I use cross-ruled paper <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
pen and paper is what I use. It is simple, and can be done during class, when you are supose to be writing a report... <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Heheh thats what i've been using - just doodling, drawing random room and section ideas that could be put into maps, thinking up names, etc...as above, in class or free periods (yeh, right, who actually studies in a free period?) <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Some sort of online tool would seemingly have the advantage of being able to go back and redo your mistakes, but personally I think that's not such a good thing because then you end up spending too much time focusing on the details.
I prefer to work like one of those high res gif images that need like 10 passes to load properly. First I start off with just words with lines between them, then boxes, then I start putting stuff in the boxes, each "pass" being done a new bit of the page. That means I can at any time look back at where I started and see if I'm getting off track with my original idea, and decide if I wanna go back or not.
If I had the ability to redo any misdrawn lines or bad concepts, I would spend for ever on one tiny little section and spend 3 months perfecting a corridor that then wouldn't fit in with the rest of the map...
Microsoft Excel. (seriously). You can resize the cells into a square grid pattern and use borders, colours, whatever to make things clear. I did this after drawing out a few things on paper and getting sick of the mess as i corrected things and starting over repeatedly.
Dont let the word Fantasy scare you. The userinterface is really easy and you just drag an drop boxes to create rooms and corridors.
Hmm, when I think of it I just might create an NS icon-pack for AutoRealm ... that would be cool ... I am gonna start to work on it when I get home from work.
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I prefer to work like one of those high res gif images that need like 10 passes to load properly. First I start off with just words with lines between them, then boxes, then I start putting stuff in the boxes, each "pass" being done a new bit of the page. That means I can at any time look back at where I started and see if I'm getting off track with my original idea, and decide if I wanna go back or not.
If I had the ability to redo any misdrawn lines or bad concepts, I would spend for ever on one tiny little section and spend 3 months perfecting a corridor that then wouldn't fit in with the rest of the map...
<a href='http://www.gryc.ws/autorealm.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.gryc.ws/autorealm.htm</a>
Dont let the word Fantasy scare you. The userinterface is really easy and you just drag an drop boxes to create rooms and corridors.
Hmm, when I think of it I just might create an NS icon-pack for AutoRealm ... that would be cool ... I am gonna start to work on it when I get home from work.
/Phalck