Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Maps and Thoughts About Future Hexes



Loviatar no. 10 is just about ready for the printer. Hooray! Today I scanned a few of the maps that will accompany Hex 006. When you receive the issue and read the intro, I think you will understand why I became frustrated with the hex crawl. The source of that frustration has largely been dealt with, however.



     It took Tim's review of Loviatar no. 9 and me pushing back against my group to realize that the hex crawl is solid. I'm not saying that it's great, original or even well-written, but I truly believe that there is some great fun to be had amid the knockers, potato gnomes, otyugh pits, murderous constables and flying cats. 



     While taking some time for myself today, I thought about an eventual Hex 007. I think it will be terribly difficult for me to write about an elven forest. I like to think that I am reasonably clever, so maybe, just maybe I can pull off something that feels right. A Hex 007 would tie in 001, 005 and 006. It would also give Jay a chance to draw Lady Shesayeth. I will need to think about it some more, but it could be fun.

    Okay, have to go. The garden calls. It was 90 today and now that it's cooled to 80 at 4:30 pm  will try to get some work done. Oy vey.

17 comments:

  1. I definitely vote for more hexes! It's what pushed me over the edge into subscribing!

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  2. I love that it's cooled down to 80.

    Happy Gardening.

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    1. Me, too. Trying to be outside, pulling weeds at 90 degrees is LAME! ;)

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  3. christian, you know my vote ;)

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  4. The hex crawl is quality stuff, C. I can't vote against more of that.

    ...but I do miss the non-D&D material, in particular the characters!

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    1. I agree with this 100%. The next issue (10) I feel is a good mix of hex and heavy character driven content.

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  5. Seriously Christian, I've been reading your stuff literally since the beginning. Do whatever your Gamer's Heart desires, because it will be awesome.

    But if your Gamer's Heart is at a crossroads and undecided, I'd gladly take more Hex 000 (or a revised City of Haldane - can't find my copy :(

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    1. One of these days I will figure out the best way to re-present it. :)
      I appreciate your vote of confidence, too.

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  6. Press on my man. I enjoy your writing and if you ever get discouraged I'll send a picture of my stack of OSEFF and Loviatars that sit next to me at my desk.

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    1. 1 Square = 5' was a lot of fun to do. The freedom of a single sheet is amazing. It doesn't matter what you put on paper as long as your put something - anything - down. :)

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  7. Like scottsz up there, I wouldn't be able to vote against the hexcrawl series, which is excellent, and I am also in favor of doing things that aren't the hexcrawl as well. I've said it before, you have a very inspirational way of presenting things.

    On the Knocker tunnels specifically. I know that you've had some qualms because of the loss of player agency perceived in the sequence. However, players who pass through that are facing the consequences of a decision they've made. If players don't have consequences to their decisions, then that's a loss of agency as well. They're given enough warning, I think, in the introduction. They can choose to turn back or forge onward, or try to find another way. If they choose to enter the tunnels, though, they receive the result of that decision. Since it is a momentous one, there is a long presentation of that result. It's not like a railroad adventure, where if the players don't do whatever, then there's no adventure for the session.

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    1. That's a hell of a good point. I had not looked at it that way.

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