[Davidvs]

Would anyone, please, share some good resources for making maps? Specifically I want to make layered maps for political, organized crime, gang, etc boundaries and label them.

[Reaver]

I got nothing cheap   


for those rare times that I actually go to that much effort and not just the free hand white board I use a very specialized piece of software that I use for rendering and drawing 3d industrial blueprints and layouts for mines, plants, refineries and other large scale jobs..... I can hook you up if you want... with my discount, I think it's cost is around $3800.00 cdn (but it does it beautifully!)

A trick you can try is Photoshop.... and save multiple files off the same template... thus you have your various maps using the same layout, just different info...

If you want to get creative and *free* is more your style, there is a graphical engineering program out by Microsoft that is *free*... but I can't remember the name.... the only advantage it has over photoshop or similar software is the ability to stack and remove layers of info on top of each other (your HVAC, plumbing, electrical diagrams stacked, and pulled apart as needed)

[Davidvs]

Thanks! I think the wife has photoshop and I will look for the Microsoft one.

[zekim]

There are two free pieces of software that I'd recommend (sort of): GIMP and Inkscape.

GIMP is a photo editor that is similar to Photoshop.  It is far less capable that photoshop, but it is free.  It is a raster editing program, which means that you control each pixel.

Inkscape is a vector graphics editor.  Vector editing is more difficult to learn, but it has the advantage of being able to infinitely zoom in and out.  Inkscape can import regular images as well (however, it can not edit them).

The feature that you really want to learn out to use (in GIMP, Inkscape, Photoshop, etc...) is layers. 

Commercially, there is Fractal Mapper, Dundjinni, and Campaign Cartographer.  They tend to be more bent toward fantasy games than Shadowrun.

My preference if for Inkscape.

[Lagrange[5]]

I use Sketchup when Roll20 isn't enough. It's marketed as 3D but it can produce some very decent 2D images aswell. And then I put the final touches in with GIMP.