Okay, I have some initial questions (and possibly suggestions).
1. When I click on (let's say) woods, it puts a full woods hex on the map. I cannot
figure out from the program how I make a partial woods hex/multi-hex grouping, as is
standard for ASL. This is the biggest issue for me. (EDIT: I found the edit selected
hex and select hex and edit bitmap buttons, which strangely are under the overlay tab
rather than the terrain tab. The instructions that pop up are not very clearly written.
Also, is there anyway that a window could ask someone to find or select a program rather
than just erroring out? I have not yet gone through this painting procedure because I
have to associate a paint program with bmps, I guess, but it is not clear to me what will
show up in the paint program. Will hexes full of woods show up that would allow me to
erase part of them to create partial hexes? Is that how it works??)
JO: Partial Terrain is mostly done with Hexside Terrain like Open Ground Hexside
(EDIT: Sadly it is not possible to connect a favorite BMP Painting program automaticaly.
You have to do this in Explorer -> Extra->Folder Options->FileTypes Tab
Select BMP and push Change Button then selct Paint for example, check always use..)
I suggest paint.net as a simple free Painting program.
2. There does not seem to be an undo feature!!!!!
JO: Currently not.
3. how can you reposition something on the map (like a building) once you have put it
down? (EDIT: okay, I think I have discovered how to do that, but not for the
background image)
JO: It works the same way with the Background.
4. How do you resize background images? I uploaded a small background image which I
wanted to greatly resize until it was at the right proportion, but there didn't seem to
be any way to do that. Also, I quickly found myself with multiple copies of the same
image on the map, with no way to move them once placed or to undo or delete them. How do
you do this?
JO: Use the "Size" track bar on the "Background" Tab to resize.
5. the documentation is basically non-existent.
JO: The documentation has 17 pages: HexDraw Manual.pdf, it includes serveral pictures.
6. at the very least, on the website, there needs to be a step by step example of how to
create an ASL map.
JO: It is very hard for me to write a manual. Also things will change in the 1.1. version
when mapmaking will be much faster. I will show this in an image later in the thread.
7. there needs to be a sewer entrance option (I don't think I saw one, but maybe I
missed it). Also stairwell/steeple/large circle options.
JO: Small symbols like sewer entrance, steeple and stairways should be taken as text
from "symbol font". I can't be sure that the symbol font is installed on every computer.
The libaray would not be loaded if that font is not there. I suggest you
search for such symbols in Word. Doing small symbols with text is way better than to
use an image, because they are drawn more sharply.
8. There needs to be a solid black line hexside for factory interior walls and one that
doesn't quite reach out all the way to the vertices for rowhouses.
JO: Examine the cliff overlay in the sample map. Also I can report that I saw a huge map
from a HexDraw user who filled the cliff overlays with green color and used them for
his hedges.
The ASL terrain library is a little variable in hexsize. You can choose a
bigger hexsize after loading. The interior walls would not fit.
Anyway, it can be simply drawn as a nearly black rectangel in Paint.
9. there should be a dark woods hex for interior jungle (and similar things) as well as
a light woods hex (for pine woods, etc.).
JO: I demonstrated other woods color in the ASL-winter-library in this thread. Just make
a copy of the woods png texture and fill with a new color.
10. There should be some sort of path, brush/path, woods/path stuff.
JO: Examine the ASL sample map, hex D2, path overlay. See Manual page 14, Open Ground road
11. There should be barbed wire hexsides and bocage hexsides.
JO: You find barbed wire as "xxxxxxx" in "Text" Tab
12. some sort of red dashed or dotted hexside (so map designers can create entry areas,
set up areas, etc.).
JO: Can be done, good idea
13. wreck overlay, palm tree overlay, wooden bridge overlay, pier overlay, roadblock
overlay (possibly with options to extend it to a center dot of adjoining hexes)
JO: Remember, you can bring in every image you like.
The color black in your image is see-through.
There are some good reasons why you cannot resize them in HexDraw.
14. desert terrain and overlays
JO: See above
15. simple drawing tools like creating a polygon that can then be filled. This would
allow people easily to create custom buildings, for example. I think this is really
important.
JO: This would have to be vector graphics and would not look nice.
Use Artweaver 4.0. for finishing your building. Like model making.
16. water tower overlay (another example of something that could be created via the
polygon tool mentioned above)
JO: See above
17. minefield overlay
JO: See above
18. would it be too difficult to add layers? Even some pre-set layers (road network,
buildings, etc.) would be potentiall useful, if possible
JO: The 1.1. version will have secondary roads and secondary hexsides.
19. zoom capability?
JO: It is there.
20. what sort of file is the finished product saved in? Can it be edited by other
programs, like illustrator, photoshop, xara, etc.? or can it only be exported as a non-
editable bmp?
JO: The hm-file can only be read by HexDraw. The export is ready for printing.
21. i notice changing the road border changes the border for every single such hex, not
just one hex. can this be made more flexible?
JO: No. You have to create a new road.
22. would it be possible to be able to use cut and paste tools to paste a bitmap from
the clipboard (i.e., which you may have created or obtained somewhere else)?
JO: Yes, that can be done. But there are several problems how to design that, for example
the name of the overlay or its position, also it could be misleading
23. is there an option to make the hexgrid numbers larger in size?
JO: Yes: Menue -> Edit -> Edit Hexgrid -> Hexnumber Font
24. it would be great if there were better support for gullies and streams (such as
overlays in different configurations and going through different hexsides).
JO: See above
25. Beach hexes, deep water hexes, shoreline overlays.
JO: You can do all the things you want with HexDraw.
I cannot fulfill everybodies wishes, I can only show you the door (as Morpheus said
)
26. Pond overlays?
JO: See above
27. Is there a way to change the default hex color for the whole map (like to brown or
khaki for a desert map or to some sort of grey for an urban map)? I see that you can
change the hexgrid color, but I don't see an option for the hex color. Maybe I am
missing it. (EDIT: okay, I found it, but it is not clearly labeled and should be made
more explicit what this does; also, there does not seem to be an option to change it once
created).
JO: See Manual page 7
28. It would be nice if in the "new map" window, there was a button you could check for
"standard geomorphic map," "DASL geomorphic map," and maybe even "Red Barricades style
HASL map," which would provide defaults for hex size, number of hexes, etc.
JO: No, because HexDraw is useful for very different purpose and there will be also other libraries.
29. Do the 1 degree, 60 degree and random rotations buttons even work? I can't seem to
get them to do anything.
JO: See Manual page 16
This will become more powerful in version 1.1
30. This program really really really needs a "delete all terrain in hex" option, and I
don't think it has one.
JO: There is a "delete all terrain on the map" feature.
I will think about "Delete all in a hex".
Anyway, this is some initial feedback and questions. I think this is a very intriguing
program, and one that could make my life a whole whole lot easier. However, at the
moment it is a pretty bare bones program and I think it could be made much richer. Jo, I
hope you will continue to enhance this.
JO: Thanks for your feedback, Mark.