Testing the new CC3 plus

setup was a snap tested on windows 8 so far will test on windows 7 later at home. did not even need to right click install as admin it just worked

new drawing tools like the mixed forest tool and fill hills tool are AMAZING

can draw with full effects on at all times just as promised.

will be posting more as I play with the tools
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Comments

  • a few moments more clicking through symbols and tools and the map progresses sooooo fast. this new version is amazing already. great job guys!
  • Very nice! I am working now in a map. If not I would also be testing CC3+. Let us know your progress and opinions.
  • edited January 2015
    FYI the rig I am working on at the office is a simple slimline acer that only has 6 gig of ram and an i3 processor with a built in shared ram video card and I can draw with FULL effects on all the time and its smooth as silk
  • edited January 2015
    DOH the auto saves dont seem to have saved anything that map is lost now I get to play more :D

    just tested and the autosave seems to do nothing but manual saves work
  • about 10 mins of clicking to start something that already looks decent without a lot of fussing around
  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    What folder are you checking for your Autosave file?
  • hmmm it seems to be saving to one drive documents by default I will dig around on the hard drive

    found the old autosave at C:\ProgramData\Profantasy\CC3Plus recovered my first test map.
  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    That is correct, CC3+ now uses a ProgramData folder where all dynamic stuff gets saved (that's the folder you set during installation). There should be no need to access the Program Files folder anymore.
  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    edited January 2015
    Only thing I have noticed so far is that RS Land bitmap fill installed, but the other RS bitmap fills show read Xs.

    I'm using WIn 8.1 on a 64-bit laptop. 4 gigabytes. 1.8 GHZ cpu. CC3+ installed in C:\Profantasy\CC3Plus folder.

    Here is a quick map, Order on one side, Chaos contending with a volcano on the other side of an island.

    edit: I would have done more, but my relatives asked me to do the dishes and laundry. I'll work on the map some more.
  • I'm not sure if you guys wanted to start a new thread for questions, but ...

    My CC3+ installed in "C:\Program Files (x86)\ProFantasy\CC3Plus\..."

    but for CC3 it was always recommended on this forum that we move the install up a level, i.e. "C:\ProFantasy\ ...

    what's the guidance for CC3+ ?
  • Can CC3+ import any annual as well as the old default CC3 symbol set?
  • You can't install them but, you can manually copy them over.
  • I think it's planned to be included before release.
    Steve
  • Simon Rogers wrote per E-Mail:

    "Add-ons and symbol sets are not yet compatible with CC3+"

    It sure would be good to have more information on this statement. A number of CC3 users have been asking us about our delayed conversions of still more than 1,000 Vintyri raster symbols for CC3/CC3+. About a year ago, I put the whole conversion project on hold until CC3+ appeared and we could learn what we have to do to be CC3+ compatible too. The statement above suggests to me that anyone wanting to make CC3+ raster symbols probably needs to know more than we do now.
  • I just downloaded, installed, and ran the new CC3+. The download went smoothly as did the install. I run Windows XP (last update). The program was responsive and is more intuitive than before. For instance - unlike before, if you set the scale of everything before you begin then all of the items are showing up at the same scale. This is a big boon (to me) because I used to have to reset it for each and ever icon. Now it is just set and go. Also, the program now runs more like a normal program. What I mean by that is that if you look at how PowerPoint, Visio, Microsft Word, et al work, CC3 seemed to run backwards to that methodology. That is to say - more like how architects are taught to do things in school. Now that feeling of clunkiness is gone which means it is very much faster and easier to use. More later as I try it out.

    First problem found: I drew a simple map and then tried to export it to EMF. Only a black square and a black outline of the island was saved to EMF instead of the entire drawing.
  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    What style did you use for the map that you exported. EMF can't usually handle any bitmap fills or PNG symbols, only basic vector entities.
  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    @Vintyri: Mark, that just means that the installers for the add-ons and symbol sets have not been updated to work with CC3+. We also need to go through the templates to adjust the sheet effects.

    You can create symbols and symbol catalogs in CC3+ just like you did in CC3.
  • VintyriVintyri Newcomer
    edited January 2015
    Posted By: RalfYou can create symbols and symbol catalogs in CC3+ just like you did in CC3.
    That's a relief. Simon also wrote that CC3+ installs to a different location than CC3. Will we have two offer separate registry updates for CC3 and CC3+?
  • Simon RogersSimon Rogers Administrator, ProFantasy Traveler
    Posted By: Vintyri
    Posted By: RalfYou can create symbols and symbol catalogs in CC3+ just like you did in CC3.
    That's a relief. Simon also wrote that CC3+ installs to a different location than CC3. Will we have two offer separate registry updates for CC3 and CC3+?
    They are stored entirely separately, so yes. Email us and we'll get you the registry location details.
  • Posted By: Simon RogersThey are stored entirely separately, so yes. Email us and we'll get you the registry location details.
    OK. I'm glad to get all of this information. We had planned to finish the conversion of Vintyri Symbol Set No. 2 some time ago, but when it became clear that CC3+ was on the way, I had the project put on the back burner until CC3+ arrived and all possible issues were cleared up. Instead I moved up the priority on the first two Jörðgarð Fallen Empire Trail adventures. The first of those already has been released and the second is in an advanced stage. As soon as it's done, we'll return to the conversions.

    Thanks for clearing things up!
  • edited January 2015
    (Just woke up. So sorry for the delay in answering.) The type isthe default one CC3+ comes up in. I think it is Mike's Overland map. I just started a new map. I did the land and then switched to putting in forests. I used the random forest selection, put in about twenty items and then undid them all. I'm attaching what happened. I think there needs to be a refresh after each undo. Also - I can not select the two clumps of forest showing.

