The Inside Scoop on Gaming

(Note the .93 beta has been released so some of this review is dated, I will do a new review when a fuller version is developed)

Sometimes you get what you pay for. In this case I got a whole lot more than I expected. Hex World Creator is simply one of the best game mapping programs I have seen. It is not perfect, but for the price and what is can do it is well worth checking out.

First things first you name your world and determine its size. That is important because once the X and Y numbers of hexes is determined, there appears to be no way back. Without the ability, so far, to cut and paste your initial set up might be critical.

After your initial foray into the software various tables can be filled to reflect areas on the map and information for cities. This can be races, nations, etc. Pretty neat stuff. Basically all settlements can be noted and borders visible in one of Hex's windows.

The program uses a hex sheet and then you just select a terrain type, click on a hex and it fills up. You can also paint large areas and spray paint terrain in for a random effect. There are all the basics and even some ones I might not have thought about. All are well done. Better yet you can import your own terrain pieces. When you are putting in your terrain, a window in Hex shows the over all picture of how the world looks.

With the ability to enter terrain almost any sort of world or setting could be introduced. From worlds. solar systems even deep space could be mapped. This would be really useful since many mapping programs are geared to one genre or type of setting.

The biggest problem with Hex is that it is entirely proprietary. It does not port your map to a bmp or a jpg. That would be handy for hand outs or times where you can not lug your computer around. Also the printing options are very limited and you can not shrink it to fit a single page. All in all these are just bells and whistles that should come in the full version. I am probably being too impatient!

As a note, Hex seems better fitted for medium and smaller scale maps but is adequate for about any game mapping I could think of. I made a 200 x 150 hex map of my game world to kick the tires and it came out really nice looking, but felt a little unwieldy.

The software is not perfect. I had some issues with the paint function and save function being used one after the other. Overall the product was functional and did more than I expected.

Hex is worth checking out and if it lives up to its potential I would have a hard time recommending anything else. We shall see.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Hex - World Creator 0.90b
Author: Balefire Category: Computer Aid Company/Publisher: Balefire Line: Hex Cost: Free Page count: n/a ISBN: n/a SKU: n/a Capsule Review by Wes Johnson on 05/09/00. Genre tags: Fantasy Science_fiction Modern_day Historical Far_Future Space Old_West Asian/Far_East Superhero Generic	(Note the .93 beta has been released so some of this review is dated, I will do a new review when a fuller version is developed) Sometimes you get what you pay for. In this case I got a whole lot more than I expected. Hex World Creator is simply one of the best game mapping programs I have seen. It is not perfect, but for the price and what is can do it is well worth checking out. First things first you name your world and determine its size. That is important because once the X and Y numbers of hexes is determined, there appears to be no way back. Without the ability, so far, to cut and paste your initial set up might be critical. After your initial foray into the software various tables can be filled to reflect areas on the map and information for cities. This can be races, nations, etc. Pretty neat stuff. Basically all settlements can be noted and borders visible in one of Hex's windows. The program uses a hex sheet and then you just select a terrain type, click on a hex and it fills up. You can also paint large areas and spray paint terrain in for a random effect. There are all the basics and even some ones I might not have thought about. All are well done. Better yet you can import your own terrain pieces. When you are putting in your terrain, a window in Hex shows the over all picture of how the world looks. With the ability to enter terrain almost any sort of world or setting could be introduced. From worlds. solar systems even deep space could be mapped. This would be really useful since many mapping programs are geared to one genre or type of setting. The biggest problem with Hex is that it is entirely proprietary. It does not port your map to a bmp or a jpg. That would be handy for hand outs or times where you can not lug your computer around. Also the printing options are very limited and you can not shrink it to fit a single page. All in all these are just bells and whistles that should come in the full version. I am probably being too impatient! As a note, Hex seems better fitted for medium and smaller scale maps but is adequate for about any game mapping I could think of. I made a 200 x 150 hex map of my game world to kick the tires and it came out really nice looking, but felt a little unwieldy. The software is not perfect. I had some issues with the paint function and save function being used one after the other. Overall the product was functional and did more than I expected. Hex is worth checking out and if it lives up to its potential I would have a hard time recommending anything else. We shall see. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average)

Hex - World Creator 0.90b