View Poll Results: What mapping software do you use? (multi select enabled)

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  • Raster (bought) [e.g. Photoshop, PaintShopPro, Painter]

    726 53.30%
  • Raster (free) [e.g. GIMP]

    548 40.23%
  • Vector (bought) [e.g. Illustrator, Corel Draw, Xara]

    303 22.25%
  • Vector (free) [e.g. Inkscape]

    265 19.46%
  • Vector (Symbol driven) [e.g. CC, Dunjinni]

    329 24.16%
  • Online Generator [e.g. City Map Generator, Fractal World Generator]

    115 8.44%
  • Fractal Generator [e.g. Fractal Terrains]

    188 13.80%
  • 3d modelling [e.g. Bryce, Vue Infinite, Blender]

    169 12.41%
  • Scanned hand drawn maps

    452 33.19%
  • Drawing Tablet and pen [e.g. Wacom]

    385 28.27%
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Thread: New to Digital Cartography? Software General Information

  1. #141
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    It also needs some serious updating

  2. #142
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    I noticed that too... I figured you would get it corrected once 1.3 becomes final.
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  3. #143

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    Quote Originally Posted by trevor View Post
    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
    Last edited by dormouse; 05-04-2009 at 07:17 PM.

  4. #144
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    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.
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  5. #145

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    Quote Originally Posted by RPMiller View Post
    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.
    Quote Originally Posted by trevor View Post
    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.

  6. #146

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    Quote Originally Posted by RPMiller View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by RPMiller View Post
    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.
    Last edited by dormouse; 05-04-2009 at 07:40 PM.

  7. #147
    Administrator Redrobes's Avatar
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    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.

  8. #148

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    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?
    Mapping a Traveller ATU.

    See my (fantasy-based) apprenticeship blog at:

    http://www.viewing.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/vi...forums&sx=1024

    Look for Chit Chat, Sandmann's blog. Enjoy.

  9. #149
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
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    Lord I hope so If I could do it now I would. Pixar computers on every desk and ILM in every home!!
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
    -J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)


    My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps

  10. #150

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