Hex or grid?

[Savage Wombat]

I'm always surprised to see this wholesale rejection of minis and grids. When I joined my first real D&D game back in high school (over 25 years ago) we were using minis and grids with pleasure. It meant that you knew where someone was standing when the fireball went off, and who was closest to the trap. Stuff like that.

Grid movement doesn't have to slow down your game.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I prefer hexes for everything.

 

[Blackwarder]

Hi guys, it gratifying to see all of your responses but I think that the thread as gone on a slightly different rails than I intended.

Talking about grids and minis is a natural thing to do when you discussing grids vs hex and I guess that in regard to encounter maps (if there are any) it's inevitable but we already know that tactical combat ala 4e will probably be a module in D&DNext, what I curious about is what do you think about modules maps, not necceseraly combat grids but maps of cities, continents, buildings and dungeons.

Should the default guidelines for new DMs and publishers be hexs for cities? Grid? Free form? What about outdoor maps and dungeon maps?

Wether the tactical module should support grid or hexes is a topic for another discussion and once we have a little bit more info it deserve to have its own thread.

Warder

 

[Infiniti2000]

Non-encounter maps should never have any grids or hexes or any other artificial delineators. Encounter maps, however, should have demarcation lines. I prefer grids as it's much easier. I don't have to buy special paper or supplies to have gridded encounters. Also, I don't mind going non-uniform to the grids when the situation calls for it, so all the talk about grids constraining you is hogwash.

 

[seregil]

Hexes for outside and grid for inside. However, I would like the return of facing in the combat system, where the three squares in front of you (NW, N,NE) are your front, the sides are two squares (W/SW and E/SE) and the squares behind (S) is your rear, with appropriate bonuses. (Meybe rear is SE/S/SW, I don't remember)

It also would permit the return of the backstab (everyone gets a bonus when they flank, but rogues get an additional bonus when they are in the rear).


[RANT]
Also, can we PLEASE switch to METRIC?!?!

Let's be on the bleeding edge and drag the US, kicking and screaming if need be, into the 20th century! (We'll work on the 21st later).

The US is the ONLY country on this planet that still uses this retarded, illogical and awkward system. Could WOTC please get a grip and make the switch?
[/rant]

 

[nightwalker450]

Hex Grid is my preference.

For what they should publish, they shouldn't have grid on any of the maps, but they can sell square, hex, offset square, point, offset point overlays that can go over the map and then you have whatever type of grid you would like. Or those that prefer freeform, can go without an overlay at all.

 

[Ratskinner]

Talking about grids and minis is a natural thing to do when you discussing grids vs hex and I guess that in regard to encounter maps (if there are any) it's inevitable but we already know that tactical combat ala 4e will probably be a module in D&DNext, what I curious about is what do you think about modules maps, not necceseraly combat grids but maps of cities, continents, buildings and dungeons.

Should the default guidelines for new DMs and publishers be hexs for cities? Grid? Free form? What about outdoor maps and dungeon maps?

Cities: I prefer either top-down free-form, or perspective/isometric-ish sketch like this or this. I think it gives the viewer a better feel for the town.

Continents: I generally prefer free-form, but I like an "older" style. Continents usually have too much information for a lot of art, so I accept nice top-down work

Smaller Regions: These are fine either ff-td, or in the sketch style. Some of it depends on the mood they are trying to invoke or the data they are trying to display.

Dungeon Maps: Iso, all the way.

 

[Steely_Dan]

Or those that prefer freeform, can go without an overlay at all.

Yeah, truly core, just some minis (or tokens etc) and a cloth tape measure.

 

[Blackwarder]

Here is a follow up question, how do you prefer your multi level maps (buildings, forts, dungeons etc) isometric, top down? Or something else?

Warder

 

[The Red King]

Hi all.

So the title says it all, which one do you prefer and for what? Hex maps or grid maps?

Do you prefer hexes or grid for combat?
What about outdoors maps and city maps?
And what about dungeon maps?

It's a small question but I think that it will have a big impact on the next edition.

Personally, I prefer outdoor maps with hexes, I'm not sure about indoor maps though since I haven't seen any indoor maps with hexes, I think that for combat with miniatures hexes are better than a grid but that's about it and tbh I've been using grids since forever simply because it was easier to find boards with grids (AKA and big checkers boards) than ones with hexes.

Warder

I only like Hex for large scale maps.... World, continent type stuff. Other than that, I prefer grid.