Beta is release is out!

[Kanchou]

Dear Alpha and Beta backers,

Happy New Year!!

After several crazy weeks, including working through the Holidays, we just finished the Beta release!!!

We'll be sending the download email shortly as soon as we get the installation file uploaded.

There are a lot of changes that come with this release, including the addition of the dungeon tools, many UI changes, overland map functionality additions and more. This release also includes a bit over 50% of the finalized artwork.

Also please note that the beta version cannot open/convert alpha release maps/presets/themes. There were many fundamental changes to OWM that made it difficult to add that within a reasonable time frame.

I created several threads for specific feedback (i.e. dungeon tools, artwork, etc), so please comment there on this release.

Looking forward to hearing your impressions!

EDIT: We'll work on an alpha to beta map conversion mechanism...more on the other topic

- Alejandro

[Rumburak]

Excellent! I did some first tests with the Dungeon Tool, and I'm very happy with it. Great work!

[stefanstr]

Not sure where to ask this: is the current file format the final one or can it still change?

I don't want to commit to doing any big project in OWM until I'm sure it is safe to do so.

[Kanchou]

Excellent! I did some first tests with the Dungeon Tool, and I'm very happy with it. Great work!

Very happy to hear that! . We'll be adding more functionality to the dungeon tools with Beta 2. Make sure to leave any feedback so we can consider it for the next release.

[Kanchou]

Not sure where to ask this: is the current file format the final one or can it still change?

I don't want to commit to doing any big project in OWM until I'm sure it is safe to do so.

Maps will be converted across beta releases like with did with the Alpha releases. The final release will either read Beta maps or we'll release an stand alone program to convert it.

We tried to have that for Alpha to Beta, but it was cutting too much into our already late schedule.

- Alejandro

[Lubrol88800]

Well, yes, Beta is out and it is a New Year. But not exactly happy: all the work I have put into the maps I worked on in the alpha versions is now wasted time: the beta version will not open the map files. Not at all good as my time is rather precious to me and having put in many hours having to start again from scratch AND make sure I duplicate things more or less exactly (as I have now published some of the prior maps) does not exactly thrill me.

The feature set looks very good and the dungeon tools are very promising; but I am now leery of doing anything significant given the apparent compatibility issues between versions. I don't exactly have the time to recreate and do additional work only to find that the release candidate won't read the beta version files.

[Kanchou]

Well, yes, Beta is out and it is a New Year. But not exactly happy: all the work I have put into the maps I worked on in the alpha versions is now wasted time: the beta version will not open the map files. Not at all good as my time is rather precious to me and having put in many hours having to start again from scratch AND make sure I duplicate things more or less exactly (as I have now published some of the prior maps) does not exactly thrill me.

The feature set looks very good and the dungeon tools are very promising; but I am now leery of doing anything significant given the apparent compatibility issues between versions. I don't exactly have the time to recreate and do additional work only to find that the release candidate won't read the beta version files.

It's pretty common that you won't have compatibility across alpha/beta/release versions (think of video games save games). However, as I said above we will have compatibility between beta and release version, particularly since the artwork included is release artwork.

There was another thread where I responded to a question regarding alpha maps. We'll work on a way to convert your alpha maps minus artwork, would that work for you?

- Alejandro

[Lubrol88800]

Well, I can't speak to video game save formats; I don't play video games. So, I don't know about the save game format issues. I juast hadn't expected that the permanent storage format would be that likely to change. No problem in the long run. Any sort of conversion routine would certainly solve the "problem". And I do understand about schedules, timing and snags in development - granted for scientific equipment, but same essential issues come up.

The background on why the maps being done in alpha are "final quality" is really an issue of needing to create maps of similar complexity as my existing ones using the tools provided. I have been developing maps using a very wide range of different software programs and tools for a long time; many of the programs and tools not designed specifically for map generation. But I have made them work. In testing in alpha or beta mode, for that matter, I need to attempt the same activities and determine the viability of the proposed software. What I do now might be a kludge but it works: if the new software is more difficult to use or can't produce the detail needed then the software is not terribly helpful; or if it is so difficult to use that things don't flow it means a steep learning curve that I may not want to climb.

I still have the alpha version installed on a separate machine so I haven't really lost much. I can at least convert o a graphic and over-trace the graphic.

As far as the software is concerned; I'm very pleased with ease of use and functionality in the alpha and a very quick attempt with the dungeon tools was extremely pleasant. A great set of functionality.

[Kanchou]

The conversion tool is finished and uploaded. Take a look at other thread on the converter tool how to do download, etc.

And I do understand about schedules, timing and snags in development - granted for scientific equipment, but same essential issues come up.

Most of our other work is embedded software development, so I think we probably gravitate around similar work.

The background on why the maps being done in alpha are "final quality" is really an issue of needing to create maps of similar complexity as my existing ones using the tools provided. I have been developing maps using a very wide range of different software programs and tools for a long time; many of the programs and tools not designed specifically for map generation. But I have made them work. In testing in alpha or beta mode, for that matter, I need to attempt the same activities and determine the viability of the proposed software. What I do now might be a kludge but it works: if the new software is more difficult to use or can't produce the detail needed then the software is not terribly helpful; or if it is so difficult to use that things don't flow it means a steep learning curve that I may not want to climb.

That makes perfect sense and it's great to know you've been able to use Other World Mapper for such work! Hopefully we already cut down on how many different programs you need, our hope is that by the V1.0.1 release you can do most of the work from OWM.

As far as the software is concerned; I'm very pleased with ease of use and functionality in the alpha and a very quick attempt with the dungeon tools was extremely pleasant. A great set of functionality.

Very happy to hear that!

- Alejandro