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Mac OS X  |  Games  |  Strategy / RPG  |  RPGMapMaker

RPGMapMaker

RPGMapMaker - 2.5.0

tool for drawing maps with polygonal grids

All Time: (4.1)
Version 2.5.0: (3.0)
Selected Version: 2.5.0
Release Date: 2002-10-18
License: Commercial
Downloads (version 2.5.0): 75
Downloads (all versions): 26,883
Price: $34.00

Information Related to Version:

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Product Description:

RPGMapMaker is a tool for drawing maps with polygonal grids. These kinds of maps are used in Role Playing Games, but of course can be designed for any other purposes.

In addition to having most of the capabilities of a real painting program (such as lines, rectangles, ovals and round rectangles, drawing and filling with color and pattern, text, rubber, pipettes tools, etc.), RPGMapMaker has also unique features that greatly simplify the building of this kind of map, such as:

  • Seven layers static map. One layer for the grid, three pre allocated layers (one for color and drawing, one for terrain tiles and one for text and lines). Also three extra layers (also one for drawing, one for terrain tiles and one for text and lines) can be allocated on demand. For example you can change a polygon color without loosing the terrain that lies on top of it, build a map for the DM eyes only and a map for his players, etc.
  • Interactive maps. Static maps can be linked between each others like in a hyper text document. This allows you for example to design a continent, then zoom-in to a country, then zoom-in to a city, then zoom-in to a house, then zoom-in in the cellar of the house, then zoom-in to the dungeon beneath the house, then zoom-in... Of course, you can also zoom-out (see documentation for more information).
  • Layers manager. It allows you to allocate and free the three extra layers, to choose which layer is visible and which layer is not, and select which layer is the active one (an active layer is a layer where drawing occurs).
  • Various kinds of grids. You can create a grid map made of hexes (well suited for world, region or village maps), or with squares (well suited for dungeon maps) or with lozenges (well suited for pseudo-3D castle and dungeon maps).
  • Various dimension units. You can specify the map dimensions in either cm or m or km. Alternatively, you may prefer to use the ft, ya or mi dimension units.
  • Grid polygon color filling in just two clicks (four if using patterns). One selects the color and one selects the filling area.
  • Predefined terrains tiles. «RPGMapMaker» comes with several predefined libraries for building regions, villages, castles and dungeons. They are available in either black and white or in colors.
  • Terrains editor. If you do not like the terrain tiles and wish to modify them, the terrain editor goes here for that purpose. Of course, if you are talented, you can also create terrain tiles from thin air!
  • Terrain Organizer. This tool allows you to quickly reorganize a terrain library and transfer tiles between libraries.
  • Random terrain generator.
  • Notes Window. This floating window allows you to add notes to your maps. For example, this lets you add comments about a specific areas, store information such as monsters statistics, etc. You can also merge all the notes (or only some of them) into one big note. You can then print this big note or copy it into an other program.
  • Ten floating windows for speeding up repeating tasks.
  • Line with arrows of various shapes. Also, you can add a distance between the ends of a line. The distance is automatically adjusted when you change the map dimension units.
  • Drawing contexts. You can memorize up to 32 foreground colors, background colors and patterns for further utilization.
  • Selective drag or clear. As the map is made of seven layers, you can specify which map layer(s) you want to drag or clear.
  • Intelligent external drop. You can choose the portion of an external drop to insert into the map active drawing layer.
  • Multiple levels of Undo. By default, the application is configured with 16 levels of undo, but if you need more levels this can be changed in the application preferences.

What's new in this version:

  • [New] RPGMapMaker now uses a compact generic extensible single fork file format for all its files (preferences, maps and libraries). As a direct consequence, when you open an old file with RPGMapMaker 2.5.0+ it is converted into the new file format. Be aware that this format is incompatible with previous versions of RPGMapMaker so the translation is irreversible. Through I have tested the conversion process, it is strongly recommended that you backup your maps before opening them with RPGMapMaker 2.5.0+.
  • [New] (File menu) There is a new «Open Recent» menu item that allows you to remember the path to up to 10 maps.
  • [New] (Preferences) There is a new option that allows you to specify whever RPGMapMaker must display the full path to the recent maps or simply their names.
  • [New] (Text Tool) Font and background colors are directly selectable in the Font Information dialog (i.e. they are now independent of the current foreground pen color and fill color).
  • [New] (Text Tool/MacOS X) Font can be drawn without anti-aliasing (this is an option in the Font Information dialog).
  • [New] (Terrain Editor) Selection Tool to move (or duplicate if the option key is pressed) a portion of the terrain tile.
  • [New] Assuming you have made a selection, you can now paste a PICT image from the clipboard. Also, if the image is greater than the selection, a dialog is presented that allows you to choose what part of the image must be pasted.
  • [New] (Text Tool/MacOS X) Font can be drawn without anti-aliasing (this is an option in the Font Information dialog).
  • [New] The Terrain area has been relocated into a floating window (called the Terrains Pallet). Also, some room have been made in the Terrain area to accept more tiles (110 instead of 102).
  • [New] In lieu of the Terrain area, there is now an Information area. It contains the map dirty status, the path to the map, the name of the current tool and various parameters about the active layers (see hyper text documentation for more information).
  • [New] Example of an interactive map in the Samples folder.
  • [Chg] To draw tiles on the map, you must select the Tile Drawing tool (in the Tools Pallet).
  • [Chg] The size of the New Map, Terrain Editor, Terrain Organizer and Random Terrain Generator dialogs have been reduced so that they fit into 600 by 400 screens.
  • [Imp] You can choose on which active layer you want to paste or drop a picture (default is active drawing layer).
  • [Bug] The tile rotation filter now works has expected.
  • [Bug] The tile erasing tool is working again on the active terrain layer (since v2.0.0, it was unexpectedly working on the active drawing layer).
  • [Bug] Hiding the active drawing layer no longer prevents the Pipette Tools from working.
  • [Bug] (Text Tool) When drawing text with a colored background the text now should stay within its bounds.

