Timeline software?

JoNightshade · Jun 13, 2008

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some online software or program (free or low-cost) or website that would be effective for keeping track of world-building stuff, specifically my big fat huge timeline.

Right now I've got a ton of notes in preparation for the SF epic I'm about to embark on, but I need ORGANIZATION! I need something that allows me to zoom out and look at the big picture (roughly 500 years) or zoom in on an individual's life. Or to group certain elements by, say, location, so I can turn them on or off.

I've googled timeline stuff but it's mostly very basic.

So... anyone run across anything like this?

Matera the Mad · Jun 13, 2008

MS Word's Outline and Document Map features?
A spreadsheet, using filtering?

You might be able to use what you already have more effectively.

Saanen · Jun 13, 2008

I don't know if it would work, but my first thought was a paper timeline taped to a wall, where you can put all the information you need and access it without doing more than getting up and looking. That assumes you have a wall big enough.

You could type up information in paragraph form, print it out, and attach it so that everything stays neat.

You just reminded me I have got to work out a family tree for one of my characters. His ancestry is becoming very important in this plot and I'm getting mixed up as to who is whose cousin. My first impulse with that is to go with a paper family tree--I like being able to see the big picture at a glance, and most family tree programs I've seen only give pieces. Hmm. If I took the posters down off that wall and moved all the furniture....

JoNightshade · Jun 13, 2008

Wow, you guys are pretty low-tech, aren't you?

I'm doing my outline on Excel right now, but I'd love to have something more sophisticated. I need to be able to view things in terms of time, place, and person - ie, attach several designations to each entry and then be able to sort accordingly.

I think I'm gonna talk to my husband and see if he can come up with something for me. (He's a programmer, so if he has time he can probably make something...)

ETA: And I've done the timeline-on-the-wall thing before. NOT PRETTY.

c.e.lawson · Jun 14, 2008

Hi JoNightshade,

Maybe you could try posting the question in the historical forum. The people there deal with timelines and complex worlds where details and historical accuracy matter, and so perhaps someone there can give you suggestions. I'm not technologically adept enough to help you, unfortunately. I don't even have my own system yet - just scattered notes and files.

Good luck. I'm am blown away by your productivity!

c.e.

MattW · Jun 14, 2008

I could see the use of MS Project, allowing you to nest and collapse small events under one header.

The problem could come in the customization of the timeline, oh, and the major cost.

jst5150 · Jun 14, 2008

Jo, my recommendation is also to search project management software. MS project is a hulking monster. There are some others. SmartDraw builds timelines. It's pricy, though ($197).

You can also try "Simile" Timeline from MIT. It's free and here:

http://simile.mit.edu/timeline/

You might have to adapt a little but it looks effective (if not for a bit of cutting and pasting some code ...) But, looks like it would work for your task.

sanctuary6284 · Jun 14, 2008

SmartDraw actually lets you have the timeline portion of that software for free. http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/timelines.asp

Nevermind. It's just a free trial.

Garretguy · May 13, 2013

In case anyone is still looking for timeline software and/or monitoring this thread, I found this in the very next Google search result (after coming here): http://sourceforge.net/projects/thetimelineproj/?source=navbar

Free, cross-platform, looks quite pretty. I only installed it and started playing five minutes ago, so no idea how/if it integrates with anything else, what its limitations might be, etc. Just throwing it out there

onesecondglance · May 13, 2013

Stick with Excel and create a table of your info with columns for each attribute (place, time, character, plotline, etc.), and hyperlinks to each of the entries. Then use filters (advanced filter is much more powerful if you know what you're doing) to select and sort the entries as you require.

benbenberi · May 13, 2013

I'm in the middle of test-driving a tool called Aeon Timeline. I like it so far - it's worth checking out if you're in the market for something of this type. (It has, I understand, some integration with Scrivener, though I haven't checked out that feature yet.)

http://www.scribblecode.com/

KateJJ · May 13, 2013

benbenberi said:
I'm in the middle of test-driving a tool called Aeon Timeline. I like it so far - it's worth checking out if you're in the market for something of this type. (It has, I understand, some integration with Scrivener, though I haven't checked out that feature yet.)

http://www.scribblecode.com/

I was just last week trying to figure out if there was a tool worth using or whether to just try making Scrivener work as a worldbuilding tool. If this tool potentially has Scrivener integration, it's worth checking out. Thanks a lot for the rec!

jaheath · May 18, 2013

I use a Mac based Mindmapping tool called MyThoughts. It can export OPML which I can then import into other tools, like Scrivener.

I used it to map out a huge timeline for a comic series I am working on. If you are on windows, just do a search for mindmapping and you should find some good alternates.

Quinn_Inuit · May 18, 2013

KateJJ said:
I was just last week trying to figure out if there was a tool worth using or whether to just try making Scrivener work as a worldbuilding tool. If this tool potentially has Scrivener integration, it's worth checking out. Thanks a lot for the rec!

Scrivener integration? Interesting.

Have you plumbed the depths of Scrivener, though? It does a lot of stuff as-is. I'm managing a somewhat complicated* timeline with it and not feeling at all overwhelmed.

*It would probably be at about Jurassic Park-level complexity on this chart:
https://sslimgs.xkcd.com/comics/movie_narrative_charts_large.png

bearilou · May 20, 2013

~~TimeLine is one I've played with.~~

nevermind, it used to be free. Now I see you have to pay. blah.

*takes suggestions from thread*

Reziac · May 20, 2013

Lacking timeline software, I used the crude approach of an HTML table (you could use a spreadsheet grid as well, or tables in a word processor). Dates down the side, characters across the top, brief description of what each was doing, and hisser location, at every intersection. Ugly, but it worked, and made it easy to see who I meant to have where when. (Waaaaay too much "meanwhile, back at the planet" going on to keep track in my head. I wish these people would stop milling around like that every time my back is turned!)

Mr. Mask · May 20, 2013

I heard something about One Note being good for keeping track of settings. Would it be helpful?

Reziac · May 20, 2013

Excel templates:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/t...07-cbba-4b3a-979c-3e77cc2b7298&vtags=Timeline

Timeline software?

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

Saanen

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

c.e.lawson

MattW

Company Man

jst5150

Vorpal Comics. Weekly Podcast. Twitch Artist. Vet

sanctuary6284

Mental Supernova

Garretguy

onesecondglance

pretending to be awake

benbenberi

practical experience, FTW

KateJJ

coffee and pistols at dawn

jaheath

Quinn_Inuit

Not a real eskimo

bearilou

DenturePunk writer

Reziac

Resident Alien

Mr. Mask

Reziac

Resident Alien