Gaming: Map Maker - Inkarnate

Map Maker: Inkarnate.com

My impression of this program, and some tips on using it.

I first tried the free version of this program. I was impressed with the tools and options available to me without paying a thing. Its absolutely great if you just want to throw together a quick and simple map for some type of D&D or other role play campaign. However, if you REALLY want to enjoy the program... you should definitely pay for the 'Pro' version. Its cheap, and it opens up a world of possibilities for map making. Trust me, its worth every penny you put into it (a steal, really.)

After getting used to the tools in the free version (it takes a little trial and error... don't be afraid to mess up on  your first maps), I gave Pro a try and fell completely in love. For years, I had been trying to find a decent free map making program. There were a couple that were... okay, I guess. None had the ability to make such detailed maps as Inkarnate however. I wish this program would have been available sooner.

They are still actively improving on the program as well. Over the past year, they released a new version of the program that made so many ease-of-life changes, as well as a multitude of new item and paint options, that I couldn't sing its praises enough. I have also found that they have friendly staff behind the scenes too, and listen to their users feedback to improve on things in future updates.

My one and only "complaint" about Inkarnate, is that I would have to have a stand-alone (one time purchase) offline program version. As of now, it is a monthly (or yearly) subscription service. As I said before though... its cheap, and absolutely worth what you pay. It would just be nice to use this program when my internet goes down, haha.

So now that I have grabbed your attention enough to read to this point, I'll share with you an 'example' map I put together just for you guys to show you the steps to making a simple map quick and easy. I wont be explaining every feature, but I'll throw you some helpful tips I've learned. Keep in mind, this map I threw together took less than 20 minutes to create.

First, lets pick a map. Don't worry, whichever you pick doesn't matter... you can use any of the features from all 3 with a simple check mark later. Next, the dimensions. I tend to go with 'Custom 5:3' because it makes it extra wide, but the presets are good too. I also edit in 'Medium' Resolution so it runs faster on my older computer. I've noticed those who work on 'Ultra' see a slight lag when they edit, but you can always change the resolution after. So you aren't locked into this choice.

So now, we click 'New Map' and you see a blank canvas covered in ocean background paint.

Now  you'll add some land with the mask tool. You have brush options to make jagged edges, change the land outline/shadow, etc.

There you have it. A bit of land! Lets go ahead and open up their 'Stamps' now and add some features to this land. Their 'Free' version stamps are a lot more limited. I'm using 'Pro' for this example.

 

I added in some mountain ranges (adjusted their size to make them larger) and some trees and ice burgs. A few trees, and then some land features. See that spot that looks like a hill near the trees? My first tip is utilize this stamp!! It will make your map textures look far more 3-D and realistic.

Now I'm going to add some paint. Below is our 'Final' version of the map. What I've done for you is shown you a variety of the land paint, like the different grass colors. Then there is the snow, which if you adjust the Opacity and Softness on the brush, you can blend two or three whites to make it look less monotone. I added some grey and black around the city, built you all a volcano and added in a couple creatures to enjoy our land.

Lastly, I added a Compass Rose, some text, and some text decorations. Notice the curve on 'Blog Map' ? A very nice feature they provide. And... tada! Here is our map in under 20 minutes. And believe me, they have FAR more stamps and paints than in this quick and dirty map I've made.

Now I will wrap up this blog with a few tips to making beautiful, realistic style maps.

-Blend Your Paints. Turn the softness all the way to 0, paint your map the base color you want. Then turn the softness back up, grab another similar color, and trace the outlines. Now, turn the Opacity down around 50%, and pick yet another color or two and start to experiment with painting on top of that first layer you did. You'll notice it doesn't completely cover the first paint, but it does change the tone some what. This is great for blending colors and making land look more realistic.

-Utilize Land Stamps - Cliffs, Dunes, Chasms, etc. to change how the elevation of your land appears. It breaks up the 'flat' feeling of the map when you use these.

-Don't exclusively use the HD stamps. While they are nicely detailed, I suggest you click the check boxes to see the other two options as well. I've come to find that many of the 'older' stamps suit my needs perfectly, despite their lack of high definition.

-Don't be scared of testing options/tools. Make yourself a 'test' map if needed. Then fool around with all the different sliders and drop downs and sizes. Sometimes you want size 10 trees to build a forest on a world map. Sometimes you want a size 100 tree, surrounded by elven buildings. Size also plays with the illusion of distance... so keep this in mind too. Smaller, is farther away, larger is closer.

There you have it! With a bit of practice and some invested hours, you can create the perfect map for all your gaming or writing needs. I'll leave you with a large version of one of their sample maps, so you can see what a more 'professional' style map could look like. Thanks for reading!

Inkarnate Sample