Unofficial Facebook Group
Josh.P.
Traveler
Hi Everyone,
I've been having conversations with a number of new users via Facebook about CC3+ and it's various add ons. I figured it might be useful to have an unofficial facebook group so people can jump in and have less formal conversations about the software. Will still be directing people here for assistance and support etc but in case anyone around here uses Facebook and wants to join up and share their maps and tips the link is below.
Feel free to join up:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1830466227284189/
There's probably a few people that hate Facebook, and that's ok too
Daplunk
I've been having conversations with a number of new users via Facebook about CC3+ and it's various add ons. I figured it might be useful to have an unofficial facebook group so people can jump in and have less formal conversations about the software. Will still be directing people here for assistance and support etc but in case anyone around here uses Facebook and wants to join up and share their maps and tips the link is below.
Feel free to join up:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1830466227284189/
There's probably a few people that hate Facebook, and that's ok too
Daplunk
Comments
The ability to paste screenshots into comments is really going to be useful I think.
A facebook group will invariably become a large contingent of users who haven't paid for the software.
I'll stay here with some of the amazing talents from these boards. I would maybe join if it was only for people who are actual purchasers and run by profantasy.
Good luck with it.
We are getting people join who don't own CC3+ though and are looking to see what people are doing with it and how their experience is. So many amazing maps have been shared already this week so I think it's going to have quite a positive effect.
It also seems to be working well for new users who have questions on issues with parts of the tool. So many people are jumping in to help and the ability to cut and paste screenshots from CC3+ straight into messages is really speeding that process up. I've learnt some really cool techniques already and my maps are looking better as a result.
Sitting at 95 members so far, think we may very well hit 100 today
Being an FB phobic (I only have an account so I can 'answer back') I couldn't work out how to rate it, so I just left a comment. Hope you don't mind.
Thanks for the link, Remy. I didn't realise there was one until you pointed it out. (mind you, I'm renowned by my friends as someone who can walk past a great big tree on a walk and say "what tree?" when I get home :P )
Someone has a problem they can take a screenshot of CC3+ and simply paste it into a chat within Facebook. Much easier that taking the screenshot, finding somewhere to upload it and then coming to the forums and trying to remember how to insert an image into these forums.
There are also way more people readily available to answer questions as there are alot more people using Facebook regularly than the forums. Notifications pop on everyone's phones enticing people to jump in and contribute. The ability to reply to single comments means you can have multiple people offering advise and you can maintain that as separate conversations.
I understand it's not for everyone but there is absolutely a large number of CC3+ current and potential users using it. The question of 'What software can I use to make maps?' Is getting asked anywhere from 1-3 times a day in groups that have upwards of +100,000 users. The response to these people generally always include a recommendation for CC3+ but they also include people commenting about how high the learning curve is and how inaccessible the software is. I would challenge that the forums are not assisting in resolving this for many. Not because it's not a good way to connect with other users but because many people don't go searching for forums anymore. Huge numbers of people are instead searching Facebook for groups associated with the interests they have and that's where they stay.
But you are right in the description about the behavior pattern of humans.
It is also a known fact that people tend to like what they have. I remember when ProFantasy created these forums. A bunch of people did not want to move away from the old mailing-list format. The mailing list is still there, but it is rather quiet these days. There are still some of the old guys subscribed to it, as well as me.
For many people, facebook is where they already are, where they spend their lives and where they wish to stay and their first stop to find information.
Personally, I could never get in to the facebook thing. Usually, I find myself logging in about once a month to check for updates about my friends, but everything just tend to drown in so much uninteresting stuff (quizzes and games anyone?). I probably have the most boring facebook profile ever.
Not to mention the plethora of how to's.
There are a handful of users here who are absolutely awesome resources, whom I've thanked before through the years(Had a previous account before but lost it lol). They know who they are, so no need to say who they are.
The wall. That's where the spam and the games lives and it's not a place I spend much time at all.
Then there's private groups. That's where I find the value of Facebook lies. They don't advertise in them (yet...) and it ensures you are seeing content that is relative to your interests.
I'm a member of all sorts of groups covering topics like Tabletop RPGs, Cartography, Digital DM Tools and those groups are so active that all I see on my wall is things related to these interests. It's drowned out the noise of everything else. I've spent hours on the phone with cartographers and developers from around the world as a result of the connections I've made on Facebook.
Now if only I can figure out how to get across the world to a US convention and meet everyone in person
But, as stated above, the interesting part is how different we experience things, and how something some people have a good experience with, others have not. Human nature, I suppose. We are all different though, and if others can have a good experience on facebook, then that's fine by me. I would never expect everybody else to have the same preferences as me. And spreading the word about CC3+ is also always a good thing.
Now, that would be fun. Traveling all the way to the US is expensive though, as well as time-consuming. Would be much easier if all those US-people came to me
Don't worry cobra mustang, I'll be here till the lights go off. Heheh. I was one of the people who was thrilled when we went from the email group to the forums. To me this is one of the best ways of sharing info and maps. I've looked up various posts from the past so many times that I'd be lost if I couldn't track down the info I was looking for.
Part of that is because I don't like FB all that much, but part of it is because my artwork (I do GIMP maps as well as CC3 maps) is already amply displayed on the Cartographer's Guild FB page, and any help I need with CC3 is right here. I use the search facility a lot
At least not from what I can see.
Different people need different things. Some prefer FB, some prefer a forum. The important thing is communication between the two media, which has already been established. We are just discussing the various pros and cons and having a sort of competition about who is most crap at FB (which I believe I am actually winning! LOL!):)
Just to let you know about some of the things happening on the group that may aid new users.
Monthly Map Challenges - we are now posting monthly map challenges. Basically very raw sketches for people to try and recreate in CC3+ and it's various add-ons. Our plan is to create a new challenge each month. We have has a really positive response to these so far with some really amazing maps created. A new one will be posted on the 01/05/18.
Learning Units - This is a new feature that Facebook is offered but basically we can now create learning modules that are linked to the group. We put the first one up tonight which is designed to help brand new users find their feet with the tool and will continue to add to the units over time. Still exploring what this has to offer, we are using it to promote the Community Atlas and the Community Realm Works Projects.