Annual 122 - Sort of?

Shessar · March 2017

Last month's Annual issue about updating old CC2 vector maps inspired me to pull out an older map that I hadn't updated much if at all. After considering the map for a bit, I decided that the vector symbols were rather charming on their own. In the end, I just moved the symbols to their appropriate sheets and added a few effects.

It hasn't made a huge difference, but thought I'd share anyway. I know everyone prefers the raster symbols, but I still am really fond of the original vector symbols.

Here's the original and the one with added sheet effects.

Dogtag · March 2017

Posted By: ShessarI know everyone prefers the raster symbols

Not everyone. ;-)

Personally, I like raster symbols a lot but vector symbols, as you say, have their charm and, frankly, I think they're sometimes the better choice. And, let's face it, I for one love the FRIA just as it is. And let's face it, can you even imagine JimP maps without vector symbols?

I really like this map, too! What a painstaking effort you must've made placing all those trees! I'm afraid I may have to steal this idea of yours, of a good-sized town completely surrounded by woods. It looks So.Good. I can't stop thinking of adventure hooks just looking at it.

I'm surprised that the sheet effects actually seem to add quite a bit, at least as far as contrast and legibility. Subtle things like the road outlines, river banks, and such are nice, particularly because they're subtle.

Brava, madame. Brava. Thanks for sharing this! *doffs cap*

Cheers,
~Dogtag

JMunsonII · March 2017

It is interesting to see what the sheet effects can do.

Nice map.

Monsen · March 2017

Nothing wrong with vector symbols. I still use them, and I would be really sad if they ever put out a version of CC without the old vector symbols available.
I for one would not mind if some of the atlas maps where vector maps (either one of the newer styles, or the more old fashioned ones)

It is interesting how much improvement adding a few sheets effects can do to a map though. They really do give renewed life to the old maps.

Lorelei · March 2017

i know you're not going to believe it coming from me, the photorealistic queen of PF forums....but I really like the vector symbol city maps! of which i have no talent or patience to date to tackle properly - thankfully there has been some fantastic .fcw files of city maps available here in this forum and on the PF map catalog library that i've been able, so far, to download and make a few change to fit my needs - as a matter of fact, my main city right now my players are in, Amarfelle, is the sample Jon Roberts city that i modified

However, your updated map really does "pop", so to speak

Great job on this, Shessar!

Shessar · March 2017

Thanks for the compliments everyone!

Issue 122 of the annual has me looking through a lot of my old maps. Sadly, I've lost some of my old vector symbol catalogs with the transition from Win XP to 8 to 10. I can no longer install Campaign Mapper and CC2v5 and did not think to back up their symbols before hand. Many of the symbols are different than what ships with CC3. I think the modifications I had made to some of them are still sitting on an old hard drive in the closet too. This has inspired me to see if that old HD will spin up long enough to grab them and hopefully the older official symbols as well.

@Dogtag- Feel free to use the idea of a forest town. The secret to doing this many trees is copy/paste. Do a small section, copy & paste it to form a slightly larger area, grab a section of that and copy/paste some more. Switching up what you're copying adds more randomness. Then just fill in the smaller areas individually. It makes the whole process rather quick.

@Monsen - You have inspired me to do a number of maps for the atlas using vector symbols. Thanks! I may do the ruins for JimPs map using vector art. I think it would be fitting.

@JMunsonII - Yep. Sheet effects can even make a vector map come to life.

@Lorelei - LOL at using the maps from the Library. My players are as familiar with the map of Thrune from the library as they are with their real hometown. I don't remember who did that map, but it saved my DM butt one weekend long ago and has been used ever since. I will be eternally grateful to him/her. In time, our Community Atlas will serve the same purpose...saving DM's butts now and into the future.

Wyvern · March 2017

One of the great things to me when I first discovered CC3 (yes, I missed CC2 and its fore-runners completely) was the great variety of styles available in the basic packages (before add-ons and Annuals). As someone more comfortable with tech drawing than artistic drawing, I've always like the vector symbols, because I feel if I need to add something when using them, this won't be nearly so hard as trying to blend in with the more realistic drawing styles.

JimP · March 2017

I have CC2 v6.12 on my Win 10 computer, it installed fine. i haven't used it yet though. Yes, symbols. I like them. Png symbols just seem over the top for some of my maps, okay for others.

[Deleted User] · March 2017

Jim, where did you get CC2 from? I used to have it, but alas no longer. Can you tell me where I can get it, please?

JimP · March 2017

I bought it years ago, so it is on my registration page. So if you bought it years ago, you should be able to just download it from your registration page.

Shessar · March 2017

Posted By: JimPI have CC2 v6.12 on my Win 10 computer, it installed fine. i haven't used it yet though. Yes, symbols. I like them. Png symbols just seem over the top for some of my maps, okay for others.

Interesting Jim. I have the disk for v5 but when I try to run it, nothing happens. The CD spins up, Win10 asks for permission, the disk spins for a while like it is loading, then it all just stops. Nothing in task manager. No errors. It just stops. It is a Win95/WinNT version, so I'm guessing something in the installer just isn't compatible.

Here's an image of my CD and Instruction manual, for nostalgia's sake and then an image of the mountain symbols that I would love to have again, just in case anyone knows of a product that is still around that uses them.

Monsen · March 2017

My recommendation would be to spin up a virtual machine with an old version of windows and install it here.

As for the symbols, you do know that a map and a symbol catalog is the exact same thing, right? If you have the symbols in a map, then you do have a symbol catalog with those symbols. Will not be organized as they were in the catalogs, but they are still there. Especially if you have multiple maps, you may have them all almost ready to use.

JimP · March 2017

My CC2 Pro is a zip file with setup and cab files in it. I do have some CC2 add-ons on CD. I found them a month or so ago, along with the printed manuals.

Shessar · March 2017

Monsen, I was trying to avoid a VM because, I am embarrassed to admit, I was in tears the last time I tried getting a VM to share files with the host and to remount the CD drive. I am even more embarrassed now that I have done it and realized how simple the solution was. My heavens I can be really slow on the uptake sometimes. I will no longer run away in terror when someone mentions running a VM. Thank you for suggesting it.

Anyway. I now have the symbols that I have been longing for. In the end, they were not from CC2v5 but are the Campaign Mapper symbols. What a wonderful set of vector symbols they are.

Issue 122 has sent me on a real nostalgic discovery trip. Thanks ProFantasy!

Nacon4 · March 2017

I *really* like those symbols!!

N4

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Annual 122 - Sort of?

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