not particularly good at it. I have GIMP and AutoRealm, and no idea how to utilize either properly. I'm considering Campaign Cartographer, but I hear it's also super difficult.

Whinging aside, I'm a 22 year old college student (urban studies and geography) and fantasy gaming enthusiast (3.5 and Pathfinder). I'm not sure whether I want to go to gradate school for urban planning or geographic information systems, because both sound fun, but that decision is a few years off anyway. Either way, cartography is something that I'm going to get familiar with when I move into higher level classes.

Also, site theme totally rocks.

[Gamerprinter]

I use Xara Designer Pro, which is very similar to Autorealm, though far more robust. However, my advice to you is use what you already got. There are many great tutorials here for using GIMP, and many pro cartographers use GIMP, so you're in good standing if you decide to learn it.

GP

[arsheesh]

Welcome to the Guild Mithril Maiden! I agree with GP. Start with what you have, and spend some time in the tutorials section; this will go a long way towards helping you to become more familiar with your software. You might also want to put up a work-in-progress post of anything you are currently working on and ask for feedback. This is a good way to learn new tips and tricks from those more experienced.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Mithril Maiden]

Thanks for the advice, and sorry I disappeared for so long. Got blindsided by schoolwork and then spent a week of vacation time catching up on TV and gaming.

I think I'll have my map up soon.

[bloodymage]

I'm with Mithril Maiden. I've had CC for years but I dropped out of sight for years now I'm a broken old man trying to pick up where I left off. Cartography is a PITA and never my strong suit, at least digital. Tried to pick up CC again, own a ton of their stuff and struggled the whole time trying to learn it before. Used to have AUTORealm but it was too simplistic. A brain tumor has turned me simple so I figured I'd try AUTORealm again. Man they beefed it up! Got the User's Manual here so I'm learning yet again.

Basic problem: My maps disappear! I work on a basic map and suddenly there's no map! Look for it, can't find it. Save it and it opens up to the same blank graph paper.

[vera]

Good luck.