Incline Grid Cartographer - Best Tool for Drawing Classic RPG Maps

[Hidden Asbestos]

The last pieces of Grid Cartographer v4.0.2 are coming together. I've been worked on streamlining the process of drawing a map for Game Link titles in 3 ways:

1. If a supported title is detected when GC4 starts up - it now automatically creates a compatible map with the correct region name, grid settings, etc. so you can just get on with playing / drawing without any extra clicks.

2. If you start the game after GC4 you've now got a nice big friendly 'New Blank Map' button on the Start Mapping page - the old method of clicking the tiny (less friendly) button in the bottom-right is still available (muscle memory still takes me there regularly). It also hijacks the 'new square map' shortcut - CTRL+N (CMD+N on macOS).

3. Auto Mapping! well, kind of - Game Link profiles can now link to a complete pre-drawn map file which I'll provide with the program. If the profile has this map data available the extra button will appear and it'll load this map. Obviously filled with spoilers. Right now not all games support this ability, and the ones I've added I've marked as 'beta' to set reasonable expectations. Bug reports will be gratefully received!

Not all games will support this feature in v4.0.2 - but I'll add more over time and make it part of the process of adding new games. I have maps for Wizardry 6 and Might and Magic 3 as a test. Feel free to send me maps for other games if you'd like to help ( support at removethisbit davidwaltersdevelopment dót com ). I'll edit them a little to maintain a standardised look and feel to the program - so don't worry if it's not super clean.

Does the GOG EotB3 uses the custom AESOP 32 engine DOSBOX hack (see thread http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=20601&highlight=aesop) ?

I think so, but I'd have to look into it. Been a while since I looked at these games.

 

[tarasis]

Thanks! btw. during the launch sale (which runs to the 2nd Nov) you can get the Gamer Edition for $17.99 - about the price of an upgrade from v3->v4. You won't get the Pro edition stuff like hexagons and image export, but it does include the new Game Link and should be more than suitable for those games (especially compared to ol' v2). If in future there's something you miss from (or I add something to) the Pro edition you really want, you can pay the difference and cross upgrade from Gamer -> Pro.

Indeed, I'll certainly start with the Gamer edition I've no need for the design features at the moment but I might have down the line (depends if I get back into DM'ing)

Regarding the FAQ of games that GameLink 2.0 supports. Is it only EoB 1 or all three?

Yeah, just the first EoB at the moment. Reminds me I wrote a thing on the GOG.com forums about 2 & 3 which might be interesting?:

... SNIP ...

Wonderful, thank you for taking the time to quote that. Regarding EOB3 thats rather amusing that it ends up as VM running in the game engine.

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

Version 4.0.2 is now available for all customers.

Download Links + Full Info:
http://www.davidwaltersdevelopment.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1676

Highlights:
* Game Link profile for Might and Magic III [dos] + optional built-in complete map
* Built in complete map for Wizardry 6
* [PRO] New spray mode when pasting. Paint with the clipboard contents
* Rewritten brush behaviour to let you toggle a tile element off and then drag-erase other similar tiles.
* Performance boost for clipboard and note tools on large maps
* Improved Game Link and Tool Opts. user experience
* Fixed some bugs!

 

[aweigh]

*casts summon aweigh*

present!

sup?

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

*casts summon aweigh*

present!

sup?

Hi! I think it was because I posted a picture of a PlayStation emulator running "Wizardry Dimguil" in split screen with my mapping program. I don't understand the game very well and I don't think there's an English patch for it - I also imagine there's a map built in but I do love me some 5h Gen consoles so I added PSX support anyway.

Are there other dungeon crawlers outside of Wizardry (I know about 7, Empire I & II, Dimguil and I think there's a port of I-III) on PSX?

 

[aweigh]

Hidden Asbestos

no, AFAIK there is no english translation project for W: Dimguil and I doubt there ever will be because its file structure is crazy as fuck (3 cd's) and because the files are almost all completely compressed.

it would take a team of at least 4-5 persons to tackle W: Dimguil and do it right and if other people show up (and also someone shows up with the tools/know-how to let me know how to properly be able to edit the game text) then sure, i'd be more than happy to join a translation project.

