New to Digital Cartography? Software General Information

[trevor]

It also needs some serious updating

[RPMiller]

I noticed that too... I figured you would get it corrected once 1.3 becomes final.

[dormouse]

One advantage of making the map outside of a VT is the ability to use the resulting map across (nearly) any VT. That is, a jpg is a jpg is a jpg. Whereas if you make a map in a VT using that VT's tools, it will only work in that VT.

Is this really the case for MapTool?

Seems to me it will 'save' as a PNG, even if it is only an export screenshot. Haven't started working out the resolution effects of that; presumably it is dependent on zoom etc.

I can see that this is still in development. Export 'whole' map will be good when it comes, so would export/save defined area. I assume 'save', is achieved by 'save campaign'; does this allow other MapTool users to acquire the images in maps/campaigns shared with them? Only major issue is the lack of control of drawn areas once they are drawn; not a problem for a VTT usage, but is a problem if used as a mapper.

Seems to me (so far) that there's not a huge number of useful functions (as a mapper) that MapTool is short of. No fractals (but not really needed on battlemap/VTT scales); no randomisation; no shadow control for walls/objects (really suited to being done in a VTT); no/limited number of wall modifiers; no scaling control for textures used for walls/fills (one plus of a tiling system is that the tile textures are autoscaled to the grid).

Special door objects (or rather a set of controls for objects used as doors) would be good; could be designed with rotate options. Ditto for windows (all windows would share settings for light). Ability to define buildings/caverns would be good (ie no internal light, only comes in through open doors and windows if there is light outside).

An option to gradually blend one texture into another would also be nice. Not that I know of any other mapping prog doing that.

Have to say it is looking pretty impressive. Especially when I have always thought of DJ as being clunky because of Java

[RPMiller]

Can you elaborate on the "special door objects"? You can already rotate doors in MT if they are created properly (the "hinge" is in the center of the image).

Light is controlled via the Vision Blocking Layer. You add the VBL to the map and vision/light is instantly blocked. There is a feature request to have that connected directly with objects and drawing tools, but I'm not sure when it will be added.

[dormouse]

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.

It also needs some serious updating

Thanks for finding it. More than I managed when I went there originally.
I accept I should have expected to find it under fumcon

Surprised not to find Klooge on the list.
Maybe I should look at FG, but none of the comments I have ever seen from users suggest that mapping is its strong point.

[dormouse]

Can you elaborate on the "special door objects"? You can already rotate doors in MT if they are created properly (the "hinge" is in the center of the image).

Well, I may have missed it; I'm sure there is a lot I haven't come across yet.

But it would go:
Select door.
Select which end of door it will hinge on.
Choose the angle it is capable of opening to.
Select the angle that would define it as closed.
In use it could rotate as far as the defined limit but no further.

Light is controlled via the Vision Blocking Layer. You add the VBL to the map and vision/light is instantly blocked. There is a feature request to have that connected directly with objects and drawing tools, but I'm not sure when it will be added.

VBL controls vision, but not light.
Light (and light sources) define shadows (depth and angle) and the amount and angle of light coming through windows (and open doors). I'm sure a good proportion of us have computers powerful enough to manage the calculations involved
And not to forget that light sources should have the light tapering off at the edge of their range

Walls should have an option to autoVBL.

[Redrobes]

With VDale, you set the rotation point so you can put it on the door hinge but there is no limits to the angles because the app does not know its a door or to say you cant tell it thats its a door. Not sure how useful that would be tho.

Anyway, there's no built in light control or shadows unless you make tokens for some shadow and put that down. Problem with shadows is that what your describing with the window is in 3D and were in 2D. To know the angles through an open window requires knowing the height of the open window space and position in 3D of the light. All possible of course but we've made a conscious decision to stay in 2D.

Fading textures is not too difficult but you need some alpha gradient images about to do it but that's not a big deal really. Most tokens have faded bits in them - generally characters and monsters have a black fading halo about them to indicate shadow and give a visual, if artificial, depth cue.

When saving a screen shot you specify the resolution and it will draw and save the scene to that res including detail higher res than screen res you were looking at it when you asked to save it. I have a movie of that if you want to see it. You can type in the scale and the DPI if you like and it will find the output res for you too.

[icosahedron]

I think a lot depends on what you want from your mapping app.
Are you creating a map/floorplan or a bird's eye view/satellite image?
Do you need to know where things are relative to each other or do you want flickering shadows cast by every torch?

Personally, I'm happy with the simple approach. That may be because I haven't the skill to create anything complex, but I'm always wary of the temptation to get carried away with the technology.

20 years from now will 'cartography' be about total-immersion VR environments - just because your home computer can do it?

[Ascension]

Lord I hope so If I could do it now I would. Pixar computers on every desk and ILM in every home!!

[ravells]

That would be cool. although I would never give up reading a good book made of paper.