It started out as a mapping app but it was a requirement that it render fast so that I could do the zoom. So if I can render fast then I could change it at the same time so I added networking to it and then you could move the bits of the map over the network in real time. So it sort of morphed into a VTT. Although I think we all developed our apps at about the same time for a year or two without anybody elses apps out there as a reference, (not even google maps at the time) we all released our apps at about the same time. I recall Kloogeworks first but I am unsure it had much of a visual interface. Then around late summer 2005 we had mine, yours, and then maptool all came out within about 3 months.
I have retired my app for the time being. I am porting it to linux but it runs pretty good under wine. But I want to access the hardware graphics of the raspberry pi. Last year RPi got hardware accellerated GL driver. (I should explain for the linux bods that I want it without a desktop - i.e. no X - so no wine on rpi). I have not had as much time to devote to it so its ongoing. Doing a lot of code refactoring at the same time which makes it twice as hard but ultimately worth it. I will get there - eventually.
I did write GeoTerSys as well which is my terrain generation program. Not quite a mapping program and its command line only and a total pain to use. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDe43KserA0). It was used as part of the MeDem (Middle Earth Digital Elevation Model) build which doesn't have a web site right now tho I am told one is in the pipeline. MeDem data set was ported to Outerra which is a really cool 3D terrain renderer that is jaw dropping and totally not mine at all. So try checking out youtube medem on outerra. You can download the data and an Outerra demo to run it free but you need windows and a good graphics card. Not sure how to set it up anymore - see outerra.com for however you are supposed to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...a+middle+earth
So I spent quite a lot of time on MeDem instead of working on VDale... Outerra has just added river support so soon we had better export all our rivers into their native format then the rivers will look good. Theres a big thread about medem on this site with more technical info and the process etc:
https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ead.php?t=1332
But most of my maps I do over here I use another app I wrote which is a programmable texture engine which is well cool and very small. Another unreleased command line app. I don't do so many maps thesedays. Can't compete with the raw artistic talent around these parts.
Oh and always good to see you here too Hernan. You should drop by here more often. I know you have a pretty active forum yourself without having to take on others too but I havent looked at how BattlegroundsRPG is doing. In fact cant recall the last time we had VTT (software) posts - must be neigh on a year or so.
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