What would you want from a Hex-Mapping program?

[trancejeremy]

Since I am one of those that couldn't get that World Hex Creator to work without crashing, I decided to break out the VB and write one myself.

I was able to adapt a game I had started on, and after some hair pulling, figured (mostly) how to convert from squares to hexes.

Anyway, one of the problems I ran into was apparently you cannot change the size of a dynamic array in VB, at least of more than one member. As the way I keep track of the map is a 2 dimensional array (possibly 3, later one, for underground), I cannot change them. So I'm going to have to define a map size, and fake re-sizing it by making it smaller.

So, what's the biggest map you would ever make? 1000 hexes by 1000 hexes? 3000?

Any other ideas?

 

[thullgrim]

I would think 1000x1000 would be plenty big. I mean, at 1/4" hexes printed out that like 20 physical feet. Thats huge! Plenty large for mapping a world down to a fairly small scale if you utilized the whole map. Being able to choose a map size would be a neat feature. As would being able to link a hex on a world map to a smaller area hex map.

just some thoughts.

THullgrim

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, it's mostly to help with Fields of Blood, which has hexes equal to 12 miles. So I figured if I want to convert a whole world (which is probably really ambitious), I need big maps.


The linking to another map is also probably doable (down the road), I did something like that when I did an engine for a RPG in VB, going from the main map to a town map.

 

[thullgrim]

even at 12 miles per hex (which for a world map is pretty fine detail)you would have a map that 12,000 by 12,000. certaintly large enough for contiental scale battles between dragon armies if you wanted to do that.

Thullgrim

 

[MarauderX]

I use AutoCAD for my mapping now, as it is easy to change the scales, text, grids, everything. It's useability is linked to the user, though, so if you don't know it that well it could be frustrating. Since I have been using it for a while I have become proficient enough to have add 5' grids of towns/dungeons into a regional medium scale map, followed by adding the regions to the overall large scale map. With the ability to import images and link files together as references, any level of detail can be added. Not only that, but I can turn off the 'DM' layers and print either a detailed to rough map for the players, either in color or B&W.

I am using AutoCAD for Fields of Blood now, and have settings adjusted so that I can easily reference whose territory is where (using hatching & colors), then switch to territory type (forest, etc.), then have a layer specifically for FoB information that I can change as needed. Linking in excel spreadsheets is easy too, making recordkeeping for FoB (which can be crazy) easier as the spreadsheet can me scaled down to the size of the army it's linked to. Double-click the spreadsheet and it pops up excel for quick editing, then move it all a few hexes easily per FoB movement. What's more is if I don't like the 12 mile grid, or want to know exactly how far away someone is from something, I can get it as the crow flies or along the road they are traveling.

More than you wanted to know, I'm sure. Can you tell I'm a meticulous engineer?

 

[trancejeremy]

Heh, Autocad costs more than my first car did. Awfully close to how much my 2nd car cost. For that price, it better be that powerful

 

[MythosaAkira]

Anyway, one of the problems I ran into was apparently you cannot change the size of a dynamic array in VB, at least of more than one member.

As the way I keep track of the map is a 2 dimensional array (possibly 3, later one, for underground), I cannot change them. So I'm going to have to define a map size, and fake re-sizing it by making it smaller.

You can re-size a multi-dimensional array in VB.

From msdn.microsoft.com:
"The ReDim statement is used to size or resize a dynamic array that has already been formally declared using a Private, Public, or Dim statement with empty parentheses (without dimension subscripts).

You can use the ReDim statement repeatedly to change the number of elements and dimensions in an array. However, you can't declare an array of one data type and later use ReDim to change the array to another data type, unless the array is contained in a Variant. If the array is contained in a Variant, the type of the elements can be changed using an As type clause, unless youre using the Preserve keyword, in which case, no changes of data type are permitted."

Any other ideas?

One thing I'd like to see in a hexmapper is graphics that "blend" into one another at the borders, for a more artistic look (presumably you could toggle the hex grid on and off if you need to verify the locations of a hex edge).

 

[Tulon]

How about including FoB statistics within the map, for example, if you click on a town it shows up the name, the production, population size, level of population center, what has been built, etc. Movable Icons for troops (also with stats included) would also be nice.
This way, the GameMaster can easily keep an overview of what's going on.

Another idea would be to make two-colored border lines (one colour for each realm) attachable to a hex, so it's easy to see how far a realm goes exactly.

If you are really enthusiastic, include scripts for automatic battle and city/realm calculations...

Well, I'm looking forward what you create - since I have the same problems with the Hex World Creator, but also want to use a tool like that one for FoB.

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, what I meant was (I didn't want to get too technical), while you can change the size of the array, but you can only save what's in the last dimension. I wanted to be able to resize the map without losing any data. I store the map in a 2 dimensional array of X,Y coordiates (with the result being the terrain or tile type), so saving Y but losing X wouldn't be useful. There's probably a workaround, but just fixing the map size at something big and limiting the viewing area to make them look smaller seems to be the easiest option.

Anyway, work is progressing on it pretty well, and I've got the basics of FoB towns implemented in it (size, race, resource points) but I need to add the special stuff (mines, fairs, etc), but that should be relatively easy. The hard part will be coming up with graphics for them. It was easy making a picture of grass (and I just recolored that for the water and the desert and for the forest, I just drew a tree and stamped it several times over the grass-), but the towns are harder (and I still need to work on the mountains and hills).


It actually already has movable units (though not in FoB terms), because I adapted it from a game I was making (but had only got as far as a moveable map and moveable units). Down the road, I might implement some sort of combat, but I can't use the rules from Fields of Blood (that chapter is closed content, and I want to release the source code to this under the OGL), I'll probably use the rules from Oathbound: Arena - they should be fairly compatible with FoB's unit sizes.

 

[d4]

one feature i'd like to see that i haven't seen in any free hex mappers i've found online yet is the ability to choose either a vertical or a horizontal hex grid. every free mapper i've found only uses one orientation and doesn't allow the user a choice.