Question about next software to purchase - CD3 for CC3, or Fractal Mapper?

[Felonius]

Thanks so much for the advice so far, everyone.

Tell me, Mark, does FM8 do the lighting/texture/sheet effects like CC3? Not that they'd do it in the same way, of course, but are the basic abilities about the same? Meaning can you do blur effects, fade effects, texturizing effects, bevel effects, etc.?

[OldGuy]

Unfortunately, the CSUAC no longer is available.

I hope that's not the case. I was at GM's Apprentice recently (2 weeks ago maybe) and it was up and running. I just checked and am receiving "Server Not Found" messages now. Has he moved or just taken it down?

If the later, hopefully someone will take up hosting it. It's too wonderful a resource to let disappear.

[Mark Oliva]

Thanks so much for the advice so far, everyone.

Tell me, Mark, does FM8 do the lighting/texture/sheet effects like CC3? Not that they'd do it in the same way, of course, but are the basic abilities about the same? Meaning can you do blur effects, fade effects, texturizing effects, bevel effects, etc.?

Yes. That answer is too short for the system, so this sentence adds more characters.

[Mark Oliva]

RE: CSUAC no longer being available.

I hope that's not the case. I was at GM's Apprentice recently (2 weeks ago maybe) and it was up and running. I just checked and am receiving "Server Not Found" messages now. Has he moved or just taken it down?

If the later, hopefully someone will take up hosting it. It's too wonderful a resource to let disappear.

It's Cecil Solomon's site. As far as I can determine, Cecil hasn't explained anywhere why he pulled the site. However, with the CSUAC license conditions that Cecil established, onecan't simply throw the CSUAC up to another web site for downloading. Unfortunately.

However, another, slower way to get at the objects is with the thread "Monthly Archive by Sendorian" on the Dundjinni site. Go to:

http://www.dundjinni.com/forums/foru...001&PN=1&TPN=1

Elric's mirror of the CSUAC site at:

http://www.halerecordings.com/forums...s.php?catid=28

also appears to have vanished.

[Felonius]

Thanks again for everyone's input. I ended up purchasing City Designer 3 to go with my existing CC3 purchase.

Mark, after looking at the Fractal Mapper 8 demo, I was extremely impressed, and I think I would recommend it to anyone getting started in doing fantasy mapmaking. It's fast, it's easy to transfer experience from existing vector/art editing software, and has a reasonable number of good filters/effects.

The two I didn't see--that ultimately pushed me to CD3--was the edge fade, and inner edge fade effects that can be applied using sheets in CC3/CD3. Maybe the demo didn't have them and the full product did, but those two effects are my lifeblood for overland maps. Particularly when I'm trying to blend/fade contour lines, or other effects. Without them, my maps just wouldn't look the same.

If I were to recommend a product to someone who is wanting something easy, and isn't really trying to make "professional level" maps, however, I would say Fractal Mapper 8 over CC3/CD3.