Cosmographer 3 released
- Thread starter Diamondfist
- Start date
I simply do not have the patience to climb up a learning curve just to de-
sign the few maps, deck plans and thelike my settings usually need. My
impression is that I can create what I need with Paint.NET (free, kind of
"advanced Paint", has layers ...) in a quality that is sufficient for my pur-
poses in much less time than I would need to learn to use Campaign Car-
tographer or a similar software properly.
sign the few maps, deck plans and thelike my settings usually need. My
impression is that I can create what I need with Paint.NET (free, kind of
"advanced Paint", has layers ...) in a quality that is sufficient for my pur-
poses in much less time than I would need to learn to use Campaign Car-
tographer or a similar software properly.
OK, but my point is that I've already said it's a lot easier to use than previous versions - which I do conceed were pigs - and I could probably get you up and running in 15 minutes. The learning curve really, really isn't that hard - no harder than working out layers on paint,net, and the results you can get are, in my opinion, quite spectacular considering the effort/reward.
However, if you don't want bitmapped full colour plans and you are hapy with vector and line art from visio, paint and paint.net (all of which I also use), then fine, that's your choice. But, that's a stylistic choice, not one of utility. If you do want bitmapped, full colour and so on, there is no way - none at all - that you will be able to match Cos3 for creating something like this in as quick a time as it took me to (about an hour) even as a novice.
G.
However, if you don't want bitmapped full colour plans and you are hapy with vector and line art from visio, paint and paint.net (all of which I also use), then fine, that's your choice. But, that's a stylistic choice, not one of utility. If you do want bitmapped, full colour and so on, there is no way - none at all - that you will be able to match Cos3 for creating something like this in as quick a time as it took me to (about an hour) even as a novice.
G.
TravellerArt
Mongoose
GJD said:
Which is very very impressive, well done GJD.
I think we can look forward to a new era of deck plan excellence with this.
Diamondfist
Banded Mongoose
GJD said:
Do you have a legend to go with this? Wow. Very nice!
Diamondfist said:
No, not really. I just whipped it up quickly as an example, and cropped it out of the full picture, hence there are odd angles in some places and no key or index, and the use of space isn't great. No idea what kind of ship it is or tonnage or anything - just "ship shaped".
G.
Haven't had a chance to actually pickup Cosmographer 3, but I will at some point.
On the subject of whether or not CC3 is a friendly program - it can be, if you put in the effort to learn it. It really is a high-power RPG mapping program, in the same vein that Illustrator is a high-power illustration program, SolidWorks is a high power 3d CAD program, Photoshop is a high power paint program, etc. All of them have steep learning curves if you want to get the most out of them. Unfortunately, Campaign Cartographer is a bit more up-front with it's learning curve, but they have listened and made it much, much easier to use for the beginner than previous versions were. It's not all the way there yet, but then again, it's a niche product in a niche market - they don't have the resources that companies like Adobe and Microsoft do.
The more you can do with a program and the more control you have, the more complex it is going to be, and the harder it's going to be to learn. There is no getting around that. Yes, there are simpler ways to make maps and deckplans than CC3. But CC3's power goes far beyond just the creation of the maps, and it brings together those advantages all into one package. FREX, like most vector programs, I can create infinitely scalable maps/plans for printing at 8.5 x 11 or poster size from the same map. I can use sheets and layers and use the same file to create multiple versions of the same map, such as GM and player versions. Like a paint program, I can use various filters and effects to easily do things like light glows, and shadows. Like an HTML authoring program, I can insert links to link multiple maps together. Like a CAD program, I can make things precisely to scale - five decimal points precise, should I so desire.
Combine all that with one of the largest selection of hobby specific symbols available, and it really can't be beat for RPG mapping - IF you're willing to invest the time to learn it. And once you've invested the time to learn it, you'll be faster and more efficient than using any other package, even if the initial time is longer.
