Version 16 (modified by ibboard, 8 years ago) (diff)

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Army creator comparisons

The following tables compares various army creation applications against WarFoundry across a number of features. The features are grouped in categories for easy viewing. The main comparisons are currently between WarFoundry, Army Builder (from Lone Wolf Development) and Rollcall (from a few different individuals, including IBBoard).

Key

  • /yes.png Yes - supported or allowed
  • /maybe.png Maybe - could be supported or allowed, but isn't completed or currently used
  • /no.png No - not supported or allowed

General

WarFoundry RollCall Army Builder Notes
Free to use (Free as in Beer) /yes.png /yes.png /no.png WarFoundry and Rollcall are free to download and use, but Army Builder locks out functionality unless you buy a license and renew it yearly.
Free to redistribute/modify (Free as in Speech) /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry is licensed under the GNU Affero GPL. RollCall has a custom license and no available source code. Army Builder is a proprietary app with custom licensing
Free updates for all users /yes.png /yes.png /no.png Army Builder updates are only available to people with an active paid subscription
Runs on Windows /yes.png /yes.png /yes.png
Has a native Windows look /yes.png /yes.png /no.png
Runs on Linux /yes.png /no.png /no.png Army Builder and RollCall may work through the Wine Windows compatibility layer, but WarFoundry just needs Mono to run the WinForms build or Mono and GTK# to run the GTK# version
Has native Linux build /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundryGTK and WarFoundryQt are both under development
Runs on Mac OS X /yes.png /no.png /maybe.png As long as Mono is installed, WarFoundry should work. As of mid-2011, Lone Wolf Development have announced a "native" Mac version
Has native Mac OS X look /maybe.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry on OS X is possible and design suggestions have been made, but no current developers have access to a suitable Mac. Given Army Builder's Windows interface, a native look and feel on Mac is highly unlikely.
Compatible with other hardware and OS platforms /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry can run on any of Mono's supported platforms without modification
Has a smart-phone UI /maybe.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry on iPhone and Android should be possible using MonoTouch and MonoDroid respectively
Supports multiple game systems /yes.png /no.png /yes.png Rollcall supported 'Warhammer-esque' games but never properly supported game systems
Files are backward compatible /yes.png /no.png /no.png ticket:152 is implementing backwards compatibility, so newer WarFoundry files will work in older versions of the app but without the new functionality. RollCall and Army Builder both require specific versions of the application for some files.
Files are forward compatible /yes.png /yes.png /maybe.png Changes between WarFoundry versions should be designed and handled such that old files work with new versions. Old RollCall files worked with newer versions of the app. Army Builder has some forward compatibility but files for v2 don't work with v3.

Translator/Non-English speakers

WarFoundry RollCall Army Builder Notes
Translatable UI /yes.png(1) /no.png /maybe.png WarFoundry should be fully translatable on its first stable release, with ticket:179 tracking the new translations. Army Builder apparently has the hooks but hasn't made use of them.
Translatable files /maybe.png /no.png /maybe.png Planned for an unlimited number of languages in WarFoundry through ticket:202. Army Builder has values for a limited set of translations but they aren't currently used, according to the documentation.

1 WinForms interface currently available in English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Swedish and Finnish (see files)

File Writer

WarFoundry RollCall Army Builder Notes
Easily modifiable data files /yes.png /yes.png /no.png WarFoundry's initial format is XML in a Zip, accessible to almost anyone. RollCall used text-based INI files, accessible to anyone. Army Builder uses its own custom format and its own compression and editing is only with its own tools.
Supports multiple file formats /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry already has partial RollCall support with Army Builder support planned
Files are backward compatible /yes.png /no.png /no.png ticket:152 has implemented backwards compatibility, so newer WarFoundry files will work in older versions of the app but without the new functionality. RollCall and Army Builder both require specific versions of the application for some files.
Files are forward compatible /yes.png /yes.png /maybe.png Changes between versions should be designed and handled such that old files work with new versions. Old RollCall files worked with newer versions of the app. Army Builder has some forward compatibility but files for v2 don't work with v3.
Openly document file format /yes.png /no.png /maybe.png Some bits of documentation exist for Army Builder files, but WarFoundry files are fully defined and documented in public (1), (2)
Supports multiple game systems /yes.png /no.png /yes.png Rollcall supported 'Warhammer-esque' games but never properly supported game systems
Supports rulesets /maybe.png /no.png /yes.png Planned for WarFoundry under ticket:104

Developer

WarFoundry RollCall Army Builder Notes
Free to redistribute/modify (Free as in Speech) /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry is licensed under the GNU Affero GPL. RollCall has a custom license and no available source code. Army Builder is a proprietary app with custom licensing
Full access to source code /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry source code is under the GNU Affero GPL (instructions)
Can write plugins /maybe.png /no.png /no.png Planned in WarFoundry as part of ticket:93
Can be integrated into a website /yes.png /no.png /no.png The WarFoundry API can be incorporated in to any server running mod_mono or Microsoft's .Net framework for ASP.Net
Compatible with other platforms /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry can run on any of Mono's supported platforms without modification
Extensible file format /yes.png /no.png /no.png WarFoundry's XML files are extensible with custom values that are used by plugins. Army Builder files are also XML and should be extensible, but the extent to which Army Builder supports the subsequent files is unknown and not likely to be a focus for Wolf Lair

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