MapForge (battlemap-making software)

[jfrazierjr]

Yes, I'd thought of non-wall usage of masks, and I think the opportunities are tremendous. Forget about just providing a "replacement" for Dundjinni, this could conceivably eclipse DJ. And I hope that doesn't come across as pretentious or boastful. I just see so much possibility here! Masks are essentially just very precisely-defined brushes and stamps, if you think about it. Blending different textures together, like where grass meets a road, can be achieved fairly realistically with very little effort on the part of the user, if a good mask is provided.

I hadn't given much thought to how elevation changes will be marked, but I suppose using semi-transparent overlays over a base texture might do the trick.

As for Linux, unfortunately my development environment won't compile native code for that platform. MapForge should run under Wine and using Virtualbox, but I know that's not ideal.

Bummer about Linux, but I understand(I have a Windows XP on Virtualbox, so hopefully it would work in that and if not, then WINE would at least be a suitable alternative(and I have Windows 7 on another partition, but it's a PITA to reboot just to use a windows instance.)


I don't know how much in depth knowledge you have with GIMP or PS, but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me here or on CG.

Another thing I just thought of (one RobA put into his dungeon Script plugin for GIMP), would be a displacement filter for a mask. To explain, make a selection or mask and the displacement would make it a bit more fractalized using a cloud layer for the randomization. The idea here is for making an excavated room with slightly non rectangle/circular/etc walls. Of course, you could achieve some other means of fractalizing a mask shape. Example image with a BIT of the effect: https://www.cartographersguild.com/atta ... 1234485936 and the explanation of how it was done in GIMP : https://www.cartographersguild.com/show ... #post66947

I can say, the more options that would replace GIMP functionality, the more likely I might get behind and and purchase MapForge.

[heruca]

Another thing I just thought of (one RobA put into his dungeon Script plugin for GIMP), would be a displacement filter for a mask. To explain, make a selection or mask and the displacement would make it a bit more fractalized using a cloud layer for the randomization. The idea here is for making an excavated room with slightly non rectangle/circular/etc walls. Of course, you could achieve some other means of fractalizing a mask shape. Example image with a BIT of the effect: https://www.cartographersguild.com/atta ... 1234485936 and the explanation of how it was done in GIMP : https://www.cartographersguild.com/show ... #post66947

THAT is very cool, thanks for the links!

[heruca]

Stretch Goal #3 has been unlocked! MapForge will now have NINE free content Add-Ons! That should help offset the modest cost of the software.

An Update will be posted tonight on the KS page to preview the 4 Add-Ons there were just unlocked.

The MapForge Kickstarter campaign now has well over 1000 backers, and 18 days remain.

[heruca]

I posted an Update regarding the 4 new free content packs.

I love that Vry has re-emerged from the darkness to provide some awesome new content for MapForge.

[Full Bleed]

I love that Vry has re-emerged from the darkness to provide some awesome new content for MapForge.

Nice. He was a little ahead of the curve back in the day with regard to producing commercially viable assets and not having strong marketplaces to sell them on. Times have changed.

Maybe this will help vector him back into the industry. Of course, many of the "newer" participants in VTT's will think he's the "new kid on the block".

[heruca]

He doesn't like to charge for his content, though I think if he were to pursue this, he'd do quite well.

[smaudet2]

Yes, I'd thought of non-wall usage of masks, and I think the opportunities are tremendous. Forget about just providing a "replacement" for Dundjinni, this could conceivably eclipse DJ. And I hope that doesn't come across as pretentious or boastful. I just see so much possibility here! Masks are essentially just very precisely-defined brushes and stamps, if you think about it. Blending different textures together, like where grass meets a road, can be achieved fairly realistically with very little effort on the part of the user, if a good mask is provided.

I hadn't given much thought to how elevation changes will be marked, but I suppose using semi-transparent overlays over a base texture might do the trick.

As for Linux, unfortunately my development environment won't compile native code for that platform. MapForge should run under Wine and using Virtualbox, but I know that's not ideal.

Bummer about Linux, but I understand(I have a Windows XP on Virtualbox, so hopefully it would work in that and if not, then WINE would at least be a suitable alternative(and I have Windows 7 on another partition, but it's a PITA to reboot just to use a windows instance.)


I don't know how much in depth knowledge you have with GIMP or PS, but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me here or on CG.

Another thing I just thought of (one RobA put into his dungeon Script plugin for GIMP), would be a displacement filter for a mask. To explain, make a selection or mask and the displacement would make it a bit more fractalized using a cloud layer for the randomization. The idea here is for making an excavated room with slightly non rectangle/circular/etc walls. Of course, you could achieve some other means of fractalizing a mask shape. Example image with a BIT of the effect: https://www.cartographersguild.com/atta ... 1234485936 and the explanation of how it was done in GIMP : https://www.cartographersguild.com/show ... #post66947

I can say, the more options that would replace GIMP functionality, the more likely I might get behind and and purchase MapForge.

What doesn't work on linux?

[heruca]

MapForge won't run natively on Linux, smaudet2.

[smaudet2]

I figured that part out, what I don't know is if the program is junk (relies on some obscure runtime nobody uses) or if its jusy lazy devs. I see msvcrt and something called a dxr, which I've never seen before.

To me that sounds like it was created with some questionable quality toolkit that only exists on windows. Mac port may not be much more than a basatardized rendition of the same.

In that case, the program is dead to me...if somebody can explain what it runs on...

If you wonder why I think this way, a couple reasons, but one of them is developer mindset- if you're too lazy too do things properly I dont want to run your junk, for all I know its laced with custom malware.

[wolph42]

@Smaudet: pls tow down your wording a bit please. I'm not saying that you are wrong (or right) but I am saying that your choice of words is leaning towards trolling.

[heruca]

if somebody can explain what it runs on...

Mac OS X and Windows (probably XP through Win 10)

But I suspect you meant what it was created with. Adobe Director. You've heard of Adobe? They make great stuff like Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Premiere...

[smaudet2]

if somebody can explain what it runs on...

Mac OS X and Windows (probably XP through Win 10)

But I suspect you meant what it was created with. Adobe Director. You've heard of Adobe? They make great stuff like Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Premiere...

Ah. Yes, I am familiar with them, not with Director. That does explain a lot, though. I won't say more than this, because I don't want to be seen as trolling, but their products have a rep for being bloated, insecure, and unsupportable.

Let me say, Photoshop, is a decent product.

[heruca]

Hey, at least I didn't use Flash, or Animate, or whatever they're calling it this month.

[smaudet2]

I'm not an animator.

Power to all the animators who used Flash/Macromedia (I hear it was better then) to crank out animations quickly. My personal opinion is that it got asked to do way more than it should have been asked to do...and its runaway success as a cheap popular platform for building interactive media was its own undoing.

There is a line of products that Adobe is responsible for that don't warm the cockles of anybody's heart. Flash did good and bad. There are probably worse things you could be doing than using Director, I'm sure.

[heruca]

Two new Add-Ons announced, created by mapping veterans Bogie and Kepli. Both of the new Add-Ons allow for publishing and/or commercial use. That makes about 9 such Add-Ons.