Dec '18 / Feb '19 Lite Challenge: Twisting Labyrinth of Death

[Kellerica]

Alright, since there is interest, let's talk CC.

I did make everything in this map with CC so far. I recently did make a map that I got tired of fighting CC on some cliff shadows and decided to just scrap it and add them in Photoshop post render. So I will occasionally do some post CC edits in Photoshop.

I love CC it's the program that allows me, a non-artist, completely left brained systems oriented person, to make beautiful maps. But I don't want to sugar coat things. CC is built off of an old CAD program, as such it can have a steep learning curve and and have some odd quirks. CC is a big investment of money (i suggest signing up for the newsletter to get their discount codes, Black Friday is usually pretty good) and time. I spent a lot of time learning to use the program well. But once I learned the program it makes things pretty fast and easy.

CC makes adding lights fast and easy, especially once you get the settings that work for you down, and it handles shadows dynamically. However, the way CC renders (remember it's a CAD program so it has to render the map before it becomes a usable image) is in horizontal strips, and if your lights (or any effects) get caught in a weird way on a seam it can make things go screwy. When that happens you have to move/adjust things to make it look right. The bigger/higher resolution the map and effects the more problems that pop up.

I don't want to deter you from checking out CC, because it is great, I love it (but it can drive me nuts sometimes), but I also don't want to make it seem like it's something it is not.

So yeah, give it another look.

I see, thanks a lot for the info!

I hadn't heard about it being a CAD based program, so that's good to know. I have some experience working with 3DS Max, but not CAD...

I see what you mean about it having a learning curve, but I think that's true for any program, right? It took me years to learn how to use Photoshop decently too.

You mention it being a big investment of money, though. Looking at their website, I think their prices look perfectly affordable. Of course money is always money, but as someone who does use Adobe and other pro software, 70-90 seems actually a fairly cheap price if it's for a long-term license for the software. I pay twice as much for a Photoshop subscription each year. I don't mean this as "well maybe I just have more money than you do lol" but I'm wondering if there is some hidden cost that I'm not seeing here - are you for instance running a lot of expensive add-ons in addition to the mentioned Schley Dungeons, or are there other additional costs such as expensive updates or the like?

Anyway, thanks again for taking the time for this! I really do like the way your map is turning out.