Converting Midville, the truck stop, etc, into City Blocks

[Chris Goodwin]

I've had this weird persistent buzzing thought for a while, about hacking the included maps into 8" x 8" squares. Most likely it would be cutting them up in software and exporting them to squares. Has anyone done anything like this?

For the truck stop, I'd likely just cut out the interesting bits, because the rest of it can more or less be recreated with the arena blocks.

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin

I've had this weird persistent buzzing thought for a while, about hacking the included maps into 8" x 8" squares. Most likely it would be cutting them up in software and exporting them to squares. Has anyone done anything like this?

For the truck stop, I'd likely just cut out the interesting bits, because the rest of it can more or less be recreated with the arena blocks.

It could be done, altho' how one would deal with the number of "odd-sized" buildings in Midville (the shopping mall; the gov't offices; etc.) would seem to be a problem.

But then, there's always the _City Blocks_ supplements.

Or, better yet: One could use the old AutoVentures supplement _The Road_ as a starting point -- those ran the streets down the middles of the 8" x 8" squares; buildings could then be made as "deep" as one liked, without being restricted to 8" x 8" blocks. A "street grid" can be built using the "kriss kross" puzzles from Dell puzzle magazines: https://www.pennydellpuzzles.com/Upl...ek6_Puzzle.pdf ....

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally Posted by 43Supporter

It could be done, altho' how one would deal with the number of "odd-sized" buildings in Midville (the shopping mall; the gov't offices; etc.) would seem to be a problem.

But then, there's always the _City Blocks_ supplements.

Or, better yet: One could use the old AutoVentures supplement _The Road_ as a starting point -- those ran the streets down the middles of the 8" x 8" squares; buildings could then be made as "deep" as one liked, without being restricted to 8" x 8" blocks. A "street grid" can be built using the "kriss kross" puzzles from Dell puzzle magazines: https://www.pennydellpuzzles.com/Upl...ek6_Puzzle.pdf ....

I've also thought that since we already have geomorphic roads, we should make geomorphic buildings, and put the two together. I'm sure someone has already done that.

[Parody]

Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin

I've also thought that since we already have geomorphic roads, we should make geomorphic buildings, and put the two together. I'm sure someone has already done that.

I made a set of map blocks based on South Park for SPARK. They're pretty simplistic, but they worked well enough for the few times we used them. I prefer standard arena maps, though.

[TheAmishStig]

Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin

I've had this weird persistent buzzing thought for a while, about hacking the included maps into 8" x 8" squares. Most likely it would be cutting them up in software and exporting them to squares. Has anyone done anything like this?

For the truck stop, I'd likely just cut out the interesting bits, because the rest of it can more or less be recreated with the arena blocks.

I didn't do it with a pack-in arena, but I did do it with Tilkendröm, my wooden 3D arena. It's...hit or miss. You need a real good way of keeping the map pieces together as a single coherent object when you're trying to play the game, without introducing lumps/etc for the cars to catch on.

I need to recut the malevolent MDF monster, speaking of...what I have [a catch fence that forms a solid 'box' for the tiles to go in, "Don't Break the Ice!" style] isn't bad, but the joints are too sloppy, giving it more play than I'm happy with. The small size of the tiles is great for fitting in an 18-gallon tote, but also means lots of seams...if it spreads across 2 tables and they're not even, that creates ridges, so need to address that too.

[josephrey]

Remember the MicroMachines Travel Cities? I only had a few, but loved being about to mix and match.

And I had a dream just last night that I was going through my old Car Wars maps and realized I had cut them up into smaller pieces! But it wasn't like the idea above. I had cut out specific shapes, and when I turned them over, could see the remnants of a larger map on the back. I was so bummed.

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally Posted by josephrey

Remember the MicroMachines Travel Cities? I only had a few, but loved being about to mix and match.

This is the first I've seen of those. Intriguing.

And I had a dream just last night that I was going through my old Car Wars maps and realized I had cut them up into smaller pieces! But it wasn't like the idea above. I had cut out specific shapes, and when I turned them over, could see the remnants of a larger map on the back. I was so bummed.

Oof. Sorry about that...

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by josephrey

Remember the MicroMachines Travel Cities? I only had a few, but loved being about to mix and match.

There's also "World's Smallest Matchbox", whose cars are dead-on _CW_ scale. Sadly, I can't find a website with info on them which hasn't been Photobucketed to death.

[TheAmishStig]

Originally Posted by 43Supporter

There's also "World's Smallest Matchbox", whose cars are dead-on _CW_ scale. Sadly, I can't find a website with info on them which hasn't been Photobucketed to death.

I wish my stepbrothers hadn't run off with all mine, I used to have a fairly sizable pile of the things. These days, good luck getting the old ones for anything resembling a reasonable price...it's become a pretty cut-throat collector's market.

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by TheAmishStig

These days, good luck getting the old ones for anything resembling a reasonable price...it's become a pretty cut-throat collector's market.

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[quietly backs out of room...]

:)