Overview

AutoREALM is a newly released software package designed particularly for creating roleplaying maps. Like ProFantasy Software's City Designer, Campaign Mapper/Campaign Cartographer, and Dungeon Designer titles, AutoREALM comes with various tools and functions that allow the user to create fantasy maps, cities, oceans, forests, dungeons, and other roleplaying-esque layouts.

Product Review

Sometimes when you're conducting a review it helps to compare the item you're reviewing to something similar in the marketplace, to give your readers a point of reference that some of them might have experience with. In this review, I compare AutoREALM to ProFantasy Software's Campaign Mapper.

The first thing that struck me about AutoREALM was the "company" that is behind it. It's a one-man team, and his name is Andy Gryc. Here's a guy with a grand scheme to provide gamers with quality, affordable mapping utilities and he's doing it all out of his home in Boulder, CO. There's something to be said for being the editor of the software manual, the writer, the programmer, and the analyst all at once! Of course, as we'll discuss later, there are probably time and creative constraints that come in to play as well when you're the only guy on the team.

I received the product on two 3 1/2" diskettes. It was the first time I'd used my floppy drive in about eight months. But there's no criticism here. It's impressive to see SOMEONE coding tight enough these days to still fit a decent program on a couple floppies. Way to go, Andy.

The product installed smoothly in a straightforward manner, using the typical Windows-based setup procedure we're all used to. Which reminds me, it only comes in Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0+ format. That doesn't bother a PC man like myself, but may put a wrinkle in your day if you're a Mac user.

After installation I took a look at the toolbars and menus presented on the screen. I was happy to see about 1/10th of them when compared to the screen on Campaign Mapper. Now could this simple tool collection do what I wanted it to? That was the question.

Some of the basic features I noticed initially were:

* Fractal lines, polylines and curves for rivers and coastlines
* Dozens of dungeon, campaign, and wilderness icons
* Instant hex, square, and triangle grids
* Chart navigation rosettes
* Zoom in, out, and zoom box
* Save and restore views
* Move, scale, rotate, skew, flip, align, and array create transformations
* Snap-to-grid and snap-to-point
* Full undo and redo capability
* Archaic, runic, and other fonts
* Bitmap objects for special symbols or for tracing scanned images
* Optional crosshair cursor for precise alignment

I was happy to see some features in AutoREALM that I hadn't seen in Campaign Mapper, some of which were:

* Measure in standard and RPG scales

In other words, you can set your map to "legions", "furlongs", "days journey on horseback"---whatever strikes your fancy. Fun stuff!

* AutoNAME, a random name generator with styles like Tolkien, English, etc.

This turned out to be a fun utility, and I found that it came with a scripting language that made it more powerful than it seemed on the surface.

* Multiple overlays with freezing and color-coded viewing

Cool stuff here. I can "turn on" my "GM's eyes only" layer and color code it so the elements are very visible. A nice touch over the standard overlay idea.

* Glyph line styles like pack-ice, water boundary, and castle walls

A very nice tool for creating walls and borders that look nice without having to use actual icons or graphic elements.

* Curve-fitted text

A feature I was shocked Campaign Mapper didn't have, and was relieved to see in AutoREALM

* Decompose text, icons, and fractals into polygons and polylines

Very nice tool for disecting objects into smaller points for editing.

* Tiling of large maps onto multiple pages

This was useful when I wanted larger maps to load faster or to print correctly if they were larger than 8 1/2 x 11.

* Import and export of Windows Metafiles and Enhanced Metafiles

You mean I can actually save my map in a format that other programs can recognize? Woo hoo! AutoREALM saves in .bmp, .wmf, or .emf format, as well as its native .aur format.

* Measurement ruler and measurement string

This nifty tool allows you to actually pull a line aross the screen, either straight or curved around obstacles, and tells you the exact distance (in your chosen units for that map) between the two points. Very nice for placing objects the right distance apart (such as cities on an overland map).

I was thrilled to see a powerful toolset for such an affordable price tag. As I moved through the different options in the menus (completely ignoring the software manual at first, as I usually do) I found AutoREALM to be very intuitive, quick, and comprehensive.

The Manual and Help Files

AutoREALM comes with an 86-page user's manual that thoroughly explains all of the features and how to use each tool in the program. It also devotes a good-sized section to AutoNAME, and explains briefly how to use the scripting language with it to produce your own custom name generating routines.

Did I find anything in the manual I couldn't find in the "Help" files? No, not much. But it's still nice to have a physical reference.

I have to insert a compliment here that the help files are very well designed and comprehensive. With screen shots and active help tags in appropriate areas, you can quickly get all your questions answered in a few clicks of the mouse.

The Boxing Match

Okay, so when it comes down to not pulling any punches, what did I wish I'd seen in AutoREALM that wasn't there?

