Introducing new battlemap creation software for tabletop RPGs
Have you always wanted to make your own slick-looking full-color battlemaps, but just don’t have the time or patience to learn to use a sophisticated image editing application like Photoshop or Gimp? Or perhaps you tried anyway but found it too difficult and/or time-consuming?
Have you tried existing mapping software and been frustrated with the learning curve, the cost, the interface, and/or been disappointed by the results?
If the answer to any or all of those questions is “yes”, then my brand new MapForge application is probably just what you’ve been searching for.
What makes MapForge special?
Easy to use
MapForge will be very easy to use. A GM should be able to start making maps on Day 1 after watching a brief tutorial video, without even bothering to read the User Manual. By extension, they should never feel like they need to re-learn the software, even if it’s been many months since they last used it.
Support for Add-Ons (both free and commercial)
Make your maps using top-notch professional Add-On content, or using your own content, or a mix of both.
Low-cost/Inexpensive
I’m making the software itself very affordable, so that you’ll have plenty of money left over to purchase a good selection of content Add-Ons.
Versatile
Although it’s primarily intended for creating battlemaps (in any genre), the program will provide enough flexibility that, given the right content, you’ll also be able to create other types of maps, ranging from area maps to deep space. You can use the software to make high-resolution maps for printing, or lower-resolution maps for use in your favorite virtual tabletop software.
Gorgeous and user-friendly interface
The user interface for MapForge is thematically generic, but very attractive and modern. And it should appeal to you whether you’re the type who prefers to click on buttons and choose menu commands to get things done, or of you’re the power-user type who likes to use hotkeys to get things done that much quicker.
Cross-platform
Whether you’re a Windows user or a Mac user, MapForge has you covered. And if you have a MapForge license and someday decide to switch platforms, you can just request a new license code for the new operating system, free of charge.
High-quality results
The output is crisp, detailed, and (optionally) high-resolution. Many of the image filter effects produce results that are indistinguishable from high-end image editing software such as Photoshop.
Empowering, but with a shallow learning curve
MapForge will help you unleash your creativity. It’s not intended just for the artistically or technically gifted. It will allow anyone, regardless of their art skills or technical skills (or lack thereof), to create gorgeous, detailed battlemaps. With MapForge, you’ll be able to produce Photoshop-like effects such as bevels, drop-shadows, strokes, glows, blurs, and color adjustments without the steep learning curve that producing such effects normally requires.
Offers a free level of use
You’ll be able to use MapForge to make nice maps even if you haven’t purchased a license. Even use free and commercial Add-Ons without a license (though commercial Add-Ons will require registration). I hope that MapForge will earn a place in your mapping toolbox, and I’m optimistic that you’ll find it so useful that you will want to get a license eventually, in order to unlock the software’s full potential.
Quicker Map Creation
With MapForge, I want to help GMs reduce their session prep time, not increase it. You shouldn’t have to spend several hours or even days creating a decent map for your game session. Using keyword searches and tags, you’ll find that elusive content you’re searching for in no time. My goal with MapForge is to enable you to whip up a great map in under an hour. Sometimes even two maps.
And the most important element of all...FUN!
Other map-making programs on the market can be a real chore to use. It just feels too much like work. MapForge intends to make map-making FUN! Because if you aren’t having fun exercising your god-like GM powers of creation, you’re doing it wrong.
The initial inspiration for this project came from using commercial mapping tiles for tabletop RPGs. I found that the tiles themselves looked fantastic, but that the actual act of putting together a map layout, particularly for large layouts, was painstaking and rather tedious, even though I happen to be well-versed with a professional image editing program (Photoshop).
GMs who want to print out map tiles that they purchase online or create themselves aren't the only ones affected by this "technical barrier to entry". Many people nowadays use virtual tabletop (VTT) software to play RPGs remotely, but VTTs are far from optimal map-making tools. They can be wonderful for having a few objects on the map that the players can interact with, but crafting entire map layouts from dozens or even hundreds of map elements is hardly their forte, and the time and effort required to do so would be inordinate.