The elminage games (2 and 3 on PSP, and my current project/hobby going on where I am transplanting the already-translated-English-script from PC version of E: Gothic to the 3ds remix edition of the game) are waaay more likely to someday, in perhaps 1 or 2 years, see the light of day.

I'm slowly, oh so slowly learning a bit of kanji and katakana but I doubt i'll ever be seriously fluent so my translation attempts still need some japanese-fluent person to do the actual NPC conversations (the reason why my Wiz: Empire 1 has been on hold for months; everything is done except the character dialog).

Helly : you still down for translating the Wiz: Empire 1 character dialog text? it's not that much (considerably less than Empire 2). Just let me know. I already sent you a long while ago 3 seperate document files with the game's NPC/event dialog-text for your viewing pleasure but if you've "lost them" i can do it again. Absolutely everything else in the game is already in English and working fine (lol very very important detail).

Dimguil, as I was saying, is one of those games where the only way i see it getting translated into English is If someone shows me how to correctly edit the menus/spells/items/etc and I will glady do a "menu patch" (i.e. everything EXCEPT character conversations) translation for it, but as things stand right now I'd much rather spend my free time translating elminage 2 for PSP, and attempting to "copy/paste" (not really but, y'know) the Pc ver. of Elmi: Gothic's english script text and replace the japanese 3ds remix version of the game's script with the one from the PC version.

(I already did exactly that with the complete item/spells/weapons/armor/etc, so I know it can be done). However the actual dialog text is compressed and I need to find proper tools for 3DS game hacking so I can (attempt to) extract whatever-the-fuck-files contain the scenario dialog and begin my "copy/pasting".

 

[aweigh]

Hidden Asbestos

(Already available in English, be it through fan-translation or through official localization):

- Paper Sorcerer (native PC dungeon crawler / turn-based / inspired specifically by the premise of Wizardry 4 and its gameplay (but not its difficulty) / a Canadian game I do believe it is / available on GOG and Steam)

- Elminage: Gothic (gold standard of Wizardry-inspired turn-based dungeon crawlers available for windows PC / GOG version / Steam version / officially localized into English though that doesn't mean it's necessarily a GREAT translation... but whatevs)

- Elminage: Original (i.e. Elminage "1") for PSP / PPSSPP emulator (officially localized, and once again does not mean it is a better translation than one done by fans / basically... it's fucking Elminage / what does that mean? Elminage = Wizardry classic formula/blueprint evolved and polished to its highest possible levels of mechanical complexity / i'm saying elminage games are the fucking sheeeeeeeeet ass bomb of TB DC's)

- Wizardry Empire TWO (2) -- Fan-translated by MrRichard999 and Helly and they did an amazing job w/ it. I am very proud to have been one of their first "beta testers" and will be forever grateful that they translated this game, which I consider to be the PINNACLE of the Wizardry franchise in terms of mechanics and dungeon design. Their translation of this and MrRichard999's unbelievably kind advice prompted and spurred me to attempt translating other 'crawlers on my own.

- Generation XTH: CODE HAZARD (i.e. Generation XTH "1") -- Fan-translated by a big, big group whose names i have no clue; the translation itself is EXCELLENT, and IMO probably the gold standard of what I expect from a translation of a niche RPG (obviously translation of super mainstream RPGs are much better, such as the unparalleled fan-translation of Mother 3 which is and will forever be impossible to be "topped" by ANY efforts be they official or otherwise); Wiz-inspired TB dungeon-crawler and available for Windows PC. (not on Steam or GOG and it is officially ABANDON WARE)

- Labyrinth of Touhou 1 and 2-- Fan-translations of both of these dungeon crawlers which are not Wiz-inspired but are absolutely their own thing, and in @CrookedBee 's opinion they are much superior 'crawlers to any Wiz-inspired 'crawler. Highly recommended (although I did not like them because no first-person view and no itemization). (These games are "doujin" which means, literally translated from japanese: "Pirate these games please domo arigato!!!!"; simply google the game titles and you will find a "Shrine Maiden" website with download links for the ISO's and the fan-patch(es).

- Frayed Knights: Skull of oh whatever... -- A "satirical take on the classic Wiz-clone 'crawler"... it's mechanically servicable. That's all i can say about it. A lot of peeps enjoyed it on these forums. I probably would have enjoyed it but I couldn't stand the forced characters you have to use and, well, the story, dialog, setting, etc. oops. (gog and steam ver. available.

