Hexgrid Examples

People,

This is not exactly map related but you guys are my last hope.

I am using paper miniatures and need to print hexgrids (blank ones) in diferent sizes of paper but I cant find the right examples. I am using this miniatures:

http://e23.sjgames.com/item.html?id=ARG055
http://www.arion-games.com/minis/ARG055/arg055-instructions.pdf
http://www.arion-games.com/arg000.pdf (free demo set)

I need to print blank hex in A4, A3, A2 and probably A0 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A2_paper_size).

I am talking of something like tihs: http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk/Civ/Hex paper A3.jpg

But I need ithat each hex is in the scale that the paper figures use and I am very bad in definig these things. My problem is that I pay for the print and so cannot use the "try and error" aprroach.

Does anyone have it or can tell me how to do it?

Comments

  • I think using CC3 for this would be overkill (albeit possible).

    There are some "hex paper generators" online. I did a google search, and the first one on the list creates pdfs with several options. I'd take a look.

    http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/

    Steve
  • Posted By: sdavies2720http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/
    I am ware of this link Steve, but apparently I dont have the knowlwge or habily to make it work in the way I need. I need a full sheet in the right scale. Maybe I am just dumb for this kind of thuing but I really had no luck in my tentatives using the link that posted =(

    Thank you for the suggestion anyway =)
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    edited September 2012
    The most important thing to know, either you use CC3 or the generator sdavies2720 linked you to (the latter is easier for such a task IMHO) is to know the size you need for the hexes. I don't use physical miniatures, so I don't know the appropriate size to use. But if you have a sample hex grid available, you can just take a ruler and measure it.
    The generator seems to be wanting the length of a single edge of a hex (while if you use CC3, you'll need the height of the hex [measured from flat side to opposite flat side, not between the two corners that are furthest from each other]), so if you can just measure that, then input it into the generator. For the larger page sizes, you need to supply measurements yourself (Easly calucalted for A-series paper, but also listed just about everywhere, probably also in that wikipedia article you linked)
  • Mateus090985Mateus090985 Traveler
    edited September 2012
    Ok. Now I understood. But for the smaller sizes (A4 and A3) is a little weird the result. It has a huge margin no matter what I put =(
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    Yea, it seems like that generator insists that both the first and last columns should be "high", so if it cannot fit the last high column, it will also drop the last "low" column. Really noticeable if the hexes are somewhat large.

    Oh well, I don't know anything about that generator myself. Might be easier to use CC3 after all, at least then you have more control over the output.

    To do it in CC3, make a map that is the size of the printable part of the page (make one map unit equal one cm, so if the printable area on your A4 sheet (this is printer-dependent) is 19x28cm, make the map 19x28). You'll probably want a map border that is a simple thin black line. Now, add a hex grid to the map. The size of the hexes should be specified in their real-world measurement in cm.
    Finally, print the map. Make sure you print it as scaled, and not using the fit to page setting. For scale factor, you should enter 1cm in the paper distance, and 1 in the drawing distance (that means that 1 drawing unit in the map will be 1cm long on the printout).
  • Posted By: MonsenYea, it seems like that generator insists that both the first and last columns should be "high", so if it cannot fit the last high column, it will also drop the last "low" column. Really noticeable if the hexes are somewhat large.

    Oh well, I don't know anything about that generator myself. Might be easier to use CC3 after all, at least then you have more control over the output.

    To do it in CC3, make a map that is the size of the printable part of the page (make one map unit equal one cm, so if the printable area on your A4 sheet (this is printer-dependent) is 19x28cm, make the map 19x28). You'll probably want a map border that is a simple thin black line. Now, add a hex grid to the map. The size of the hexes should be specified in their real-world measurement in cm.
    Finally, print the map. Make sure you print it as scaled, and not using the fit to page setting. For scale factor, you should enter 1cm in the paper distance, and 1 in the drawing distance (that means that 1 drawing unit in the map will be 1cm long on the printout).
    I will print it on a graphic on single sheets (A4, A3, A2 and A1) not at home.

    If, for example, I want to make a A3 hexpaper on CC3.

    1) I create a 29.7 x 42 template;

    2) Put a hexgrid (each hex must have 1.8 cm of side or 3.2 form flat to flat).

    Them what? I render it in waht resolution?
  • Here's the outline of the steps (with explanation in parentheses)

    1) Create a template. 29.7x42 is fine (For something like this, the template doesn't really matter, but it's probably easiest if this is your paper size in cm or inches. I'll assume cm for the rest of this example.)
    2) Draw a grid overlay, [Draw>Hex or Grid Overlay] setting the hexes the size you want (so if your original template is in cm, you can just specify the Grid spacing as the number of cm across for the hex)
    3) Double-check you have the right number & orientation of your grid (make sure it looks ok!)
    4) Print, clicking the "Print to Scale" and selecting paper distance and map distance (so if you set up the template size to match the paper size, just put a "1" in the map scale, and put a 1cm (or 1") in the printing scale)

    I'm not at my computer, so I can't check that last, but I think it should come out right. You could print to PDF and check it.

    I'm not sure if you're going to have margin issues with this approach, I think that's printer dependent.

    Steve
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    If you are going to render it as an image, you need to render it to the same size as the printout. For example, to print it at 150dpi using the dimensions in your above post (You should really focus on the printable area of the sheet though, not the sheet size, unless where you are printing them can do margin-less printing), the export resolution will be 29.7*150/2.54 x 42*300/2.54 = 1754 x 2480. (Divided by 2.54 for the cm to inches conversion). Note that when the image is printed at the shop, it must be printed at 100% scale, and not using a "fit to page" setting.

    But it might be easier to just print it at home to a virtual pdf printer using the appropriate paper size instead of rendering it to an image. Since the PDF contains paper size information, it is easier to check before you give it to the printer, and easier to handle correctly.
  • Mateus090985Mateus090985 Traveler
    edited September 2012
    This is my A3 result (using CC3): http://dl.dropbox.com/u/37717003/Hexpaper A3.pdf

    It will have this huge margin when I printed it? Is this a result of my configurations on Pdf Forge? Any tips to make the left side better as it seens to always be distorced on CC3?

    And here is the CC3 file.
  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    The margins must be the result of the pdf export process. See my attached pdf version (printed through CutePDF), which has no such thing.

    I've also attached a A4 version of the hex grid with a few changes, which I think might be useful for you - this are just suggestions of course.:
    - removed the box around the grid, and the pieces of incomplete hexes
    - removed all the unnecessary sheets from the FCW file.
    - made the grid wide lines (1/4mm width) with solid fill style. This will print much better than a 0 width line, which the printer will make as thin as possible.
    - you set up the grid FCW to have 1 drawing unit as 1 cm. At printout that means you have to set your "Scale Factor" as "Paper distance" 1cm (CC3 will translate this to 0.39370 as it calculates in inches internally) and "Drawing Distance" 1. My attached file will have this setting preset.
  • Your example is perfect! You used the scale the numbers that had said above (for the hex and sheet)?

    I now just need a A3 version of it. How you achieved the centralization of the hexs? The breaks was the Trim function?
  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    I just used the FCW files you posted above and edited them as described. Then I printed to pdf, set the pdf paper size to A3, while printing "Everything" and the scale as above.

    Here is the A3 version.
  • I can just say thank you. Let me see if I can achieve a similar result in the A2 for exercise.
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