Hey everyone,

looking for people's suggestions and recommendations on programs to use to create maps and base layouts.

Any help would be appreciate. Looking for something that makes a base layout similar to this...

I tend to use maps from Shadowrun. I use photoshop to edit where needed. Usually searches throw up maps from the pre-written Shadowrun adentures. It's easy enough to repurpose cyberpunk warehouses, industrial facilities, offices, etc. into suitable star wars maps.

WEG's Hideouts and Stongholds. Nothing but bases, with maps, and suggestions on how to make bases...

Check the D6 Holocron.

Desperate Allies as well of course...

Inkscape/Illustrator - vector graphics packages

GIMP/Photoshop - raster graphics packages

Or maybe something like Campaign Cartographer with the High Space tiles

15 hours ago, McHydesinyourpants said:

I tend to use maps from Shadowrun. I use photoshop to edit where needed. Usually searches throw up maps from the pre-written Shadowrun adentures. It's easy enough to repurpose cyberpunk warehouses, industrial facilities, offices, etc. into suitable star wars maps.

Great call!! Just Googled "Shadowrun maps" & there are some great maps out there

I've also gotten a lot of use out of wargaming mats and building models. Depending on the style of location you are looking for, something like WH40K or Infinity scenery can often work well.

I was introduced to EotE by a friend (@r2trooper) who used hirst arts molds to build sci-fi terrain. It made for some fun battles.

On 4/16/2017 at 9:41 PM, Kallabecca said:

Inkscape/Illustrator - vector graphics packages

GIMP/Photoshop - raster graphics packages

Or maybe something like Campaign Cartographer with the High Space tiles

I've played around with GIMP a bit. The price point is attractive (it's free shareware) and I was able to knock out some tuckboxes for Adversary decks without too much trouble. The UI is not-at-all intuitive - at least not to either myself or my wife - but there are tutorials, sub-Reddits, &c. out there to help answer questions.

I'd find creating a map rather daunting in that platform, but modifying an existing map by adding layers, placenames, or a little light image manipulation could be done with a little practice. For me, I don't use it nearly often enough to be proficient (let alone good), so I'd never take on any sort of time-sensitive project.

Just my $0.02.

As a side note, Google Maps has a feature that lets you add your own placenames to a map. I used a map of Palmanova, Italy (a star fort) as a stand-in for an urban adventure and was able to label key points of interest and encounter triggers. It didn't take long to set up, and I was able to print it as a PDF and email it directly to my players' datapads.

You can find some papercraft stuff out there if you do some google searching. Stuff for crates and buildings. Another option would be to pick up GamesWorkshops terrain book. It shows a lot of ways to make some great tabletop scenery. Buildings, jungles, etc.

Map wise, google is my go-to. I also use gamingpaper to draw maps in DnD, but a roll of simple kids craft paper would do great for freehand drawings and then you just roll out some new stuff when you need it.