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

  • Mac OS X 10.2
  • Mac OS X 10.1
  • Mac OS X 10.0
  • Mac OS Classic

Additional Requirements:

  • 16+ MB RAM
  • PPC
  • Mac OS 8 with Appearance Manager 1.0.1
  • Mac OS 8.1 or higher
    or
  • Mac OS X 10.0 or higher

Screenshots:

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Feedback Summary:

Version 2.5.0:
Overall Rating: (3.0) Features: Not rated (0.0) Support: Not rated (0.0)
Ease of Use: Not rated (0.0) Quality / Stability: Not rated (0.0) Price: Not rated (0.0)
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RPGMapMaker ReviewThe best map creation tool for the mac! - Version: 5.1.0, 4/30/2007 03:24PM PST

kelranth
This is by far the best mapping program I have ever used. It combines the ability to craft the appearance you want with the functionality needed for game play. The list of features is very long indeed but the highlight of this program is actually the developer. He both welcomes and listens to feedback from users in order to improve on an already impressive map creation tool. It is very easy to layout the landscape of the land using default or custom icons. With links you can open a city map just by clicking on the town icon or or navigate down stairwells in a dungeon, each level opening in either the same window or new windows as you click links. With automatic maze/dungeon generators you can quickly add to your world, when players do the unexpected. I really can not say enough, just that I hope you will give this amazing program a try.
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RPGMapMaker ReviewRPGMapMaker is a Great Tool for RPGers who use Macs! - Version: 5.1.0, 11/20/2006 08:17AM PST

moneill3
I recently returned to gaming after a near ten year hiatus. A the time that I stopped playing there were a number of computer based tools for RPGers, but none for the Macintosh. About a year ago I got the bug again and, as I still use the Mac, started looking at several of the Mac based tools available. I looked at most of them, and paid the liscencing fee for several before I stumbled upon RPGMapMaker. What a tool!

I found that the learning curve on RPGMapMaker was very short, being able to produce credible maps for my ganes in a very short time. The scripting ability that was built into the earlier version was VERY useful, allowing me to create my own specific Map Sheets, prepopulated with the room descriptions, basic NPC info, and even random encounter tables. RPGMapMaker also included severl modules that allowed the random generation of caverns, mazes and dungeons, though this feature was limited to an 8.5"X11" area. I quickly dropped use of all other tools and have been using RPGMapMaker since, and that was version 4.4.2.

Starting in version 5.0, veraion 5.1 is essentially the same as 5.0 except that it is a Universal Binary, Francois added some very significant features! Scripting has been expanded to all layers, though it is limited to text only on all but the 'grid' layer, and the random dungeon/cavern/maze modules have been expanded to allow for creation of maps up to the largest size maps the program can handle, which is "E" size (for those of us in the US) I have used the latest version to create a 'D' size cavern map for a campaign I am currently running, including scripting to add specific detail on the NPC list, Chamber description, and Random Encounter Table. My only issue now is not having a printer that can print the map,a problem that I resolved by going to a local print house. They LOVED the artwork I produced with RPGMapMaker.

Finally, when I first started using RPGMapMaker, there wasn't an online community from which I could get answers to some of my tougher questions, and even though the software was easy to learn, I am NOT an artist and some of the techniques used to develop the very nice sample maps available on RPGMapMakers home page escaped me. The good news is that Francois has agreed to support such a community and so the 'RPGMapMakerForum' at Yahoo!Groups was born. Its a small community so far, but Francois has been impresively cooperative, answering questions, working with the users to develop new exciting features for his software, and remaining open and extreemly responsive when it came to 'bug' reports on his a;pha and bata versions as he prepared the version 5 upgrade.

All round, I am VERY happy with the tool that Francois had provided and look forward to any and all advancements he makes.

Oh, one more thing. With version 5.0 and higher, Francois has made great strides with the documentation. For a program that was fairly easy to learn, his update of the documentation has made it even easier. If there was one area in the documentation where there is still room for improvement it is in the area of scripting for the 'other' layers. The documentation for scripting the 'grid' layer, in conjunction with the sample scripts provided, is very effective. Samples of scripts for the other layers would make it much easier to understand that aspect of the scripting feature.

Eric C. Smith
An Extreemly Happy User
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RPGMapMaker Developer NoteProblem with G3 - Version: 5.0.0, 11/4/2006 03:42AM PST

Francois_Menneteau_838
I am sad to announce that version 5.0.0 of RPGMapMaker does not work on Macintosh with a G3 processor. This is under investigation and I hope to find a solution soon.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
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