Guys, have you ever use a 3/4" hex map for SFB? It is so way easier to manage the counters.

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 12:30 am: Edit

Loren - I have. The maps I use in Ad Astra products are 1.4 inches on one side and 0.75" in the other side, both spanned out to fill a 24" x 37" sheet of paper. One sheet is a pretty good fit for a standard trestle table, and two sheets put long edge together are a nice 3'x4' playing area, suitable for miniatures play.

The sheets come out to 32x18 for the 1.4" hex side, and 56x30 for the 0.75" hex size.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 01:28 am: Edit

Ken,

but wouldn't you say the hex size makes play with 1/2" counter much easier?

By Terry O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 02:22 am: Edit

What size hexes are the small size hexes in the FC mapboards/Deluxe Space Battle Maps? I like that size. (Although I probably won't buy a vinyl map. I've tried one, and I like the FC panels a lot better.)

By Ken Lin (Old_School) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 09:46 am: Edit

I have to say, I will be very excited if this product comes out. I've wanted a vinyl SFB map for ages. The topic comes up on the BBS once every few years or so, but for whatever reason nothing ever comes of it. I would buy 2 of the "4230 - Tournament".

For the record, I don't much care about the background - but to go with the flow, dark blue with starfield is fine by me.

Also, to echo Todd, I would prefer (and would pay more for) the nicer Chessex material if available.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 10:16 am: Edit

Size: We can offer any size since it's print on demand. I just have to use a calculator for a bit and figure out the sizes.

Most games are 5/8 inch hexes for half-inch counters and 1.25" inches for one-inch counters.

We can do 5/8, 3/4, 1, 1.25, 1.5, doesn't cost US any extra and YOU can have whatever you want.

By Ken Lin (Old_School) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 10:25 am: Edit

SVC: Awesome!

By Todd Jolley (Tjolley) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 10:38 am: Edit

So the consensus seems to lean toward a Vinyl map, dark blue background, Starfield, standard # of Hexes:

5/8" map

or

1.25" map

And willing to pay extra for the Chessex-type material if available.

I'd be in for a 1.25" map or 2, maybe 4 if they were of the Chessex-type material

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:20 am: Edit

Loren - while my games use half inch markers in a few cases, I'm more worried about space to put stacking tiles and box miniatures.

Does anyone else have an objection to centered rosettes rather than burying them in the corner?

(The only one I really care about is the A-F one, where when it's buried in the corner, it's hard to see when papers get put on top of it, and it's a useful piece of info for my games.)

By Michael Bennett (Mike) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:28 am: Edit

Our group might be interested in the standard 30x42 hex size with 1.5" hexes. We've been using 2" hexes on a map we made, but on a 4'x6' surface it only gets 24 hexes tall and 30 or so wide.

Has dark blue been suggested because markers can be used on it for points-of-turn, slips, etc.?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:35 am: Edit

The main issue with creating my own is the ADB copyright on the tourney map. Now that ADB can provide I'm in a happy place!

Since SVC say we can have what we want I wish for the standard tourney map at 3/4" hexes and the Asteroid map (blue with grey scattered field that came in some product I forget which) in 3/4" hexes.

To have those two I'd be tickled pink.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:49 am: Edit

Let's get the first one done, then we can do asteroids and anything else you want.

I'll put the rosette where I want to, Ken, which is in the corner. You can stop arguing for anything else.

By Ken Lin (Old_School) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:59 am: Edit

I like the rosette in the corner better anyways. Rosette in the center would look weird (IMO).

By Alan W. Kerr (Awkerr) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 01:47 pm: Edit

Many have said that they want these maps so that they can write directly
on the map. If the map is a dark blue, can you read anything?

Would a "medium gray" be a better color? (or some other color?)

Also,
A Rosette in the center would often be useless. That's where most of
the counters would be! Especially if there is a base in the center.

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 03:15 pm: Edit

I seem to recall from a convention a few years ago, I ran across someone who was making hex based star maps. He had a website but I cant remember it. The unique thing about his maps was he could do any sixe up to 6'x8' and his backgrounds were pictures of areas of space taken by the hubble telescope. Plus they were laminated.

They were absolutely gorgeous, but at the time I was short on cash and since I cant find his card with the website to order one.......

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 03:22 pm: Edit

Writing on the map is nice but really the reason for the vinal map for me is NO FOLDS!

Frankly, I'd be happy with a 3/4" hex paper map that had no folds as well but vynal is the way to get it done in the real world so color me happy.

By Mike Novean (Blackdice) on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 03:51 pm: Edit

I would purchase one standard size map for tournaments and one large hex one for miniature play.

I would only do this if they were made of material similar to the Chessex maps (those maps don't have the problem with the edges curling after being stored in a tube).

I would want them both to be the same as the current maps included in the basic set (direction A/B/C/D/E/F and number patterns and map panel letters).

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Monday, September 03, 2007 - 03:51 pm: Edit

How about a mail order only E-module with the Nicozians?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, September 03, 2007 - 04:17 pm: Edit

When would I be able to spare the designer, staff, or playtest time for something I don't want to print in the first place?

Would there really be a point in printing them "as is" with a disclaimer that they are to be considered as rejected until I change my mind?

I'm not saying that's a deal breaker, since I do want to find something for experimental PDF sales.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Monday, September 03, 2007 - 04:37 pm: Edit

SVC: I was thinking they could be printed as is, but I did not know they were that "rough" a draft. I thought the E-module would be a chance to playtest them as they always seemed interesting to me (what I know of them).

But if it requires alot of work to prepare then it is not worth ADB's time.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, September 03, 2007 - 05:47 pm: Edit

Ask Petrick if he...

1. Can find the file.

2. Remembers what state it is in.

3. Is interested in doing an "as is" print.

Have him put this in a memo to me.

By Gregg Dieckhaus (Gdieck) on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 12:14 am: Edit

Recently I have been listening to alot of gaming podcasts.
I would like to have a Star Fleet Universe one to listen to.

Has anyone thought about doing that?

Gregg

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 09:35 am: Edit

Gregg: The Steves (SVC & SPP) probably have no idea what a Podcast is. It would help if you gave them an example, possibly with a link to a free one.

When one of them hands this off to either Mat or who ever is doing Marketing now, this is the book to get you started.

http://www.podcastsolutions.com/

PHD

By Gregg Dieckhaus (Gdieck) on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 10:08 am: Edit

Podcasts are basically a recorded show about a topic, that is distributed as an MP3 file that people can listen to on their IPOD or MP3 Player, or burn to a CD and listen to in a car.

Here is a link to the WOTC D&D Podcasts
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4arch/pod

Some are done by companies... others are just done by fans.

Gregg

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 10:54 am: Edit

I actually do know what a podcast is. We plan to do a series of them, but until the situation with my mother is resolved, I'm either not here, or when I'm here, I'm not here.