Hello, I'm trying to create some nice visual additions to a game design I'm working on. Now I'm kind of stuck at explaining in detail how the game world looks like: I have the entire world in my head, but I just can't explain it in such a way that I'm happy with it. Thus I thought, lets visualize it first so I don't have to describe it out of my head, but can see it. But, I have a problem. I'm not very artistic: stick figures anyone? So does anyone know a FREE tool set for creating nice looking maps for the not so artistic person? I would be grateful if you could inform me. Best regards and thank you.

Depending on what you mean by "maps", AutoREALM might be something you are looking for. I'm not sure I'd describe it as 'easy to use', but you don't need drawing or painting skills to use it. More like CAD skills.

EDIT: better link

if you know what it looks like in your head you should be able to put it down 'on paper'.
it doesn't matter if you can't draw a photo-realistic human being. what matters is that you can communicate your ideas.



have a look at this - http://pixlr.com/

That is right tremault, but I have the nasty problem that I have a too perfectionist mentality for that. Such raw draft I would tear apart in a thousand pieces. I want it to look good...It's strange, I know. I already did it perhaps twenty times...

i understand what you mean. I am also a perfectionist. that is why i stick to the things that i can do. for my concept pieces, I usually stick to side on or front on. 3/4 views or other angles are difficult for me so I just don't do them.
but if you need to get a concept across, then you need to draw it. then if you want it to look finished and nice, you ask somebody else to fix it ;)

with any type of map editors, it is likely that you will never get what is in your head anyway.

what you could do is take a look through google images and just piece stuff together like a montage.