Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip > The Fantasy Trip: House Rules

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-07-2018, 07:56 PM   #1
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default What are your map coordinates?

I'm just gonna arbitrarily choose the following unless somebody has a better system lying around.
  • Dranning - T17
  • Osley - S11
  • Newdelve - N15
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2018, 10:26 PM   #2
platimus
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: behind you
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

I've used similar coordinates for battle/encounter maps. Using the alphabet works great for small maps. It can still work fine for these larger, overworld maps if you start using AA, BB, CC, etc. after reaching Z but you'll keep having to increase the #of digits in your coordinate every 26 columns. (AAA, BBB, etc.)

I'd stick with the traditional number/number system for large and/or overworld hex maps.

first column = 01, second column = 02, etc.

Dranning - 2017
Osley - 1911
Newdelve - 1415

Using numbers has some nice mathematical properties. If you move south, you add 1 to your current hex#. If you move north, subtract 1.

Moving in the easterly and westerly directions depends on whether or not you start numbering on the half-hexes on the edge of the map. Most that I've seen don't assign numbers to those half-hexes but you and I seem to be doing it here so...

*** Moving north-west, subtract 101 from your current hex#. Moving north-east, add 100, then subtract 1 (yes, also known as adding 99 LOL). Moving south-west, subtract 100. Moving south-east, add 100. ***

(assuming you have less than 100 rows/columns. if you have more than 100 rows, then you be adding/subtracting by 1000s.)

*** EDIT ***
Actually, these formulas aren't quite right. I figured this out a long time ago and thought I remembered how it worked. There is a formula to it though. I just can't remember it and I'm too tired (late at night) to re-figure it out right now. I think there are alternations. Like, you subtract 101 if you're in an even column or 100 if you're in an odd column, etc.
__________________
Miranda Warning: Anything you say can and will be used against you in a forum of rules-lawyers.

Last edited by platimus; 12-07-2018 at 11:12 PM.
platimus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2018, 04:38 AM   #3
XRaysVision
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

Wasn’t there a standard system used by SPI back in the 70’s? I think that Avalon Hill had a system (the same?) as well.
XRaysVision is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2018, 08:54 AM   #4
platimus
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: behind you
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

I'm not sure if the previous comment refers to my post or the OP. I have no idea what Avalon Hill used but here is a piece of a numbered hex-map...

https://imgur.com/5AGktpo

I think every hex-map I've ever seen was numbered like that (if it was numbered). Note the half-hexes at the edges aren't numbered. Here's the formulas for movement on a map numbered like this (useful for programmed/programming hex-plore adventures, etc.):

Move north, subtract 1 from current hex-number. Move south, add 1.
North-west, subtract 100 if your current column is even. Subtract 101 if odd.
North-east, add 100 if your current column is even. Add 99 if odd.
South-west, subtract 99 if your current column is even. Subtract 100 if odd.
South-east, add 101 if your current column is even. Add 100 if odd.
__________________
Miranda Warning: Anything you say can and will be used against you in a forum of rules-lawyers.
platimus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2018, 10:36 AM   #5
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

My inspiration is the spreadsheet.
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2018, 12:08 PM   #6
platimus
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: behind you
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
My inspiration is the spreadsheet.
LOL
Yeah, when I started using [letter][number] for encounter maps, my inspiration was chess, battleship, and bingo!
__________________
Miranda Warning: Anything you say can and will be used against you in a forum of rules-lawyers.
platimus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2018, 12:51 PM   #7
JLV
 
JLV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arizona
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

Quote:
Originally Posted by XRaysVision View Post
Wasn’t there a standard system used by SPI back in the 70’s? I think that Avalon Hill had a system (the same?) as well.
SPI's system was based on a one-up number for the hex column and a one-up number for the hex row on each map (and if you had multiple maps, they would usually be given a unique identifier, such as a letter of the alphabet ("map H") or something similar ("NW map"). Thus, each hex would have a unique number. For example, hex B2327 was the hex in the 23rd column on the 27th row of map B. Made it very simple.

Avalon Hill's system was to label each diagonal row with a letter (if necessary going into double letters; e.g.; "AA"), and each column with a one-up number. Thus, you would have something like "N15" as a location identifier. Again, relatively simple, though sometimes it was easy to get confused as to what precise letter applied to a given hex...
JLV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2018, 04:55 AM   #8
XRaysVision
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: What are your map coordinates?

Yeah, JLV, the SPI system is *very* simple and easy to use. I would recommend anyone who is trying to PBeM, use this for their arenas. In fact, it would be nice if SJG would “endorse” a the use a coordinate system to facilitate PBeM.

My preference would be the SPI system and clockwise numbering of hex sides.

This would allow for precise position and facing in a simple, short code:

The counter is located on Map A in column 2, row 4, and facing hex side 1 would be annotated as A020401. This also allows a complete textual description of the map itself as all that would be needed to describe the shape of a map is a list of hex numbers. For instance a 50 hex “square” arena might be described as simply as 0000-5050, obstacles, dropped objects, bodies, etc would be could also be easily located.

Once the map was established, either Play By eMail (PBeM) or Play By Text Message (PBTM) would be super fast and simple.

This is a great thread! I have a friend in Maryland (I’m in Georgia) with whom I’d like to try this out.
XRaysVision is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.