6 replies to this topic

[psyberwolfe1]

So I've been pondering about which to get Fractal Mapper 8 or Campaign Cartographer. The older version I have of Fractal Mapper was interesting but the learning curve made it nigh on close to impossible to use. So I'm interested in something that is easy to use, outputs in image files for the web, and is not so stupidily difficult to learn that I get fed up with it and consign it to my dustbin of unused products.

[kristof65]

I'm not real familiar with Fractal Mapper, but if it's learning curve frustrated you, then CC3 may or may not make you any happier. I personally love CC3, but then I've been using CC for 14 years now.

Campaign Cartographer does have demo videos available here:
http://www.profantas...ibrary/demo.asp

Something that the learning curve of CC and Alibre (a 3d CAD/Modeling program) taught me is that any software capable of great results is going to have a learning curve - just like putting brush to mini requires practice to get outstanding results. if you're not willing to take the time and effort needed to learn the software, then it's probably not worth the investment for you.

[haldir]

There is always this one

http://www.rptools.n...hp?page=maptool

Its one I'd like to learn as I'd like to use it for my pbp games. Just never really have sat down & did anything with it. Need to print off some stuff & read it that way or dwld & transfer to my Kindle Fire.

[kristof65]

Maptool really isn't much in the way of a mapping program. I mean, you can do maps with it, but there are far better tools for making maps out there.

Maptools is really more of a virtual table top - I'd been using it for the last three years for an online bi-weekly game that recently ended. It's pretty decent for that purpose, but it's a far cry from even the most basic dedicated mapping program.

[psyberwolfe1]

Yeah I use maptools and the interface is more intuitive but doesn't lend itself well to web presentation. Some folks over at the Cartographer's Guild Forum were saying Paint.Net and The Gimp also provide some fantastic results.

[haldir]

While I'm no guru or even a 1st level graphics program user, I've gotten pretty good results with paint.net. It's what Paint should be, epically in this day in age of W7 & soon W8 OSes.

[ReaperWolf]

I've read good things about Hexographer if you're in the market for old-school TSR Gazetteer style maps.