Thread: New to Digital Cartography? Software General Information

Originally Posted by RPMiller

It is just a matter of adding a single token that contains the macro to your map and then executing it.

Oh yes ... adding a button and clicking on it is fine (I had noticed, but not read, the large number of macro topics in the help area so, when this was mentioned, became a little concerned that map making might need a lot of macro work; I'd originally assumed they were there to automate game systems etc).

It's the classic "Give 'em an inch" thing, the contributors have been coming up with the most creative ways to enhance the macro system. It's pretty crazy

Here is a Vid 2b for those that found it wouldn't play. I have another Vid4 and a Vid5 showing the path used and how to make a path with a kind of drawing tool using image primitives, video being worth a thousand words 'n all that.

Originally Posted by Redrobes

Dormouse: Ok I apologize and take it back then.

If your not so certain and will look at it and decide then that is a much healthier point of view.

I know its not the all encompassing app and that it has its cons as well as pros

Thanks.

I genuinely have no views about ViewingDale as a mapmaker, and when I look at it I'll try and work out what its strengths and weaknesses are. Because it does a lot of other things, I'd be suprised if it were better in all ways at making maps than CC3 (with addons) for example since CC3 (so far as I know) only makes maps and is pretty expensive as a total suite. From my brief view so far, ViewingDale seems quite a unique product..

Originally Posted by Redrobes

Anyway - will be interesting to see your conclusions then.

I'm sure I will have conclusions, and I will say (at least some of) what I think.
But, personally, I don't usually find other people's conclusions very helpful in a review.
What I do like, and what I will do, is say what I did and what the outcomes were, and I'll make observations about the process of making the maps and using the program.
If any deficiencies in my methods or use of the prog are pointed out, I'll go back and do it again.
I might at some point produce a number of lists giving my opinion on the progs I have tested for various users and/or type of use - eg Progs in order of ease of use for casual users; Progs in order of versatility of mapping types etc etc; will depend on what sorts of lists (in my opinion) have a genuine hierarchy in the progs and might be helpful to others.

But I'm afraid the whole thing will be a slow, tortoise like (or should that be tortuous like?) process but hopefully fairly thorough (I'll be aiming at very) and transparent.

Hello,

I'm using mostly Gimp and Inkscape because they are open source software and I can install them without problem on every computer I meet.
I'm also used to them, so I'm becoming quite efficient with their tools.

Originally Posted by RPMiller

I will be most interested in how the various VTTs compare to each other. I have wanted to do some mapping comparisons between the most popular ones, but I can't possibly afford to buy all of them.

I don't really want to buy any just to do a review, but I've had a quick look around and it seems to me that MapTool and ViewingDale stand out as the VTTs claiming mapping abilities. BRPG has fairly simple drawing tools and limited map size; atm anyway. I have MapTool (free in any case) and BRPG already. I'm hopeful that I can map with the VD demo, though it seems more limited than the map prog demos (understandably). No sign of Klooge or FG claiming much in mapping abilities and their demos seem too limited to test them out anyway. Are there others that you think I ought to look at, mappingwise?

I have pretty much all the relevant pure graphics progs, so no problems in testing those.

DJ & FM have demos mostly limited by no save/print and limited art. Able to use your own art. So I don't see any problem with reviewing those (I'll just use screenshots to show the maps; should be good enough). CC3 has a moneyback period: so as long as I finish within it, I should be able to do that; means I need to be careful about when I start on it though; also means that I'll read as much as possible beforehand, so I'm ready to go pretty quickly when I get it (slightly concerned about the learning curve people describe and having enough time to do it justice).

You may want to take a look around FUM.com. They specialize in the VTT aspects, but have a bunch of stuff in that realm including comparison tables and whatnot. I think they have a comprehensive list of all the VTTs that are out there as well.

Originally Posted by RPMiller

You may want to take a look around FUM.com ... have a bunch of stuff in that realm including comparison tables and whatnot. I think they have a comprehensive list of all the VTTs that are out there as well.

I didn't find a comparison table on fum, only a link to an empty website and Heruca has a very comprehensive list of VTTs. But no sign of mapping abilities in those I've seen. Have to say, the new fum site is not the easiest one when you're trying to find something specific; or maybe it's just me.

From this page:
http://www.fouruglymonsters.com/community/fumcon

I found this page:
http://www.fouruglymonsters.com/community/fumcon/fc-vtt

They used to have a different table, but this one has some of the mainstream ones. It would be nice if folks could and more apps to that table and really make it more comprehensive.