Hexplorer - Kickstarter Spotlight
/One of the key elements of a satisfying TTRPG experience is immersion. It is a role playing game, as in, you are playing a role… you are pretending to be someone else. We’ve all played sessions of these games where everyone was really locked in on the moment. The outside world didn’t exist. All that mattered was your player allies and the quest at hand. And we’ve all also had gaming experiences where it felt like everyone was a bit distracted. These session are usually accented by the soft blueish glow of cell phones being constantly checked. I think it’s safe to assume the first scenario is much preferred over the second.
Now, more than ever, getting yourself and your friends fully immersed in a gaming session can be a challenge. There are many tactics your party can take to help, whether it’s mood-setting music and sound effects, turning your phones off, locking the office door, or even dressing in character (Listen, it just so happens my fighter/bard wears black v-neck t-shirts, okay? This totally counts as cosplay).
Visual aids are another strong tool that can help with party immersion. If players can see the setting, it can make it much easier to act as if they are there. This is where Hexplorer, the debut offering from Headless Hydra Press, comes into play.
Hexplorer provides gamers with a set of magnetic tiles that can be arranged into hundreds if not thousands of different layouts to create one of kind maps. From the official description:
The hex magnets are custom-made to fit snugly together on white boards, refrigerators, or any magnetic surface. Cut the setup and clean-up time of game night: when you're done, simply put away the whiteboard until next time - the map will be just how you left it!
Many of us are doing our gaming exclusively via video call these days. Imagine how fun it would be for your Gamemaster to have this on the display, revealing each new piece of the terrain in real time as your party explores it. I’ve played games in online map systems such as Roll20 plenty of times, and they are great. No argument there. But there is just something I really like about the more tactile, physical aspect to these hex tile maps. Even if I’m only seeing them displayed on the screen, it just feels more immersive to me. Not to mention, at some point, gaming groups will be able to safely meet in person again. An online map program won’t transfer to the table. Plus, at the end of your campaign, you’ll have this one-of-a-kind, filled out map that serves as a living physical memento of the adventure you and your friends went on. I know it’s more economical to reuse the tiles… but I’m totally the weirdo that would finish an adventure and then hang the completed map on the office wall like a trophy.
Imagine marking up the map where notable events happened in your campaign. Maybe a comrade fell in battle. Maybe some hilarious bit of improv role play occurred along a particular stretch of road. These maps could be lasting keepsakes of special moments between friends.
I actually had the pleasure of speaking with Headless Hydra founder, Shane Collins, on the phone before sitting down to write this. He is truly a delightful person, and I am very excited for the next project his team is working on. So, it’s time for you to click the link below and check out the Hexplorer suite of offerings:
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: Headless Hydra Press LLC
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera, as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
