Campaign Cartographer 3

[borc killer]

Is CC3 what I really want?

Long ago I attempted to use CC1 but it was so complicated I just gave up in total frustration. In fact I literally put my keyboard through a wall. Good times.

After that I just hand drew all my maps. But as of late I have been doing a lot of looking around and even bought CC3 because a few people talked it up as 'much easier to pick up’. But it seems they were talking about it physically easier to pick up because the pain of actually using the program is still great.

I just want to make a pretty map of my campaign world that is in a digital and easily updatable format so I don’t have to redraw the damn thing ever few months. I have about 15 hours in on CC3 and am just starting to get some basics figured out. Is there ANY thing else I can try?

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I just want to make a pretty map of my campaign world that is in a digital and easily updatable format so I don’t have to redraw the damn thing ever few months. I have about 15 hours in on CC3 and am just starting to get some basics figured out. Is there ANY thing else I can try?

Do all the tutorials if you haven't already. Join the mailing list which is a everflowing font of talented, helpful people. Recognize that any version of CC is still comprehensive software that takes time to learn, more time to learn well, and unless you're a natural even more time to really master.

I started with CC2 and it wound up almost untouched on my hard drive for a year before I finally had time and inclination to really work with it. Now, of course, I have CC3 - and have had it for at least a year - but it has been largely untouched on my hard drive and I've continued to use CC2pro instead because I haven't had the time or inclination yet to really work with its new/different ways of doing things.

You can also download other CC3 maps and take them apart or rearrange them to see how they were put together. I did that in CC2 with the sample "Jaw Pensinsular" map. I'd finally been working with CC2 for a while when I noticed that map actually wasn't put together very well (as I saw it) and had a lot of graphical "garbage" to clean up. So I cleaned it up and learned even more about what to do and what to avoid. Patience and perseverence DOES pay off with CC in my experience. You can do quick with CC and you can do beautiful, but not really both. Every thing _I_ draw with CC becomes a greater or lesser project unto itself and VERY seldom have I been able to just whip something out in an afternoon that actually LOOKS stunning.

http://home.earthlink.net/~duanevp/cc2/cc2.htm

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, I did not do any of the tutorials until I had CC3 for six months or more, but was using it for mapping from day one. And I don't consider myself 'a natural'.

That said, I agree with doing the tutorials, I had fun jumping in and going back to the manual in hand on occasion, but others might disagree. It was much, much easier to use than CC2. (The original CC2 - I never did try CC2 Pro.)

Best money spent, aside from CC3 itself, is without a doubt the Cartographer's Annual - something new and interesting every month, with some better than others. Best so far - the Mercator maps and the John Speed cities, followed by the Modern City maps.

The Auld Grump

 

[borc killer]

Do all the tutorials if you haven't already.

The tutorials crash on me. Something to do with the help feature and Vista. I'll go back and see if I can get them to work.

Join the mailing list

Ok. Will do that.

You can also download other CC3 maps and take them apart or rearrange them to see how they were put together.

Can you link to a place where they post these? I can't find any and that would help a TON. Everyone seems to post in .jpg.

And I thought about subscribing to the Cartographer's Annual but I already have a lot of subscriptions for D&D related things... If it is really worth it I might try it out.

Thanks!

 

[Wonko the Sane]

The tutorials crash on me. Something to do with the help feature and Vista.

I've been having zero issues running CC3 on Vista (setting it up was another matter, but it sounds like you actually got it to install)...mind you, I haven't tried the tutorials on my Vista machine. Ask for Simon or Ralf on the CC Yahoo list, I'm sure they'll be able to offer some assistance. It may already have been covered...once you've joined the list you can search the archives.

Can you link to a place where they post these?

Try here.

As for the Cartographer's Annual...while I myself do not subscribe to it, some of the stuff that people are making with those extras looks pretty decent. Once you get the gist of the CC way of drawing maps, the Annual will probably help speed along your progress to maps you actually want to show your group.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

The tutorials crash on me. Something to do with the help feature and Vista. I'll go back and see if I can get them to work.

I HATE Vista. My spiffy new laptop is a gold brick because nothing I want/need to really run on it will run under Vista. Not that CC3 is one of those but...

In any case, the mailing list is a good place to inform Profantasy about Vista problems as well as get the solutions to known Vista problems.

Can you link to a place where they post these? I can't find any and that would help a TON. Everyone seems to post in .jpg.

Profantasy website under Downloads>Map & Catalog Library. And again, the mailing list. People often post links to their work in progress or to get feedback on finished stuff. Oh, and the Profantasy website also has links to users websites.

And I thought about subscribing to the Cartographer's Annual but I already have a lot of subscriptions for D&D related things... If it is really worth it I might try it out.

There's previews of each months entry in the Annual to help with that decision. I subscribe to it but just don't do enough mapping, much less in a variety of styles to really make use of it. Still, I like knowing I have some of it available should I ever want it.

 

[borc killer]

I HATE Vista.

I love Vista : )

And thanks for the help!

 

[Talislan]

Hey sorry to interupt the thread but you guys may be able to help

Hi,

I have recently returned to the world of RPG gaming after a VERY long absence (like from back in the 1980's). The world has moved on it seems while I have been hiding under my rock and there are a plethora of changes going on as we speak.

This all being well and good for the industry but it poses me with something of a problem.

I am looking to build worlds you see. Not just planets, but cities, countries, people places the 'whole shebang'. I am looking at using the wonderful programs that have/are being created by the likes of ProFantasy, Twin Rose and the RPGexplorer guys though and there in lies the problem. What to use?

I would appreciate some advice on this from any and all who would like to give their opinion. Specifically I need a system (or group of compatible systems) that can do the following:
1. Generate Characters for 3.5 D&D, d20 Modern, Past, Future, Arcana
2. I need Mapping fascilities THAT LOOK GOOD as well as being functional and reasonably intuitive
3. I need campaign building, monitoring, recording
4. I need City,Town,Building Generation from Deepest Dungeon to modern corporate tower and maybe even space travelling structures
5. I would like (and in this modern day and age it aught to already be in place) for the things to look good. (not like stick drawings on a BBC Acorn)

I know these things are out there, just would like peoples opinions and advice on where to start.

Many Thanks

T.

 

[evildmguy]

To the OP: I have CC3 and just got Vista. There are issues between them. There are some things that won't work, including from the tutorials. I think there are work arounds but I haven't had time to sit down and try it yet.

(Specifically, I was having problems with DD3 and Vista, which is a known broke issue.)

As to Talislan, ProFantasy has a full suite of items that let you create a world (Fractal Terrains), and then everything less than that. It does have a learning curve, though.

CC3 looks pretty, I think it is their response to Dunjinni. I could be wrong.

As for character generators, let me know what you find out! I am trying to decide between The Only Sheet (TOS), RPGXplorer and just using eTools. I haven't made a choice yet.

I use TreePad for campaign notes. I find it works well.

I have several name generators as well that always help.

edg

 

[Talislan]

As for character generators, let me know what you find out! I am trying to decide between The Only Sheet (TOS), RPGXplorer and just using eTools. I haven't made a choice yet.
edg

Really liking RPGexplorer for fantasy
Best for d20 Modern so far have been online by www.pathwayguy.com (look it up constantly updating.)
... and also an Excel sheet which is getting a lot of use at the mo' because I can't find anything else as good for a stand alone platform. You can actually find both at: http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/ashimar2/

Thanks for the other ideas too.