Which is best? Campaign Cartographer? Dundjinni?
Glyfair
Explorer
There are also issues with program performance. I haven't heard any CC3 issues, but I have had pretty good systems since it was released. I have heard some horror stories with DunDjinni, but I'm not sure they still apply.
Regardless, either certainly work much better with more up-to-date systems. For DunDjinni I'd want better than for CC3.
Regardless, either certainly work much better with more up-to-date systems. For DunDjinni I'd want better than for CC3.
heruca
Explorer
One of the best "features" of Dundjinni is its User Community, which creates new free art for the program every single day. If you can't find something you need, and you don't have the skills to make it yourself, you can place an art request on the forums, and in most cases, someone will make it for you.Nylanfs said:
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TheAuldGrump
First Post
Actually, CC3 has a lot more shallow a learning curve than CC2 did, and a decent tutorial to boot. A lot of the reputation that CC has in regards to the learning curve has been addressed. I was able to get decent looking maps in about 15 minutes of fiddling, even before using the tutorial. The only thing lacking right now is a full and detailed manual, which has been 'coming soon' ever since CC3 came out....Nylanfs said:
Not necessary, like I said it is fairly easy to learn, but it would still be nice.
The Auld Grump, one of those folks who only opens the manual after messing around for a while.
Mercule
Adventurer
This. I picked it up quite some time ago and had just enough time to start getting comfortable with it before other priorities took precedence (I have four kids and am involved in quite a few community/church activities).TheAuldGrump said:
When I made the conscious decision to reduce complexity in my prep time, this was one of the first casualties, so I can't give you many tips. I'm actually pretty darn good with colored pencils, but I do the rest of my game prep on the computer and had wanted a "native" map instead of scanning stuff in.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that CC3 shouldn't scare you if you actually have some time to devote to cartography and learning a new skill. It's extremely powerful and not unreasonable to use. But, if you're pressed for time and looking to use the computer to speed things up, then you might want to pass on it because there is some up-front opportunity cost.
ki11erDM
Explorer
Before you buy ether one of those try this:
http://autorealm.sourceforge.net/index.php
I own CC3, after spending well over 30 hours of hard work and using ever tutorial I could find and spending days on the news groups I finally ripped my keyboard out of my computer and smashed the hell out of it against my wall. That is how pi$$ed off I got at the darn program. It is a HUGE challenge to do things that should be extremely simple. If you are going to be a professional then learn it… if not I hope your anger management is better than mine. Worst money I have ever spent.
CC3 is a perfect example of people confusing “powerful” with “useful”. In this day and age of slick and easy to use UIs CC3 fails on an epic level.
Is autorealm perfect? Heck no. But only put in a few hours and have made a very workable map and every question I have had was answer in the help file.
As for Dundjinni… it looks great for small maps. The demo was not too bad. But I had to have something that I could zoom out on and detail other areas. But I am thinking of using it for detailed views of specific areas in my autorealm map.
http://autorealm.sourceforge.net/index.php
I own CC3, after spending well over 30 hours of hard work and using ever tutorial I could find and spending days on the news groups I finally ripped my keyboard out of my computer and smashed the hell out of it against my wall. That is how pi$$ed off I got at the darn program. It is a HUGE challenge to do things that should be extremely simple. If you are going to be a professional then learn it… if not I hope your anger management is better than mine. Worst money I have ever spent.
CC3 is a perfect example of people confusing “powerful” with “useful”. In this day and age of slick and easy to use UIs CC3 fails on an epic level.
Is autorealm perfect? Heck no. But only put in a few hours and have made a very workable map and every question I have had was answer in the help file.
As for Dundjinni… it looks great for small maps. The demo was not too bad. But I had to have something that I could zoom out on and detail other areas. But I am thinking of using it for detailed views of specific areas in my autorealm map.
ki11erDM
Explorer
Oh and I should note that this is the 2nd keyboard Pro Fantasy has cost me hehe.
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=211094
And before you say “you have rage issues” I have only done that 1 other time… when I love level 50 in EQ for the seemingly millionth time which i feel was very justified... /sigh
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=211094
And before you say “you have rage issues” I have only done that 1 other time… when I love level 50 in EQ for the seemingly millionth time which i feel was very justified... /sigh
TheAuldGrump
First Post
*Blink* Considering that I was able to produce good maps within the first hour or so, I have difficulty understanding how it could challenge you this much. Just following the little tiny book that they include should produce better maps than AutoRealm uses as examples on their own site.ki11erDM said:
CC2 was a pain, and I was never happy with it. CC3? I really don't think it is much more complicated than AutoRealm, and has a lot of features that AutoRealm lacks. While free, AutoRealm really does not measure up in comparison. The sounds of your frustration do match well with mine in regards to CC2, but I suspect that you may not have given CC3 a fair chance. (To be honest, it matches up so well with my annoyance with CC2 that I suspect that it may have been CC2 that you were playing with. I got good results out of CC2, but only after weeks of playing around with it, cussing at it, and then ignoring it for a few days before trying again. And again....)
I would say that CC3 is both powerful and useful, while AutoRealm is merely useful. Not bad - pretty easy to use, and the price really cannot be beat, but the results look amateurish. It does not have much power. Given a choice between AutoRealm and a piece of paper and some drawing tools I would have to make a choice based on my needs of the moment. For the most part I would go with paper and pen. AutoRealm is faster, and a heck of a lot easier to edit, but the final result would be similar.
Sorry, just does not compare.
*EDIT* One feature that AutoRealm has that CC3 lacks is a rosette button. I liked that feature enough that back when I was using Fractal Mapper more I would do my background in AR, then import it to FM7. This is, in my jaundiced opinion, the best feature of AR.
And, after mentioning all this, the mapper that I use most is still DungeonCrafter - a very simple, not all that powerful at all, tile based mapper. Most of my maps are not done to 25mm scale, and I have a wide selection of tiles to work with.
The Auld Grump
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