Best mapmaking software

matashowski · Dec 6, 2014

Hey yall. Right now i basically use Paint and a steady hand, i was wondering what software anyone recommends? I'm shooting for free, but wouldn't mind investing a little money if there is something that blows everything else out of the water. I'm just looking to make something a bit more professional, basically like this:

Halagaz · Dec 6, 2014

Paint.NET is good enough to create such a map. There are tools out there that offer many more options and stuff but Paint.NET is the first one that comes to mind (also, free).

Pischinovski · Dec 6, 2014

Halagaz said:
Paint.NET is good enough to create such a map. There are tools out there that offer many more options and stuff but Paint.NET is the first one that comes to mind (also, free).

Have you once made such a map in Paint.NET? That seems very very time-consuming and ambitous.

I use Inkscape it is free and vector-based.

Gian · Dec 6, 2014

Pischinovski said:
Have you once made such a map in Paint.NET? That seems very very time-consuming and ambitous.

I use Inkscape it is free and vector-based.

Same with me. I use Inkscape on my laptop.

_tscar · Dec 6, 2014

Adobe Illustrator is used on many of the higher grade maps around here. I doubt anyone has it legally, though.

RalofTyr · Dec 8, 2014

Open Office has an illustration-program and it is free.

for AH, I use fractal-mapper programs like NBOS, then paint them using MGI or Adobe.

Witch0Winter · Dec 12, 2014

Semmi said:
Adobe Illustrator is used on many of the higher grade maps around here. I doubt anyone has it legally, though.

Well, it's CS2 to fairly primitive compared to the modern Illustrator, but if you're a stickler for not pirating things, Adobe did make Adobe Illustrator CS2 free to download right here.

NeonHydroxide · Dec 13, 2014

Get Paint.NET and Inkscape.

Use Paint.net to solidify borders and cities and rivers and the lot, then use Inkscape to make everything else look pretty.

NKVD · Dec 13, 2014

Inkscape crashes every once in a while, but a lot of the prettiest maps and flags produced by AH.com's amateur cartographers and vexilogiwhatevers are produced with it.

NeonHydroxide · Dec 13, 2014

And I meant to say this, IMO all the borders in that map are hideous.

The map itself is beautiful though.

Used-to-be Song Chinese · Dec 13, 2014

So does anyone have recommendations to a Macbook user who have low economic independence and capability?

Nanwe · Dec 13, 2014

I believe Inkscape has a version for Mac, although I don't know whether it's any good or not compared to the Microsoft one.

Krall · Dec 13, 2014

Used-to-be Song Chinese said:
So does anyone have recommendations to a Macbook user who have low economic independence and capability?

Both Inkscape and GIMP have Mac OS versions, and are free.