How do I do ANYTHING!!!

[Ralok]

how do I do anything? what software do you need to use? what equipment do I need? what tutorials shoudl I read?

just . . . explain how this works

and . . . pretend when you are explaining it, that the person you are explaining it to has no idea how the hell any of this works.

[Gamerprinter]

Honestly, your questions might not be as easy as you think, not that anything is especially hard it's just that there may be multiple answers to your question.

For some people like me, it's simply a matter of putting pen to paper and drawing out all the terrain features - then digitally scanning it into my PC, then using my favorite software to apply colors, bevels, drop shadows, etc to make a final map.

Some people use image editing software like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, some use vector drawing software like Illustrator, Inkscape, Corel Draw, Serif Drawplus, or Xara Designer (the last one, I use), and some people use dedicated mapping applications like Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni or Fractal Mapper - it really depends on which paradigm best fits you, and which software you are most comfortable using.

Go to our software forum and you will find lists of most of the applications many here use for creating their maps. Sometimes it's best to view the Cartographer's Choice forum and look for maps you like, then follow the artist/cartographer to see which software applications they used to create it. Once you've settled on the right software - buy it or download it (some applications, like GIMP and Inkscape are FREE).

Then go to the tutorials forum and search for specific tutorials using whichever software you decide on - and start learning. Once you start to create any map, post your work in progess, in the WIP forum to get comments and suggestions by the mapping experts on this site.

Really as far as software and techniques go - one size does not fit all. There are as many different applications and techniques to mapping as their are cartographers. Some software has huge numbers of people using it like Photoshop and GIMP, some like my choice in Xara software, there's only a handful of people using it. Explore the site and go from there.

Good luck in your mapping education endeavors!

GP

[Ralok]

great. . . yet another unhelpful reply.

IS THE WHOLE WORLD INSANE!!!!!

OKAY

explain this, as if you were talkign to a mentally disabled chimpanzee, with a railroad spike in his head

CAN ANYONE DO THAT?!?!?!

[Gamerprinter]

Since I don't know which style of map creation best fits you (since you couldn't understand my first post)... sigh...

Download GIMP - its free, so you can play with it for no charge. Install it in your PC.

Then use THIS TUTORIAL and follow it step by step - you are learning how to use the software...

This is as chimpanzee as I can get.

[torstan]

It depends what you want to do. For example, if you want to start off, then use a pen and paper. That's a great way to sketch out a map. Take a photo, or scan your sketch, and post the picture here. Then we can take it from there.

Gamerprinter makes a good point with Gimp and RobA's tutorial. As you've not mentioned what kind of map you want to make, that's a good place to start.

[Ralok]

Since I don't know which style of map creation best fits you (since you couldn't understand my first post)... sigh...

Download GIMP - its free, so you can play with it for no charge. Install it in your PC.

Then use THIS TUTORIAL and follow it step by step - you are learning how to use the software...

This is as chimpanzee as I can get.

Thank you . . . .thank you so much! THANK YOU!!!

[Vellum]

A little rep for gameprinter and torstan you guys where more polite than I would be :-)