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Friday 16 August 2013

Cyberboard: It proves a slip ...

I have been trying to get to grips with Cyberboard ... and so far it has been a bit 'one step forward, one step sideways, one step back'.

The problem is that the program comes without a tutorial (the file exists ... but there is nothing in it as yet), and although the description in Philip Sabin's book is helpful, I have found that I need a bit more to go on. This is not to say that I have not made any progress (I have created a very passable hexed version of Eric Knowles's original Madasahatta campaign map) but it now appears that I have painted myself into a bit of a corner and cannot print the completed map as yet.

A section of the original Madasahatta campaign map with the Cyberboard hexed grid placed over it.
The same section of the Madasahatta campaign map after Cyberboard has been used to convert it to a hexed grid map.
So at the moment my grip on Cyberboard is not as firm as it could be ... and my grip might just be slipping ... but I intend to persist, and once I have I will share any results with my regular blog readers.

18 comments:

  1. I'll be watching this with interest, Bob.

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  2. Conrad Kinch,

    I thought that you might, as I suspect that you might find this program of use yourself.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  3. This all looks really interesting, Bob. We are thinking of using a fluid, map-based campaign on a large scale like this for a WW2 Alternate History campaign set in Wales. So players could use this scale hex map to move army counters about, then where they clash, we'll play 28mm WW2 battles. When I get to my home PC I'll have a look at this too - and I'll of course be watching your posts with interest.

    Ed

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  4. At least its keeping the little grey cells alive and working.

    Actually that looks like a promising start.

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  5. I came across "Creating a Strategy 1 Gamebox" on the Private Wars site:

    http://privatewars.kyth.org/#Documents

    (scroll down a bit)

    Might be useful!

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  6. Twmas Morgan,

    Thanks for the link. I will have a look at it later today.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Colonel Scipio,

    It sounds like an interesting project.

    If I can get it to work to its full potential I suspect that Cyberboard will enable me to produce high-quality maps ... and if I can do it, anyone should be able to do it!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. Ross Mac,

    It has been great trying to learn how to use this program. It has really got my old brain working ... and if I can get Cyberboard to produce high-quality maps, it will be a real win-win situation.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. Looks pretty good Bob. I have come across Cyberboard and others and usually foundered in the setup. I'll take another look as, like Col. Scipio, I have grand ideas about map based campaigns.

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  10. Sean,

    The map I have drawn in not bad for a first attempt ... but I think that I can do better.

    I am currently trying to write a 'How to ...' guide, but I suspect that it is going to take me several days to get it to a state where others will find it useful. If and when it is, I will write about it on my blog.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  11. Hi Bob

    cryhavocgames.net has some cyberboard stuff which may be useful.

    I have used it quite often in the past and obtained reasonable results.

    The printing is an issue but screen dumping and re-assemble in a graphics editor overcomes it.

    Google will reveal a lot of gameboxes and references.

    Regards

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  12. Bob,

    You probably know about this already, but in case not, there is a cyberboard game on the Chaco War available from Boardgamegeek:

    http://videogamegeek.com/filepage/40890/the-chaco-war-cyberboard-gamebox?

    I do know anything about this, as whenever I try something new on a computer it tends to catch on fire, but I thught you might find it useful as the basis for a campaign.

    Best regards always,

    Chris

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  13. Arthur,

    Thanks for the link. I will try to visit it at some point later this weekend.

    I am beginning to suspect that printing competed maps may not be straightforward ... but I am not going to let that put me off ... yet.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  14. Chris,

    Thanks for the link. Anything related to the Chaco War is always welcome, so I will pay it a visit later this weekend.

    I am trying to write an idiots guide on how to use the Cyberboard Design program to create hex gridded maps. If I manage it, I will make it available to interested blog readers.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  15. Then, when cyberboard doesn't satisfy you, and a little pain is in order, you can move to Vassal...

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  16. This discussion is mostly about boardgames adapted for Cyberboard but it could be worth asking questions here -
    http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX/.ee6c038

    Have a look at the file here http://privatewars.kyth.org/#Documents on "creating the Strategy 1 gamebox" - this seems to start from the beginning assuming little prior knowledge of Cyberboard

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  17. Arthur,

    I'll bear you suggestion in mind!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  18. Nigel,

    Thanks for the links.

    The 'Creating the Strategy 1 Gamebox' document is useful, but seems to relate to an earlier version of Cyberboard.

    All the best,

    Bob

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