Software Updates - 4

This post is to update my plan based on some software options I've learned about since starting the project. 

Pyware Demo
Based on my online research and prior knowledge, Pyware is the industry standard software for drill writing. Its features are rather extensive, and all of the drill I've worked with has been written on this program. However, it is quite expensive. For an individual basic license of the current version, it doesn't get cheaper than $499. There are options to purchase the previous version for as low as $349, but this is still prohibitively expensive for me. However, the purchases are simply for ​licenses to use the software. The software itself can be downloaded free of charge from the company's website, and is just stuck in a demo mode until you purchase a license. The demo mode limits the number of dots, sets, and several other features, and it does not allow users to save files. While not being able to save files is a difficult hit, I may still be able to use Pyware's demo for some aspects of this project.

Micro Marching League
During some searches for free software alternatives to Pyware, I stumbled across a website called Micro Marching League. This is essentially drill design boiled down into an online game. An account is required to create and save shows, but accounts are free to create. It is rather limiting in terms of number of musicians, available animations, and setting. For example, there seems to be no way to edit the tempo or add music to accompany the animations. However, this will likely be a fun, free sandbox to play in when acquainting myself with formations and transitions. The controls are also quite intuitive unlike some aspects fo Pyware. 

EnVision
EnVision is an application designed in response to some of the user interface complaints about Pyware. It is priced similarly, but also has a demo version that I plan to download and learn with. It's website touts user friendliness and visual customization options. There also seem to be more options for integrating other types of files (audio, text, etc). However, this program is only on its third version and is less widely known. Its production files aren't compatible with Pyware, the leading software, so it may be difficult to use this professionally. Either way, another free demo to learn and play with is still good for my growth in this field.