Combat Map Options

[crash_00]

I plan on running a game this fall, and I'm looking for a good mapping program. I have a 37" flat screen where we'll be playing hooked up to my computer, and I'd prefer to keep a battle map on it rather than using a dry erase board. This way I could plot out everything before hand and easily move them across the screen. Has anyone hear seen anything like what I'm looking for?

The only real big things I see as needing with the program is being able to hide areas (only show the group what they can see.) and the ability to edit it quickly, so I can update where everyone is fast.

[tete]

photoshop? you could use layers... sorry I don't have a better idea

[Method]

The only real big things I see as needing with the program is being able to hide areas (only show the group what they can see.) and the ability to edit it quickly, so I can update where everyone is fast.

Thats a tall order. I use a combination of google earth, a screen shot application, photoshop and www.floorplanner.com (roughly in that order). I build my maps up in layers for each floor and export to .pdf's for printing.

You could use photoshop layers to hide and reveal different areas and a layer for each players "icon" that you can move around. Photoshop also has a scalable grid. But thats far from quick when it comes to editing, and unless you want to see the photoshop application window, you'd have to save and export to another app (powerpoint perhaps)... I don't really have a good answer.

[Drogos]

ScreenMonkey seems pretty good for this. Though I have not tried it in practice, the same company offers fractal mapper which is pretty good from what I've seen. I've only used it as a player, though.

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=22231

[Blade]

I had some success with the drawing feature of Word, using rectangles on the front to hide rooms before the PC entered them, and deleting them when they entered the room.
One of the good thing was that I could use circles for the players, and could move them around with the keyboard. If you have a keystroke per meter conversion rule, you can use movements rates correctly, which I'm never able to do otherwise.

[Rembrandt]

Try Campaign Cartographer 3. Sure, it's a fantasy program, but there are a bunch of add-ons for it and you can make detailed hex/square maps no problem.

If you're going low-tech and free (I think), check out Fractal Mapper. It has built-in provisions for futuristic RP maps, in case your players don't appreciate the humor of seeing a pit-trap or treasure chest on a Shadowrun map.

[Wesley Street]

Adobe Creative Suite which includes Illustrator and Photoshop. You can whip out floor plans very quickly in Illustrator. If you're going for an exterior locale, use Photoshop to create terrain features from stock photos (I recommend getting an istockphoto.com account) and slap a grid over that bad boy! Once you become proficient you'll never need any other graphic tool.