 BigRedBat  | 08 May 2013 7:28 a.m. PST |
I'm producing a set of rules and need to create and include some diagrams within them, showing how units can manoeuvre, etc. I have Microsoft office etc. Is this my best option, or is there a better alternative out there (that isn't too expensive)? Thanks, Simon |
| emckinney | 08 May 2013 8:06 a.m. PST |
You can produce good diagrams in PowerPoint, or even in Word in many cases. I've seen a wargame map with real contour lines done in PPT, using the Bezier curve tool. By real contour lines, I mean that it was an historical battle and the contour lines reproduced actual topographical maps of the battlefield. |
 javelin98  | 08 May 2013 8:18 a.m. PST |
I use PowerPoint, too, especially since 2007 and above allow you to edit the freeform points in a shape. Great program. |
| elsyrsyn | 08 May 2013 8:19 a.m. PST |
Visio is quite nice, if it's in your MS Office install. Usually it has to be purchased separately. Doug |
| Big Jim | 08 May 2013 8:42 a.m. PST |
Second vote for Visio, a really easy to use piece of software. |
| Only Warlock | 08 May 2013 8:55 a.m. PST |
I like Visio. use it all the time. |
| BigRedBat | 08 May 2013 9:12 a.m. PST |
Thanks chaps. I don't believe I have Visio (I'll have a look, to check), so Powerpoint looks like my best option. Cheers, Simon |
| RKE Steve | 08 May 2013 9:46 a.m. PST |
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| Marcus Maximus | 08 May 2013 12:45 p.m. PST |
Simon, Visio comes pre-installed with Office – dependent on which version of course. |
| John D Salt | 09 May 2013 5:57 a.m. PST |
Visio used to be nice, and used to come with a lot of pre-installed templates for different styles of diagram (including a reasonable bash at UML), but it has since been "improved" to make it less useful. I find that OpenOffice handily meets all my diagramming needs, without either the complication or expense of a Microsoft product. All the best, John. |
| pellen | 10 May 2013 11:10 a.m. PST |
Depends on the diagram. Often I find Graphviz does what I need and it costs nothing. graphviz.org |
| John D Salt | 11 May 2013 8:50 a.m. PST |
Pellen's mention of graphviz rises the point that, AFAIK, Visio does nothing to assist you (and PowerPoint certainly doesn't) with prettifying your layout. I suspect few wargamers will need it, but it might sometimes be handy to have something to minimise the number of times lines cross in, say, a complicated state-machine diagram. All the best, John. |
