RPGMapMaker 5.1 review
DownloadRPGMapMaker (previously HexMapMaker) is a tool for drawing maps with polygonal grids.
|
|
RPGMapMaker (previously HexMapMaker) is a tool for drawing maps with polygonal grids. This kind of maps are used in Role Playing Games, but of course you can design them for any other purposes.
RPGMapMaker has unique features that greatly simplify the building of RPG maps.
Here are some key features of "RPGMapMaker":
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).
Ten 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 six extra layers (two for drawing, two for terrain tiles, and two 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 to the cellar of the house, then zoom-in to the dungeon beneath the house, then zoom-in... Of course, you can also zoom-out.
Links to external files. You can attach files (for example notes, comments, etc.) to a static map. The files must be stored in a subfolder within the map folder.
Layers managers. They allow you to allocate and free the additional layers, to clear layers, to copy a layer into an other layer, to choose which layer is visible and which is not, to select which layer is the active one (an active layer is a layer where drawing occurs), and to choose which layer will be involved in a selection.
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 (three 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 and their tile sizes range from 12 by 12 to 40 by 40 pixels, in 4 pixels increments (i.e. 12 x 12, 16 x 16, 20 x 20, 24 x 24, 28 x 28, 32 x 32, 36 x 36, and 40 x 40).
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. This tool allows you to generate random terrains made of up to four different "regions" (for example water,mountain, plain, etc.).
Random maze generator. This tool allows you to generate random mazes, caverns and dungeons. For dungeons, rooms number can be generated.
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 40 foreground colors, background colors and patterns for further utilization.
Textures. This pallet allows you to use the Color Filling and Grid Polygon Color Filling tools with textures instead of Drawing Contexts.
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 copy and paste. As the map is made of seven layers, you can specify which active layer (or a portion of it) you want to transfer into the clipboard and on which active layer you want to paste the clipboard contents.
Intelligent external drop. You can choose the portion of an external drop to insert into the chosen active 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.
Models. You can create maps with a predefined appearance (a map with a legend for example). In addition, you can dynamically alter this appearance to further customize it.
Limitations:
Registration screen at startup.
What's New:
[New] Intel-based Mac support.
[New] The application is now distributed as a disk image.
[New] (Maze Generator) Room numbering can start at a value different from one. This is useful when generating more than one maze on the same map.
[Imp] Application responsiveness.
[Bug] Effects with no parameters are working again.
[Bug] When changing a map dimension, the Random Generators now uses the new dimension and not the previous one!
[Bug] When generating a random maze, only the portion of the text layer where the map is drawn is erased.
[Bug] (Font Properties dialog) You can change the colors again (via the system color picker).
[Kis] The application does not work on Macs with a G3 processor. This seems to come from a bug in the developing environment used to build RPGMapMaker. The problem should be fixed soon.
RPGMapMaker 5.1 keywords