M: I’m trying to create a relatively abstract map for a game. At the core, all I need is some software. That will allow me to connect a series of nodes with paths. I likely could accomplish this with a vector graphic program, but I feel like the interface would make it more complicated than necessary. Can you suggest any Linux visualization programs, which can accomplish something like this?

G: For a simple node-and-path visualization on Linux, here are some options that might suit your needs better than a standard vector graphics editor:

Graph/Network Visualization Tools:

  1. Graphviz – Uses a plain-text DOT language to define nodes and edges. It's scriptable but not interactive unless paired with a GUI like xdot.
  2. Gephi – More interactive, designed for network analysis, but works well for general node-link diagrams.
  3. yEd Graph Editor – A powerful but easy-to-use tool for drawing graphs manually.

More Freeform/Interactive Tools:

  1. TinkerGraph (Gremlin Console) – If you want to integrate some procedural generation or logic.
  2. LibreCAD – While a CAD program, its snap-to-grid and layer features could help with structured node connections.

Minimalist/Customizable:

  1. Dia – Similar to Visio, allows simple manual creation of diagrams.
  2. Inkscape with Extensions – Not ideal, but with automation (e.g., Python scripting), it can generate structured graphs.

If you want something procedural, Graphviz is likely the best choice. If you want a freeform but structured approach, yEd or Gephi would be better. Do you need this to be purely for design, or will it have game-related logic behind it?

M: Purely for mapping. I’m trying an experiment; the game is visually interesting and complex if thought of in its full 3-D form – but hypothetically, it can be boiled down into a basic left fork/right fork graph – albeit with cycles and such. That’s why I’m calling it abstract; while the hypothetical finished product will the accurate in its representation of turning left or right, it’s actual physical resemblance to the game itself visually will likely be minimal. For example, last night, I was sketching out one of the paths. In game time, it took five minutes to go through, and the path was a corkscrew – but in terms of mapping in this method, it was such a singular path with no decisions or complexity necessary, that it’s map representation was actually shorter than some of the dimensionally smaller but more complex sequences.

G: For your purpose, yEd Graph Editor or Dia might be the best fit. They allow quick manual placement of nodes and connections without enforcing unnecessary complexity. If you prefer something scriptable for automation later, Graphviz would work well.

Since your focus is on decision complexity rather than spatial accuracy, you might also consider Tiled (normally for 2D tile maps) but used in a non-traditional way—placing "tiles" as decision nodes with paths between them.