Forum Moderators: not2easy
I have a huge call for maps ala "Hotel X just 3 blocks from Landmark Y" - and I have been using the "etch-a-sketch" method in Photoshop for years - basically making rectangles and pasting them in layers with gaps for the streets.
However I was wondering what other people use - some sort of Photoshop / Illustrator plug-in, or some proprietary tool.
Within the next 6 months I will be needing at somewhere between 300 - 500 of these "mini-maps" and really hope that there's something a bit more better looking than what I am doing right now - something more like what the Frommer's site has.
Caveat - all the "usual" online map sites don't have detailed city maps for the country I am in - so I can't just "borrow" the Mapquest images.
Within the next 6 months I will be needing at somewhere between 300 - 500 of these "mini-maps" and really hope that there's something a bit more better looking than what I am doing right now - something more like what the Frommer's site has.
Well, if the areas in question are sufficiently interesting to visitors that you're going to provide them with maps, then you can be reasonably sure that someone is already producing maps of those areas now.
You're probably going to need to find out who is doing this (and maybe who their competition is), and try to enter into some kind of licensing agreement with them. I can imagine a situation where, in return for say prominent placement of their company name, or links to stores selling their product (maybe your store, since your visitors may be interested in more than your 'mini maps'...) a company might make their licensing requirements fairly easy to meet...
Of course it might also be rather expensive, but you must be getting something back for producing 500 maps, right? ;-)
-B
I don't think fodors is going to license their maps to me. Basically this is a self-funded project involving a large number of cities in the same country.
How did fodor make their maps? french curve and colored pencils? :P
> maporama
Thanks for the pointer - unfortunately the map for the city I tried was inaccurate to the point of unrecognizable (road names wrong, etc).
Has anyone tried the software from mapmaker(com)?
>try to enter into some kind of licensing agreement with themI don't think fodors is going to license their maps to me. Basically this is a self-funded project involving a large number of cities in the same country.
I don't know if Fodor produces their own maps or not, but it doesn't really matter; I'd be pretty surprised if whoever produces the map data would not license it. It's why they do it after all... (By the way, by 'license' I mean come to a legal agreement governing the use of copyright material, usually involving money ;-))
How did fodor make their maps? french curve and colored pencils? :P
That's the point: if they get them from someone else, then that's where you go too.
-B
mapsunlimited.com may be able to help out.
In truth, I think for most countries the government ahs an implicit copyright on maps, even if you create them yourselve. So the best thing would be to jstu go to your geographic bureau and license the maps directly from the source.
SN
I found this thread, as am looking for the same sort of product, for the same reasons as you are.
There does not seem to be much here from users of any products. Like you I have "got by" by bodging/bullying Photoshop to produce something I am not exactly over the moon about
Of the products mentioned here the Mapmaker looks the most promising from my point of view.
Anyone used it, I am about to download their free version
I have tried it now, and it seems to be a little too "crude" in terms of the maps it produces
Anyone with any other thoughts?
-"all the "usual" online map sites don't have detailed city maps for the country I am in - so I can't just "borrow" the Mapquest images."-
If you don't feel confident in your own graphic design skills, then I strongly suggest hiring someone who can create what it is you are looking for. Software can be a great tool.. however is worthless without an artistic eye, and adequate reference materials.
