Software for ship deckplans page 1

beguegab

October 11th, 2003, 09:53 PM

I saw a posting earlier refrencing a software program to generate ship deck plans.

far-trader

October 12th, 2003, 01:22 AM

Hi beguegab and welcome aboard :D

Not sure this is the one you were thinking of but it was recently mentioned here iirc. Its free here AutoREALM yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AutoREALM/). You just have to join up (also free).

I was just checking it out myself so my perception may be a bit premature but I found it not quite what I was looking for though it has some nice features. If I get real ambitious and build my own symbol set (just one of the features I like) then I might like it a lot. It does come with a host of symbol sets, including some Traveller specific ones, and the price can't be beat.

snrdg082102

October 12th, 2003, 08:56 AM

Hello far-trader & welcome to the boards beguegab,

Thanks for getting far-trader to post the link to AutoRealms. Also, you might want to put aside some cash for one of far-trader's port calls, since there are usually many items that will help complete one of the earlier Traveller version sets.

Originally posted by far-trader:
Hi beguegab and welcome aboard :D

Not sure this is the one you were thinking of but it was recently mentioned here iirc. Its free here AutoREALM yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AutoREALM/). You just have to join up (also free).

I was just checking it out myself so my perception may be a bit premature but I found it not quite what I was looking for though it has some nice features. If I get real ambitious and build my own symbol set (just one of the features I like) then I might like it a lot. It does come with a host of symbol sets, including some Traveller specific ones, and the price can't be beat.

Uncle Bob

October 12th, 2003, 11:30 PM

Two other choices are
Campaign Cartographer http://www.profantasy.com/

and Fratile Mapper http://www.nbos.com

Campaign Cartographer has been used to create killer deckplans like Tanuki's (http://www.sff.net/people/kitsune/traveller/). Fractile Mapper is less capable, but much less expensive and what I use (http://pages.sbcglobal.net/blyle/Deckplans.htm). I have a symbol library posted.

BetterThanLife

November 18th, 2003, 10:51 PM

Couldn't you just use one of the numerous house plans software packages? You don't have to use exterior views. (Though if you could make them look like a spaceship.... smile.gif

TheEngineer

November 19th, 2003, 01:58 AM

Hi,

at least You could use any vector-based drawing software for deckplan design.
In past times I produced some deckplans even with MS Draw (now assimilated into most MS products).
Two years ago I get a low cost copy of Micrografix GraphicSuite, including Micrographics Designer.

Any of these might serve well to produce a drawing for RPG purpose from time to time. IMHO one major advantage of programs with a kind of "limited" functionality is, that You are able to get along with it very quickly and dont loose valuable spare time by messing around with more complex CAD usage...

Now I switched to Campaign Carthographer Pro mainly because of the following reasons:
- it is technically based on a professional CAD-software
- it has a very large,active and kind community
- I can expand functionality by writing macro or c-extensions (Fractal Mapper uses VBScript, too, which may be a bit more hmmmm comfortable here)

Concentrating on the point "generating" deckplans I will try to write an extension, which is able to read ship stats and really automatically generate a plan set on its own, using some coded design constraints (nr decks, shape)....

Regards,

Mert

far-trader

November 22nd, 2003, 03:37 PM

Originally posted by TheEngineer:


<snip>

Now I switched to Campaign Carthographer Pro mainly because of the following reasons:
- it is technically based on a professional CAD-software
- it has a very large,active and kind community
- I can expand functionality by writing macro or c-extensions (Fractal Mapper uses VBScript, too, which may be a bit more hmmmm comfortable here)Speaking of Campaign Cartographer, if you want to go that way this mornings mail* may help...

(* yeah the date is the 20th, my isp is having serious mail server trouble the last few days smile.gif )

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 16:46:38 -0000

Christmas is coming, so why not treat yourself to the brand-new version
of
CC2-Pro now and we'll give you 33% off. You can get CC2-Pro for $50.00
or
£33.00, compared to the normal price of $75.95 / £49.95. This offer
ends on
November 28th.

Follow this link to get details of the offer:
http://www.profantasy.com/products/cc2xmas.asp

If you prefer, you can forward the link to a friend or relative who can
buy
CC2 Pro for you!

This offer will not be repeated.

CC2 Pro is the industry standard map-making software for gamers. It's
easy
to use, and we offer the best support and the widest range of symbols.

Colin Beaver
ProFantasy Software Ltd
http://www.profantasy.com

far-trader

November 22nd, 2003, 03:43 PM

Originally posted by TheEngineer:


<snip>

Concentrating on the point "generating" deckplans I will try to write an extension, which is able to read ship stats and really automatically generate a plan set on its own, using some coded design constraints (nr decks, shape)....

Regards,

Mert Very cool Mert, I would love to see that. Similar to my "never find the time and energy" project to simply have a spreadsheet produce each design element as a gif or something to drop and arrange into a deckplan graphic within the constraints of each of the hull forms of appropriate scale and decks (with some kind of partially elastic outline, it keeps the general shape but allows some fudging to fit the elements). Good luck with the program and keep us posted please.

Vanguard

November 23rd, 2003, 01:57 AM

I think I recall someone doing a Type S deckplan using "The Sims"

I've done things for other RPGs with it before, it's pretty quick to build things up, and you can find extra objects/wallpaper/whatever to do pretty much whatever you want.

EDIT:

Here it is:
SimTraveller (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/J_Lambert/SimTrav.htm)

beguegab

December 2nd, 2003, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by Vanguard:
I think I recall someone doing a Type S deckplan using "The Sims"

I've done things for other RPGs with it before, it's pretty quick to build things up, and you can find extra objects/wallpaper/whatever to do pretty much whatever you want.

EDIT:

Here it is:
SimTraveller (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/J_Lambert/SimTrav.htm) Not actually what I was looking for but a great idea to show the actual living conditions. Only limitation is the dacor styles and lack of high tech.