In-game measurment units change - implications?

[Fitz]

I was just replying to the "Hero 6th Ed Wish List" thread with a request for a change from the basic in-game unit of the inch to having everything measured in metres.

Off the top of my head, I can see nothing but good things coming from such a change.

What do you think would be the implications, apart from the necessity to update old character sheets, of making a change like that?

[rjcurrie]

Changing all occurrences of 1" to 2m would pretty much make no difference. The most significant difference I can think of is that you would probably change the cost of Flight and Running to 1 pt. per 1m rather than the current 2 pt. per 2m (1").

[Captain Obvious]

Since most minis are 25mm, give or take, a 25mm hex seems like a natural unit to work from. The little " thing, in addition to being symbolic of a unit equal to about 25mm, serves as a handy shorthand for 'hex'.

I see no reason to change. Does it really bother you that much?

[Fitz]

Does it bother me? Yes. Am I going to give up the Hero System in disgust if nothing comes of this? Of course not. It's just not that big a deal.

As far as your point about hex size being based on figure size: that's fine as far as it goes, except that most minis now are closer to 30mm than 25. I can see them getting bigger too; some of the so-called "heroic" scale figures are creeping up to 40mm high. Does this mean we should start using 30-40mm hexes, and call them inches too?

There's already a unit based on the (supposed) height of a man -- it's the fathom. As far as I know, nobody uses it any more. Maybe the Navy, but I think even they have finally started using metres as a measurement of depth.

[Stormraven]

Originally posted by Fitz
Does it bother me? Yes. Am I going to give up the Hero System in disgust if nothing comes of this? Of course not. It's just not that big a deal.

As far as your point about hex size being based on figure size: that's fine as far as it goes, except that most minis now are closer to 30mm than 25. I can see them getting bigger too; some of the so-called "heroic" scale figures are creeping up to 40mm high. Does this mean we should start using 30-40mm hexes, and call them inches too?

Size of the miniature isn't even in the equation. Doesn't have to be, any more than the size of the hex you use.

And if you're not using maps and/or miniatures, then using meters works fine. If you are using maps and/or miniatures, inches works better as a shorthand for 'hex'. Why? Because you're not trying to calculate meters from the scale of the map every single action. You just count hexes.

Personally, I don't care. I tend to use meters anyway, since I don't use maps much - running PBEM and Chat-based games limits your mapping usage a bit.

[Heroman]

I vote for Denches. Then of course, seconds/segments could become Microts and each game could decide how exactly far that is, if they even want to
The only reason I like Inches is that it add up slower than 2m. Yes, I am a simple man....

[Arthur]

I like the way that expressing a distance as "inches" automatically means it is an in-scale measurement, while "meters" means it is in-game.

So, when I express a distance as "14 inches", that means "on the map"; if I say "28 meters", that means "to the characters'"

Don't even get me started on the idiots who always have to ask "how far is that?" "I just told you how far! 28 meters!" For them, I should convert to Furlongs per Fortnight.

[DoctorItron]

I mentally replace the "inches" with "hexes". In 15+ years playing Champions, almost every group I've seen used a hex map. Never once had to actually pull out a ruler and measure. I think the rule wording should say "hexes" or "map units", but I'm fine with inches, too.

(Does everyone else use a hex map?)

Changing to meters or feet would make the measurements character-centric, and would require extra math during combat. Consider this comparison:

1) Player-centric - the measurements are based on a player's viewpoint. An attack range might be expressed as "14 hexes".

2) Character-centric. Attack range is "28 meters". Player has to divide by 2 before checking hex map.

I prefer #1. #2 wouldn't be bad, just a tiny bit of extra work.

[tesuji]

I would prefer two things...

1. change it to meters or feet. Simply put, every time i say inches or hexes i push my players out of "in character" towards "in players." this is FINEand DANDY for a wargame... its lousy for a role playing game, even one that is a wargame in sheep's clothing.

2. change radius to diameter. On any hex map, you can draw out a diameter. In game after game expressing things as a radius lkeads to diameters one too short or one too long depending on how the game system treats the central hex. (hero is one too short with 2" radius being officially 3 hexes wide.)