The Campaign Builder's Guild

Hi Folks,

Over the past month in my "spare" time I've been working on a program that allows a user to create hex world maps like those in "The Voyage of the Princess Ark" Dragon magazine article series.

I had previously created hex map brushes for GIMP based on those maps, but the core architecture of this hex map tool came to me and I wanted to do it for a number of reasons.  I know there is another tool called "Hex Mapper" but I felt this new software that I'm tentatively calling "Hexographer" has a different approach and I have some other ideas to expand it.

This is the first place that I'm posting about it because I received some good feedback here on my other project and this forum has building worlds as one of its primary focuses.  

Please don't post about it elsewhere at least for a few days.  I'd like to have some time to fix any major flaws a smaller audience finds before many more people see it.  Currently I know of one issue: drawing lines when zoomed in is a little funky if you are drawing by clicking the points of the line one by one. (You can also draw lines by simply dragging.)  But I also have a few other small things I want to add to this version before adding new, larger features later.  An example of these small things is a few icons are missing (whaling, battle, mines, shipwreck.)  Another example is I might tweak all the icons so they look a little nicer when zoomed in.

I'd love to get your initial reactions, what you would like to see added and if you encounter some bugs.  I'm especially open to constructive criticism, but if you can start off with "I loved xyz and abc!" I'll feel better. :)

Awesome program Sowel.  Graphics are rather simple, but they do get the point across.  I don't think I'd use this for an artistic illustration map, but it does nicely for play and practical use.

Thank you! I'm looking at revising the icons so they scale a little better, but I am trying to go for the look of the Dragon maps mentioned in my original post.

This is pretty neat.

It took me a while to figure out that the only way to do roads was by drawing the lines, but once I figured that out, I was happy.

Good job.
~LD

I have a new version up for those who are interested.  I think it is much better, but it was even petty good a week ago.  And in another week or two it will be even better.  The big issue right now is for me to work on the icons used on the map so they look good even when zoomed in.  Here's a sample map:
 

This I like.  This I like very much.  OH WAIT, so you can use the "coastline" feature the color in parts of the hexes so that they match the contours of the coast more precisely!  Aha!  (That I also like)

I've created a new mini-website for Hexographer and put out a new release recently.  However, I've done several release (one every week or two) since I last posted here.  The product is nearing a final 1.0 version.

Here's the new link: www.inkwellideas.com/roleplaying_tools/hexographer/

I hope you all will find it useful.