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Old 01-18-2018, 07:39 AM   #21
Oneiros
 
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Default Re: TFT - Game Accessories

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Originally Posted by Dave Crowell View Post
Litko will do coustom shapes and sizes if they get a big enough order, or the custoer is willing to pay enough.
I found these guys (this guy?) who also do multi-hex bases (http://gcmini.mybigcommerce.com/hex-bases-triple-hex-2/).

But as JLV succinctly summarized my early ramblings about minis, having such bases for Cardboard Heroes would be awesome (plus obviously usable across multiple SJG systems).
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Old 01-18-2018, 10:42 AM   #22
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Default Re: TFT - Game Accessories

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Originally Posted by Oneiros View Post
I found these guys (this guy?) who also do multi-hex bases (http://gcmini.mybigcommerce.com/hex-bases-triple-hex-2/).

But as JLV succinctly summarized my early ramblings about minis, having such bases for Cardboard Heroes would be awesome (plus obviously usable across multiple SJG systems).
/\ THIS. /\
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Old 02-25-2018, 06:23 PM   #23
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Default Re: TFT - Game Accessories

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Now that's an interesting point. Are the megahexes really useful, or do they just make the maps nonstandard? -Steve Jackson-
Megahexes are useful, and a part of TFT, IMO. They facilitate determining distance for both the GM and the Players, and are used in determining the effects of light and sound, the range and effect of magic spells, and of course, various tactical aspects such as missile weapon range.

I've had to play on hex boards without MHs and it slowed play, often lead to confusion, and at a gut level detracted from the enjoyment of the game. MHs also give the eye something to anchor to, instead of a seemingly endless horizon of generic hexes.

MHs are a distinctive aspect of TFT, as much as its interesting, balanced, and very functional tactical interaction system. I certainly hope these remain a standard part of the game system.
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Old 02-26-2018, 07:58 PM   #24
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Megahexes are useful, and a part of TFT, IMO. They facilitate determining distance for both the GM and the Players, and are used in determining the effects of light and sound, the range and effect of magic spells, and of course, various tactical aspects such as missile weapon range.

I've had to play on hex boards without MHs and it slowed play, often lead to confusion, and at a gut level detracted from the enjoyment of the game. MHs also give the eye something to anchor to, instead of a seemingly endless horizon of generic hexes.

MHs are a distinctive aspect of TFT, as much as its interesting, balanced, and very functional tactical interaction system. I certainly hope these remain a standard part of the game system.
I'm going to agree with this. Are MH necessary? No, possibly not, but neither is great art, and we all want that. And MH DO make a lot of game functions significantly easier and quicker. It's what Redmond Simonsen used to call a "graphic game aid" that can produce outsize effects with a simple dark line on the map...
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Old 03-07-2018, 10:57 AM   #25
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(Slightly off-topic, but still at least tangential...) Finally, didn't someone do a "conversion" thing where they showed how to convert megahexes into squares at one time? That might be a very useful tool for helping convert mapping into grid paper for buildings and the like, while simultaneously retaining the advantages of hexes for combat and range calculations. (I can't find it in my files right now, but I distinctly remember the author dealing with odd room shapes, corridors, T-intersections, and so on.) And hexes are enormously important to TFT's tactical combat simulation -- without them it not only wouldn't be the same, it also wouldn't work nearly as well.
Are you thinking of an offset checkerboard? Where each row is offset from the columns above & below by half the width of a space?

(I just spent 20 minutes trying to draw it in ASCII: HTML editor is not cooperating.)

Last edited by Jackal; 03-07-2018 at 11:16 AM.
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Old 03-07-2018, 01:57 PM   #26
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Are you thinking of an offset checkerboard? Where each row is offset from the columns above & below by half the width of a space?

