Blue Dungeon Maps

[Dark Okie]

I was looking for something like this.

http://paratime.ca/cartography/blue_dungeons.html

What program can I use to make these from scratch?

Thanks.

[Treebore]

I don't know. Someone over at Dragonsfoot.org likely does know.

[Rikitiki]

Okie,
it says on that website that he did it in PhotoShop. So, I'm guessing
it likely went like this:
a) pick appropriate blue color from color-wheel in PS,
b) open new image (probably 8.5 X 11 inches) and FILL with
chosen blue color
c) open another image (un-filled white background) and create those graph-lines all over it in that same blue color
d) use the selection-tool (circle, square, free-form) to select appropriate room-areas on the graph-image, copy the selection and paste onto the blue-background where you want that room/area to be
e) repeat step "d" until you have your map
f) select and fill a small area with white for the map's legend
g) type in appropriate legends (DOOR, SECRET DOOR, etc.)
f) create and use appropriate images for doors, stairs, etc.
g) print on color printer

(at least, that's how I'd do 'em)

[Geleg]

there are a couple of good mapping meta-threads available. One is at Al's "Beyond the Black Gate" blog: http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/ ... links.html
Lots of good advice there.

I also followed a link from Rob Conley's blog to this tutorial, http://www.cartographersguild.com/conte ... Tutorials! over at the Cartographer's guild. After some trial and error I was able to produce a decent entry-level-quality classic-blue map. Not having any experience with mapping software, it seemed a lot more difficult to me than the tutorial fellow seemed to think it would. Still, it did work, even for a complete idiot like me.

[ArgoForg]

Okie,
it says on that website that he did it in PhotoShop. So, I'm guessing
it likely went like this:
a) pick appropriate blue color from color-wheel in PS,
b) open new image (probably 8.5 X 11 inches) and FILL with
chosen blue color
c) open another image (un-filled white background) and create those graph-lines all over it in that same blue color
d) use the selection-tool (circle, square, free-form) to select appropriate room-areas on the graph-image, copy the selection and paste onto the blue-background where you want that room/area to be
e) repeat step "d" until you have your map
f) select and fill a small area with white for the map's legend
g) type in appropriate legends (DOOR, SECRET DOOR, etc.)
f) create and use appropriate images for doors, stairs, etc.
g) print on color printer

(at least, that's how I'd do 'em)

Or just follow this procedure in black and white, and Gradient Map/Replace Color the image so that the Blacks are Blue. Photoshop makes things like this simple.

NBOS's Fractal Mapper 8 and Profantasy's Dungeon Designer 3 are both capable of making maps in this sort of style with a little work (or postwork, if you have photoshop). Both have visible grids and snap-to's that make it easy to draw them on a 'graph paper' look. Of those, DD3 is more powerful and has more support, but has a higher learning curve, even if it's much easier now than it used to be.

If you're looking for freeware, I'm sure there are free programs-- Didn't the maker of Hexographer have one?-- but I don't know any names offhand, sorry. (I have found that I'm usually willing to pay to get a slightly better quality product with more support than wait for updates and bug fixes on a free one.)

[Traveller]

http://www.dungeoncrafter3.com/

I know the older versions of this program could do TSR-style blue maps, because I used it to partially re-create the sample dungeon map from the OD&D box set. I don't know if the current version can do it, because I haven't tried it.

[mbeacom]

Just use this. Its an amazing resource. It will even populate and describe the map. Amazing Tool

Choose "classic" as the map style.

http://donjon.bin.sh/d20/dungeon/

[Geleg]

Just use this. Its an amazing resource. It will even populate and describe the map. Amazing Tool

Choose "classic" as the map style.

http://donjon.bin.sh/d20/dungeon/

this is a nice generator, but as far as I can see it doesn't allow you to make your own.

[serleran]

It also creates specifically for d20, which on its own, would be somewhat useful for those playing that game, but it does not allow even modification to the results after creation, except if one saves it, changes on their own, and then prints.

Still, a nice generator -- its quick.

On topic... any drawing program should be able to do it. All you need to be able to do is change colors. Some might make it easier than others, having tiles or whatever, but I much prefer hand-drawn over perfectly crisp computer-made any day.

[mbeacom]

Just use this. Its an amazing resource. It will even populate and describe the map. Amazing Tool

Choose "classic" as the map style.

http://donjon.bin.sh/d20/dungeon/

this is a nice generator, but as far as I can see it doesn't allow you to make your own.

Its so amazingly customizable, I literally no longer feel the need to make my own. I suppose if you're doing something incredibly particular, then sure, you may still feel the need, but this thing can add stairs, remove dead ends, be shaped like a circle or a cross or a dagger, etc. It can build a 3 room complex or 100 rooms. It creates a DM map and a player map with secret doors removed and even adds little descriptions and populates the dungeon with D20 monsters based on a theme you choose (elemental/fey/planer/underdark/arcane/etc) which are easily converted on the fly to C&C (or ignored completely). The amount it saves in time IMO makes up for what you lack in personalization. YMMV

[Sundog]

As mentioned above the original "Dungeon Crafter" can do it. You can still download it here. I've downloaded one myself to make sure the link was still good.

A set of custom blue-style tiles are available for DC on Dragonsfoot, here.

[Tadhg]

Hmm, I'm sure I tried Dungeon Crafter before, I'll have have to have another look at it.

I don't remember the ability to create blue dungeon maps, but I must now check it out.