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I think I'll buy a copy of CC3 and the Dungeon Designer. Not sure about the rest of the package and that software adds up quickly in price.
Now, if I could only solve the ubiquitous port 1802 problem, I'll be in business and my gaming group will buy 4 copies of FG2. :-)
I have most of the CC3 progam suite and they are quite good but require an investment in time. The videos are straight forward, but I found doing something not preset to be a bit more involved then the videos suggest.
I've also used Dundjinni which does a nice job and is a bit more intuitive. However, much of their asset base is propriatary to that program and I don't believe it is supported by it's devs anymore.
I have since rolled back to using my adobe programs, photoshop and / or illustrator. I've done so because I can replicate many of the functions and features of the CC line without having to learn a new work flow CC requires. Additionally, I had a hard time exporting maps from CC and retaining their quality.
If you already own and are familiar with those programs and their feature sets, I'd suggest watching the CC tutorials and applying some of the map making lessons there and working inside of those programs. You can get great looking maps without having to invest the time in learning a new interface. And that my friends, allows for more gaming time.
I suggest trying Fractal Mapper. It's on rpgnow. You can make battlemaps, dungeons and campaign maps. The graphics arent Dundjinni quality but the program as a whole is a lot easier to use than CC3 and works without a hitch. Especially if you dont have a high end machine to work with.
+1 for Fractal Mapper, I've tried all 3 and found this the easiest (for me)! :)
I use CC3 and DD3 and I really love it. I will come back sometimes and have to watch the video, and it is a bit of playing with it to figure out what works, but it's a lot of fun. Also, don't discount the Complete Annuals. I really love the ones that offer new styles or symbols.
I'm currently putting together a module for Rescue at Rivenroar (the first of the Scales of War adventures) and I love the maps they provide, but sometimes those maps have information I don't want my players seeing. So I typically just open up DD3 and remake the maps in a quick-and-dirty but every effective form (and without those annoying 'secret door' indicators ;).
This brings me to my related question, actually. Can anyone tell me how hard it is to take a map from DD3 with its grid and make monster and pc tokens fit the squares on my map's grid? I remember it being a nightmare when I was using ORPG, so I'm hoping it's easier with FG2?
I just did this over the weekend. In DD3 turn the grid on. I'm at work, but as I recall it's in "draw" "hex/grid" and then you set the spacing for 5 foot. Then, in order to achieve a 50 pixel per five feet ratio (which is what most FG2 tokens are), you set the pixel ratio when you invoke the "save as" DD3 feature to render the graphic down. I suggest you watch the second set of DD3 tutorials on You Tube done by Sweeney, but note that there is a CRUCIAL ERROR IN IT THAT WILL CAUSE CC3 TO CRASH REPEATEDLY. In short, his math is off by a factor of ten, which causes the system to think it's rendering a monstrous design and it will always crash. So, here's what you do.Quote:
Originally Posted by lady2beetle
Let's assume your dungeon is 120 feet wide. Choose "save as" then choose options and "save as PNG rectangle." Then it will ask you (or you may need to click options (again, I'm at work now)) for pixels. Here's the trick to making it work for FG2 and standard tokens -- FIFTY PIXELS equals FIVE FEET. It's actually easier to think in ten foot increments. So, if your dungeon is 120 feet wide, set the X pixel count to 1200 (or 10 pixels per 10 feet). Then you draw your rendering box around the map. So long as you match the rendering box you draw with the number of feet in your calculation, the resulting render will be exactly 50 pixels per five feet, which is plug and play for most FG2 tokens. If this doesn't make sense, drop me an email and I'll try to explain. Again, watch Sweeney's DD3 tutorials on You Tube, but note that he is off by a factor of ten (I think he says "13000 pixels for his 130 foot map and he should have said 1300 pixels).
Thank you! I have watched Sweeney's videos and I repeatedly go back to watch them again, because they are full of so much good stuff! I'll make sure to snag his video on saving and exporting and watch it again.
Also, thank you for the confirmation. I was watching Xorn's videos and he shows how you can create a grid within FG2, but I'd rather do that within DD3 if possible because then I know I've got the walls and whatnot lined up just right. :)
I would definitely use DD3 grid feature versus applying on the fly with FG2 (as Xorn shows in his video). Plus, you can apply a sheet style to the grid in DD3 and reduce the harshness of the lines. Again, Sweeney's second video series shows how to do that and how to set the sheet up. Good luck and have fun! DD3 frustrated me for a week until I spent an entire weekend with it (and Sweeney's videos). It's really powerful once you get past the silly learning curve.
Regarding the Kobold Hall map in the tutorial:
That was made with CC3/DD3, both a gridded an non-gridded version. The white square that I used to scale my FG2 grid was one 5' square from the grid in DD3. The original map would look amazing printed to a 1" grid; I exported it to 50 px/sq and then lowered the color depth to 256 colors to make it smaller.
I started off with the Sweeny tutorials as well, and between the Cartographer's Guild and the Profantasy forums I got to where I can shell out a basic map VERY quickly--and spending some time I've gotten to the point I can do some really nice effects, too.
https://www.eugee.info/movies/GGR/GGR.html
I found an old video I made of me creating the first area in Keep on the Shadowfell
By the way Xorn, let me say that without your videos, neither I nor my group would know how to use this fantastic software terribly well and my modules would be an organizational mess! Thanks for taking the time to help the community. We appreciate it even if you are not told often or loudly.
:)