- Wizardry 8 -- absolutely NOTHING, NOTHINGGG like previous Wiz games. BUT! Shake off the preconceptions or prejudices and enjoy it for what it DOES do well and it is probably one of the BEST natively PC single-player RPGs of the last 16 years. This game belongs on EVERY rpg fan's library, regardless of the fact that IT IS NOTHING LIKE WIZARDRY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT OUT UNDER ANOTHER NAME. Ahem. Er, anyway, go play it. (Gog and Steam versions available).

- DUNGEON TRAVELERS 2: TO HEART MONSTER SEAL LIBRARY BUSH (think that's it rite?) -- According to Dorarnae , i.e. the RPGCodex nay, the INTERNET's premier aficionado of all turn-based 'crawlers, this game is VERY GOOD. It also contains lots of PENETRATION. I'm waiting until I someday get a VITA hand-held (or perhaps a PS television doo-dad?) in order to play it. Oh, right, officially localized into english for the VITA.

- Stranger in Sword City -- Officially localized into English, but, once again I reiterate that this does not mean anything in regards to the translation quality. It is COMPETENT, that is all. The fan translations I've listed in this very post are ALLL better done than the official publisher-funded localizations for this game, Stranger in Sword City, and the others I listed. Doesn't mean they're bad (this isn't the PS1 yhears, after all...); it only means that after immersing myself in fan-translation I have come to be VERY critical of official localizations...

(oh right! SiSC is on gog / steam)

oh, and it's also very very good. It's from the same studio that did GENERATION XTH : CODE HAZARD (one that was fan-transed) and this is them at the top of their game. Obviously not as complex or, well, GOOD, as Wizardry, Wiz: Empire, Wiz, Gaiden or the Elminage games but after playing all of those SiSC and GXTH:CH are EXTREMELY welcome

 

[aweigh]

Hidden Asbestos

Anyway to finish this quicker:

- Class of Heroes 1 and 2 (skip 1 it's garbage play 2) for PSP, officially localized into english. The trans is actually very good! gameplay... play it AFTER you finish allll of the ones in the previous post.

- Wizardry: Gaiden 4: THROB OF THE DEMONS.... HEART -- Fan-translated by MrRichard999 and Helly (and others! excuse my not knowing their names) and it is for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Yes, this means it's FREEE!

it is also one of the most mechanically satisfying true-blue CLASSIC formula Wizardry games and features EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENNNT dungeon map layouts/design. PLAY THIS GAME.

And ppl please chime in w/ more!

Courtier Dorarnae Dorateen Deuce Traveler Mustawd Siveon V_K Shackleton

guys, help me recommend other RPGs for this fine fellow posters as I don't know much knowledge of non-Wiz-clones!

EDIT: Oh, and of course, you have to play the polygonal remakes of Wizardry 1-5 (including the ONLY available remake of Wiz 4, btw!) available for freeee i mean, available for the PS1 via emulation sites. The 5 Wiz games are re-done in "3d" (ps1 graphics tho, so keep that in mind) but most importantly of all:

- map layouts, encounter rates, itemization, loot placement, advamenent tables are ALL THE SAME. NOTHING GAMEPLAY RELATED WAS CHANGED w/ 1 single exception that is outlined in the games japanese-language manuals: in Wiz 2 they added a hidden ladder for access to the next dungeon floor since in the original Wiz 2 (apple II / dos / c64 / etc) the devs simply assumed you would be using a ported-party from Wiz 1 with 10th level chars who could cast the Teleportation spell so... yeah, no way out of Wiz 2's first dungeon floor without that spell. That's the only change done to any map of any of the 5 Wiz games.

- all 5 games feature competent-sounding-ranging-to-downright-evocative-and-sometimes-fucking-BEAUTIFUL orchestral scores that utilize / over-rely on string scales and (in the case of the Wiz 4 remake) non-stop french horn and tuba and brass section bass pandemonium. Well worth the price of admission (i.e. googling the .ISO's) just for the scores.

