I recently spent some money on a few mapping and scenery tools. This post compares RPG maps that I made using four different pieces of software. Note, I didn’t really spend much time on any of these, about 5 minutes on each. That means that none of them are as nice as what I’d do if I was selling these, or even using them in game (unless I needed something fast). There will also be a YouTube video, with some of the process that went into it. There are plenty more apps and sites out there, but these are the ones I have used at least a couple times.
The four pieces of software are:
- Dungeondraft – a 2d map maker (using the assets that come with the tool only)
- Flowscape – a 3d scenery making game that many use for RPG maps and scenes
- Game Master Engine – a 3d VTT still in beta, that I’m testing for maps and scenes only
- Wildshape – a 3d VTT that is quite new, that I’m testing for maps and scenes only
I’ll be posting much thoughts on each individual piece of software over the coming weeks.
Dungeondraft
Dungeondraft is the child of Wonderdraft. It is 2d RPG map making software. I’ve made some very cool maps using this, and I highly recommend it for making maps for your RPGs. I only used assets that come with the software, since I believe there is no good way to keep assets you can use for commercial purposes separate from those that you cannot.
This map took almost no time, and very little effort (you can tell from the lack of texturing and a few other shortcuts I took). As a map making tool, it only shows top down. On the plus side, you can save the map as a jpeg or other picture right from the system. If I was going to spend any time on this, I’d have made the cliffs much bigger and more obvious. But really, this took me about three minutes.
Flowscape
Of all the tools I own, Flowscape creates the most realistic images. The things people do with this are amazing….but I’ve only made about 3 scenes so far, so my skills are almost nil. That said, this came together in about 5 minutes. Again, if I spent more time, this would look like a photograph or amazing art. But since I was working quickly to show what you can do in 5 minutes, this is how far I got. They’ve been working on an RPG related update since last spring, and I look forward to seeing it, eventually.
On the plus side, it looks great, and you can move the camera around to get different perspectives (it is 3d, after all). On the minus side, I have no idea how to make a plateau that is flat……as the shaping tool does not (to my knowledge) have an easy way to make flat land easily. It does have a map export tool for top down shots, which is great. The second picture below is a snapshot I took to show players what they’d see entering the scene.
Edit: I fixed the picture! I used a print screen and then spent about 2 minutes cropping and re-sizing it. Much better.
Game Master Engine
Game Master Engine is a 3d VTT that is still in beta. I’m interested in testing it as a map making and scene making tool, not as a VTT at this time. Of the three, it has the least realistic look, as it looks like lego or minecraft or dwarven forge tiles. However, you have perfect control over each square, and the assets are very much aimed at fantasy map and scene makers. I think this is the first map I’ve ever saved on the tool, and you can tell. On the other hand, this is the first map I’ve ever really built…..
On the plus side, you have great control over what is in each square, and the assets are great for fantasy games. On the less good side, it doesn’t have the most realistic ground and props, and well, it looks like blocks put together. That said, again, this was less than 5 minutes work……I’m not sure this is the best lighting…..but you get the idea (and it shows off how you can get shadows with any of the last three tools). You can really see the control you have in the perspective shot.
The real downside, is that the tool takes a screen shot, which you then need to alter in another tool to get rid of the UI or other things on your screen. It does not export a picture of just the map (that’s not its purpose, I’m trying to use it for something that it isn’t made for).
Update: I put a better picture up. I used print screen, and spent about 45 seconds saving it as a .png, then resizing it and cropping it. Also changed the sun inclination to give better light. That said, it doesn’t look that blurry on my computer, wordpress must have done something to it?
Wildshape
I’ve probably made ten maps in Wildshape so far, but only one where I really spent time….this map was made in 2-3 minutes…..like, you could take a break in your game, and do this that fast if needed. This tool looks the second most realistic, and is also a 3d VTT, not map making tool. Well, it is widely used to make maps, but again, exporting and saving is about screen shots, not something where you press a button and get a map.
On the plus side, it is easy to shape the land flat if you want, and at different heights. It also looks great. On the minus side, it is still a young tool, and has issues…..Of all the top down maps, I like the one the best by far (I’ve shrunk down the quality to get it onto the site). I’m not sure why you can see some gridlines in the perspective shot.
Final Verdicts
None of these RPG maps took more than 3-5 minutes to make, and I’ve barely used two of the tools. IMO, Wildshape and Flowscape are the tools for 3d perspectives and maps for now. That said, if you want great control over a dungeon / interior, Game Master Engine is currently the winner for 3d maps (of these choices). Dungeondraft makes great maps, and the one I show here is not the best ones…I might do it again and update that map to give it a better shot.
The developers of Wildshape and Game Master Engine are very active and helpful on their Discord channels. The communities on all four channels are super great and helpful. Each tool has plusses and minuses, and all four of them are fairly new tools (and at least one is still in beta). Flowscape will, probably, come out with a new system for making RPG maps…..and there is always Talespire on the horizon……
Really, if I had a recommendation, given where we are now, I’d recommend Dungeondraft for 2d maps, and Wildshape for 3d maps (though it wouldn’t be hard for me to change that to Flowscape with more personal experience). Game Master Engine is definitely aimed at VTT use, and really, for me, just needs some better textures and a way to smooth out the lego look…..but I’d not say I’d use it for 2d maps right now (at least not outdoor maps).
At some point I’ll also test the VTT aspects of the latter two tools and let you know what I think.