Let me quickly drop a suggestion for Dungeon Scrawl in here: It's a very simple to use dungeon maker with an equally simple and effective art style. It is 100% free to use and browser based, I used this all the time before finally giving in and buying Dungeondraft :)
Dungeon Alchemist just keeps getting better with every update. The devs are insanely tuned into their community and are constantly surprising us with more than expected. There is currently a 1st person mode so you can see and record what your map looks like from a PC's POV. There is also a cinematic mode which gives you control of a "flying" camera and lets you record and take pics at pretty much any angle and zoom. Motion exports are expected in the next update (Jan 2023) and the themes and biomes just keep on coming. They are working their way through the promised stretch goals from the Kickstarter and who knows where it will go from there. Nice video, by the way. Keep rockin'!
Appreciate you! Looking forward to all that they bring us with dungeon alchemist. it really is the goat. I wish they pulled a Talespire and made it a vtt at the same time. That first person view is wild.
@@JacktheWise13 Total guess on my part, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they eventually changed course (once the project is "complete") and started adding vtt components to it. It would be an insane way to run a game online or in-person on a tabletop video screen. I've been looking into building one for my game.
After 5 years of making maps in DPS i still found new ways to make my maps lokk better and better. And shaders in dps amazing. DPS is steel my best tool
Great tools! Ofcourse you can use this for any ttrpg. Free Leagues very solid solo/ co-op player options for Dragonbane and Forbidden Lands can get milage outta these aswell! Overall great ease of use gizmos for game masters. I will get Dungeon Alchemist for Foundry play and Dungeon Scrawl, Dungeon Draft, Dungeon, Ikarnate forcphysical prints
I will also suggest Azgar's Fantasy Map Generator it makes almos any world you can imagine with doccen of layers for you politica, ethnic, and religion overview, it's free and yo can import it to foundry
I just bought my manuals, an adventure and I will start creating my maps with Dungeon Alchemist and Foundry. I think I'll be using Inkarnate to make maps for props, ones that I can send on Discord to the players whenever they find somethingm idk, I'll have to play around with it. Thank you for this video Jack, very useful info! I'm sure my friends and I will enjoy this when we play(:
Good luck! I hope you have a blast creating the maps and showing them to your players. I'd recommend looking into Roll20, Foundry, or Fantasy Grounds if you want to play online using the maps! I have a video on Foundry, but Roll20 is a free option as you're getting the hang of playing in a virtual space :)
There's also GIMP It very powerful and works similar to Photoshop. And it's FREE! Not easy to use (unless you know Photoshop), but if you want extreme detail, this could be a good choice. Can be used for much more than maps. (it's pretty much an alternative to Photoshop and about as powerful).
As someone who sucks at Photoshop and isn't artistic in a lot of ways I definitely would not recommend gimp or Photoshop for map making unless you've got like a Wacom tablet or equivalent and are artistic in someway. I use mouse and keyboard and the only reason I make even mediocre maps is due to the tools these map makers provide to make it easy for art dummies like myself. I wish I could use either programs to make my maps though!
@@JacktheWise13 That's fine. I figured I needed further explanation. I also just felt it might be useful to someone who wants to dive deep into a very detailed map, etc., and a cheaper option than Photoshop. You don't need to be that artistic to make a great map. Just the knowhow to use the tool. Thanks for the input.
Ive used Azgaars to generate the world map layout, then import it into Wonderdraft as a trace image to make a more lore friendly version to show to players.
Have you ever seen those wildly inaccurate renaissance-era world maps? I imagine that's what your wonderdraft map is, in your world. It's not bad art, it's just canon, in-universe understanding of "vibes with some wayfinding" of what the inhabitants know.
Hello, my name is Jackthewise13 and I tell stories not teach math. I don't know why I thought 5 times 12 was 35 and not 60. I also learned I messed up my time stamps. Appreciate the correction!
There is no need for a town map. Ever. The information you need to know / reference in order to run a town can easily be done with a list or table or chart. First, decide how big a town is; Approximate population size and approximate distance (miles) across. This is to help you get a sense of scale and scope of the town, nothing literal or precise. Second, for smaller towns and villages, just make a list of key locations (shops, traveler's lodge, church, NPC homes, etc.) and the names of key NPCs found there. For a big town or city, make a list of districts (commercial, residential, education, government, entertainment, recreation, military., etc.). Then make a list of specific locations and the NPCs in each district. For big cities, consider walk times to get from one district to another in abstract units of time such as quarter-hour, half-hour, three-quarters-hour, or hour increments. These walk times are intended to be abstract and purely for DM use for those of you who care about tracking time.
