Curious about something...

[Robbie]

I've seen a LOT of WotC and Paizo maps with elements dropped in from Campaign Cartographer. I imagine they BUILD the maps in CC2 or 3 and then save them out to image file and load it into photoshop and hand draw over it.

Go back to the last few issues of Dungeon Magazine before they stopped printing them and you'll see lots of CD2 buildings...I even posted a thread about it here a while back when I noticed it.

[Jarvin]

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions everyone!

Arcana (or anyone), would it be easier for a relative newbie to make a map in CC3 and then do post-work in GIMP or PS? As opposed to doing all the work in GIMP or PS, that is.

[Midgardsormr]

Learning one program is easier than learning two. However, there are some things that CC3/CD does that are much easier than accomplishing the same feat in Photoshop. For someone experienced in both programs, the two combined would be quicker and easier. For someone starting to learn, I'd recommend choosing one or the other.

If I were setting out to make something like the Fallcrest map (for instance), I'd start with a layout generated with CD Pro, then take it into Photoshop and do a paint-over. The end result wouldn't look nearly that good, but I'm not (yet) a professional artist, like Mr. Schley.

[Robbie]

Honestly, as a starter, I'd agree...pick one and go with it...perhaps go through a tutorial or two here on the site thaat uses the software you like...we have some GREAT gimp tutorials developed in-house that would probably get you well off...I'd also reccommend for cities, something like pyrandons koppolex (or was it eneini?) tutorial that takes a city from a generator and makes it artsy.