I have come to the realization that I am clearly not an artist. Stick figures are beyond me, as are straight or curved lines. My dungeons on graph paper when photographed or scanned lack a lot. Yet I would like to translate my half decent thoughts into a dungeon starter.
Does anyone have any techniques, programs, or ideas on how to make half decent looking maps of dungeons for cutting and pasting into a document? The text looks good except for these scribbles of my map.
I am working on a dungeon starter that takes two ideas in the book. Along with the idea that in keep of the borderland (but not using those maps) at the keep is where the real treasure is at. The idea is a dungeon starter (like the two excellent ones out there on the web page) but it itself has two options. The first is the “steadying” as a dungeon, the second is the ancient burnished keep or temple as the dungeon. Give the players a choice at the start. The other location then becomes something that can be used in future fronts that arrive out of the starter.
If it matters I run on a Mac platform. Thanks in advance.
This might do the trick: http://www.yeoldemapmaker.com/desktop_ver.html
I’ve only had a quick play but it seems quite good.
Maps for dungeon world can be quite abstract! You can represent a series of locations with evocative images or even symbols – use examples of how earlier civilisations may have created maps. You could go as simple as an association map, a group of circles or boxes with the description of the locations in them – “throne room” “rope bridge” “sarcophagus room” etc. draw lines to link certain rooms with each other, with perhaps “door” “locked door” “trapped door” or “secret door” linking them.
This sort of descriptive map is a great reference for you, focusing the attention on the exciting parts of the game, and playing to your strengths.
You could use a mind mapper and do something like this:
http://rroleplaying.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/how-to-design-wilderness-with-mind-maps.html
I have also seen some where which has similar for underground where you put comments on the connecting arrows to add in perils getting between locations
Which program do you utilize for the “mind maps” That has potential – I could see adding some brief description and leaving a few blank squares and drawing some new arrows that go with a question mark.
To be honest I’ve not used mind mapping for dungeon mapping and it’s been a while since I looked in to them will do so soon but never went for any of the paid versions.
Also just remembered which site clued me into this, G+ called Five Minute Maps, there is a chap who posted their – he might be able to point you to what he uses
Any more ideas, I like the mind mapping but have been having some trouble finding good software – oh ppt how I hate you, but I own you so you are cheap.