Map for Game?

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone is aware of a software or tool, which could be used to create a custom map for a 3d rpg game.

Thanks

 

So you want something that makes a map of the game world that the player can 'pull out of their bag' to look at I.e. A mini map? Or just something that lets you place tiles/objects etc to build an RPG world?

Either way, check the asset store, there are heaps of assets there to choose from.
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/search/page=1/sortby=relevance/query=Map

 

Ya correct, looking for something which i can use to create a custom minimap.

I went through the assets, but couldn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks anyway

 

ok, be alot more specific about what you want. "A minimap" could be anything from "use photoshop to create a pretty image to use as a map background" to "procedurallly remove 'fog of war' and add icons based on what is met in the scene".

 

Just a simple full visible map which player can open to see its location.
Something like these:

 

Any 2d graphics program. Photoshop. Draw it yourself.

 

Thanks, I didn't think of that.

 

How much information does this map provide?

A map could be super vague- and only show where landmarks are in relationship to each other. The player would still have to work out his location by observation- and in certain situations he wouldn't be able to.

To show the exact position of the player, you could use triangulation to find the position on the map. Get the vector from 2 known points to the player and then compute the position of the intersection. Known points could be landmarks or corners of the playable area.

A map can hint at the general locations of treasures or objects- as an encouragement to the player to investigate a place. Or it can show exact positions if the challenge is going to be getting to that place, rather than finding it.

 

I would recommend WorldMachine very good and effective on getting the looks for a realistic terrain

 

I've also been looking for a tool like this for some time, I don't think it's been invented yet, or the market is not large enough to support this kind of tool.
And the ones I've found is either not presentable enough, or not customizeable enough. (e.g. http://www.mapmaker.com/)

There is a point where I want to make an idea in a presentable way, but still keeping it pretty rough.
Ideally, it would be nice to have a tool to make very simple concepts presentable.

Something like defining simple bezier shapes for landmass, forest, mountains, roads, rivers etc.
And could use a range of filters, to make those shapes come to life. Like, populating forest zones with trees, eroding landmasses, ocean shaded with depth based on proximity to land etc.

This kind of generator would actually make for a nice unity project itself, when thinking about it..


edit: https://secure.profantasy.com/products/cc3_gallery.asp

 

Not much, just location of key landmarks and its name, plus minor terrain details like mountain, river etc.

Yep I have been struggling to find it aswell. Maybe there is a market for it, but no one has though of it.

Thanks for the links.

 

I use Profantasy's tools and they are nice. But...they are also tedious to use. One can make a nice map but it could take a while. I am going to have one of our artists make us a map in Photoshop.

 

drawing it yourself, using your 3d terrain as basis (use heightmap as orientation where stuff is) if you have a 3d terrain already, is probably the best solution.
There are also nice drawing tutorials for making maps out there
Maybe also find out what you need, do you want a realistic representation of your terrain? or do you want to work with map symbolics like old seafarer maps etc.?

 

Here is another software (in beta), that basically do what you ask OP.

http://inkarnate.com/

 

I would be interested in something that would use a camera or something to take a 2D snapshot of terrain to generate the map. Maybe use raycasts to find important places (I.E. cities) or something.

 

Thanks for sharing it. I will have a look at it.

 

If you go into unity, go directly above the terrain then zoom out very far, take a a screenshot, and then use any paint editor and you can use the screenshot as a reference to create a minimap. The other option is to create a code based minimap system yourself using 2D symbols to represent things and have them locate accordingly on the minimap UI.

 

Used the beta software and prepared a draft version of my map. So far the map is ok, but still need alot of polishing.

Thanks for sharing..

ezjm427, i got minimap, but need a big map aswell. I tried copying map layouts, but couldn't blend them together. Will have to look at it again.