Which CA to start with?

roy.denton

I am interested in acquiring one of the CA volumes to see how they look and work. Which of the current volumes would be the best one to start with?

Monsen

If you just want to check out a few annuals, I recommend starting with the free sampler. It contains several full annual issues.

JMunsonII

Thanks for pointing that out Remy - didn't know that existed!

roy.denton

The examples are great. I am not much of a sci-fi guy and more interested in overland and dungeon mapping. With that in mind, which of the CA volumes would be a good starter and contain some good information on these activities? Something like Ralf has been doing with his article series on creating a new map style.

Wyvern

Roy, you should really go and investigate the individual issue descriptions available on the ProFantasy site for each year's Annual - link to CA homepage - as this will give you a far better idea of what's available than any suggestions here which may not chime with whatever it is you'd find most useful. There are fresh overland and dungeon styles and ideas in each year, as well as much more besides.

If you're looking for information on the actual process of mapping in different ways, learning things such as new tricks, ideas and shortcuts, you'd be better off looking at the video and PDF tutorials, rather the Annuals as such, or fully reading through the information in the various CC3+ PDF manuals that come with the software, and then investing in the Tome of Ultimate Mapping, because those are all dedicated to the details of creating good-looking CC maps for all kinds of purposes.

Loopysue

Creating a new map style in particular might be better tackled by following Ralf's blogs as they appear, or if you are in more of a hurry to get started, the Tome (as previously mentioned by Wyvern), contains all the information. The only difference is that it may be more dispersed and won't be all in a nutshell like Ralf's handy blogs.

roy.denton

One reason I like Ralf’s articles. Thanks for the advice. I’ve been using the Tome and some of the videos, I was just wondering if there was more to what the descriptions of the CA volumes say. You know, more than meets the eye kind of thing.

Loopysue

That is an impossible question to answer - a bit like asking what's inside a box without opening it, then relying on a stranger's description to know for sure.

Maybe compare what you have found by using the free samples with their descriptions on the free sample page?

Generally speaking the descriptions are quite accurate.

[Deleted User]

You can click on ProFantasy products at the main menu, the Annuals, and go to each annual in turn This brings up a menu which details each issue in that annual with several examples, to get an idea of which annual you like best.

roy.denton

Thanks Quentin, I did that this morning and have a better idea of each. I think I will start with the 2008 volume.