Other World Mapper (mapping software), feedback request and future changes

[Tiana]

I'll try do some more video recordings since it gives a way to actually look back and see what was going on when I glitched. I determined one of the things is that, I click outside of the canvas when creating a shape of some sort, and would like it to stick there instead of then following me when I move my hand and click somewhere else, creating a point on the closest part of the canvas.

I look forward to seeing what the new release will be like and definitely understand you can't apply all the feedback immediately.

Our PCs all have 32 to 64 GB memory and have been running 64-bit operating systems for more than a decade.

Dayum. I didn't even know it was possible to get a computer with 64gb RAM. You're obviously on the cutting edge and investing a serious amount of cash into your setup in that case (presumably as a publisher doing intense digital work it made sense and was a business expense?) and I doubt there's going to be many people here who can match your machine for power. I just got Windows 10 this year, and 16 gigs of RAM. You're definitely on the upper end of the bell curve, probably somewhere a bit below "Disney's rendering power" and "military computers".

I appreciate that the program uses a minimal amount of RAM while performing as powerfully as it does, and I believe many other average computer users will feel the same way. There are tons of people using laptops with 4-8gb because they never put their machine through rigorous artistic tasks who still might want to make a map, so putting its performance right in the realm of "average joe" makes a lot of sense to me. I can see why that would make it no good for your team though, and it looks like you do more of a 3D sort of art style so it makes sense why you'd want more RAM.

I wouldn't mind tapping into more of my RAM but I never had any moments where I felt the program was moving slower than I could think.

Edit: Ran it through a 20x30 map last night and definitely started seeing performance hangups at that size.

[Mark Oliva]

I didn't even know it was possible to get a computer with 64gb RAM. You're obviously on the cutting edge and investing a serious amount of cash into your setup in that case

Actually, I think you'll find a number of people here with 32 GB RAM. 64 GB wouldn't be all that rare either.

presumably as a publisher doing intense digital work it made sense and was a business expense

I'm retired. The Vintyri (TM) Project is a non-profit. We produce free, open-source, open gaming material. We are not a business and do no business. But we probably will release a beta soon that will substantially expand OWM's mapping possibilities, if it runs correctly. The alpha version already appears to do so.

I appreciate that the program uses a minimal amount of RAM while performing as powerfully as it does, and I believe many other average computer users will feel the same way. There are tons of people using laptops with 4-8gb because they never put their machine through rigorous artistic tasks who still might want to make a map, so putting its performance right in the realm of "average joe" makes a lot of sense to me.

Actually, I think this kind of misses the point. I'd never suggest that OWM be programmed to need 32 or 64 GB RAM. I don't know why anyone would suggest that. But I do want my programs to be able to use the RAM that I have when they need it, which can be the case with some huge maps that have a large graphical content.

it looks like you do more of a 3D sort of art styl

We do no 3D, but we do use what's called a photorealistic style by some, although true photorealism really is somewhat more and somewhat different.

Ran it through a 20x30 map last night and definitely started seeing performance hangups at that size.

Uh ... 20 x 30 what?

Servus,

[Tiana]

Uh ... 20 x 30 what?

Uhm, sorry, I grid most of my work in inches and assumed it was easy enough to infer. On the topic of inference, I assumed your title of "publisher" and your swanky realistic looking maps meant you were a professional map publisher. I now assume it must have been the automatic title generated by the forum for a certain post count.

Yes, I was a bit confused as to why you would want a program to intentionally use up all of your available RAM, I believe I understand better now what your problem is. For the record, I installed in the Administrator account, and do not seem to be experiencing the same bug. i'm only seeing the program slow down because y'know, I loaded up that map with a LOT of things and it's poster sized.

Ya blew my mind, that's all. It is the logical progress, I just thought 32 was where we were at for the top end civilian personal computer. Nothing wrong with us having had different experiences lead to different conclusions. Many in your sphere may have beefy systems. That's cool, I don't discount that. Even though a remarkable number of people I know are professional artists in some fashion, they are all mostly younger poor people or non-computer-passionate older professional artists who include computers only as an incidental side part of their art. I don't know very many people who are retired and they would be people who have a "the computer for Facebook". If your people group are the people who picked up on computers as they started growing in popularity and just rode the train of improvements forward, naturally following their growth it would make sense higher end equipment would be more familiar to you than me. Like I can think of one guy I know who might have equipment hanging around like that, a serious video editor and audiophile. Wouldn't be surprised. He seems to have the cutting edge stuff. Winnipeggers are notoriously cheap, so yeah...

Recently I had a discussion with my programmer housemate about how much RAM I should have in the new computer. Her opinion on the matter was that most computer use wouldn't require 32 gigs except for intense 3D work and we got 16 and beefed up other aspects instead.

I look forward to having more RAM now that I know it exists, and is not ridiculous to want for the art I do. Now I have reason to aim higher. As well, I look forward to what the Vintyri project ends up bringing to OWM. If your maps are made out of your project Alpha then it will be a good expansion.

Interesting about your style, I initially thought by looking at your portfolio it used some sort of 3D rendering to get the semi-realistic style. Is it maybe what would be called "Photo bashing"? That's an art form that's not exactly photo editing, but turning photos into tools to create a new piece of art or extensively painting over it in some way so that the original photo/s is/are completely unrecognizable. It's obvious to me it's not intended to be completely photorealistic, but photo-evokative?

Love that what you're doing is free and open source, that's amazing for the community, what a sweet way to spend your retirement.

