Grid System

[Citizen Keen]

I've been familiarizing myself with the HERO system, and I'm loving it. My one dislike, though, is the hex system. I've never used one, but it seems much more cumbersome than using a grid. Why hexes instead of squares, and has anyone converted HERO into a grid system. It doesn't seem like it would take much work. Thanks,

cK

[Chris Goodwin]

It uses hexes because on a hex grid, every hex is the same distance from every adjacent hex. Using a square grid, diagonally adjacent squares are further away than orthogonally adjacent squares.

[Captain Obvious]

If you dislike hexes because it's harder to map a rectangular building onto them (a common complaint), then our very own Fitz has already solved your problem. He has posted on his website some offset square grid paper PDFs you can download and print, which allow easier mapping of rectangular spaces but without the whole diagonal distance warp.

Here's the link:

http://mojobob.netnet.net.nz/roleplay/props/mapping.html

[Blackout]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious
If you dislike hexes because it's harder to map a rectangular building onto them (a common complaint), then our very own Fitz has already solved your problem. He has posted on his website some offset square grid paper PDFs you can download and print, which allow easier mapping of rectangular spaces but without the whole diagonal distance warp.

Here's the link:

http://mojobob.netnet.net.nz/roleplay/props/mapping.html

That's so... Well, it's just brilliant!

[Fitz]

Fame at last :)

[lemming]

Originally posted by Fitz
Fame at last :)
Not to put down Fitz, but I've seen the "brick" layout before. (Bismark from AH for example)

However, putting the stuff into PDF form with all the other stuff he's got on his pages makes it incredibly worthwhile.

[Insaniac99]

huh.. my group uses the maps form Heroclix because they are versatile and then just fudge distances...

[Trebuchet]

Maps? We don't need no stinking maps!

We seldom use maps in our Champions game; but then we tend towards a very free-flowing manner of play. We might put down dice as markers to show relative positions, but that's about it. Maps are just so...Dungeons & Dragons. :D

[lemming]

Then there's my plan to make a combat arena out of Lego, but I've been too much of a lazy bastard to follow through.

[Jhamin]

Originally posted by Trebuchet
[i] Maps are just so...Dungeons & Dragons. :D

I actually run two campaigns, 4-color Champions and..... Dungeons & Dragons.

We don't use maps for either. We just keep a general idea of it all in our heads. Works well and flows nicely.

[Trebuchet]

Originally posted by Jhamin
I actually run two campaigns, 4-color Champions and..... Dungeons & Dragons.

We don't use maps for either. We just keep a general idea of it all in our heads. Works well and flows nicely. I've got nothing against D&D; I cut my role-playing teeth on the original 3-booklet boxed set in 1977 and later graduated to AD&D. But the necessity to constantly map dungeons was a pain, and take a wild guess who in my group always got drafted to make the map as we adventured?

I never should have admitted taking drafting in high school... :)

[Bartman]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious
If you dislike hexes because it's harder to map a rectangular building onto them (a common complaint), then our very own Fitz has already solved your problem. He has posted on his website some offset square grid paper PDFs you can download and print, which allow easier mapping of rectangular spaces but without the whole diagonal distance warp.

Here's the link:

http://mojobob.netnet.net.nz/roleplay/props/mapping.html

That's where Fitz moved to. I was looking for his site a week or two ago and all my bookmarks pointed to dead links. Thanks CO.

And by the way, thank you Fitz for the excelent props.

[TheEmerged]

Actually, we've been using a tape measure and miniatures lately. Except for turn modes (there HAS to be a better way to do this with a tape than we've found), it works surprisingly well -- speeds up combat tremendously.

[allen]

Originally posted by TheEmerged
Actually, we've been using a tape measure and miniatures lately. Except for turn modes (there HAS to be a better way to do this with a tape than we've found), it works surprisingly well -- speeds up combat tremendously.

How are doing turns? Set the tape measure = Total Distance/5. Put down a die to mark original position. From the front of mini's base, rotate the tape measure. Move the mini along the arc. (This should look like a bicycle wheel sorta: Mini is on the rim, tape measure is a spoke.) When mini stops moving or at the apex of the arc (whichever comes first) measure distance from start along a straight line.

It's much easier than it sounds.

[EDIT: I don't think it does turn modes exactly as presented in FREd -- not positive -- but it should be really close and capture the feel.]

[Cap'n D]

Originally posted by lemming
Then there's my plan to make a combat arena out of Lego, but I've been too much of a lazy bastard to follow through.

good god! what a great idea! even if you didn't build the whole thing, I think small red leggos would make a great props for showing all those brick walls that get smashed from knockback! (drop a handful on the map here... drop a handful on the map there... oh, was that a firehydrant that got knocked over? drop some blue ones there! radiation spill? here come the green legos!)

next time I visit my parent's, I have to see if they still have my leggos in the attic!

[TheEmerged]

Originally posted by allen
It's much easier than it sounds.

[EDIT: I don't think it does turn modes exactly as presented in FREd -- not positive -- but it should be really close and capture the feel.]

Works great if your bases happen to be hexes. Our bases happen to be circles (guess what we're using for minis :rolleyes: ). Takes longer than we'd like even with the use of a hexagon base.

[allen]

Originally posted by TheEmerged
Works great if your bases happen to be hexes. Our bases happen to be circles (guess what we're using for minis :rolleyes: ). Takes longer than we'd like even with the use of a hexagon base.

well, i'd recommend having a turning-template-making party then... lol...