MapForge
MapForge is an open source, cross-platform map and atlas creation program. It allows users to design interactive maps with custom symbols, text, and imagery that can be exported for use online or in other applications.
mapping
navigation
open-source
crossplatform
map-creation
MapForge: Open Source Map Creation
An open source, cross-platform map and atlas creation program for designing interactive maps with custom symbols, text, and imagery.
What is MapForge?
MapForge is an open source, cross-platform software for creating interactive maps and atlases. Originally developed for role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, MapForge has evolved into a versatile mapping and image editing tool used by game masters, world builders, teachers, and others.
Key features of MapForge include:
- Intuitive user interface for drawing and editing maps
- Support for custom map symbols, textures, and other imagery
- Tools for adding interactive elements like text labels, doors, lights, and hidden areas
- Export options to save and share your maps as image files, PDFs, or web pages
- Cross-platform compatibility with Windows, macOS, and Linux systems
- An active user community that creates custom art packs and add-ons
With MapForge's flexible set of mapping tools, game masters can visually design and maintain their virtual worlds. Educators can visually represent historic sites, battles, trade routes, etc. And creative writers have an infinite canvas to map out cities, continents and entire planets inhabitated by characters and places conjured up in their heads. Published under the GNU GPL license, MapForge is fully free and open source.
MapForge Features
Features
- Allows creating custom maps with interactive elements like markers, lines, polygons
- Supports various map sources like OpenStreetMap, Bing Maps, MapBox
- Has editing tools to draw paths, boundaries, places, etc
- Can customize map appearance with different themes, fonts, icons
- Exports maps to image files or PDF format
- Works across Windows, Mac, Linux platforms
- Open source Java codebase
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Powerful mapping capabilities
Completely free and open source
Cross-platform compatibility
Support for major map data sources
Customizable map design
Interactive map elements
Ability to export maps in multiple formats
Cons
Steep learning curve
Limited documentation and guides
No cloud hosting or web map capabilities
Requires downloading large map data files
Basic user interface
Lacks some advanced GIS analysis features
Official Links
The Best MapForge Alternatives
Top Travel & Location and Mapping and other similar apps like MapForge
Here are some alternatives to MapForge:
Suggest an alternative ❐
Tiled Map Editor
Tiled is an easy-to-use and flexible 2D level editor specifically designed for building tilemap-based game worlds. As an open-source tool, Tiled is completely free to download and use. Some key features of Tiled include:Intuitive interface for drawing tilemaps, with support for both rectangular and isometric mapsObject layers and tile layers...
Dundjinni
Dundjinni is a virtual tabletop software application designed specifically for playing tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons online. It provides gamemasters with tools to build immersive, interactive maps populated with objects, characters, backgrounds, and other elements to enhance the gameplay experience.Key features of Dundjinni include:An intuitive map editor for...
Dungeon Tile Mapper
Dungeon Tile Mapper is a free, web-based application designed to help gamemasters and world builders quickly create visually appealing battlemaps and dungeon maps for use with tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons.With an intuitive grid-based interface, users can easily draw dungeon rooms, corridors, and other map features by clicking...
Dungeon Builder
Dungeon Builder is a powerful yet easy to use dungeon map creation tool for tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. With an intuitive drag and drop interface, you can quickly layout dungeon tiles, props like furniture and treasure chests, and game elements like doors and traps to design your...
Campaign Cartographer
Campaign Cartographer is a feature-rich software application designed specifically for tabletop roleplaying game enthusiasts to create stunning, customizable maps for their campaigns and adventures. With an intuitive user interface and powerful set of mapmaking tools, it enables both novice and experienced users to build detailed and beautiful maps from scratch.Key...
Dungeon Scrawl
Dungeon Scrawl is a feature-rich yet easy-to-use web application for creating maps and layouts for tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and more. As a free online tool requiring no downloads or installations, Dungeon Scrawl allows game masters to quickly sketch out intricate battle maps, dungeon layouts,...
Donjon.bin.sh
donjon.bin.sh is a free online application that assists game masters and players in tabletop role-playing games by randomly generating content such as dungeons, NPCs, heraldry, names, and more. It was created by software developer Mike Bridges in 2016.Some of the key features of donjon include:Dungeon map generator - Creates randomized...
LDtk
LDtk is an open-source level design software specifically made for 2D games. It allows developers and designers to create levels using tilesets and tilemaps, which can then be exported to common game engines and frameworks.Some key features of LDtk include:A visual editor to create levels as tilemaps, with support for...
Dungeon Painter
Dungeon Painter is a powerful yet easy-to-use map creation tool designed specifically for tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, you can quickly sketch out custom dungeons, taverns, forests, cities, and much more to enhance your RPG sessions.Unlike generic map software, Dungeon Painter comes loaded...
PyMapper
PyMapper is an open-source Python library and application for creating interactive maps and spatial data visualizations. Developed in Python using tools like Matplotlib, Cartopy, GeoPandas, and Dash, PyMapper provides a flexible framework for visualizing geospatial data sets.Some key features of PyMapper include:Interactive panning, zooming, and hovering over mapsOverlaying multiple map...
Mipui
Mipui is a free, open-source wireframing and prototyping tool for rapidly creating mockups and wireframes for web and mobile app designs. It has an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface that allows designers and developers to put together basic website and app layouts and flows quickly without needing to code.Some key features of...
Tiamat
Tiamat is an open-source, cross-platform SQL database that is compatible with MySQL and MariaDB. Developed as a lightweight, fast, and stable drop-in replacement, Tiamat aims to be easy for MySQL and MariaDB users to migrate to.Some key features and highlights of Tiamat include:Written in Rust for improved speed and efficiencySupports...
OGMO Editor
OGMO Editor is a powerful, free, open-source level creation tool for 2D games. It enables designers and developers to quickly build levels, edit tilemaps, place objects, and script game events without needing to code. OGMO Editor has support for multi-layered tilemaps with auto-tiling and custom tilesets, customizable entities with behaviors...
DUNGEONFOG
DUNGEONFOG is a feature-rich online application for creating beautiful, intricate maps to be used in tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder. Developed specifically for virtual tabletops, it gives game masters powerful tools to design stunning battlemaps complete with dynamic lighting, fog of war, and player view controls.Key...
Tilesetter
Tilesetter is a free, open-source tilemap creation program for Linux systems. It allows game developers to easily create tilesets and tilemaps for use in 2D video games. Some key features of Tilesetter include:Intuitive interface for drawing and editing tilesMultiple layers for tilesA variety of tools such as copy/paste, reshape, color...
