I went from CC3 to FM8 and wouldn't consider going back again for any kind of map. The main reason for dropping CC3 was that FM8 maps are portable and CC3 maps aren't. Beyond that, the learning curve for FM8 is about 10% of the learning curve for CC3 with the end map result being about the same, regardless of whether you're mapping overland, cities or villages or dungeons. However, any map I can make with CC3 I also can make with FM8 in about 25% of the time.

The clue to knowing whether FM8 is for you is to try it out. It doesnn't cost anything to do that. First go to:

http://www.nbos.com/nox/index.php?action=1001&id=144

and download the trial version of FM8. It's identical to the full version with two exceptions:

1) You can't save maps.
2) It has a small symbol library.

But that's adequate for a learning trial.

Then go to:

http://www.nbos.com/nox/index.php?action=1001&id=125

and download the free FM8 Manual/Tutorial (PDF). Work your way through it. It takes about a day. Once you're done, you will know all of the basics of FM8. You will be well set to make just about any FM8 vector map you want. If you're like me, you won't be all that impressed, because vector maps - from FM8 or CC3 - were left behind by the RPG industry more than a decade ago. The really good FM8 and CC3 maps are raster maps. So, next. go here:

http://www.vintyri.org/vintyri/tu1.htm

and download our free 200+ page FM8 raster mapping tutorial. Other people who have done it tell us that it takes about two days to do. Once you've done that, you will have mastered about 90% of FM8, and you should be able to produce all kinds of excellent raster maps.

At that point, you can throw FM8 and CC3 into the scales and weigh which is best for you.

Quote Originally Posted by OldGuy View Post
Be sure to get CSUAC. It works with both.
Unfortunately, the CSUAC no longer is available.

Dundjinni is not necessarily going out of business, but it has come to a dead end. The current version 1.07 was released six years ago. Dundjinni Enterprises announced two years ago that the long promised Version 2.0 has been laid on ice indefinitely. So ... the question of how long Dundjinni will stick around certainly is valid. No one at Dundjinni Enterprises has been offering answers.

All of that notwithstanding ... I have Dundjinni too and use it at times. It's an excellent program for making great dungeon and encounter scenarios, but it's limited when it comes to overland mapping or mapping cities, villages, etc. However, if you want to get a feel for it, download the free trial version from:

http://www.dundjinni.com