Isometric layouts

[thesmiths4]

Those Isometric 3D ship layouts are nice, but as they get bigger, it's harder to see details. Also, it's easier to have combat happen on one of the old fashioned top down ones.

Or maybe I'm just old, vision-challenged, and set in my ways?

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

How do they look to you in the other PDFs?

 

[thesmiths4]

The flat, 2D ones? Those are fine, as far as I'm concerned.

If both of them end up being in the released book, that seems like a lot of duplication. The Isomorphic ones are admittedly cool, but hard to use for combat. The flat ones are less cool, but more useful.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I prefer the isometric ones. Some of the Supplement books use that style also. I don't use any maps in my games though.

 

[-Daniel-]

I prefer the isometric ones. Some of the Supplement books use that style also. I don't use any maps in my games though.

I think the isometric ones are nice to look at, but to be honest, if I can only have one style, I would rather keep the 2D style.

I was not a fan of the isometric dungeon layouts when D&D tried them either, so in this case I know if is my subjective likes not a resistance to change. :wink:

But I get that things change and I will deal with what ever they elect to do. :mrgreen:

 

[AKAramis]

I prefer the isometric ones. Some of the Supplement books use that style also. I don't use any maps in my games though.

I think the isometric ones are nice to look at, but to be honest, if I can only have one style, I would rather keep the 2D style.

I was not a fan of the isometric dungeon layouts when D&D tried them either, so in this case I know if is my subjective likes not a resistance to change. :wink:

You're not the only one.
Usability of the isomorphic maps is almost nil.

The top downs, both in D&D and in Traveller, is much more than the isomorphs in 95 of a hundred cases. Plus, the top downs are more space efficient.

 

[Anonymous]

From a table top point of view, 2D maps are far more useable.

I'd rather had 2D maps for game play and lots of images of the inside of a ship that are there to add detail and facilitate immersion than actual use in game. Internal images should reflect the ship as a working vessel: people's stuff littered about, for an older ship a weathered look, crew initiated modifications and such. I don't want to see images of a ship that looks like a real estate catalogue!

 

[Jeff Hopper]

The isometric deck plans are a boondoggle.

Most gamers I know prefer 2D deckplans because they can take them, copy and enlarge them, and then print them out for use as miniature maps or as handy references when modifying and retrofitting equipment on to the ship. It is extremely difficult to use an isometric map with miniatures.

Isometric maps are not a selling point for most.

 

[TrippyHippy]

How would people feel about making some of the isometric icons and layouts printed as cards?

I'm a science teacher, and I'm actually trying to integrate some of the Traveller game into a scheme of work to teach Year 9s about space. They have a marked project of trying to design a ship to be able to take them to another planet in the solar system. They have to overcome space issues like temperature, lack of gravity, radiation, oxygen, food, fuel etc.

A deck of cards, representing key features, to be able to build up against a layout with a certain amount of displacement tonnage (acting as a limit to prioritise against) would be quite cool, I think. Here's 100 d-tonnes....which cards (with icons and key info printed on) would you choose to go in your ship? What would you leave out?

Thoughts anyone?

 

[-Daniel-]

I believe Isometric Images make great poster. They look wonderful. One of my favorite posters was the Isometric image of the Drop Ship from Aliens. So I get why they want to put them into the game book. So as long as they also make great 2D deck plans available, maybe as downloads like they did for the playtest, I am not bothered by it. Isometric for visual fun and 2D for play use. :mrgreen:

 

[mlooney]

I just want to put this out there. I Do Not Want another set of ship books that have 16+ pages of too small to read ship layouts. I'm looking at the Tigress class as a the classic bad example of more or less useless, "dungeon maps". Based on what the Broadsword looks like isometric maps of big ships is going to be a mess.

 

[DickTurpin]

I Do Not Want another set of ship books that have 16+ pages of too small to read ship layouts.

I agree. Including deckplans is nice for those wanting to see how the ship is laid out but if they are too small to read then they are nearly useless and just take up space. I would like to see high quality (legible) 2D maps offered as a web download so that those that need to use them in game play are able to do so.

 

[grauenwolf]

I would keep the isometric layouts in the book and have separate 2D downloads available that are already scaled correctly for miniatures.

 

[grauenwolf]

I would keep the isometric layouts in the book and have separate 2D downloads available that are already scaled correctly for miniatures.

 

[AKAramis]

I hate the isometric plans. Useless for me.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Love. http://media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/1/981/Star_Trek_Enterprise_A_cutaway_poster.jpg

 

[-Daniel-]

Love. http://media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/1/981/Star_Trek_Enterprise_A_cutaway_poster.jpg

They do make great posters to hang up in the game room. Fun to look at.

One of my favorites: http://www.thetopdraw.com/view/images/uploads/dropship-clean_1371209432.jpg

I just am less excited for them as game tools. :wink:

 

[Jeff Hopper]

Love. http://media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/1/981/Star_Trek_Enterprise_A_cutaway_poster.jpg

They do make great posters to hang up in the game room. Fun to look at.

One of my favorites: http://www.thetopdraw.com/view/images/uploads/dropship-clean_1371209432.jpg

I just am less excited for them as game tools. :wink:

Both of those examples are not isometric layouts.

These are:

https://rpgcharacters.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/isometric-dungeon-number-two-production.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbRR6dcM8uE/UVoQ3K8kXJI/AAAAAAAAA-g/ZNtLOMtrcL0/s1600/tombs.jpg

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

https://rpgcharacters.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/isometric-dungeon-number-two-production.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbRR6dcM8uE/UVoQ3K8kXJI/AAAAAAAAA-g/ZNtLOMtrcL0/s1600/tombs.jpg

Keep the love coming.

 

[-Daniel-]

Both of those examples are not isometric layouts.

These are:

https://rpgcharacters.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/isometric-dungeon-number-two-production.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbRR6dcM8uE/UVoQ3K8kXJI/AAAAAAAAA-g/ZNtLOMtrcL0/s1600/tombs.jpg

True, and if I were playing D&D those would be at least useable. The ship graphics in the book are less than useful and thus the point of the conversation.