Map Making Software?

[Inara]

Does anyone know of a good and free sci-fi / fantasy map generator? I would at least like something that would do a good 2D map, that could be updated as the story progresses, but a 3d version would be interesting as well.

[Jorick]

Hexmapper and Hexographer are both decent free programs for map creation. Both have more of a fantasy/medieval bent, but Hexographer allows you to make starmaps so it could be used for sci-fi stuff as well. Both are 2D map makers that, unsurprisingly due to the names, let you make hex grid maps. I suppose updates are possible with both, but it kind of depends on what exactly you're wanting to make maps of and then update. I haven't used them in a while, but I believe Hexmapper gives you everything you'd need for a world map, including the ability to make close up maps of villages and things. Hexographer has a free and a pay version, free version basically has less functionality but can still be used to make world maps just fine; city maps might be problematic because I think they're limited to a certain number of building icons allowed on a map. I'm not sure if either one will suit your needs perfectly, but check them out.

Dunno about any sort of 3D map creation though. I suppose such a program might exist, but I doubt it'd be free.

[Omega]

I use autorealm when I created maps for nation RPs and while it has a learning curve once you get used to it is a great program.

[Ellri]

Not much decent out as free ones go. They all seem to have bothersome lacks. We tried testing a few, but either they're lacking most needed features, are hard to use, or cost money. In the end, when making maps, we ended up simply using GIMP. Its an advanced image editor (that is utterly free). Using layers for features on that makes modification fairly easy. Its far from perfect, though.

We would've loved a decent and easy-to-use free 3D map creation tool. especially if it had support both for fractal terrains, sculpting and map symbols. (neural interface would've been even better, but that is utterly impossible at this point... maybe in a decade or three...)

[Kadaeux]

Autorealm is the closest you'll get to that.

If you're not afraid of paid. Fractal Terrains and Campaign Cartographer 3 are ok.