Making maps for games, What do you use? Options

[IonMage]

I've been taking my own shots at GMing here and there, and I've made it a point to have maps of the important areas available. The problem is making these maps. I know that game stores sell pre-made maps sometimes, but the problem with that is that there is always something that I want different, and more importantly I don't want to stick to a template.

I could draw the maps myself, and use me and my players imagination to fill in the blanks, but problem is that my drawing skills are poor enough that sometimes the information conveyed is wrong, ie my lines are too squiggly or out of proportion. I could use MSPaint or something to keep things more organized, but thats a bit cumbersome. Then it hit me; in this arena where people make character generators, cheat sheets, et al, surely someone in the tabletop gaming fandom must have made a piece of mapping software built for tabletop games! Does anyone know if such a thing exists?

[Dashifen]

You could try Google SketchUp. The upside of that software is that it'll give you the scale and propotions you want and you can zoom-in and zoom-out on your plan to change the scale for printing purposes. The downside is that there's a bit of a learning curve.

Here's the download: http://sketchup.google.com/download/

[Backgammon]

Most people who use software to make maps use Illustrator, Visio, etc. You gotta shell out for them, but if you GM Shadowrun a lot, eventually, you find that it's worth the purchase. Especially if your group eventually mutinies and tell you they refuse to play any more games until you get software to make clean maps instead of shitty hand drawn ones where you can't tell a door apart from an accidental pencil jab. Not that something like that happened to me.

Also, you can always google for floorplans for office buildings and such. Office buildings are fairly easy, but industrial complexes and facilities are near impossible (for security reasons, I imagine).

You can search the forums, there are many threads with floorplan links and advice and such.

Edit: here's a thread I remember starting.

[Caine Hazen]

Yup, if you search around Backgammon is right, there have been a few threads on this.

My addition however, Visio, Illustrator, or any vector graphics are best for this. I use PS CS3 for touch up and detail work.. though I'm going to start experimenting with some new direction.. I'll let you know how that goes.

Sketchup seems nice, but I haven't played with it much. I think it'd be nice in a scenario where I have a media center to show off from 3d to floorplans.

[BishopMcQ]

If you don't want to dish out for one of the expensive layout programs, there are map-making programs designed for the gaming community. Campaign Cartographer is nearly as complicated as AutoCAD, or there is Dundjinni designed for the non-drafting types.

Links:
Campaign Cartographer
Dundjinni

[Wounded Ronin]

I think it's easiest to find existing real maps and just use those. They have got a level of detail you might not find on a pretend map.