    Something else that is simple to say but may not be as simple to implement is that since up usually means you are going away from the person looking at a map that it might be nice if CC3+ would automagically set things further up the map farther back in the drawing order. Especially for forests. This would make it so you don't wind up with one piece of forest dumped on top of other peices.

    Something else that just happened is the minimize button did not do anything when I tried to minimize CC3+. Just a FYI. Ugh. Ok after I went to Firefox to enter this message and then went back to CC3+ it would not minimize but when I tried it again - it DID minimize. I'll see if I can't pinpoint where the problem is or what is causing it. Man this is a lot of edits! Ok. What is happening is: If you have some other program (like Firefox, Word, etc...) up and running and you switch to it THEN if you just click on the minimize button in CC3+ it ignores the first click. Any click after that it will minimize.

    Including the EMF file CC3+ produced.
  • edited January 2015
    Using the Decid Forest Tool I could not change the scale of the trees. I'm probably doing something wrong but I did the following: 1)Left click icon, 2)Right click on screen. In the other tree selections this brings up the small dialog where you can set the scale. Instead, this deselected the Decid Forest Tool. The resultant output is shown below.

    I am trying various options to try to change the scale of the trees in the tool. I tried several things and words in black with a light blue background keep popping up and then going away too quickly for me to read them. I went to Edit->Reshape->Scale since it seemed to be the most likely option to use but no dialog box pops up. Just the words on a light blue background (which are displayed and gone in a few milliseconds).
  • ...Ok. What is happening is: If you have some other program (like Firefox, Word, etc...) up and running and you switch to it THEN if you just click on the minimize button in CC3+ it ignores the first click. Any click after that it will minimize....

    I think this is normal (or normal now, I don't think it worked this way back in the day) behavior for Windows -- first click brings input focus to that app/window, then subsequent clicks go to the application for processing.

    I suspect that this didn't work like this long ago because I still get caught up by it when working. But I think it's been this way for at least a few months, probably longer than that.

    Steve
  • sdavies2720: I use Windows XP and Microsoft hasn't been doing updates to XP for a while now. If this is a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 - I can see that. Windows XP should operate like it has........hmmmmmmmm. Ok - if the team is using Visual Studio it is possible that VS is the culprit here. I just tried it will Firefox and it just minimizes. So maybe this has something to do with Visual Studio and how it is doing things now. (Which means Firefox and Thunderbird will soon start doing the same thing because they both use Visual Studio also now). Ok. Thanks for the Info! :-)
  • Simon RogersSimon Rogers Administrator, ProFantasy Traveler
    Posted By: markem@sim1.usSomething else that is simple to say but may not be as simple to implement is that since up usually means you are going away from the person looking at a map that it might be nice if CC3+ would automagically set things further up the map farther back in the drawing order. Especially for forests. This would make it so you don't wind up with one piece of forest dumped on top of other peices.
    You can use "Sort symbols in map" on symbols on a particular sheet after you've placed them to do this.

    The tree scaling issue you describe is also present in CC3.
    Each drawing has a default symbol scale. When you open a drawing, it sets the symbol scale to this value, which is designed to suit the map.
    To see this value, select File >> Drawing Properties. It's Default Symbol Scale.
    The forest drawing tools use this value. Symbols,however, use whatever setting you use when you last placed a symbol.

    Here is a work-around.
    Scale your tree to the size you want it for that drawing.
    When you place a symbol, right click and take a note of the Scale X and Y value.
    Do File >> Drawing Properties and type this new scale into Default Symbol Scale
    Use the Forest Drawing Tool

    There is an argument that the forest fill tool should use the current scale rather than the drawing scale for consistency, so I will add this to the wish list.
  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    edited January 2015
    Posted By: markem@sim1.ussdavies2720: I use Windows XP and Microsoft hasn't been doing updates to XP for a while now. If this is a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 - I can see that. Windows XP should operate like it has........hmmmmmmmm. Ok - if the team is using Visual Studio it is possible that VS is the culprit here. I just tried it will Firefox and it just minimizes. So maybe this has something to do with Visual Studio and how it is doing things now. (Which means Firefox and Thunderbird will soon start doing the same thing because they both use Visual Studio also now). Ok. Thanks for the Info! :-)
    Windows did this back in XP and somewhat in 98SE. You have to switch to the software you want to use, then the window becomes active. Then you can use it. I know it wasn't there in the past, I have no idea why it is there now. I know it slows things down when I have lots of work to do.
  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    edited January 2015
    I tossed this B&W map together. I noticed that some of the symbols have 'fuzzy' edges in the symbol select. I'm not referring to the ruins, I expect soft edges with those.

    I chose hard edge symbols, map is 1000x800, and the symbol scale is 2.0 I had to select a pale white background, CC3+ gave me a magenta background in the map wizard.

    When I zoom in, second map, the symbols show up much better, and have hard edges.
  • To JimP: I think that has to do with the resolution of your monitor. Windows and Macs both use subpixelation. This is where only part of a pixel is used for displaying something. The problem it creates sometimes is what you are seeing. An old (but really good) example of this happening used to be to put your text cursor over individual letters and watch it disappear and then reappear. Then both companies wised up and started making the cursor change by one subpixel depending upon where you moved it.
  • Other maps and symbols don't do that, see my first post above. They are the same map template size of 1000x800.

    Cannot be my monitor due to the first map looks fine, at a symbol scale of 1.0.
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