Hexagon grid for the sequel?

Just a little idea, but I wonder if hexagon tiles, where ever in consideration. I do like hexagon maps, and art and movement tends to look more natural.

If I remember well, FiraXCOM was originally exprimenting with hexagon tiles, but due to flanking mechanic they decided to use simpler square tiles for clarity.

PP aiming and cover system however, could benefit well from a more “round” tile system. Obviously, not PP1, but perhaps something to consider for PP2?

It makes for some more interesting positional play with hexes for sure. I really liked how Chaos Reborn played with them, as compared to the square tiles in the original.

How do you work it in a game that has lots of buildings? Do you change the angles from 90 degrees, or use some other solution?

I’m not sure of any benefit of it in such game like PP.

I think it can benefit, it went really well for Civilization. Even if it will need much more experimentation and tinkering to solve new issues, it will be only a matter of time until someone presents an hexagoned-XCom

You never know, but it might well be Snapshot.

IIRC during the development of CR Julian said that he was a fan of using hexes, I think on the basis that it makes movement distance equal for all directions. @UnstableVoltage please correct me if I’m mis-quoting.

If I am recalling correctly, they did consider hexes at one point but getting all the square buildings to work on it was too problematic

I know that hexes are fine. Even great Fallout games had it. But I don’t see PP mechanics working with it.

The biggest boon of hex over square grid, is not having to deal with diagonal movement, though I don’t think PP has problems with it. Diagonal are problematic in small movement ranges (lets say you can move two tiles - being able to move one tile diagonally is a bit short, while two tiles are a bit much). With a more granular PP should adjust the cost of diagonal movement just fine.

The reason I thought of hexagon grid is, that I am curious how PP’s ballistic system would play with it. I remember playing FiraXCOM with second wave option Aiming Angles and I felt 4 dimensional cover system to be lacking. I don’t expect PP to have the same issue, as hiding diagonally from the cover will still provide protection, but I just wondered if the more multisided cover system would play well, with ballistics.

That is a good point, that hexes might be troublesome with rectangular objects. There are games which used rectangular buildings, like Fallout1&2, but it didn’t have cover system, which probably would be the biggest issue. Hexes make cicles and triangles well, but squares and rectangles are a problem.

I also have to correct myself. Out of curiosity I checked FiraXCOM prototype video, and while they have angled cover, they didn’t seem to use defined tiles at all.