Why squares instead of hexes?

Psiborg

Join Date 07/2003

Why squares instead of hexes?

The shape of things to come...

This is really a question for Brad I suspect as it's tied most closely to the AI. Why does Elemental (and GalCiv for that matter) uses a square grid rather than a hex grid?

Hexes seem to make a lot more sense as they approximate distance more consistently. Square grids lead to unequal movement speed as you effectively move faster along a diagonal than you do vertically or horizontally. In addition to inequities of movement, there is also the visual component. Range is harder to visually estimate as it appears much greater towards the corners as it does towards the sides of the square. For this reason, I leave the grid visible in GalCiv2 even though I'd prefer to play with it off.

While any grid of course is a rounded-off approximation of the space it is representing, hexes are arguably a better representation of 2D space and therefore I'd assume a better system to use.

Anyway, I'm sure my point is clear and any strategy gamer (is there any other type of person reading these forums? knows the difference between them.

So why stick with squares? Too much code invested in the AI based on a square grid? Or, some other reason that hasn't occured to me? Do tell...

Best of luck with Elemental! I'm as excited and eager as the rest to see this game come to fruition. Cheers, -J.

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Interesting. When I think of a hex grid, I think of the hexes horizontally, like this:

____
/ \
\____/

Apparently, a lot of people think of then the other way around.... not that it interferes with gameplay at all, but sometimes the terminology can be a bit confusing.....

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I've seen games both ways. Either way you are forced to additional direction you may not intend to go. It doesn't happen a whole lot, but in either case (X or Y oriented) I have encountered undesired travel when using hex maps. Going one direction just a liiittttle bit further than I wanted.

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Ynglaur

Join Date 05/2006

+11

Hexes open up 12 directions if you could hexsides. Personally, I'd prefer to stay away from abstract grids altogether. I'd much prefer the Total War style of tactical combat. I've love to see grids gone from strategic views, but very view games have attempted to do so (War in the Pacific, a few others).

That said, I was very impressed by GalCiv2's use of the grids. Most prior experience had been with "starlanes" a la MOO3, Imperium Galactica (the first version - the one released on the Mac), etc. They ended up being convenient without breaking the suspension of disbelief. GalCiv2's worked really well from a gameplay standpoint, though, and didn't intrude too much on the suspension of disbelief.

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I think the original question has been answered...sort of, but I know what Psiborg means. The old table top games from

avalon hill were all on hex. I didn't like when new D&D started using squares, but the games like Civ and others use squares. I like the hexs better but it may not be easier to program or line up things on a map. ahhh well, lets see Star Fleet Battles also had a hex, so I would love that instead but I am really just looking forward to a turn based fantasy game.

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