Mapping software - is it worth it?

[ProFantasy]

So a few years back I purchase Campaign Cartographer 2. Loved it. Bought the add-ons. I could finally produce maps worth hanging on to and reusing throughout a campaign. Just one problem...

Time. As in, takes much too damn long.

It sounds to me like you are using a much older version of CC2. CC2 Pro, the latest version is designed to be much easier to use and learn. Certainly, once you've learnt it, it really shouldn't take much more than a couple of hours to make a very nice map, and half an hour or so to through something together for a game session.

Dungeon Designer Pro even has a 15 minute dungeon chapter - you can plug dungeons together using pre-built geomorphs. There is also a free Random Dungeon Generator you can download from our map lab.

Although much easier to learn than previous versions, CC2 Pro is optimised for use by intermediate to advanced users, that is when you have got down the basics it is designed to create maps more quickly and more flexibly than with other software. You'll never learn everything it can do, however, because it can do so much.

The simplest and quickest way to create overland maps I know is to randomly generate them in Fractal Terrains Pro (including rivers, altitude, climate, etc) then export any section of them to CC2 Pro to add structures and other features. This is very quick.

 

[Hand of Evil]

It really is up to you and what you do with the software, I am not an expert in any of the mappers out, I like CC2-Pro, but mapping is much a hobby as a game accessory to me, I enjoy creating maps just for the fun and enjoyment of seeing them. Try the demos and find out what product is for you and what you want.

 

[Cergorach]

What's wrong with something like Photoshop? I use layers like there's no tommorow, grouping them saves you also a lot of headaches. Distance to important places is easy, just make a new layer that contains all the important places. Decide on a scale and use the grid (you can toggle it on or off) to place the important sites to scale, you can also measure the distance with the measure tool.

 

[James Heard]

The only real problem with Photoshop is that it's a bit expensive and that's an issue with some people, especially the crowd who will ONLY use it for mapping. Still it's what I'll always recommend, along with Illustrator (for vector symbol goodness and the fact that Photoshop dashed lines suck)

 

[Cergorach]

The only real problem with Photoshop is that it's a bit expensive and that's an issue with some people, especially the crowd who will ONLY use it for mapping. Still it's what I'll always recommend, along with Illustrator (for vector symbol goodness and the fact that Photoshop dashed lines suck)

Then do the GIMP, that's rather cheap (free)...