Multimedia Makers column

MapTool: A robust, flexible virtual tabletop for RPGs

sethkenlon — Mon, 14 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

MapTool: A robust, flexible virtual tabletop for RPGs sethkenlon Mon, 05/14/2018 - 03:00

Create maps, manage games and tokens, chat with other players, and more with this open source role-playing game tool.

When I was looking for a virtual tabletop for role-playing games (RPGs), either for local play or for playing on a network with family and friends around the world, I had…

How to use Twine and SugarCube to create interactive adventure games

sethkenlon — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 08:02:00 +0000

How to use Twine and SugarCube to create interactive adventure games sethkenlon Fri, 02/09/2018 - 03:02

Learn how to get started with the open source tool Twine and versatile multimedia library SugarCube.

Storytelling is an innate part of human nature. It's an idle pastime, it's an art form, it's a communication tool, it's a form of therapy and bonding. We all love to tell…

Designing tabletop games with open source

sethkenlon — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 07:02:00 +0000

Designing tabletop games with open source sethkenlon Tue, 10/10/2017 - 03:02

Create your own game with print-on-demand, open source software, and some creativity.

The print-on-demand industry is one of my favorite products of technological innovation. It removes gatekeepers and eliminates the bottleneck of physical bulk production. It…

An introduction to DocBook, a flexible markup language worth learning

sethkenlon — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 07:02:00 +0000

An introduction to DocBook, a flexible markup language worth learning sethkenlon Thu, 09/14/2017 - 03:02

DocBook is easy to learn, easy to write, and does things other text markup languages can't do.

Computers were first invented to do math, and they do it really well. But it didn't take long for users to repurpose their futuristic calculators into fancy, dynamic…

How to make a low-cost guitar amp with Linux

sethkenlon — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 07:02:00 +0000

How to make a low-cost guitar amp with Linux sethkenlon Wed, 08/09/2017 - 03:02

With just a guitar, a cable, and open source software, you've no need to "Gimmie Some Money" to take your home recording studio to 11.

Back in the old days, if you wanted to record guitar music at home (or, stereotypically, in your garage), you got an electric guitar (or another instrument capable of making…

Managing creative assets with Planter

sethkenlon — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 07:01:00 +0000

Managing creative assets with Planter sethkenlon Wed, 07/12/2017 - 03:01

Planter is a simple Python 3 application that makes it easy to manage and organize your project files.

When I first started making websites, I had files scattered all over my /var/www directory. As I matured and learned from professional designers, I figured out that it was…

Lay down some audio tracks with Qtractor

sethkenlon — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 07:01:00 +0000

Lay down some audio tracks with Qtractor sethkenlon Mon, 06/12/2017 - 03:01

Record, mix, and export your own tunes with Qtractor, an open source audio software setup that would set you back thousands of dollars in the pro audio world.

Whether you're an aspiring or accomplished musician, a volunteer roadie, or an experienced audio engineer, you'll be glad to hear that there are many options for making music…

Animation magician: 8 ways to turn cheating into an art form

sethkenlon — Mon, 15 May 2017 07:02:00 +0000

Animation magician: 8 ways to turn cheating into an art form sethkenlon Mon, 05/15/2017 - 03:02

Animation is a labor of love, but sometimes time and money outweigh all that passion, and you just have to get the job done. Here's how to use cheats while preserving your art…

Animation is hard. Whether you're using Synfig Studio, OpenToonz, StopGo, Krita, or Blender, it's a complex process. You have to write the story, storyboard the action, record…

How to install and use MuseScore to create your own music

sethkenlon — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 07:02:00 +0000

How to install and use MuseScore to create your own music sethkenlon Thu, 04/13/2017 - 03:02

MuseScore is a stable, long-lived application.

Last year in March, I wrote about MuseScore, a great open source application for musical notation. At the time, I was still using version 1, but since then I've upgraded to 2…

How to make pixel art and animated GIFs with mtPaint

sethkenlon — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 08:01:00 +0000

How to make pixel art and animated GIFs with mtPaint sethkenlon Thu, 02/09/2017 - 03:01

If there's one thing that indie games like Mr. Rescue and Don't Be Patchman (the world's first and only SteamOS exclusive) demonstrate, it's that retro is hot. Specifically…