Good Tutorials for this program?
I am going to be blunt, so appollogize if it seems like I'm being aggressive. I am at my wits end with this program.
Are their any up to date tutorials NOT put out by Tom Sweeney that ACTUALLY teach you how to use this program?
I have spent 2 years on and off trying to learn this program with no success at anything outside making the landmasses, drawing trees and mountains, and putting city indicators and names.
Most specifically anything involving ANY of the built in tools like trace refuse to work and my appeal to get help on various forums has proven to be worthless because people can't understand that the tutorials that Tom Sweeney makes (the only ones I've ever been linked) are the worst most obtuse instructions for the most obtuse program I have ever used.
Also because this isn't my first rodeo... IT IS NOT BECAUSE IT'S A CAD PROGRAM. I am a CNC Engineer with a Bachelors in CNC Design. I have worked with CAD programs for around 20 years starting back in middle school in my schools drafting classes. I've used anything from the mainstream such as the Autodesk programs, I've used CATIA, Revit, LibreCAD, Solvespace and dozens more if not nearly 100 more.
I know when a CAD program is fighting me and this program seems to be inherently built to be as obnoxious and obtuse as possible and I need someone with more of a teacher mindset than Sweeney as his 'descriptions' are incredibly vague. I'm not looking for an advanced tutorial just someone that actually knows how to explain how this program works because as it stands I feel bad for the player who gave me this program for xmas a few years back... it was supposed to be a nice gift that has turned into the single biggest nightmare of my DMing journey. I want to like and use this program but i'm a breath away from deleting it and never using it again because it seems as though ProFantasy does not know how to make a functioning program with a functioning UI and their built in documentation is about as useless to me as Tom Sweeneys videos.
So again... are their any good and VERY clear tutorials that you recommend before I just give up entirely on this program?
I will not be responding to anyone trying to give tips or tricks and 'help me'... I have avoided this forum because i've seen how any ounce of criticism for this program goes here... but i'm out of options. I only want tutorials either videos or written I don't care I can handle both but I need clear guidance from someone who actually knows how to teach.
Again I am sorry if this comes off as aggressive but the program doesn't respect me so I'm not going to respect it, and being as blunt and matter of fact about this is as good as I can get.
Comments
Hi @Baphomeat,
Here's a link you might find useful. Joe Sweeney is far from the only one with tutorials and video guidance.
I'd recommend going to the actual Video Tutorials post as many of the videos are embedded there already. Good luck!
Hi Baphomeat,
The first thing I normally recommend is the user manual. It should be accessible as a pdf file from the help menu of CC3+, and it is more up to date than the build in help system.
If you own it, the Tome of Ultimate Mapping is also a good resource. This was the book that finally made CC2 click for me back in the day, and the latest version is updated to cover CC3+. Now, I don't recommend going out buying this if you don't already own it, you shouldn't spend money on a product you're frustrated with, but if you already own it (I don't know if your friend just gave you the core program, or a bundle?) it is worth taking a look as it is full of tutorials for the core program and add-ons.
We have the written tutorials page, but the tutorials linked from here are not intended as getting started, more like a tutorial for a specific task. You will find the link to my command of the week article series there though, which are short explanations of many individual CC3+ commands and features, including the trace feature you mentioned, which can help you make sense of a command that doesn't work like you thought it would.
jsamuelson already linked you to the video tutorials page. Depending on how you like your tutorials, you may (or may not) find the live stream recordings found there useful. They're not actually tutorials (mostly), but they so show a skilled cartographer create a map and explain what he is doing. Those with me tends to touch on more complex topics, but there are many videos there showing off the basics and explaining.
Trace is probably the worst most unintuitive part of the program without a word of a lie.
I used the main pdf, then videos and the Tome of Ultimate mapping. Once you get the sequence down, then it's ok.
Paying attention to the command bar was and probably is my biggest failure when using this program. You can also have it show the commands right at your cursor. (I always mess up with the copy command, I don't let it finish it's process before I try copy. I would know this if I looked at the command bar)
This is the hardest program by far to use, but is the best hands own if you want to make professional level maps.
The complexity of this single program could probably be taught as a college course. I am sure this is no absolute master of the program. Even Ralf himself has expressed certain people (most likely Monsen) have a better grasp of some elements than he does. (as well as Sue, concerning some of the symbols stuff) Some of the stuff can get into ridiculous specifics. Why I am telling you this is so you try get past the first initial hurdle of unlearning, then learning this program... World's are at your fingertips.
Yes there are some really haterific people here. I did a big mapping area and got not 1 response after I completed it, and I thought they were A level maps(especially when I try to be kind and helpful to all). So I haven't been around for 6 months.
Hi Baphomeat :)
No single video will ever be perfectly and exactly what you need to know for a particular map you are making, and even the best tutors will never be ideal for everyone because we all have different learning techniques.
Maybe it would help if you started a Work In Progress (WIP) thread here on the forum so you can just ask anything you like, and not have to go searching for videos?