Damn it Jim, I'm a gamer, not an artist!

[Xenre]

I'm Xenre and I have been gaming and world biulding for five years. My maps have all been hand drawn. I am not an artist, not by a long shot. However, maps are fun to make and very important to my gaming. If anyone knows of a very easy to use mapping software, that I can make a world map on then blow up regions to work on them in more detail. So I don't have to attempt to redraw various regions, because it never looks right. I don't really care about the price.

[Ascension]

Welcome aboard. First thing to do is look through the Finished Maps and Cartographer's Choice sections to see what style you're after. On the left side of the screen, under our names, most of us list what software we use. Once you find a style and know what software then head over to the Tutorials sections and see what's there for you to learn from and follow along with. Once you've tried that out a few times start branching out and see what you come up with on your own style-wise. During the whole process flip through the Works In Progress (WIP) section to see what's currently being worked on and pick up extra tips and tricks.

[Steel General]

Welcome Aboard!

[Gidde]

Campaign Cartographer is great for zooming in and making a new map. It's CAD-based, so you won't have to worry about pixelation and such. Once you zoom in, you fractalize the lines a bit (it's just a button push), and voila, a more detailed coastline/ridgeline/whatever

[NeonKnight]

Welcome to the Guild!

[Xenre]

Campaign Cartographer is great for zooming in and making a new map. It's CAD-based, so you won't have to worry about pixelation and such. Once you zoom in, you fractalize the lines a bit (it's just a button push), and voila, a more detailed coastline/ridgeline/whatever

Thanks Gidde! Do you know how to copy a section of map into a new template? I can't seem to get to copy to the clipboard. I've read the manual, and taken a look at the tutorials. I can't seem to find it.

[Gidde]

Hmm, been a while since I've done it, but I think that rather than copying it into a new template, you need to save it as a new file, then zoom in and start working. To get rid of the stuff outside your new borders, break your shapes at the border (i just make a box for the border to start), then you can put new lines in that match your borders and multipoly them back into shapes. I haven't reinstalled CC yet after I rebuilt my computer, so I can't go through and step-by-step it for you, but those are the concepts. Maybe one of our regular CC users can detail that a bit more for you.

[Xenre]

Hmm, been a while since I've done it, but I think that rather than copying it into a new template, you need to save it as a new file, then zoom in and start working. To get rid of the stuff outside your new borders, break your shapes at the border (i just make a box for the border to start), then you can put new lines in that match your borders and multipoly them back into shapes. I haven't reinstalled CC yet after I rebuilt my computer, so I can't go through and step-by-step it for you, but those are the concepts. Maybe one of our regular CC users can detail that a bit more for you.

Thank you again!

[Korash]

First off Xenre, I gotta say Welcome to the CG, the best place for mapping info and tutorials.

Secondly, one of the reasons that you might not have recieved any response to your last question could be that some of our more knowledgable CC users have already responded to this thread. This is the intro forum and as such ppl do not always look at threads that they already posted in.

We have a forum specifically for posting works on progress (WIPs) and asking how to go about things. If you post an example of what you are working on and let us know where you are having problems, you will get all the answers you need (and more ) as well as suggestions on how you might be able to improve your map. This is indeed the best and fastest way to get from "can`t draw a straight line with the aid of a ruler" to "OMG, I never thought I would be getting paid to do this?". Not that rulers are used too often when drawing a map (that are not buildings that is) but you get the picture

Have fun looking around, join in on the discussions, post, post, and post your work (early and often) and do not be afraid to ask questions.