* A comprehensive demo with maps attached to each stage of the development, as Campaign Mapper provides. Granted, I need to be honest and say that AutoREALM was so easy to learn I really didn't _need_ a tutorial, but it would help.

* Anti-aliasing on graphics to make the printed (and on-screen) images more smooth. I'm certain this function would probably increase the size of the graphic elements and lengthen load time on maps, but it would sure be nice for a higher quality image. Perhaps an option to enable/disable anti-aliasing?

* A more comprehensive set of icons, some with multiple colors perhaps, to enhance the look of the maps and make them appear more professional. Granted, Andy promises to deliver more icon sets, and for FREE to registered users, but it'd be nice to see some more quality on that end of the software from the beginning. The current icons look a bit "cartoony" for my taste, which lowers the map quality.

* A more solid user interface with regard to the toolbars. At one point during my perusal of the functions I decided to move a few of the toolbars around to fit my preference. Egads! What a disaster. The toolbars didn't fit into their respective margins very well, and it took me quite a while to get them all visible again. But on a fair note, the fact that you can even MOVE your toolbars in the first place (or choose not to view them) is a very, very nice option in my book.

What did I really LIKE about AutoREALM?

* Maps, even laden with tons of icons, load MUCH faster than they do in Campaign Mapper. The code is tight, and (as far as I could see in my pushing and pulling) bug free.

* I can actually do things in AutoREALM that I can't do in Campaign Mapper---some of which are very basic, like saving the map in .bmp format. Granted, Campaign Mapper can do a few things AutoREALM can't do too, but I'm not overly excited about any of those functions. I want a RPG map creation program, not a CAD package.

* AutoREALM doesn't hurt my wallet as much as all the other mapping software I've seen.

* AutoREALM conforms to all other typical "Windows" functions when it comes to manipulating objects, stretching them, moving them, selecting them, etc., rather than having its own unique methods to do things. Thus, the learning curve is almost non-existent.

* When I purchase AutoREALM I get all future upgrades to the program, including icon sets and enhancements, for FREE. Not a bad customer relations choice.

Conclusion

AutoREALM is everything you'd expect, and more, for your money. The learning curve is low, the features are comprehensive, and the interface is intuitive and flexible. If Andy adds some more professional-looking icons, anti-aliasing to make things look smoother, and cleans up the toolbar anchoring a bit, this program will cause larger software companies some serious heartache.

Two thumbs up!

Take a look for yourself, at http://members.iex.net/~gryc/features.htm.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

