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Old 04-08-2012, 04:31 AM   #1
caden_varn
 
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Default Software for making hex maps

Can anyone suggest some (preferably free) software for creating maps on a hex grid - something relatively easy to use and that can export to a standard picture format as I don't have a printer at home?
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Old 04-08-2012, 05:05 AM   #2
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

Autorealm (Wiki-Link) is free and relatively easy to use map tool. It allows export in among others jpg or bmp format. You could also use a tool like PDFCreator (Wiki-Link) to "print" the map in even more formats. Autorealm won't get you results as nice as the expensive and difficult-to-use Campaign Cartographer, but for informative maps with vector symbols and hex grids it's more than good enough.
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Old 04-08-2012, 05:26 AM   #3
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

GIMP (www.gimp.org) is an open source image editor, similar to Photoshop. It supports every image format and can create a hex or square grid at any size you like.

Hexographer (www.hexographer.com) and Dungeongrapher (www.dungeongrapher.com) are both free Java apps that create hex maps (terrain and dungeon, respectively). They save to PNG only, but GIMP can convert from PNG to just about any other format.

Finally, PDFforge (http://www.pdfforge.org/download) is an opensource PDF printer, so you can "print" anything to a PDF format.
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Old 04-08-2012, 06:56 AM   #4
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

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Originally Posted by mlangsdorf View Post
GIMP (www.gimp.org) is an open source image editor, similar to Photoshop. It supports every image format and can create a hex or square grid at any size you like.
I think Inkscape would be a better choice. It has an isometric grid that makes laying out hexes very easy. All you have to do is create one hex, then duplicate it (Ctrl-D) and move until the page is full. Then export as PNG.
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Old 04-08-2012, 06:56 AM   #5
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

MapTools is a free and flexible mapping application which can have hex or square grids.

Look here for free map tiles.
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Old 04-08-2012, 07:52 AM   #6
caden_varn
 
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll check them out - looks like a number of choices...
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Old 04-08-2012, 06:36 PM   #7
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

Quote:
Originally Posted by shawnhcorey View Post
I think Inkscape would be a better choice. It has an isometric grid that makes laying out hexes very easy. All you have to do is create one hex, then duplicate it (Ctrl-D) and move until the page is full. Then export as PNG.
He doesn't want to make hex paper, he wants to make full maps that have hex grids on them.

The learning curve on raster graphics is a lot easier, and GIMP has some really great scripts available for it in the repository for RPG mappers. Top of the list I would recommend is Dungeon Map Maker, for obvious reasons :)

You have to find some nice textures yourself, but there are good repositories of them available online for free.
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Old 04-08-2012, 06:43 PM   #8
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno View Post
He doesn't want to make hex paper, he wants to make full maps that have hex grids on them.

The learning curve on raster graphics is a lot easier...
You haven't tried Inkscape. As I said, it has isometric grids which makes creating hexes a breeze.
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Old 04-08-2012, 07:23 PM   #9
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

In inkscape an easier method would be to create an svg hex grid from http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/ and import that as a layer into your image.
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Old 04-08-2012, 09:55 PM   #10
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Default Re: Software for making hex maps

My top picks:

Raster graphic: GIMP and Isomage's hexGIMP package - his website is down though :-(

Vector graphic: Inkscape and Nilsson's Boardgames Extension (especially the "Create Hexmap" script) and/or MacKenzie's hex templates
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