So I decided to create an easy-to-use computer program that would be the best possible tool I could dream up for the task of stitching together pre-made map tiles and and then populating them with decorative elements (e.g., furniture, treasure, debris, etc.) to suit a GM's particular needs. I'm calling the program MapForge. It is intended to allow anyone, regardless of their art skills (or lack thereof), to create gorgeous, high-resolution battlemaps.
MapForge's user interface (click to enlarge)
The Map Settings screen, where you can also extensively customize the Grid Overlay (click to enlarge)
Who Is MapForge For?
MapForge is for any GM who wants to create a drool-worthy tactical-scale battlemap for any genre of RPG. It's also suitable for tabletop miniature games and wargames.
What MapForge Isn't
If you've tried other mapping software and been frustrated with the learning curve and/or the results, that may be because the software tried to be too many things, and ended up not excelling at any one thing.
• MapForge is not a general-purpose mapping app; you probably won't be using it to map out continents or entire worlds. It’s narrower in scope, focusing primarily on tile-based and grid-based mapping at tactical combat scale (typically 1” = 5 ft., or 1 hex = 3 feet).
• MapForge is not a general-purpose paint program, nor a CAD program. It’s more of a layout and design tool, intended for anyone to use, not just the artistically or technically gifted.
• MapForge is also not just a simple “texture-stamping” program. Some of the features are geared towards producing Photoshop-like effects without the steep learning curve that producing such effects normally requires. The software will (eventually) allow you to create maps by drawing rooms and corridors with straightforward drawing tools (with optional snap-to-grid functionality) and then applying "styles" to the walls and floors, including special effects like bevels, glows, strokes, blurs, and drop shadows, and (optionally) textures (e.g. stone, brick, cement, cobblestones, etc.). Some "general purpose" styles will come included (pre-configured) with the app, while other styles you will create or tweak yourself to achieve a very specific look.
To ensure that great content would be available for use in the program, I formed an alliance with some of my favorite content creators in the field of mapmaking for RPGs. All of them are A-list artists who are well known and respected in the map-making community. They, too, saw the need for such a program, and decided to add their support. Collectively, their published work comprises a vast library of top-notch content that should cover the indoor and outdoor battlemap needs of most RPGs.
Lord Zsezse Works - Zoltán Bárány (see samples)
Black Scrolls Games - Antal Kéninger (see samples)
Heroic Maps - Joe & Sarah Bilton
Studio Wyldfurr - Jason Cordwell (see samples)
DungeonArts - Greg Taylor
Gabriel Pickard - (see samples)
Steve Gaudreau, Map Alchemists - (see samples)
Bogie
Kepli
In addition to the Perk rewards, during this campaign you may pledge for the following additional items. Simply increase the amount of your pledge by the cost of the Add-On/s you desire. A post-campaign survey will be sent to collect additional information and clarify exactly what items you pledged for.
The bulk of the proceeds from Add-On sales will go to the artists. But if we can collectively show them that the added convenience of the MapForge Add-On format will earn them more sales, it will validate one of the program's principal reasons for existing.
IMPORTANT! All content Add-Ons are strictly for "Personal Use Only" EXCEPT those that are clearly marked as approved for publishing or commercial use (there are 6 such Add-Ons listed on this page, and another 3 free Add-Ons). Pledging at the "Publisher/Commercial" pledge level does NOT give you the right to use other Add-Ons in commercial or published projects.
Add-Ons from Lord Zsezse Works:
Ground Set #3 and Bandit Camp bundle $7.50 (200 dpi)
Ground Set #10: Desert Roads & Ruins $5.95 (200 dpi)
Ground Set #13: Winter Forest $5.45 (200 dpi)
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $18.90
Discounted Bundle Price: $16
Add-Ons from Black Scrolls Games:
Tropical Island Map Tile Set $7.95 (300 dpi)
Desert Map Tiles, Canyon $7.95 (300 dpi)
Sewer Map Tiles, The Druid's Trees $10.00 (300 dpi)
Dark Crypts Map Tile Set $10.00 (200 dpi)
Modular Inn Map Tile Set $7.95 (300 dpi)
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $43.85
Discounted Bundle Price: $39
Add-Ons from Heroic Maps:
4 geomorphic map-packs being created exclusively for MapForge, more preview images coming soon (330 dpi)
Goblinfang Caves (six 10x10 tiles and three 5x10 tiles) $4.50 Click to Preview
Wraithwind Dungeon (six 10x10 tiles and three 5x10 tiles) $4.50 Click to Preview
Forest of Oakwood (eight 10x10 tiles) $4.50
King's Road Country Highway (eight 10x10 tiles) $4.50
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $18
Discounted Bundle Price: $16
Add-Ons from DungeonArts:
Preview images for most of these Add-Ons can be seen here. All DungeonArts Add-Ons are 200 dpi resolution unless otherwise noted.
