Announcing my next project: MapForge

[heruca]

EDIT:

The MapForge Kickstarter campaign is now LIVE! Check it out!

Since (for now at least) I won't be developing Battlegrounds Ultimate, I'm switching gears to work on a completely new project.

It's going to be cross-platform map-making software (for Windows and macOS), suitable for creating both print-resolution maps and lower res VTT-usable maps. Sort of a spiritual successor to Dundjinni, but with a greater focus on stitching maps together from pre-existing map tiles and then customizing the resulting map (with additional decorations, etc.) to suit your particular needs.

In late January or early February 2017, I'll be launching a Kickstarter campaign to try to fund the program's development. The program should appeal to GMs of face-to-face game sessions and those using any VTT software, who want to create their own slick-looking battlemaps but who find existing mapping programs (including image-editing tools such as Gimp and Photoshop) too intimidating/confusing/expensive. My program will be priced to be very accessible/affordable, likely in the $20-$25 range (at least during the Kickstarter campaign).

I'm going to post about this on various RPG-related sites to try and gauge public interest. But there's no reason we can't start here. Please let me know if such software would be of interest to you.

[rab46]

I would be interested.

[PellePlutt]

I love maps and would use them during ttrpg sessions. However, I am not very creative so I am not sure I would use an app like this.
I would use an app like this to modify existing maps... such as adding or removing small elements.

[Dormouse]

I would support any development in this area
Seems to have gone deadish for the last decade. Don't know if that is a pointer to potential though.

[heruca]

Not quite "deadish", as I discovered when researching this market (again) a month ago, but the "killer app" still hasn't been made, IMO. Some interesting tools out there, though, for particular purposes. Hard-core cartographers will probably have more than one app in their toolbox.

Edit: Dormouse, do you have any idea what became of Red Monkey?

[Shadow Warrior]

I would be very interested in this. There has been a yawning chasm in the mapping market since Dundjinni slipped beneath the waves.

Please let me know when you launch.

[heruca]

Welcome, Shadow Warrior. Will do. I figure launch will be in a week to 10 days.

[Shadow Warrior]

Yes, please do. Let's see if we can shout about this one widely.

[heruca]

I can now reveal the name of my mapping program: MapForge

And, for now at least, this is the app's icon.

[Shadow Warrior]

I like it.

Now, just take my money, dammit!

[heruca]

Getting close now! The MapForge Kickstarter campaign will launch either on Feb 18th or Feb 20th.

[Shadow Warrior]

You tease!

[heruca]

I inform.

(And tease a bit)

[heruca]

The MapForge Kickstarter campaign is now LIVE! Check it out!

[Omnidon]

The MapForge Kickstarter campaign is now LIVE! Check it out!

Great You set the duration pretty short again though.

A more comprehensive list of intended features would be nice (things that aren't in the demo especially).

Also, reading between the lines, it looks like the "Addon Format" is similar to the media bundles from BRPG. If you're not providing the PNG versions of the artwork, you should make it more clear what the "Addon Format" is in the description.

[heruca]

Some good points. The downloadable brochure talks a bit about planned features, and Updates during the campaign will surely bring that topic to the forefront.

31 days isn't short, though. It's pretty standard.

[Shadow Warrior]

Fantastic news! Backed.

[Omnidon]

The downloadable brochure talks a bit about planned features

Ah, you should make the brochure much more prominent - it's very easy to miss that little link.

31 days isn't short, though. It's pretty standard.

It's pretty standard for kickstarters that were heavily advertised ahead of time and are heavily advertised during the campaign
Kickstarters for entirely new projects are often several months long.

[heruca]

I've been promoting for a month or so on RPG sites, Google+ communities, Facebook groups, etc., so it's not like this is coming from nowhere. I also can't wait around forever with my nearly negligible current income. Debts are piling up.

[Omnidon]

Well, making good progress so far at least

[heruca]

Indeed! It's exceeded my wildest expectations for Day-1 funding.

[heruca]

Minimum funding was achieved around 3:30 AM last night.

[Omnidon]

Gratz Stretch goal time

[heruca]

The KS campaign now has over 830 backers, 264% of the funding goal, and is rapidly approaching the second Stretch Goal. I'd say it's going better than could be expected, given that we're only on the 6th day of the campaign!

I just posted https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/battlegrounds/mapforge-battlemap-creation-software-for-tabletop/posts/1815815Update #4: "Using your own artwork in MapForge, and the benefits of the Add-On format".[/urlx]

[heruca]

The 2nd Stretch Goal was achieved today.

This will add support for random map layouts generated by Donjon, then tweakable in MapForge, where you'll be able to render your dungeon in print resolution with custom wall, floor, and solid textures (so it's not limited to fantasy maps, since you could make modern, sci-fi, etc. maps just by swapping the textures used). This feature should be a real time-saver for GMs, and they'll be able to change any randomly-generated result to suit their particular needs, or just to make the map make more sense.