Modular 3d Hex Terrain (Hills)

[Tirick]

I honestly cannot say how/why the pique to design strikes me, although this one was clearly influenced by my discovery of the rerelease of the FASA Battletech rules, and the pending Mechwarrior MMO.

As the title states: Modular Hexagonal 3D hills. Obviously this is designed with Mechwarrior in mind, although anything using hexes could benefit. Each terrain elevation is designed to match the horizontal scale (1:1000), so each level is about 10 meters high to scale (1 cm). I designed ramps to ease transitions and more clearly define 'cliffs' vs graduating hills. As of yet they are untextured; they are hot off the press, I literally finished design about 3 hours ago and build in the last 1/2 hour.

Please ignore the badly painted Heavy Gear mech...

Not certain how far I might go with this. I have some ideas in my head for modular Hex boards which will allow for reduction terrain, but I am fickle... at best.

I don't intend to 'market' these. Once I'm satisfied with a set, they will be released free (here or on my site).

Enjoy!
Tirick

 

[Sanginus]

looks great,
very useful for CBT and other
hex-based tabletop war games

 

[Zathros]

I like these shapes. The angled ones and the way they com together fascinate me for some reason. With the right program. You could make any shape. You could also make some really interesting 3D puzzles out of these!

 

[Tirick]

It would work for any game needing/using hexes. Hexes are superior for many games, although grids dominate most games. Easier to make I suspect (or a predominance of square interior combats).

I am now out of coloured ink, so you'll have to live with 3d images for now. I still have to add the 'slot' to the faces, although I'm intending to go with a vertical slit in each of the faces with a detachable guide/joiner.

I've added some grass textures to the faces, and modeled the rest of the hill elements. Mixing and matching these should provide ample choices with regards to layout. I'd like some feedback on the texture. I wanted to have the levels clearly defined on the hex faces, so that a quick glance could count the layers. I'll release a texture map at any rate so you can modify if desired.

Road and Track elements are in the works, flat and 'raised' with their own risers/bridges. I might even make a train (to scale).

Tirick

 

[Tirick]

May I humbly offer up tracks/trains:

The train shape (and rough texture) is based on the ICE trains the Deutsche Bahn employs. They elements are modular, so you can have as long a train as you would like. They are also independent of the track, which is comprised of a lot of independent elements. This will allow for destroyed sections (and raised sections) without the need to redesign.

I will be creating a more permanent texture for the train, I've used a placeholder for demonstration.

Enjoy,
Tirick

 

[Sanginus]

Hi, your grass/hill texture is very well done, especially because
the difference in altitude can be seen immediately. this is very helpful
during game play. (similar to the model on the picture below)

Your idea is unique, roads and railway track textures
to design, I have not seen before.

I find the train very nice, look forward to your
other textures.

 

[Tirick]

That is a nice board in the pic you've shown, is that a gaming store near you, or your own board?

I have a bit of OCD when it comes to scale. I love TT games, but this one in particular has a nasty scaling difference. When I design buildings they'll be to 'proper' scale. I made a few scale markers, to aid with building construction and general sense of world-scale.

I might unfold one and see if I can even build 'em this small.

Enjoy,
Tirick

 

[Tirick]

A lot of the parts will be interchangeable with the road elements, which I will start to model/texture soon. I'm still stumped on the track curves, so I might start on roads before tackling that. Bridge elements, both river/depression crossing and level 1 hills. The grade is a little steep (6.5 deg), but in the interests of keeping the incline limited to 3 hexes I left it.

I have a Guild Wars 2 beta this weekend, after which I will collect the first parts together (hills) and release a file set.



Tirick

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

FANTASTIC idea. You have done a really good job on this project.
I am not really a gamer (any more), but I can still appreciate a good gaming component when I see it. These little hex panels take gaming to a whole new level. I am quite certain that they will make a HUGE hit in the gaming community.
I am (some what) surprised that the gaming industry has not come up with something like this.
I have always enjoyed seeing the (very simple but very) innovative things that you come up with for gaming. I look forward to seeing more of your creative work.

 

[Tirick]

Thank you Rhaven!

Apparently it is possible, if only just, to make 1:1000 scale mechs. For reference, that Canadian penny is about 18 mm in diameter.

I didn't make the toes, I'm sure you'll all forgive me.

In retrospect, if I was to make this a 'thing', if make it card laminar/folded, in many places, rather than paper box structures.

Enjoy!
Tirick

 

[THE DC]

Very nice addition to gaming!

 

[dindandut]

nice dude

 

[Sanginus]

Wow, like your tiny Mech- and Tankmodels,
also the bridge parts looks great at the
pics above.

And no, the pic i´ve postet there, is from net,
unfortunately. It is from a CBT con, hope to build
some like this with your parts. :yep:

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

The little figures that you have there are most impressive.
It always AMAZES me how people like you can make such small, and very detailed models like these.
I hope that these hex tiles are a GREAT success for you.

 

[Tirick]

I hope to make some more. Have my eyes on making an Atlas and a Jenner next.

I've finished compiling the Hill Set, and will begin finishing the road/rail set soon, with any luck. The .zip file is too large to share here (55 Megs) so it will be available exclusively in my paper model store (for free as originally noted). Head to my site: http://tcfgaming.com/ to obtain a copy. Pepakura designer/reader (available for free) will be required to print and use the files.

If there is enough demand I can create pdf copies of the core files as well.

Enjoy,
Tirick

 

[Sanginus]

looks really great your work, many thanks for the effort! :inw:

Very good design, forward to it my
mechs to take pictures with the terrain.

At the mechs you've built, I had fun too,
they are well managed.

 

[THE DC]

Thanks again and let me know if you do an PDF. This is really great.

 

[Tirick]

It is really not a lot of work to convert them to .pdf. I'll see about getting that done tonight.

Set #2 is complete modeling/texturing, I just need to lay out the .pdo files and make instructions. I was originally going to combine road and rail, but I'd rather separate them for now.

Included will be several rail lengths, 'Y' section joiners, 'X' section joiners, a bridge, ramp sections to take the rail up one level, a train and a tunnel connector designed to plug into the hill set.

Enjoy!
Tirick

 

[Zathros]

I think you have something here that could be copyrighted. I'm not kidding. This is an incredible concept!

 

[Tirick]

I could sell these, yes (Copyright in Canada is automatic with the creation of unique works), although I am choosing not to. I have things I am proud of, that are truly my own, unique designs, the Paper Protagonist series for example. Those I am happy to sell. These however, I'd rather see used in greater distribution. I like to share.