Virago said:
KD:
You are correct for straight line movement. Hexes and squares (using 5/10/5) are virtually identical in those circumstances, regardless of distance or direction
To be fair, in line with the nitpicking of the rest of your post--no. Hexes are not "virtually identical" against the grain.
I stand corrected. There are some cases where they are different enough, especially with long narrow rooms.
45 degree movement, 100x100 foot room, corner to corner (i.e. “19 diagonal” spaces of movement):
1) 5/10/5 results in 140 feet
2) hexes result in 140 feet, regardless of grain
3) geometry results in 134.35 feet (remember, corner “space” to corner space is 95x95, not 100x100)
The distance is identical between the two (i.e. hexes and 5/10/5 squares).
Let’s take another example:
A X X
Y X X
X Y X
X Y X
X Y X
X X Y
X X B
Direct line between A and B using path Y. This is a 15 x 35 room, but A is 2.5 feet in from the edges as is B.
1) 5/10/5 results in 35 feet
2) hexes result in 35 feet (using the 35 feet as not against the grain)
3) hexes result in 30 feet (using the 35 feet as against the grain)
4) geometry results in 31.62 feet (remember, corner “space” to corner space is 10x30, not 15x35)
So, here the “against the grain” hex measurement is more accurate, but the “with the grain” hex measurement is identical to the square one.
Here is a case where drawing a room 90 degrees off might result in a difference in movement and hence, a difference in combat with hexes.
I will concede this point. However, in a lot of cases, they are “virtually identical” as I stated.
Virago said:
A hex is nearly circular
Uh.. no. Check out the 5/10/5 figures verses hex figures at longer ranges.
I have. The hex has to have a diameter of 13 hexes before a circle would add in additional hexes at the edges and those would be not quite full hexes.
Still, it’s a lot easier to figure out which ones are or are not, even at larger sizes by marking the 6 hexes at the radius extreme than it is with any method short of a string with squares. In other words, I guarantee I can draw a 21 hex radius circle faster and more accurately than you can draw any 21 square radius circle. And, that’s the bottom line. It’s quicker and easier to use hexes for the majority of what you want to do with the sole exception of rectangular shaped rooms with edges along 0 and 90 degrees. There, squares and the 5/10/5 rule have the advantage in consistency and ease of drawing.
Virago said:
Since most area effect spells in DND are less than 30 feet in radius, hexes are not only just as accurate, they are also much quicker to figure out.
I agree. Hexes make for better approximations of circles at short ranges. However, I think the hassle of half-hexes makes these gains in accuracy -- which are of dubious value anyway -- negligible. Especially at short ranges, where the terrain is likely to be more detailed, dungeonlike, and less suited to a hex map.
What about the hassle of “half-squares” and “third-squares” and “quarter-squares” with non-rectangular rooms or rectangular rooms at non-zero degree angles?
You keep ignoring that completely, but in the vast majority of geometric shapes and directions, squares have this problem in spades.
Hexes also have this problem, but to a lesser extent since they are nearly circular objects.
If you try to put a bunch of six sided dice into a jar, fewer of them will fit in the jar than if you put a bunch of marbles with the same volume as the dice. Why? Because the marbles are spherical whereas the dice are cubes. Same with squares and hexes. Hexes fit easier in a lot of circumstances since they are closer to a circular shape than squares are. Isosceles triangles would be worse than squares, etc.