Dungeon Blanks MapForge Special Edition $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On) - [This will be a new tile set based on Dungeon Blanks I – 10 foot halls and small rooms – made exclusively for MapForge]
Dungeon Blanks I $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Blanks II $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Blanks III $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Blanks IV $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Blanks V $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Elements I $4.99 ($4.50 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Elements II $4.99 ($4.50 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Elements III $5.99 ($5.40 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Elements IV $4.99 ($4.50 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Dungeon Elements V $4.99 ($4.50 if buying more than one DungeonArts Add-On)
Cemetery Pack (40 assets in 105 dpi resolution) $4.50
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $66.88
Discounted Bundle Price: $60.30
Add-Ons from Studio Wyldfurr:
(Note that all of Studio Wyldfurr's Add-Ons are 180 dpi)
Fantasy Furniture Tokens $5.96
Dungeon Map Tiles $15.95
Cave Map Tiles $15.95
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $37.86
Discounted Bundle Price: $33.95
Add-Ons from Gabriel Pickard:
(Note that all of Gabriel Pickard's Add-Ons are 140 dpi, and so are best for use in VTTs; they are not recommended for printing)
Mapper Rivers $4.99
Slap-down Town: Village $5.99
Village to Pillage: Hamlets/Outskirts $4.99
Village to Pillage: Medium City 1 $4.99
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $20.96
Add-Ons from Steve Gaudreau (Map Alchemists):
(Note that these four Add-Ons allow for publishing and for commercial use, hence the slightly higher prices compared to other Add-Ons, most of Steve's content is created at 200 dpi)
Click here to see preview images.
Mines $11.95 (this, but ported to MapForge's Add-On format; 140+ assets)
Fantasy (285+ assets) $24.95
Sci-Fi (150+ assets) $15.95
Cemetery & Ceremony (75+ assets) $6.95
Combined cost of all Add-Ons from this provider: $59.80
Discounted Bundle Price: $54.95
Add-Ons from Bogie:
Instant Dungeon Dressing $7.50 (preview) – This Add-On allows for publishing and/or commercial use. (200 dpi)
Add-Ons from Kepli:
Kepli's Tree Pack $9.95 – This Add-On allows for publishing and/or commercial use. Download a preview PDF here. (200 dpi)
Be sure to watch the "MapForge Add-On Preview" video (see the Gallery), as it may help you figure out which Add-Ons you want. The name of the currently-displayed Add-On is shown in the upper right corner of the screen.
Offerings from Battlegrounds Games:
Use MapForge on a 2nd computer:
Add $5 to your pledge if you would like to use MapForge on a 2nd computer that you own. This is only for backers who are getting a MapForge license and/or paid content Add-Ons. This one-time setup fee is a flat rate, and covers all Add-Ons you get now or in the future. It is being offered so that no one has to buy a 2nd license for themselves or purchase a 2nd copy of their Add-Ons. You may NOT use this allowance to permit someone else the use of your paid Add-Ons.
Gifting a MapForge license to a friend:
Add $30 to your pledge (at any pledge level) to get an additional MapForge license for a friend. When the email survey goes out at the end if this campaign, be sure to include your friend's email address so that I can get them their license code. You can even order more than one license to gift, if you desire. Note that any content Add-Ons that you get for yourself will not also be applied to your friend's license.
For your convenience, there is a custom Pledge Calculator app that you can download: See this Update.