- all 5 Wiz remakes on the ps1 feature option to play the games in the original version's wireframe graphics complete with the exact same limited field of view and also the option to turn the remade enemy graphics back into the exact same 256 color (? need to verify that number) enemy sprites from the originals.

- unfortunately no option to "retro-fy" the orchestral OST, hehe.

OMG I ALMOST FORGOT!

- THE DARK SPIRE -- Nintendo 3DS Wiz-inspired HARD FUCKING CORE turn-based dungeon-crawler made by ex-Wiz devs (they did the ps1 remakes of Wiz 4 and 5, and then they scored the opportunity to their own 'crawler and it is AWESOME). Available from www.Google.com witht he coupon code: "nds dark spire download".

Offers as well option to play in Wireframe mode, if you wish "(i love it) AND it also "retro-fies" the game's soundtrack when you change to wireframe. Awesome game. I heartily recommend playing on emulator to make it look prettier and for frameskip/turbo for when fighting trash mobs.

Dungoen design in this game is off the charts good ranging from competent-oh-seen-THAT-before-oh-hey-wait-a-sec-shitttt-FUCK-THIS-FLOOR.

 

[aweigh]

link to the english translation of Wizardry Empire 2 (be sure to check the actual thread because I'm 100% certain there is a more recent translation than the one i'm linking; however this link has everything else you... need... to... make the translation work, so use this link first)

- http://frd.li/e362b9a95a05adf0

link to the long out of print generation xth: code hazard game... the translation of it... it needs this link tho so be sure to use this link first. no need to check for newer updates of the trans since this final:

http://frd.li/531a23e5a0c769e6

I ALMOST FORGOT!

Helly and MrRichard999 also translated YET ANOTHER AWESOME WIZ GAME, the game "Wizardry: Chronicle" released ONLY for japanese windows PC in the year of our lord 1999-2000. This game is loooonnnnggg out of print and its developers/publisher long out of busines:

http://frd.li/098553c586605d89 GIT IT but this one 100% has a more updated trans-patch on the translation thread for the project so be sure to use this... translation link... first to get the, uh, "patch", and then go get the newest patch.

 

[aweigh]

oh, yeah, and those Etrian Odyssey games for NDS/3DS. :D

 

[Helly]

Helly : you still down for translating the Wiz: Empire 1 character dialog text? it's not that much (considerably less than Empire 2). Just let me know. I already sent you a long while ago 3 seperate document files with the game's NPC/event dialog-text for your viewing pleasure but if you've "lost them" i can do it again. Absolutely everything else in the game is already in English and working fine (lol very very important detail).

I am fully engaged with Arcturus right now, but it IS on my todo list :D

 

[aweigh]

ok. Helly

that's all I need, just a reminder you'll help me eventually. I am grateful

it has spurred me on to make some minimal progress memorizing those dumb kanjis

i mean, now i can spot the one that looks like a mini rocket immediately AND also KNOW what it changes the one to the right of it to!

also i got the one that looks like an E letter with depression on LOCK.

and the octopus one? yeah, u know the one. I know what that one means too (it doesn't mean octopus.

my favorite is the one dat looks like a Triangle without its bottom and wearing a side-ways basebal cap because without the cap it means PEOPLE! i can spot it in a sentence and know that... the sentence is about people!!!!!111

also there is one that looks a cursive lower-case 't' letter dancing with a slightly drunk 'i' who lost its punctuation dot that now I know when I see it that it's prolly means some shit that refers to I DID THIS TODAY or some such

oh! and i also know that a special snowflake (like me) means SUB-ZERO's mortal kombat moves

 

[Courtier]

I can't think of many recent blobbers that don't have easy to use maps built in, I only really missed that in EotB. Automap has become pretty standard. For Playstation specifically I'm pretty sure there are still a number of crawlers that never got a translation and are pretty much forgotten, such as Students of Round.

If you want general suggestions for what to check out you can just browse aweigh's own Wizardry thread in JRPG forum or for example http://www.dungeoncrawlers.org/ or this bin http://pastebin.com/h59vVkvP (old as fuck). I think the EO series is fantastic and a good intro for anyone to the genre.

There's just too many to list and more still coming out, I wouldn't want to clog up this thread. About what to use Grid Cartographer with, in Elminage Gothic (PC) maps are a limited use item for a decent portion of the game so GC might be handy. For all the handheld titles it'd be neat to draw and always have your map open on another screen (tho this is redundant with EO in particular).