AutoREALM
Author: Andy Gryc Category: Software Company/Publisher: Andrew J. Gryc Line: RPG Mapping Software Cost: $35.00 Page count: n/a SKU: AutoREALM Playtest Review by Mike O'Connor on 11/04/99. Genre tags: none	Overview AutoREALM is a newly released software package designed particularly for creating roleplaying maps. Like ProFantasy Software's City Designer, Campaign Mapper/Campaign Cartographer, and Dungeon Designer titles, AutoREALM comes with various tools and functions that allow the user to create fantasy maps, cities, oceans, forests, dungeons, and other roleplaying-esque layouts. Product Review Sometimes when you're conducting a review it helps to compare the item you're reviewing to something similar in the marketplace, to give your readers a point of reference that some of them might have experience with. In this review, I compare AutoREALM to ProFantasy Software's Campaign Mapper. The first thing that struck me about AutoREALM was the "company" that is behind it. It's a one-man team, and his name is Andy Gryc. Here's a guy with a grand scheme to provide gamers with quality, affordable mapping utilities and he's doing it all out of his home in Boulder, CO. There's something to be said for being the editor of the software manual, the writer, the programmer, and the analyst all at once! Of course, as we'll discuss later, there are probably time and creative constraints that come in to play as well when you're the only guy on the team. I received the product on two 3 1/2" diskettes. It was the first time I'd used my floppy drive in about eight months. But there's no criticism here. It's impressive to see SOMEONE coding tight enough these days to still fit a decent program on a couple floppies. Way to go, Andy. The product installed smoothly in a straightforward manner, using the typical Windows-based setup procedure we're all used to. Which reminds me, it only comes in Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0+ format. That doesn't bother a PC man like myself, but may put a wrinkle in your day if you're a Mac user. After installation I took a look at the toolbars and menus presented on the screen. I was happy to see about 1/10th of them when compared to the screen on Campaign Mapper. Now could this simple tool collection do what I wanted it to? That was the question. Some of the basic features I noticed initially were: * Fractal lines, polylines and curves for rivers and coastlines * Dozens of dungeon, campaign, and wilderness icons * Instant hex, square, and triangle grids * Chart navigation rosettes * Zoom in, out, and zoom box * Save and restore views * Move, scale, rotate, skew, flip, align, and array create transformations * Snap-to-grid and snap-to-point * Full undo and redo capability * Archaic, runic, and other fonts * Bitmap objects for special symbols or for tracing scanned images * Optional crosshair cursor for precise alignment I was happy to see some features in AutoREALM that I hadn't seen in Campaign Mapper, some of which were: * Measure in standard and RPG scales In other words, you can set your map to "legions", "furlongs", "days journey on horseback"---whatever strikes your fancy. Fun stuff! * AutoNAME, a random name generator with styles like Tolkien, English, etc. This turned out to be a fun utility, and I found that it came with a scripting language that made it more powerful than it seemed on the surface. * Multiple overlays with freezing and color-coded viewing Cool stuff here. I can "turn on" my "GM's eyes only" layer and color code it so the elements are very visible. A nice touch over the standard overlay idea. * Glyph line styles like pack-ice, water boundary, and castle walls A very nice tool for creating walls and borders that look nice without having to use actual icons or graphic elements. * Curve-fitted text A feature I was shocked Campaign Mapper didn't have, and was relieved to see in AutoREALM * Decompose text, icons, and fractals into polygons and polylines Very nice tool for disecting objects into smaller points for editing. * Tiling of large maps onto multiple pages This was useful when I wanted larger maps to load faster or to print correctly if they were larger than 8 1/2 x 11. * Import and export of Windows Metafiles and Enhanced Metafiles You mean I can actually save my map in a format that other programs can recognize? Woo hoo! AutoREALM saves in .bmp, .wmf, or .emf format, as well as its native .aur format. * Measurement ruler and measurement string This nifty tool allows you to actually pull a line aross the screen, either straight or curved around obstacles, and tells you the exact distance (in your chosen units for that map) between the two points. Very nice for placing objects the right distance apart (such as cities on an overland map). I was thrilled to see a powerful toolset for such an affordable price tag. As I moved through the different options in the menus (completely ignoring the software manual at first, as I usually do) I found AutoREALM to be very intuitive, quick, and comprehensive. The Manual and Help Files AutoREALM comes with an 86-page user's manual that thoroughly explains all of the features and how to use each tool in the program. It also devotes a good-sized section to AutoNAME, and explains briefly how to use the scripting language with it to produce your own custom name generating routines. Did I find anything in the manual I couldn't find in the "Help" files? No, not much. But it's still nice to have a physical reference. I have to insert a compliment here that the help files are very well designed and comprehensive. With screen shots and active help tags in appropriate areas, you can quickly get all your questions answered in a few clicks of the mouse. The Boxing Match Okay, so when it comes down to not pulling any punches, what did I wish I'd seen in AutoREALM that wasn't there? * A comprehensive demo with maps attached to each stage of the development, as Campaign Mapper provides. Granted, I need to be honest and say that AutoREALM was so easy to learn I really didn't _need_ a tutorial, but it would help. * Anti-aliasing on graphics to make the printed (and on-screen) images more smooth. I'm certain this function would probably increase the size of the graphic elements and lengthen load time on maps, but it would sure be nice for a higher quality image. Perhaps an option to enable/disable anti-aliasing? * A more comprehensive set of icons, some with multiple colors perhaps, to enhance the look of the maps and make them appear more professional. Granted, Andy promises to deliver more icon sets, and for FREE to registered users, but it'd be nice to see some more quality on that end of the software from the beginning. The current icons look a bit "cartoony" for my taste, which lowers the map quality. * A more solid user interface with regard to the toolbars. At one point during my perusal of the functions I decided to move a few of the toolbars around to fit my preference. Egads! What a disaster. The toolbars didn't fit into their respective margins very well, and it took me quite a while to get them all visible again. But on a fair note, the fact that you can even MOVE your toolbars in the first place (or choose not to view them) is a very, very nice option in my book. What did I really LIKE about AutoREALM? * Maps, even laden with tons of icons, load MUCH faster than they do in Campaign Mapper. The code is tight, and (as far as I could see in my pushing and pulling) bug free. * I can actually do things in AutoREALM that I can't do in Campaign Mapper---some of which are very basic, like saving the map in .bmp format. Granted, Campaign Mapper can do a few things AutoREALM can't do too, but I'm not overly excited about any of those functions. I want a RPG map creation program, not a CAD package. * AutoREALM doesn't hurt my wallet as much as all the other mapping software I've seen. * AutoREALM conforms to all other typical "Windows" functions when it comes to manipulating objects, stretching them, moving them, selecting them, etc., rather than having its own unique methods to do things. Thus, the learning curve is almost non-existent. * When I purchase AutoREALM I get all future upgrades to the program, including icon sets and enhancements, for FREE. Not a bad customer relations choice. Conclusion AutoREALM is everything you'd expect, and more, for your money. The learning curve is low, the features are comprehensive, and the interface is intuitive and flexible. If Andy adds some more professional-looking icons, anti-aliasing to make things look smoother, and cleans up the toolbar anchoring a bit, this program will cause larger software companies some serious heartache. Two thumbs up! Take a look for yourself, at http://members.iex.net/~gryc/features.htm. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)