For a good example, take a look at the political map I created for my fantasy campaign here:
http://iskitaan.heismann.net/PoliticalMap
A pretty picture that took me about two months to complete, working on it a few hours a week in CC3. I could have done that map far faster in Photoshop, true. But the effort I spent has already paid back handsomely in time saved since then. First off, the map was created by tracing images on geographical map created using Fractal Terrains. I've exported it to a png graphic for use on the web page at one scale, and to two different size PDFs for downloading, as well as had it printed at poster size to hang on my wall. I've created several regional political maps by exporting sections of this map, and adding in further detail. If I can't remember exactly where a city or country is located on the map, I can do a text search for the name, and be taken straight to it. Several of the cities have hotlinks to their own maps, such as Deercrest (seen here: http://iskitaan.heismann.net/DeercrestMap ), and those city maps have hot links to their own districts, such as the South Quay of Deercrest (found here: http://iskitaan.heismann.net/DeercrestSouthQuayMap).
Yes, all of which can be done with a combination of other programs, by someone knowledgable in those programs and their capabilities. And that's a key point - knowledgable in those programs. So at some point, you have to acquire the knowledge to do it - it doesn't matter if the knowledge is in one program like CC3, or spread across multiple programs like Illustrator, Photshop, Visio, etc. Intuitiveness has very little to do with it, as it only covers the basics - in order to get the most from any high end program, you have to take the time to learn it.
Speaking of Visio - I have never been able to get it to do the things I can do in CC2, let alone CC3. It doesn't mean it's a bad program, only that in order to get as good with it as I am now with CC3, I would have to invest time I don't want to spend.
On the subject of whether or not CC3 is a friendly program - it can be, if you put in the effort to learn it. It really is a high-power RPG mapping program, in the same vein that Illustrator is a high-power illustration program, SolidWorks is a high power 3d CAD program, Photoshop is a high power paint program, etc. All of them have steep learning curves if you want to get the most out of them. Unfortunately, Campaign Cartographer is a bit more up-front with it's learning curve, but they have listened and made it much, much easier to use for the beginner than previous versions were. It's not all the way there yet, but then again, it's a niche product in a niche market - they don't have the resources that companies like Adobe and Microsoft do.
The more you can do with a program and the more control you have, the more complex it is going to be, and the harder it's going to be to learn. There is no getting around that. Yes, there are simpler ways to make maps and deckplans than CC3. But CC3's power goes far beyond just the creation of the maps, and it brings together those advantages all into one package. FREX, like most vector programs, I can create infinitely scalable maps/plans for printing at 8.5 x 11 or poster size from the same map. I can use sheets and layers and use the same file to create multiple versions of the same map, such as GM and player versions. Like a paint program, I can use various filters and effects to easily do things like light glows, and shadows. Like an HTML authoring program, I can insert links to link multiple maps together. Like a CAD program, I can make things precisely to scale - five decimal points precise, should I so desire.
Combine all that with one of the largest selection of hobby specific symbols available, and it really can't be beat for RPG mapping - IF you're willing to invest the time to learn it. And once you've invested the time to learn it, you'll be faster and more efficient than using any other package, even if the initial time is longer.
For a good example, take a look at the political map I created for my fantasy campaign here:
http://iskitaan.heismann.net/PoliticalMap
A pretty picture that took me about two months to complete, working on it a few hours a week in CC3. I could have done that map far faster in Photoshop, true. But the effort I spent has already paid back handsomely in time saved since then. First off, the map was created by tracing images on geographical map created using Fractal Terrains. I've exported it to a png graphic for use on the web page at one scale, and to two different size PDFs for downloading, as well as had it printed at poster size to hang on my wall. I've created several regional political maps by exporting sections of this map, and adding in further detail. If I can't remember exactly where a city or country is located on the map, I can do a text search for the name, and be taken straight to it. Several of the cities have hotlinks to their own maps, such as Deercrest (seen here: http://iskitaan.heismann.net/DeercrestMap ), and those city maps have hot links to their own districts, such as the South Quay of Deercrest (found here: http://iskitaan.heismann.net/DeercrestSouthQuayMap).
Yes, all of which can be done with a combination of other programs, by someone knowledgable in those programs and their capabilities. And that's a key point - knowledgable in those programs. So at some point, you have to acquire the knowledge to do it - it doesn't matter if the knowledge is in one program like CC3, or spread across multiple programs like Illustrator, Photshop, Visio, etc. Intuitiveness has very little to do with it, as it only covers the basics - in order to get the most from any high end program, you have to take the time to learn it.
Speaking of Visio - I have never been able to get it to do the things I can do in CC2, let alone CC3. It doesn't mean it's a bad program, only that in order to get as good with it as I am now with CC3, I would have to invest time I don't want to spend.
