Barwickian Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I recall a couple of people (Steve primarily) mentioning they were eagerly awaiting the release of Profantasy Software's science fiction add-on for Campaign Cartographer 2, Cosmographer Pro. Well, it's here. I haven't had much of a chance to do more than play with it yet, but what I've seen is pretty good. Basically, it gives you new templates, drawing tools and symbols for (a) star sector mapping, ( planetary maps, © local maps and (d) starship deckplans. While most of the stuff you get is generic, there's a lot of support for Traveller. You get Traveller-style sector and subsector templates, world hex maps and deckplan symbols. One of the sample deckplans is the Annic Nova - that takes me back. I think the big disappointment with Cosmographer is that it doesn't have any real-world 3d star-mapping data. Also, the sector maps assume that, whether or not you're playing Traveller, you'll be mapping stars in 2d on hex grids. It's no big deal to create a new template for 3d mapping, though. The world maps introduce a new concept: hex painting. basically, they're symbols designed to snap in and fill a hex on a world map, so you can build continents very quickly: draw your continent outline with appropriate fill colour and then click in the mountains, deserts and so on. Deckplan templates are very impressive. Hyperlinks take you through as many levels of deck as you like, and there are tons of symbols for filling in the bridge, engineering levels and so on. As with all CC2 products, it's Windows-only, I'm afraid. But for those of us running Windows, it looks like an excellent addition to the CC2 family. Edit: I should really add the link, shouldn't I? www.profantasy.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSword Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released I saw it at GenCon. Apparently they had received it the day before GenCon opened and spent the night stuffing liners. Unfortunataly that meant the guy showing me the demo wasn't very familar with it, but it did look like it had quite an impressive capability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released I saw it at GenCon myself. It looks really cool. However, it can't do one thing I'd like it to do: create 3-D starfield maps that you can view from any angle. In this, it comes up short against another product I saw at the show. It was from a company called NBOS or NBIOS, and the name was something like Astrographer or Astrogater. I'm not sure this product had as much overall mapping utility as Cosmographer, but it can create 3-D starfields and let you rotate 'em to view 'em from any angle. I saw it in action, and it looked pretty darn cool. I didn't have the chance to find out more or buy a copy, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barwickian Posted August 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released In this' date=' it comes up short against another product I saw at the show. It was from a company called NBOS or NBIOS, and the name was something like Astrographer or Astrogater.[/quote'] NBOS AstroSynthesis 1.0. It's from the same firm that makes Fractal Mapper. http://www.nbos.com/ It does look reasonably good from the website description, but I think I've invested too much in the CC2 line to consider getting another mapping suite - and I'd want the link up with world mapping the AstroSynthesis blurb describes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrath Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released AstroSynthesis rocks. It is worth every penny. Take it from a man with some passing aquaintance with 3-D starmaps. At my request, they included an "import" function, loading star lists in comma delimited format. But the fun stuff is in the automatic trade routes, the ability to attach game notes to stars (both public and game-master-eyes-only) and the creation of 3-D spheres of influence. It comes with accurate star data of the real stars out to about 25 light years, but it will gladly automatically generate sectors of any size, or allow you to place them yourself. It can also let you make a "fly-by" swoop through the map and save it as an AVI file to wow your players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnTaber Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released I have Astrosynthesis too. I just started using it so I do not have a lot of comments. I'll reply again in a couple of weeks with more details. Note that I did come up with a bunch of enhancement ideas and forwarded them to the NBOS mailing list. I also have a couple of gripes which I have also forwarded. We'll have to see how they respond. I think it is a really nice first release. I hope they get enough sales to keep supporting it with future cuts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barwickian Posted August 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released But the fun stuff is in the automatic trade routes' date=' the ability to attach game notes to stars [i'](both public and game-master-eyes-only)[/i] and the creation of 3-D spheres of influence. It comes with accurate star data of the real stars out to about 25 light years, but it will gladly automatically generate sectors of any size, or allow you to place them yourself. It can also let you make a "fly-by" swoop through the map and save it as an AVI file to wow your players. I'm not hugely bothered by the fly-by or the random generation (most of the 3d mapping I want to do is 'real-world'). How does astrosynthesis rate to the freeware programs ChView and Celestia? The former has hipparcos-corrected data out to 150ly (and older data out to 250ly) and incorporates trade routes and game notes. The latter does some rather nifty fly-bys, with built-in support for incorporating pretty much every natural object in the solar system and a reasonably detailed star-map, and fan-developed cool stuff from the International Space Station to a beanstalk to the Death Star. It's a little cartoony (think original series Trek when you're moving from one star system to another), but as freeware, it's damned good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released Well, I'll be getting a copy next month. I already spent my gaming allowance on DC and FHG. I have Most of the CC line and am in the middle of re-making all my ship symbols, Cosmo will more than likely cut my symbol time at least in half. Spence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrath Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released How does astrosynthesis rate to the freeware programs ChView and Celestia? The former has hipparcos-corrected data out to 150ly (and older data out to 250ly) and incorporates trade routes and game notes. The latter does some rather nifty fly-bys' date=' with built-in support for incorporating pretty much every natural object in the solar system and a reasonably detailed star-map, and fan-developed cool stuff from the International Space Station to a beanstalk to the Death Star. It's a little cartoony (think original series Trek when you're moving from one star system to another), but as freeware, it's damned good.[/quote'] It depends on what you are using them for. AstroSynthesis is better for managing a StarHero campaign. It has trade routes which Celestia does not, it has displays for entire solar systems with all planets and moons, which neither ChView nor Celestia has. Including maps of the planets, which can be hand drawn or automatically generated. Notes can be attached to stars, planets, or moons. It also displays spheres of influence, which neither of the others can. It can also generate a master index of all star systems in HTML format, for posting on one's web site for PBM games. Only player notes are shown, game master notes are omitted. It can also make nifty "flat" maps for one's web site as well. AstroSynthesis does not come with as many stars out of the box, but a bit of work with a spreadsheet can convert ChView databases into AstroSynthesis files. There is a list of features here. A trial can be downloaded for free, it does everything but save your maps. I know I'm coming off as a shill. The reason I'm so enthusiastic is that I've been trying to write a program with all these featurs for years and failed miserably. There are flaws, editing trade routes can be a pain, but the company is receptive to feedback, and they have a mailing list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released No need to apologize, Nyrath. It's good to hear someone who's genuinely enthusiastic about something and willing to recommend it for solid reasons. Heck, you may even convince me to break down and get it at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSword Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released Thanks for the info Nyrath. I saw both programs at GenCon and was thinking about getting one of these two programs (the other question is whether or not my group will play more sf ). Do you make ship layouts with NBOS' other programs, if so, how does it work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrath Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released Do you make ship layouts with NBOS' other programs' date=' if so, how does it work?[/quote'] alas, I have not used NBOS' other programs, so I can give you no review. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProFantasy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released NBOS's Astrosynthesis is now compatible with our world generating software, Fractal Terrains Pro. We are offering Astrosynthesis and Cosmographer as part of a couple of bundles from our website. Simon Rogers ProFantasy Software Ltd http://www.profantasy.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 Re: Cosmographer Pro released Welcome to the Hero boards, Simon! Thanx for the info on Cosmographer and Astrosynthesis. Anything that can work with CC2 = a good thing as far as I'm concerned (says the man who's developing little street map patterns on his retinas from his detailed mapping of Hudson City:hex: ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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