As MapForge's userbase grows, additional Add-Ons will be developed and released in the future, both from the above content providers and from others that will want to service the MapForge community. The above selection of Add-Ons is just the "first wave", and should be more than enough for the time-being. A "second wave" of content development is expected to begin in February 2018, and it will stress non-fantasy genres much more.
If by chance you have already purchased some of the above content in the original PDF or PNG format, you should be able to use it in MapForge, albeit without some of the added convenience provided by the Add-On format. Some of the content providers might be willing to allow free registration of the respective Add-Ons to customers who've already purchased their content in its original format and can show proof of purchase.
MapForge will offer a free level of use, so it will be usable even by those who have not purchased a license (albeit with a reduced output resolution and a few other limitations). This should allow the MapForge userbase to grow very rapidly, which in turn will make the platform more appealing to content publishers, who may want to make their wares available in MapForge.
In addition to using content from pre-packaged Add-Ons, MapForge will also allow you to use your own artwork (either created by you, or downloaded from elsewhere, such as the Dundjinni user forums or rpgmapshare.com) via drag-and-drop.
I don't expect too many people to back this project on faith alone. Many of you have likely been disappointed by prior map-making software, so a healthy degree of skepticism is expected. That is why I am making the MapForge Beta release publicly available. Download the software and try it out for yourself, in order to evaluate it. Take the program for a spin to see if this is going to be what you want/expect it to be.
Click here to download MapForge Beta Release 3 for Windows (Zip, 26.6 MB)
Click here to download MapForge Beta Release 3 for Mac OS X (Zip, 38.3 MB)
Note that the software does not come with mapping assets included, so be sure to download the content below.
Click here to download 10 free content Add-Ons for MapForge (Zip, 1.54 GB)
Some users have reported errors when all the Add-Ons are loaded/active at once. Simply disabling the Halls of Nys Add-On (the biggest Add-On of the 10, and thus the most memory-intensive) should help prevent out-of-memory errors.
Technical Tips:
All users: If you see a message asking that you please install ShockWave, don’t. Shockwave is not required. Most likely, you have not heeded one or more of the instructions provided below. MapForge is entirely self-contained, meaning you don’t need to install any additional software or frameworks. If you see a message to that effect, ignore it; the problem lies elsewhere (contact me for troubleshooting assistance once you’ve tried all the suggestions below).
Mac OS Sierra (or High Sierra) users: This Beta Release is not code-signed, and therefore Mac OS’s Gatekeeper feature will not allow the program to launch unless you first follow the “special measures” mentioned here. If you launch MapForge and it immediately starts asking you for files it can’t locate, it’s a sign that you have not properly followed those one-time instructions.
Windows users: It's recommended that you unzip the downloaded file using the built-in Windows unzipping utility, rather than a third-party tool, and to not attempt to launch MapForge from within the uncompressed Zip file. Don't install MapForge in your Programs directory. If you want to launch MapForge from your desktop, don't simply move the executable there. It needs to reside in the same folder it comes in so that it can access the Support Files, Xtras, etc. Instead, drag an Alias of the MapForge app to your desktop. Users with Windows 10 64-bit OS are advised to run MapForge as an administrator and in 32-bit compatibility mode. Norton Security Suite might false inform you that "MACAddress.xtra" is a harmful file. Ignore that warning, it's a false-positive.
I advise everyone to read the included "MapForge Hotkeys" document, since by doing so you'll discover lots of stuff you can do that you wouldn't otherwise know about.
Disclaimer: Any maps produced using this Beta Release that incorporate other artist's artwork should not be used commercially or published.
Features
• Quickly assemble existing map tiles into a large map layout. The maximum canvas size of 12,000 x 12,000 pixels allows for a 60x60 inch map at 200 dpi resolution (that's 5 square feet, which is probably bigger than your gaming table!).
• Support for layers (to adjust the stacking order of items on a map) and for grouping together assets (for greater organization).
• Randomization features for textures (to avoid repeating patterns) and for placed items (e.g. randomly scatter trees, automatically varying their size and rotation).
