Could someone tell me whether it would make sense to purchase Macrogen instead of Pattermaker delux? I am considering purchasing one or the other but not both. Can you describe what functional differences exist?

Kim,
PatternMaker De Luxe is for hobby sewers who want to edit the pattern made with a macro a little bit. So you can rotate a dart, cut an pattern piece through a line, paste parts together, change the length make a collar longer or wider . Anything that you also could do with paper patterns changing them. You can not draw your own patterns from scratch with PatternMaker de Luxe only edit the patterns from the macros
With PatternMaker Professional you can draw a pattern from scratch using your own pattern drafting system with the measurements of someone. .
MacroGen is for sewers who have real patternmaking knowledge. Instead of drawing You can program the pattern in MacroGen point by point using the body measurements and creating formulas that are needed for drawing the right points in a pattern. When you use MacroGen you will also need PatternMaker professional because while working in MacroGen you are consistently testing your project in PatternMaker.
When you want a addition to the patterns of the MYOC book, buying the De Luxe would be wonderful, because you are able to edit those patterns and also you get the women 1 collection with it, a base collection of 8 models for women. So more models to choose from.
Eugenie

Euginie, thanks for the clarification.

The biggest example of what I have done with patternmaker is use the jacket from the mens collection (which I bought) as the basis for a replica of a military jacket. I printed it then used paper to modify the style of the neckline and lapels. I added different style pockets. This was easy with paper and it sounds like I could do most of it with patternmaker deuxe.

I have also used the free fitting bodice to make several styles of women's bodice and used paper to restyle the neckline or add ease or even add a peplum.

Most of my patternmaking is done for community theater costumes and it would be easier if I did not have to make so many paper modifications.