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Hex Grids/Maps


Eyendasky80

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

Got it to work now. The numbers seem kind of arbitrary. I'm sure they have meaning to whoever programmed it, but not so much to me.

 

I did: 800 Width, 400 Height, 204 Red, 204 Green, 102 Blue, and on the next column 52 Blue, No Numbers, and Gray Nebula as the background and when you click Render it does show you a map grid when you scroll down.

 

I thought the defaults (30 width, etc) were number of hexes, but they seem to be more like number of pixels or something, so make the numbers bigger.

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

Got it to work now. The numbers seem kind of arbitrary. I'm sure they have meaning to whoever programmed it, but not so much to me.

 

I did: 800 Width, 400 Height, 204 Red, 204 Green, 102 Blue, and on the next column 52 Blue, No Numbers, and Gray Nebula as the background and when you click Render it does show you a map grid when you scroll down.

 

I thought the defaults (30 width, etc) were number of hexes, but they seem to be more like number of pixels or something, so make the numbers bigger.

At first, I was thinking that they were in mm, but then, when I used size 25 hexes, they weren't 1".

 

Probably pixels... which is reasonably useless, really...

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

I just made a large sheet of large hexes and resize it smaller in Powerpoint as I need it (i.e., to fit whatever map/blueprint I'm using). I'm sure that you can do the same for whatever you need. Of course, I don't use counters or anything so I don't need the hexes to be 1", just as long as they represent 2 meters (or 2 yards).

 

Neil

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

I made a sheet of hexes in Corel Draw. Wasn't too easy. But it had the added affect of allowing me to build another layer on top for whatever terrain features I needed. Then I'd send the file to work and print it on my desktop printer, which prints in "Tabloid" size (up to 19" x 13").

 

But my favorite innovation is still clear celophane. Get some celophane from a floral design place (Michael's arts & Crafts has it on rolls), and roll it out over your regular hex-mat, and use a permanent marker to draw whatever you want. Then lift up the celopane. At the game it takes you two seconds to roll it out over the battlemat and you're ready for combat, rather than standing there redrawing the scene. It has the added benefit of being reusable; you just roll up the sheet for any scene you might want to use again and save it.

 

Also keeps the battlemats clean.

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

Blue, I think I'm going to use this method. It would be really helpful for scenarios with a large number of areas. Multiple floors in a skyscraper would be much easier, too. Do you attach the cellophane to the battlemat? If so, what do you use to attach it?

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

I haven't. The kind I've been using rolls out and generally stays in place due to static cling. Plus my players tend to set their books on it sometimes (since the mats take up the table). But it can be secured in any conventional way (tape).

 

At home I have an old zippered art portfolion I don't use anymore. I fold the celophane sheets into quarters and put them in the portfolio. There's about 8-10 different maps in there right now. Any that I'm sure are one-timers just get trashed after the scene is over.

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

Not so much. They "bead up". That's why I use permanents (Sharpies).

 

On the bright side: I had good luck with spraying a little bit of cleaner (I think it's one of the Formula 409 sprays) onto a paper towel and wiping the permenanet marker right off in any spot where I misapplied.

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Re: Hex Grids/Maps

 

I use a small program called "Graph Paper Printer" to create hex maps. I use version 4.20, which says in its 'about' dialog that it is "free and unlimited." It is a small (~750K) application that can print a variety of types and shapes of grids (and even music notation sheets) in any custom size you care to define.

 

Of course I just checked the developer's web site (http://www.marquis-soft.com/), and the newest version (5.4.0.2) is shareware, requiring a $20 license to print anything but rectangular grids. I think I'll stick with the free version.

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