Map Creation Software

[Nicodemus]

I'm on the hunt for an old piece of HeroQuest map editing software. No, not HeroScribe, it pre-dated that program from what I recall. We're talking late 90s very early 2000s before HeroScribe as we know it was available.

I don't recall the name and can't seem to find any records on any sites (even using the Wayback Machine to troll through Aginsinn.com)

It was a Windows-based program that loaded a black and white map of the game board and had most of the tiles for the core game and expansions already in there, and additional tiles could be imported and placed on top of the map. The only output I'm aware of was a black and white .bmp format.

I know, not much to go on. I remember the way unused sections of the board were flagged was by selecting a special grey tile type and just dragging the cursor over each unused tile... and it was a bit flaky, because images that overlapped tiles (like doors) would get partially replaced by the grey colour and you'd have to re-place the doorway before saving.

This ringing any bells with anyone? Anybody still have a copy by any chance?!? I've got a 486 laptop that it might be on, but it's on loan to a colleague who is out of the country.

Thanks for any hints or leads
~N

[The Admiral]

I'm sorry but I can't help, but please tell me you need this to complete the Avenger Sword trilogy?

[knightkrawler]

Nic, I can't believe, you registered only months ago and this is your first post...
Do that more!

Are you looking for Fantasy Game Quest Creator? I don't know anything about that one except its name and that I have the appropriate folder on my computer.

[Nicodemus]

I'm sorry but I can't help, but please tell me you need this to complete the Avenger Sword trilogy?

Yes, provided I can make these quickly. Editing to import custom tiles into HeroScribe takes significantly longer than that old program. I'll try to fly under the radar with it though until it's done.

Are you looking for Fantasy Game Quest Creator? I don't know anything about that one except its name and that I have the appropriate folder on my computer.

So, not that one. It was definitely a predecessor to HeroScribe. Down side was 72DPI and .bmp format only for import and export, but it was fast... and it'd be consistent with my other Quest packs and the maps already made for Vol3 (made between 2004-2006). If I have to start using HeroScribe I'll need to start Vol3 Quest maps from scratch.

~N

[Nicodemus]

Fantasy Game Quest Creator?

Actually... it seems pretty close. I don't think the program I used was in English, like this one, the map elements/Monsters/tiles were in English, and it doesn't seem to use the same graphics. For example, the Gargoyle map symbol in FGQC has helmet elements that extend beyond the edges of the tile, whereas the program I used to use had all except doors and trap doors contained within the tile... so close and yet...

Thanks though, it was a good suggestion and from about the same era!

[Anderas]

Hey Nicodemus!

I have two questions for you:
I tried for now the better part of two weeks, to include some custom symbols into heroscribe. How did you succeed?

And the symbols that you have in HS, could you point me to where I can download their real-life tiles? Like, meadow, great hall and so on?
Thanks!

[knightkrawler]

I tried for now the better part of two weeks, to include some custom symbols into heroscribe. How did you succeed?

And the symbols that you have in HS, could you point me to where I can download their real-life tiles? Like, meadow, great hall and so on?
Thanks!

I'll sign any petition inquiring into knowledge about HeroScribe and other programs like it.

[The Admiral]

I'm sorry but I can't help, but please tell me you need this to complete the Avenger Sword trilogy?

Yes, provided I can make these quickly. Editing to import custom tiles into HeroScribe takes significantly longer than that old program. I'll try to fly under the radar with it though until it's done.

That is awesome news. I hope you can find the program you are looking for. My brother and I played part one years ago, and part 2 has been on hold ever since as I couldn't see any point without the finale. But maybe I will finally be able to dust off those old tomes...so I can destroy them!

[Nicodemus]

Hey Nicodemus!

I have two questions for you:
I tried for now the better part of two weeks, to include some custom symbols into heroscribe. How did you succeed?

And the symbols that you have in HS, could you point me to where I can download their real-life tiles? Like, meadow, great hall and so on?
Thanks!

1. You'll need a version of your tile in black and white or grayscale ideally for HS, but it doesn't matter that much. Anyway, I did my testing with Toco's Chapel.

It's already 200 DPI resolution, so that's good enough. I converted it to grayscale and increased the brightness and contrast to wash it out and make it closer to B&W so that it's easier to see icons on top of it. Next you can shrink it down to the right size (which may be optional, I have't tested that much, I just emulated what's there). If you're stuck go look at the other map icons in HeroScribe/Icons/Raster/ (etc) and see what dimensions they use.

Toco's Chapel is a 5x5 tile, so I resized it to 168x168 pixels and saved it as a .png file thusly: HeroScribe/Icons/Raster/custom/Toco/Toco's_Chapel5x5.png
I didn't bother saving a copy into Icons/sample/...

If you go into the main HS directory there's an Objects.xml file (Objects.html shows you the format). I edited the .xml file with the following entry:

Code: Select all

<object name="Toco's Chapel" id="TocosChapel" width="5" height="5" kind="room" zorder="-10.0">
<icon region="Europe" path="custom/Toco/Toco's_Chapel5x5" original="false"/>
<icon region="USA" path="custom/Toco/Toco's_Chapel5x5" original="false"/>
</object>


Note as well that the file extension isn't specified, just the root filename

It's flagged as a room and HS scales it to the correct size on the map for you this way. When I go into the "Rooms" list it's down at the bottom... seems that it doesn't matter where in the Objects.xml file you put it, it sorts it alphabetically. I didn't play around too much with seeing what happens if I leave it out of EU or USA versions, but it probably just won't show up.

2. I've only imported Toco's Chapel into HS. Any of the old tiles I used I tried to stick almost exclusively to what was available at Agin's Inn (i.e. Ron Shirtz and Gerwin's tiles mostly)

[lestodante]

I have a map editor made in Excel... it is from 2004, can it be the one you're after?