(I just spent 20 minutes trying to draw it in ASCII: HTML editor is not cooperating.)
No, not at all. As I recall, the website was called "Squarehex" or something similar (and no, I'm not talking about the guy in the UK who sells hex paper and other gaming supplies, though his website is a great source for all the kinds of paper we used to be able to pick up in stationary and gaming stores and can't anymore), and it used actual HEXES to represent square buildings and tunnels, and also had ideas on how to make that work for magic spell areas of effect in TFT. It was definitely a labor of love by some TFT aficionado, and I would LOVE to find it again. His work was excellent!
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Old 03-07-2018, 06:57 PM   #27
Jim Kane
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... Are the megahexes really useful, or do they just make the maps nonstandard?
Short Answer: For myself, I love the Megahexes, and would hate to see them lost to the mists of time.

Beyond the ease of counting MH's for Missle Weapon DX Adjustments, the MH's are to me, sort like an iconic Power-Symbol which is -as far as I recall - unique to The Fantasy Trip.

Personally, I feel the game would look too different visually from a purely aesthetic point-of-view - as in the way a cat looks when shaved down to the skin :::shudders:::

JK

Last edited by Jim Kane; 03-21-2018 at 01:14 AM. Reason: Typo
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Old 03-20-2018, 08:02 PM   #28
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Default Game Accessories - and Mh discussion.

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Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
...
Now that's an interesting point. Are the megahexes really useful, or do they just make the maps nonstandard?
Hi Steve, everyone.
I think a Chessics style vinyl map with hexes would be great. I've hand drawn one with permanent markers for my game room and it is sweet.

I really like Megahexes (Mh).
-- When counting out archer ranges I hold my fingers about 10 cm apart over the Mh grid and count "-0, -1, -2, -3, -4. You are -4 DX for range." This is way faster than counting 30 odd hexes, subtracting 6 and then dividing by 6.

-- I like area spells (like Dazzle), and have added several more. (I'm fond of big spells that affect friend and foe alike.) It is easier to see large areas with Mh than counting out 18 hex radiuses.

I think it depends a bit on the size of the map. I have a big table with a big map on it. I run big battles with lots of guys in them. when you have a big map and spells that cover large ranges, Mh are useful. If you are always playing in tight areas, they are less useful. To me, one of the unique selling points of TFT is you actually can run large battles, so I would be reluctant to make changes that lower the size of TFT battles.

As for those who say Mh don't match the right angles of a town, I run buildings along the alternate hex grain. A hex that is half empty is a crowded hex and all crowded hexes are -2 DX if you are in them.

Warm regards, Rick.
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Old 03-21-2018, 01:11 AM   #29
Jim Kane
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Default Re: Game Accessories - and Mh discussion.

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As for those who say Mh don't match the right angles of a town, I run buildings along the alternate hex grain. A hex that is half empty is a crowded hex and all crowded hexes are -2 DX if you are in them.
AGREED! I just draw those straight-lines and consider them as whole-hexes for ease of play when using counters or figuring distance (round up to the nearest whole hex). Rick's solution is very cool, and mine is a more casual approach; but in either case, laying out square rooms and towns is no problem depending on how you decide you want to deal with with the half-hex.

The Fantasy Trip: Security Station: MicroQuest #5, Metagaming (1981) had an excellent game map for those who wish to simulate roughly square rooms - more of a Rhombus, really - at the personal-encounter level. If the half-hex room thing sort of bothers someone, I would commend them to consider the Security Station solution as another possible way to go as well.

JK
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Old 03-21-2018, 12:03 PM   #30
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Default Re: TFT - Game Accessories

Yep, same here. To my mind complaining about the hexes versus squares for mapping simply shows a lack of imagination in certain ways. In fact, I believe there are very good rules for this issue in GURPS in terms of mapping and playing on a map of a square building while using hexagons.

Also, you can use hexes to show things like spiral stairs, towers, and the like very effectively. I do realize that the mapping system shown in the original ITL was deficient, mostly because they failed to explain their "edge" (literally) cases well and provided zero guidelines for effectively mapping square/rectangular buildings -- had they done a better job of that, then I think a lot of the confusion initially engendered by the mapping style would have been laid to rest at the start. (I suspect that this was a function of HT wanting to get the thing in print ASAP, and not permitting additional clarifications and such to get in the way of his publishing schedule -- which is also somewhat understandable from HT's perspective -- continuing to design something does not equal having it out there being sold and raising money.)
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