08:59 Good luck getting the modern programmers of these assets to make actual disks for distribution. They consider that to be "Boomer" and "Old-fashioned." :-/
I think that the process of deciding whether or not to make disks for something like this has nothing to do with date or age of consumers. It has to do with money. For every group of 6 people that play DnD these are products for one person. Making maps is a niche and it costs a lot of money to make physical copies, and it costs even more to take care of shipping. The problem is that there are people that just won't buy it physical so it costs them money to make it. While I don't think that physical media is dying just yet, it's own a downturn and it's not because of phrases like "boomer" or "old-fashioned" it's because of $$$. I don't even have a computer that can read a disk in the first place.
Sorry ahead of time... Donjon is the old English spelling of dungeon. It's pronounced the same. Also, Gaol is Jail and Gaoler is Jailor. Read some Shakespeare!
I messed around with DungeonFog once a long time ago. It felt okay. I wasn't in love with it instantly like I was Dungeon Draft or Inkarnate, but I think it made nice enough maps. I still really love Dungeon Draft and a one time payment is hard to beat if you're gonna be making them for a long time.
Let me quickly drop a suggestion for Dungeon Scrawl in here: It's a very simple to use dungeon maker with an equally simple and effective art style. It is 100% free to use and browser based, I used this all the time before finally giving in and buying Dungeondraft :)
Okay quick correction: They do seem to have added a pro subscription, although the basic plan is more than enough for most :)
Oh never heard of it. I'll have to check it out. Many thanks!
Dungeon Alchemist just keeps getting better with every update. The devs are insanely tuned into their community and are constantly surprising us with more than expected. There is currently a 1st person mode so you can see and record what your map looks like from a PC's POV. There is also a cinematic mode which gives you control of a "flying" camera and lets you record and take pics at pretty much any angle and zoom. Motion exports are expected in the next update (Jan 2023) and the themes and biomes just keep on coming. They are working their way through the promised stretch goals from the Kickstarter and who knows where it will go from there.
Nice video, by the way. Keep rockin'!
Appreciate you! Looking forward to all that they bring us with dungeon alchemist. it really is the goat. I wish they pulled a Talespire and made it a vtt at the same time. That first person view is wild.
@@JacktheWise13 Total guess on my part, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they eventually changed course (once the project is "complete") and started adding vtt components to it. It would be an insane way to run a game online or in-person on a tabletop video screen. I've been looking into building one for my game.
After 5 years of making maps in DPS i still found new ways to make my maps lokk better and better.
And shaders in dps amazing. DPS is steel my best tool
Owlbear Rodeo is my go-to for maps
Oh I'll have to check this out. It sounds familiar but I don't think I know of it!
Great tools! Ofcourse you can use this for any ttrpg. Free Leagues very solid solo/ co-op player options for Dragonbane and Forbidden Lands can get milage outta these aswell! Overall great ease of use gizmos for game masters. I will get Dungeon Alchemist for Foundry play and Dungeon Scrawl, Dungeon Draft, Dungeon, Ikarnate forcphysical prints
I will also suggest Azgar's Fantasy Map Generator it makes almos any world you can imagine with doccen of layers for you politica, ethnic, and religion overview, it's free and yo can import it to foundry
I just bought my manuals, an adventure and I will start creating my maps with Dungeon Alchemist and Foundry. I think I'll be using Inkarnate to make maps for props, ones that I can send on Discord to the players whenever they find somethingm idk, I'll have to play around with it. Thank you for this video Jack, very useful info! I'm sure my friends and I will enjoy this when we play(:
Good luck! I hope you have a blast creating the maps and showing them to your players. I'd recommend looking into Roll20, Foundry, or Fantasy Grounds if you want to play online using the maps! I have a video on Foundry, but Roll20 is a free option as you're getting the hang of playing in a virtual space :)
There's also GIMP It very powerful and works similar to Photoshop. And it's FREE! Not easy to use (unless you know Photoshop), but if you want extreme detail, this could be a good choice. Can be used for much more than maps. (it's pretty much an alternative to Photoshop and about as powerful).
