Resources - Tools of the trade
Tools of the Trade
Click an area of the image below to get a description.
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Here are some free softwares used by Guild of Cartographers members.
- Blender - a free (and recently, open source) professional 3D graphics suite - extremely powerful, fairly easy to use
- CadStd Lite - free version of CadStd Pro
- GIMP - the GNU Image Manupulation Program, a free, open source, PhotoShop work-alike
- GRASS - GIS package, very difficult to use if you're not in the know about such things
- GTKRadiant - Id software's community-developed 3D games development enviroment.
- gVim - GUI Visual editor IMproved, a robust vi-like text editor
- OpenOffice.org Draw - Previously StarOffice, OpenOffice is a complete MSOffice-like suite, including Draw, a rapidly maturing vector graphics program (compare Illustrator, Freehand, etc.)
Compass
The compass is one of the most highly useful tools of the guild. It affords a skilled user with the ability to draw arcs and circles, to measure distance, and to easily repeat marks of the same distance. This tool is also prominently displayed in the Guild Seal.
Ease of use: simple
Cost: cheap to moderate ( <1.00usd and up )
Where to get: your local office supply, art supply, or grocery store
Pencil
The pencil is the basic writing/drawing instrument. No Guild member should be without one!
One item to note is that you may wish to buy a mechanical pencil, as displayed, with very soft leads. This way, you can make nice, dark lines without scoring the paper, and your lines will always be the same thickness.
Ease of use: simple
Cost: cheap to moderate ( <1.00usd and up )
Where to get: your local office supply, art supply, or grocery store
Architect's Scale
The scale is much like a ruler, but it has 6 sides - each side has one or two different "scales" on it. The one I use has the following scales: 3/32, 3/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/8, 3/4, 1, 1.5, 3, and 16. It also has very "sharp" edges with the gradients "right down on the paper." The scale is a must for any sort of technical drawing or measuring.
Ease of use: simple
Cost: inexpensive to moderate ( <10.00usd and up )
Where to get: your local office supply or art supply
Eraser
Again, a very important but very basic tool. It's sole purpose is to remove mistakes! Erasers come in many types of rubber and synthetic material. It's usually best to "step up," and buy one of the more expensive ones. Even if you don't erase frequently, you'll find it was money well spent. My particular favorite is shown here, the Sanford® Magic Rub®.
Ease of use: simple
Cost: cheap to inexpensive ( <1.00usd to <10.00usd )
Where to get: your local office supply, art supply, or grovery store
Uru, Exile, Riven, Myst
What could we map if we didn't have a place to go?
Ease of use: simple to difficult
Cost: inexpensive to moderate ( ~15.00usd to >100.00usd )
Where to get: computer supply or games store
Lubberline Background
A simple background for your desktop. This background is actually functional, rather than aesthetic. It is used to identify the horizontal center of your game view.
Ease of use: simple
Cost: free
Where to get: download here or make your own
