Hexes NOT Squares?

[Mark CMG]

I have a friend that firmly believes that 4E will use hexes instead of squares. His reasoning, he tells me, is that it helps make 3.x obsolete and allows them to update the old material with this as one of the major changes. He cites the round (rather than square), slightly smaller than 1" bases on D&D minis as a sign that they've been thinking about this for a while. I guess he *might* be right but I'm not sure how I would feel about the change.


Anyway, right or wrong, what is the general feeling about 4E being hex-based rather than square-based?

What are the drawbacks to such a change?

What are the benefits of such a change?

Would this be a deal breaker for switching to the new edition whenever it comes out?

Have some people been using hexes all along anyway?

Any other thoughts or questions spring to mind?

 

[Mercule]

I hate hex-based movement. My brain thinks in straight lines. My characters tend to move in straight lines. Dungeon corridors tend to run in straight lines. Trying to push hex-based movement would be back.

I spit upon hex-maps.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

It could always be offset squares, which keep the straight lines of a square grid but allow the benefits of hex based grids.

 

[Ranger REG]

I have a friend that firmly believes that 4E will use hexes instead of squares. His reasoning, he tells me, is that it helps make 3.x obsolete and allows them to update the old material with this as one of the major changes. He cites the round (rather than square), slightly smaller than 1" bases on D&D minis as a sign that they've been thinking about this for a while. I guess he *might* be right but I'm not sure how I would feel about the change.


Anyway, right or wrong, what is the general feeling about 4E being hex-based rather than square-based?

While I'm an old-school wargamer, I have embraced the use of square grids. After all, you can gang up on PCs using 8 guys rather than 6.

What are the drawbacks to such a change?

Won't be perfect for dungeon mapping.

What are the benefits of such a change?

It handed victory to hex fans.

Would this be a deal breaker for switching to the new edition whenever it comes out?

Sighs. The only deal breaker for me is 4e's release date. I don't want to see it before 2010. Aside from that, I have welcomed square grid. I don't like going back to hex. If I want to go back to hex, I'd play BattleTech or Star Fleet Battles.

 

[Mercule]

It could always be offset squares, which keep the straight lines of a square grid but allow the benefits of hex based grids.

How does this work? By "offset squares", I'm picturing alternating rows of squares set 1/2" off. Since the offset is the part of hexes I dislike, that seems like a "worst of breed" scenario.

 

[Sammael]

I would prefer Hex grids, I think. Area effects and reach are so much easier to adjudicate on hexes that I'd be willing to put up with walls running through the middle of hexes.

 

[Kheti sa-Menik]

Well we don't really know IF there will be a 4th Edition. That's the problem with all the 4th Edition threads (and there seems to have been fewer in recent months). It's not even known when or even if there be one.

 

[Crothian]

Well we don't really know IF there will be a 4th Edition. That's the problem with all the 4th Edition threads (and there seems to have been fewer in recent months). It's not even known when or even if there be one.

There will be a 4th edition. When is still up in the air.

I perfer my squares but even if they went to hexes it wouldn't change much. The game now seems to assume squares yet people play with hexes, so no reason to think the reverse will screw everything up.

 

[Shemeska]

How 'bout neither?

In a hypothetical 4e, hex or square based anything won't matter one iota to me, because I don't use minis. I'd rather prefer them move towards divorcing minis and other wargame elements from DnD rather than pushing for further, or assumed integration like 3.5 did.

4e should be 4e DnD, not Advanced DDM.

I suppose my continued mockery of minis might also open me up to having minis thrown at me at GenCon (which I'll then hawk on Ebay or decorate my work cubical with, and Vrocks would be nice).

 

[tzor]

The Original AD&D (not to be confused with the original D&D) used hexes for outdoors and squares for indoors. Of course the original AD&D also had facing rules for both systems. This was dropped in 2E and it's not comming back, so the difference between squares and hexes is minimal except when you encounter things indoors because most buildings use 90 degree angles on the walls. This means you will have a lot of half hexes to deal with in a typical dungeon room.

Hexes are very ... er GURPS like. One can argue that the d20 system has already absorbed a whole lot of GURPS like rules, so adopting the hex is another logical progression in the assimiliation.