I should note I also observed there was an OWM forum but it looked sort of dead, heh, so I didn't join it, sorry.



Oh yeah, to save presets for things like river and road styles. The official explanation Alexandro just posted confused me so I figured I'd provide a visual aid. Just have the tool set up however you want it and click this button and it will bring up the window to save it. This toolbar is by default located on the right side of the monitor, but may be triggered off, in which case you'd pull it up from settings, windows, properties. I circled the button to click in red. It kind of slides into the UI for me if I don't intentionally look for it, something about how it engages with the monitor static. Also it kind of seems decorative too. I think it could be made more obvious.

[Mark Oliva]

I assumed your title of "publisher" and your swanky realistic looking maps meant you were a professional map publisher. I now assume it must have been the automatic title generated by the forum for a certain post count.

No, it's because we're publishers. We just publish non-commercially, and we've published more RPG publications than a number of commercial publishers. Our download statistics and support request volume suggest that we have a good user base.

people I know are professional artists in some fashion, they are all mostly younger poor people or non-computer-passionate older professional artists who include computers only as an incidental side part of their art.

It depends what kind of artist you mean. Commercial artists in the graphics business who do a lot of work with Photoshop, for instance, have and need pretty beefy computers.

I don't know very many people who are retired and they would be people who have a "the computer for Facebook".

I avoid Facebook and co. like the black plague. My partners Carl and Trevor also stay far away from it.

If your people group are the people who picked up on computers as they started growing in popularity and just rode the train of improvements forward, naturally following their growth it would make sense higher end equipment would be more familiar to you than me.

After years as a newspaper reporter and editor in the U.S., I switched to computer programming after moving here to Bavaria and started my own software company. I also taught computer programming in a school. My motivation for having a power computer is my absolute dislike of having to wait more than 5 seconds for anything. The computers that I have give me that luxury.

Recently I had a discussion with my programmer housemate about how much RAM I should have in the new computer. Her opinion on the matter was that most computer use wouldn't require 32 gigs except for intense 3D work and we got 16 and beefed up other aspects instead.

That probably was good advice.

I look forward to having more RAM now that I know it exists, and is not ridiculous to want for the art I do.

If you're using an ordinary hard disk on your computer, a better first investment would be in an SSD drive for Windows, your most-used programs and your frequently-opened graphics and data.

look forward to what the Vintyri project ends up bringing to OWM.

The instructions haven't been written yet, but here's the first alpha:

https://www.vintyri.org/downloads/vcc_owm_alpha1.zip (490 MB)

Download it, unzip it and run Setup.exe. Install it into:

(Install drive and location)\Three Minds Software\Other World Mapper

If you used the default installation location, that's:

C:\Programs (x86)\Three Minds Software\Other World Mapper

Is it maybe what would be called "Photo bashing"? That's an art form that's not exactly photo editing, but turning photos into tools to create a new piece of art or extensively painting over it in some way so that the original photo/s is/are completely unrecognizable.

That's about right for many of the objects.

Servus,

[3l3phant]

I just discovered OWM and I'm rapidly wondering why I didn't do better research on map-making software before spending money on a ton of other applications. This is brilliant!

I have a question (and I apologize if I should have started another thread to ask): When placing mountains via the Along Path option it doesn't appear to allow the same "cycle" and "random order" options. That would be fantastic for doing mountain chains that didn't look so homogeneous.

[Mark Oliva]

In my reply to Tiana (two posts above) I mentioned the new OWM alpha version of the Vintyri Cartographic Collection but also added that the installation and usage guide was not available.

The Guide is available now. You can get it here:

https://www.vintyri.org/downloads/Vintyri OWM Guide.zip (24 MB)

The add-on itself is available here:

https://www.vintyri.org/downloads/vcc_owm_alpha1.zip (490 MB)

Download it, unzip it and run Setup.exe. Install it into:

(Install drive and location)\Three Minds Software\Other World Mapper

If you used the default installation location, that's:

C:\Programs (x86)\Three Minds Software\Other World Mapper

This products all are released on a free, open gaming, open source products for personal and commercial usage.

Because this thread probably still is of limited use to most guild cartographers, I've moved further discussion over to the OWM forum. Those interested in continuing new information can go to:

https://www.otherworldmapper.com/for...php?f=19&t=415

Servus,

[OWM]

I just discovered OWM and I'm rapidly wondering why I didn't do better research on map-making software before spending money on a ton of other applications. This is brilliant!

I have a question (and I apologize if I should have started another thread to ask): When placing mountains via the Along Path option it doesn't appear to allow the same "cycle" and "random order" options. That would be fantastic for doing mountain chains that didn't look so homogeneous.

Thank you for the feedback and your support!

The current version doesn't support that, but we are working to add that with our October/November release. It will also let you have random features for the "fill mode" instead of only being the one symbol.

One suggestion, you may find the "Auto Order" placement mode for Features helpful when placing mountains or trees, so that OWM auto orders them as you place them.

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[OWM]

The instructions haven't been written yet, but here's the first alpha:

https://www.vintyri.org/downloads/vcc_owm_alpha1.zip (490 MB)

Download it, unzip it and run Setup.exe. Install it into:

(Install drive and location)\Three Minds Software\Other World Mapper

If you used the default installation location, that's:

C:\Programs (x86)\Three Minds Software\Other World Mapper

Servus,

This is really awesome!! Checking it out right now.

Just FYI in case you want to add this to your installer, OWM saves the installation path to the registry for both the full and basic versions, so you could use that for the default path.



Thank you!

- Alejandro