Maptools is good for turning an image file into a map, or creating a new map. Here's a (rather lazy) example.
I've also tried using Google Earth to create maps, with a limited amount of success.
That's about all the software I used for my games.
I just email maps to players.
I am not very sophisticated; I just email maps to players. I write my longer posts for descriptions and like for map areas and whatnot in Word then post them; this will save you a lot of frustration when the post monster eats your post; it will happen. If you dont do this; at highlight your entire post and right click copy before you hit send.
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Maptools is great but I found it to be a pretty steep learning curve. If you are running an AP, DMGenie is great- (you can get a fully functional trial version, just google DM Genie) you can just use the images from the .pdfs as maps and place counters on top using the campaign manager.
Then print screen that into paint and hey presto you have a functional battlemat! Works for a lot of my encounters, although I use maptools for my own non-scripted encounters.
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can you upload maps and such with that program (Which gives you a url?) and then set them up as a spoiler in your thread as well?
I've seen that done a few times in some of the PBP threads or is the upload an option we can do through the forum?
Because I want to do a kingmaker adventure but it would be difficult without being to upload/update the map at times when exploration is being done.
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I'm a luddite; sometimes I'll scan a hand drawn map into a photo sharing site, or I'll just go "a-z across the top, 1-20 down the side" and grid out a room like that.
I kinda tend to not get too too architecturally sophisticated cos it's pbp; the map's not right there on a table so it can lead to confusion.
Kruelaid makes some really sophisticated maps, but I'm kinda not that fancy.
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i guess i totally spaced the fact that there are sites like Photobucket -.-; sometimes i'm a total fool at seeing the answer already in front of me lol.
Well i will look into the map-tools and the DMgenie sounds promising thanks for the info and it would be cool to get more info or tips and advice on this thread if we could =)
Thanks xD
Kruelaid's maps are things of demonic beauty and way above my touch, much as I love to look at them.
If you have a little cash spare and want to make your own maps, I'd recommend Fractal Mapper which is fairly intuitive at the basic levels. As a technical numpty, it's worked well for me to produce a lot of maps over the last 18 months.
I rustle up a plain version (i.e. no monsters or moveable features), load it into Flickr and add pcs and monsters as text. Then I can just pick them up and move them around, adding zones, auras and bloodied status at will. It's not always easy to see, but it works.
Example here. This is one of my current battle maps.
A mixture of sources (hand-drawn and scanned, scanned from print, copy/ pasted from pdf). These are always then processed through GIMP (free Photoshop-alike), so that I can add counters and effects as layers. I tend to put too much time into maps. :D
Another thing I've seen used is a Google Docs spreadsheet for a quick 'n' dirty map.
I draw my maps and game scenes with paint or corel and just email them to my players; can show you. Nice thing about also using email as you can email information to players that they alone would know and keep it separate if needed.
I rustle up a plain version (i.e. no monsters or moveable features), load it into Flickr and add pcs and monsters as text. Then I can just pick them up and move them around, adding zones, auras and bloodied status at will. It's not always easy to see, but it works.
Example here. This is one of my current battle maps.
That's a nice map!
I have ran games on forums before (online-roleplaying.com) and in Yahoo and Google groups, but like Valegrim, I prefer an email game. That way I can email pics, maps, video, music - whatever I want - to my players without restrictions. I don't have to worry with an image hosting site or running out of hosting space.
So, my first bit of advice is to set up an email group (via Gmail preferably - because then you can take advantage of Googledocs, Picasa, chat, etc) with your players. You can recruit from anywhere, but just make sure the players know it is an email group.
In that recruitment, you want to sell your adventure/game. So you will want to write up an introduction that is gonna grab some attention. After the intro, include the game system, what type of game it's gonna be (role-playing, action, mystery, horror, etc), posting frequency, and what type of players you want (adults only, experienced gamers, etc.). My games are about 75% action/combat and 25% role-playing; I prefer experienced gamers over 30 years of age who can post 2-3 times a week, and my game content is rated PG-13/R.
Once you pick your players, then you start developing characters and prep for your first group post.