Mapping using GIS

[thekonkoe]

I don't know where else to put this so I'll put it here since many AAR's include maps.

I was wondering if anyone has drawn maps for AAR's using GIS data, or other public domain vector based maps. I was recently going through old CD's and found my old Campaign Cartographer which I mostly used draw maps based on the real world, but got fed up with the time it took. In the last years more VMAP data has become available and I was wondering if anyone has used it?

Alternatively does anyone know of more barebones public domain data that has only terrain?

I think this has the potential to make some truly amazing maps to include in AAR's.

 

[c0d5579]

I considered using ArcGIS for gaming purposes, but to be honest, it seems like it's an awful lot of work for minimal returns. It's also kind of like hunting flies with a shotgun.

For barebones public-domain data, most municipal websites in the US that I've frequented have public-access GIS data. You can commonly find them at state level and possibly federal as well, but it's been a long time since I looked into those.

 

[Rivus]

I use Google Earth and some graphic editing from the resultant screenshot.