Arguably the best, but most expensive, would be Campaign Cartographer (http://www.profantasy.com).
It has a steep learning curve as it's virtually a CAD system.
As for me, I use the PDF of the Kingmaker Map Pack along with a custom iPad app that I'm working on that adds coloured hexes to mark explored / claimed etc hexes.
For cities, I have a similar system using the Ultimate Campaign district grids in the same iPad app.
To create actual combat style grids for cities, I have some of the Paizo Flip-Mats, which I'll be modifying in Photoshop to create our city.
Yeah I've just been coloring over it in GIMP to mark claimed/explored hexes and where cities are, and using a spreadsheet to track buildings, resources, etc.
buy the AP pdf's, then drop them into this;
http://roll20.net/
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Campaign Cartographer *is* overwhelming, but the results are worth it.
You can import a .png into the software, and set it on the bottom layer. That's more or less what I did when making my maps; I then traced over the folio maps to create a completely CC3 version.
After getting it into the program and making sure the hexgrid matches with CC3's hex grid, you can drop icons, draw roads, add text, etc.
Here's a current shot of our map: Link.
The background image is taken from the map folio & mashed together into a jpg file.
The labels are made up in Photoshop, & the hexes / location icons are overlaid in my iPad app, hence why the hexes obscure the text.
I have some hex numbering, but I just haven't gotten around to label all of the hexes yet. The numbering helps us keep track of things in Hero Lab.
In game, I airplay the map from the iPad to a large plasma TV. I can drop new hexes in & show explored locations as we go.
Next step is to make the app draw the text itself.
Side note: I really, really regret selling off my copy of Campaign Cartographer, with the Dungeon & City expansions, all those years ago.
Just grabbed GIMP, thanks for the recommendation, Orthos. It's already helping me a lot more than Hexographer and isn't difficult to use at all.
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I am current working on a map in CC3 that will include Brevoy, Mendev, River Kingdoms, the Stolen Lands and possible Kyonin.
My only problem is the map is going to be huge, if I don't want the map to look pixelated when you zoom on an area. I have to export it from CC3 in chunks, 6000px by 6000px per chunk and there are 4 chunks.
Currently, I am using the maps from the AP, striped of symbols and pieced together. Then I use Photoshop to add labels, mark kingdom borders and draw roads. I D20pro I used some of the CC3 symbols for cities as markers, that way I can put Settlement stats in the marker description and when the player mouses over a settlement they will see the info.
If anyone want my current pieced together Stolen Map drop me a message and I'll dropbox the png, photoshop and my WIP CC3 file.
-Car
Caraldur I sent you a PM, 'cause this map will really be useful for mine campaign when the PCs Kingdom will heavily use Trade Edicts and other UCam rules.
Caraldur, I sent you a PM, too.
Ditto! :P
Seriously though, anything you can share would be greatly appreciated. :)
Is there any update, Caraldur, in your awesome mapping work?
Does anybody know a good way to implement a map into a website? This is the kind of map that may change during each session. I'm currently using Maps Marker on Wordpress (example here). It works very well but loading a new version of the map with new kingdom borders after each session on the server is a long process due to multiple levels of zoom. Anybody knows something that can better manipulate the map online and create layers, lines and drawings on it?