Software for Ship Design

[GoNavy83]

Hello, I'm new to Traveller, in all it's many versions.

What are some of the software programs folks use to make their deck plans?

I've seen AutoREALM mentioned in Google searches, but I can't find it available for download.

My apologies, I suspect this question has been asked many times.

 

[far-trader]

What I'm using lately (when I have had time) is Google SketchUp (that's the name, Google provides it )

It's not bad (some can make it preform much better than I do, look in the gallery for middenface's work) for doing 3D that can be easily rendered to deckplans. Or even just use it 2D for deckplans. There's a free (pretty fully functional, nice features) version and the learning curve is quite easy (I found - run the tutorials and google for help got me started).

Welcome aboard GoNavy83

 

[agorski]

If you only want a flat 2D deck plan, then any "draw" program will work. I use OmniGraffle Pro on the Mac, which is similar to Visio on the PC. Both let you define standard objects (like a stateroom or an iris valve, for example) that are easy to drag and drop onto the deck plan.

 

[aramis]

I use sketchup now. I do the plans in 3D, then take section shots with perspective off to generate the 2d plans.

I export to PNG, and use Graphic Converter to stitch them into plansets.


(click to view full size)

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Nice Aramis

 

[BytePro]

Free and multi-platform:

Inkscape www.inkscape.org Pretty easy to use and outputs SVG which can be used on the Web, as well as other image/PDF options (PDF is improving)

Sketchup sketchup.google.com/. As it is geared for architectural work, I find it more applicable than say Blender for interiors. Free plugins make it even easier to use (FREDO's especially).​

Depending on your skills - another option is to 'code' your deckplan - it is extremely powerful if you can visualize what you want:

Postscript (any text editor). Direct to printer or easy PDF/image output from Ghostscript or pstopdf on Mac/unix.

POV-Ray www.povray.org. Any text editor, but provided one is really nice (Windows). Ray tracers handle CSG with ease. Great for images, but not an option for vector output (Postscript is optimal for that).​

(BTW: nice work aramis!)

 

[DaveChase]

Yes, nice one Aramis. Good job.

Dave Chase

 

[aramis]

(BTW: nice work aramis!)

Yes, nice one Aramis. Good job.

Thanks.

Now, is there an SVG output option (or even vector PNG output) for the free sketchup?

 

[HiverLord]

Free and multi-platform:

Inkscape www.inkscape.org Pretty easy to use and outputs SVG which can be used on the Web, as well as other image/PDF options (PDF is improving)
​

If older computers (such as mine) need to be taken into consideration, I also find that Inkscape runs quite well on it without too many delays (so far) - other than a longer startup time for the program (around 20 seconds on my beast).
Now, if only I had any artistic talent...

(BTW: nice work aramis!)

Agreed!​

 

[BytePro]

Thanks.

Now, is there an SVG output option (or even vector PNG output) for the free sketchup?

Not directly

(Note: SVG isn't really setup to handle 3D, but I assume you know that.)

The pro version trial, IIRC, will allow EPS output which could then be read into Inkscape and I recall a free plugin that had some limited EPS output.

Another way is to export to COLLADA (.DAE) which could be used to go to SVG - while I don't know of any easy approaches, both formats are open.

Blender can read .dae files - there are some scaling issues, IIRC - and then one could try PantoGraph (http://severnclaystudio.wordpress.com/bluebeard/). IIRC, my results weren't spectacular, but its been a while.

You could also try saving as an image (better results with lossless format like PNG) and then use Inkscape's trace feature (or another program).

(BTW: PNG being a raster only format, I suspect you meant vector PSD - again COLLADA export might provide a path, but I think that is less likely.)

 

[Dragoner]

Very cool, Aramis.

 

[aramis]

Not directly

(BTW: PNG being a raster only format, I suspect you meant vector PSD - again COLLADA export might provide a path, but I think that is less likely.)

PNG allows private chunks; one of the early PNG capable editors (for PPC mac) retained vector data as a private chunk. (in much the same way Mac Pict format includes both vector and raster data.) I didn't realize vector was not one of the standard chunk types.

 

[madmike]

I use sketchup now. I do the plans in 3D, then take section shots with perspective off to generate the 2d plans.

I export to PNG, and use Graphic Converter to stitch them into plansets.


(click to view full size)

Very, very nice!

Personally, I use AutoCAD 2012. As I am an engineer (civil), it is most familiar to me.

 

[BytePro]

PNG allows private chunks; one of the early PNG capable editors (for PPC mac) retained vector data as a private chunk. (in much the same way Mac Pict format includes both vector and raster data.) I didn't realize vector was not one of the standard chunk types.

Sure, you can actually embed vector data in quite a number of 'standard' raster image formats (and malicious exploits as well ) - but there are no standards for processing it in PNG (nor TIFFs nor JPGs - note I've hand written code to process these three over the decades before commercial products were readily available )

If you are using a Mac, the built in PDF print set to vector output and high quality can be 'imported' into Inkscape with vector results (at least when not shaded/textured). Using a PDF print driver in Windows (like PDFMaker) also creates good results (actually better as shading remained vector, IIRC). [Note: EMF/WMF may also work in Inkscape - ala EMFPrinter ]

There are also some plugins for SU that support SVG output - but the ones I've tried were geared for cutters (vinyl/laser) and the results weren't all that great (crashing SU), but its been a while.

EDIT: PDFMaker (just looked upp link = http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/) might actually support direct printing to SVG (Windows only).

 

[mirc]

Just wanted to share the AutoRealm website for reference, since the question was raised:
AutoREALM can be found on SourceForge.

However, Inkscape is good! Blender 3D even more so! Both combined with GIMP and possibly MakeHuman are simply great. And all Free too

 

[77topaz]

ProFantasy Software's "Cosmographer" programs have specific functions for deckplan design.

 

[fredofmars]

Just wanted to share the AutoRealm website for reference, since the question was raised:
AutoREALM can be found on SourceForge. <snip>

I've used AutoREALM for several deck plans I've done.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/jf/fredofmars/dckplns.htm