As someone who sucks at Photoshop and isn't artistic in a lot of ways I definitely would not recommend gimp or Photoshop for map making unless you've got like a Wacom tablet or equivalent and are artistic in someway. I use mouse and keyboard and the only reason I make even mediocre maps is due to the tools these map makers provide to make it easy for art dummies like myself. I wish I could use either programs to make my maps though!
@@JacktheWise13 That's fine. It was a suggestion for interested parties. Clearly that doesn't include you. Someone else might be interested.
@@jimspetdragons3737 absolutely! And I appreciate it. Also just throwing in my perspective as well.
@@JacktheWise13 That's fine. I figured I needed further explanation. I also just felt it might be useful to someone who wants to dive deep into a very detailed map, etc., and a cheaper option than Photoshop. You don't need to be that artistic to make a great map. Just the knowhow to use the tool. Thanks for the input.
Ive used Azgaars to generate the world map layout, then import it into Wonderdraft as a trace image to make a more lore friendly version to show to players.
Thank you for hooking up this video!
Thanks for engaging with it!
Thank you for the great info
It's my pleasure! :D Hopefully these tools serve you well!
have you not heard of Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator?
Really good video!
Have you ever seen those wildly inaccurate renaissance-era world maps? I imagine that's what your wonderdraft map is, in your world. It's not bad art, it's just canon, in-universe understanding of "vibes with some wayfinding" of what the inhabitants know.
That's a very lovely way to look at it lol.
Great video. Just what I was looking for.
Sub + Like.
Keep it going!
Appreciate you :)
Uh, the difference between $5 per month and $25 per year is not $10. The cost of inkarnate monthly is more than double.
Hello, my name is Jackthewise13 and I tell stories not teach math. I don't know why I thought 5 times 12 was 35 and not 60. I also learned I messed up my time stamps. Appreciate the correction!
donjon is a classic lol
too true one of the first to find!
Unless a year is 7 months, yearly is 35 dollars less than monthly
Arkenforge
Oh that one sounds familiar! I'll have to give it a look!
There is no need for a town map. Ever. The information you need to know / reference in order to run a town can easily be done with a list or table or chart.
First, decide how big a town is; Approximate population size and approximate distance (miles) across. This is to help you get a sense of scale and scope of the town, nothing literal or precise.
Second, for smaller towns and villages, just make a list of key locations (shops, traveler's lodge, church, NPC homes, etc.) and the names of key NPCs found there.
For a big town or city, make a list of districts (commercial, residential, education, government, entertainment, recreation, military., etc.). Then make a list of specific locations and the NPCs in each district. For big cities, consider walk times to get from one district to another in abstract units of time such as quarter-hour, half-hour, three-quarters-hour, or hour increments. These walk times are intended to be abstract and purely for DM use for those of you who care about tracking time.
There are absolutely uses for them.
Come and sit at one of our game sessions and you'd see that town maps are vital!
@@yellotang pray tell, how does your table use town maps?
Ambushes, getaways, traps, etc.
@@yellotang Nah, you can just make up a block in the moment.
08:59 Good luck getting the modern programmers of these assets to make actual disks for distribution. They consider that to be "Boomer" and "Old-fashioned." :-/
I think that the process of deciding whether or not to make disks for something like this has nothing to do with date or age of consumers. It has to do with money. For every group of 6 people that play DnD these are products for one person. Making maps is a niche and it costs a lot of money to make physical copies, and it costs even more to take care of shipping. The problem is that there are people that just won't buy it physical so it costs them money to make it. While I don't think that physical media is dying just yet, it's own a downturn and it's not because of phrases like "boomer" or "old-fashioned" it's because of $$$. I don't even have a computer that can read a disk in the first place.
Sorry ahead of time...
Donjon is the old English spelling of dungeon. It's pronounced the same.
Also, Gaol is Jail and Gaoler is Jailor.
Read some Shakespeare!
The second one has some crappy looking maps
Looking at DungeonFog. Thoughts??
I messed around with DungeonFog once a long time ago. It felt okay. I wasn't in love with it instantly like I was Dungeon Draft or Inkarnate, but I think it made nice enough maps. I still really love Dungeon Draft and a one time payment is hard to beat if you're gonna be making them for a long time.