Spoiler

I recommend getting a cheap 2ds and flashcart for DS roms (Dark Spire/EO1-3/SMT:SJ), leaving you the option to buy 3ds titles (EOIV/SMT:IV/EOU) or if the firmware allows it a 3ds flashcart as well. PSP is also cheap and extremely easy to run custom firmware+ISOs on (Elminage Original/CoH1-2/Unchained Blades).

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

Gonna take a while to digest all of this info so I just wanted to say thanks !!

 

[agris]

aweigh

 

[aweigh]

...who needs grid cartographer omfg just do it like a MAEIN does shit

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

I've added a new Game Link profile for "Wizardry 2 : The Knight of Diamonds" - that'll be in v4.0.3 with a complete map available too. It requires the version from the Ultimate Wizardry Archives. I hope to add scenario 3 too, to round out the first 'Llylgamyn' trilogy on DOS.

Also on Windows I've finally added an official file icon for GCT files. You can optionally associate them with GC during setup:

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

Grid Cartographer 4 is one month old today. Thanks to everyone who has supported this project, in any capacity

Also just a quick reminder that the launch sale is still going until Tuesday, 1st November at 12 noon UTC.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Here is an enhancement suggestion for the automapping feature assuming you can position the player. Implement a binary fog of of war for linked/loaded maps. This way, the map is known, but grids are only revealed when passed through.

Automap Playmode?

 

[mushaden]

Can someone give me a dumbed down guide on how to use the custom dosbox/gamelink?

I'm trying to play Wizardry 7. I know it's not supported with the auto tracking, but I bought GC because I thought I could still map the game as I play in dosbox.

When I use the "dosbox_gamelink" executable I just get an orange screen with the dosbox logo

 

[Epsilon]

Grid Cartographer 4 is one month old today. Thanks to everyone who has supported this project, in any capacity

Also just a quick reminder that the launch sale is still going until Tuesday, 1st November at 12 noon UTC.

I bought the pro version on october 2nd, and have been silently enjoying it on Linux since. Looking forward to support for Wizardry 2!

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

Can someone give me a dumbed down guide on how to use the custom dosbox/gamelink?

I'm trying to play Wizardry 7. I know it's not supported with the auto tracking, but I bought GC because I thought I could still map the game as I play in dosbox.

When I use the "dosbox_gamelink" executable I just get an orange screen with the dosbox logo

Hi, sorry this is a problem a few people have had. It's working but unless you go to GC4, click View > Split h/v (or press alt+enter) you're gonna think not a lot is going on.

Definitely holding my hands up here to say this is a discovery problem on my part and I'm pondering ways to improve this for new users. Sorry!

( Maybe a mascot 'Carto' with lots of 'tude flies in like the office paperclip "yo dude, herd you is playing a rad to the max 'PG!! ... or maybe not )

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

Sale Ending - Last Chance to get 10% OFF
http://www.davidwaltersdevelopment.com/tools/gridcart/

Did some work on improving the Wand Tool - it has its own Tool Opts panel now.
The contiguous selection mode is now optional and it can ignore colours.

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

I bought the pro version on october 2nd, and have been silently enjoying it on Linux since. Looking forward to support for Wizardry 2!

Thanks!

I added a Wizardry III profile today, so the whole first trilogy will be playable in v4.0.3.

---

I've also moved the built-in "complete maps" out of the software and onto the downloads page. The way I'd done it originally made the maps very hard to get to - you needed to be running Game Link first to see them. This way is more obvious.

I also disliked it waving a 'cheat' in front of you every time you wanted to start a new map. I'm not a fan of complete maps personally, but I appreciate other people do. This way will hopefully make it easy for people who want to use them and less of a will power test for people who dont I also hope to include things like fog in a future update that will make these maps less full-on in their spoiler-ing.

 

[Hidden Asbestos]

Upgraded
Now you just need to add the swamp/bog tile and book/scroll icon I requested about a year ago

Getting there! Added new book and scroll marker for the upcoming Grid Cartographer 4.0.3.
( Books can be opened and closed dynamically using the switch tool )

Shouldn't be too much longer for the update. Sorry for the wait!