• Media Types: Tiles, Tile Overlays, Items, Drawn Shapes (e.g. walls and floors, with optional textures)
• Adjust the location, scale, rotation, and opacity of any placed Item.
• Toggle between Day & Night versions with the click of a button (with Add-Ons that support this feature).
• Ability to mark Items that should only appear on the GM version of a map (e.g. room key numbers, traps, secret doors, etc.).
• Easily apply bitmap filters, for special effects such as Bevel, Glow, Drop Shadow, Stroke, Color Adjustment, Brightness/Contrast, etc. to individual assets, or to entire layers at once.
• Convenience of the MapForge Add-On format: The software will know how large each tile should be (in grid squares), where the exits are, what tiles can be placed next to it and connect properly, and will make it easy to find content via tags and keyword searches (note that much of this functionality is planned for after v1.0).
• Export the entire map, or just the part you want.
• Compile an Inventory of the Tiles used to create a map layout. Useful for GMs who want to plan out their layouts of Dwarven Forge (or similar) 3D tiles.
The "Artist Sampler Bundle" contains the following Add-Ons:
- GS 3 and Bandit Camp, from Lord Zsezse Works
- Dark Crypts, from Black Scrolls Games
- King's Road Country Highway, from Heroic Maps
- Dungeon Blanks MapForge Special Edition, from DungeonArts
- Fantasy Furniture Tokens, from Studio Wyldfurr
- Slap-Down Town: Village, from Gabriel Pickard
- Mines, from Steve Gaudreau
- Instant Dungeon Dressing, from Bogie
- Kepli's Tree Pack, from Kepli (duh!)
The "Commercial/Publisher Bundle" contains the following Add-Ons (which are all approved for use in published/commercial projects):
- Fantasy, from Steve Gaudreau
- Sci-Fi, from Steve Gaudreau
- Mines, from Steve Gaudreau
- Cemetery & Ceremony, from Steve Gaudreau
- Instant Dungeon Dressing, from Bogie
- Kepli's Tree Pack, from Kepli (duh!)
The "Mapping Basics" Add-On is based on Corey Macourek's work (you know, the professional cartographer who works on Paizo's GameMastery line of battlemats?), and will be included with every Perk in this campaign that includes a MapForge license. It will later be sold separately for $6. This Add-On allows for use in published or commercial products.
I have an established track record developing virtual tabletop software for over a decade, with over a hundred releases to date. As a software developer, I have a reputation for being accessible, communicative, open to feedback and criticism, and prolific. I've always provided timely technical support to all users of my software. In short, I deliver, I'm in this for the long haul, I have an established reputation to uphold, and I'm passionate about my products.
MapForge v1.0 is just weeks away from release. The Beta version just made its debut when this campaign launched. It is being made available to everyone (not just backers), to maximize user feedback.
Anyone is welcome to track the development progress of MapForge and its Add-Ons at any time by visiting the MapForge Trello board. It is updated regularly.
The bulk of the money raised by this crowdfunding campaign will pay for the development time that I have estimated it will take to complete the MapForge software and the Add-Ons that will be released for it.
Any significant overfunding will hopefully also enable me to fulfill two Stretch Goals from the original Kickstarter campaign that the initial funds proved to be insufficient for:
1. The Donjon Support Stretch Goal, explained in this video.
2. To develop the free Crucible utility app that will allow users to create their own Add-Ons for MapForge. There are plans in place (and permission has been secured) for porting an existing massive library of content called the CSUAC to MapForge's Add-On format.
I need your support to help me complete the development of MapForge. Help me create the most useful mapping program to visually enrich your RPG game sessions while reducing your prep time. GMs already have plenty of work they need to do to prepare for each game session. Making maps should not eat up most of that time.
Whether or not you choose to make a pledge to this campaign, I would greatly appreciate it if you could mention this project to friends or family members who might be interested. I've made it easy to do so; just click on one of the buttons below. Help spread the word far and wide.
Last but not least, I'd love it if you would follow Battlegrounds Games on any or all of these social media sites, so you can stay apprised of all the latest news and developments. And consider signing up to the MapForge mailing list.
Follow Battlegrounds on Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+
Thank you for checking out this campaign!