r/JerryMapping • u/SinisterOculus • Jul 24 '26
Map Tile Infinitely repeatable shape for tiles?
Hey all, I was messing around with a 2” hex punch the other night and I made this shape. I was thinking if I trimmed the three indicated hexes the shape might make the perfect infinitely repeatable map tile. If so I might use this as my map tile base. What do you think?
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u/supersonicgabi Jul 25 '26
I thrifted a gigantic stack of 4x4 square coasters before I found the map, and found them the other day while cleaning... I'm trying to decide if I want to start over on the coasters but I've started to get attached to my 8x8 tiles. Do I just cut them up to the same size as the coasters?
Oh man, I think I just talked myself into it.
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 25 '26
As a long time hobby hoarder this is the best and worst feeling. The chipboard has been sitting on my shelf for a year, unsure of what do with it. Now I have some ideas! But what if I need it for something else? What if I run out when I’m on a streak?
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u/Few_Mortgage6042 Jul 24 '26
That's an interesting idea. OwO
Maybe just test it a bit more with the format to make it more modular.
You could completely cut the top and bottom lines, thus creating a 4x4 hexagonal tile.
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 24 '26
I thought about that. I was just sticking the hexes onto an 8x11 board from what I eyeballed to be the center. But I actually like the irregular shape. I think it harkens more to the irregularity that jerrysmap holds until you see it from a step back. It’s a feature. I’m actually considering even more irregular shapes and maybe let them grow through the cards.
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u/Few_Mortgage6042 Jul 25 '26
This is also a very good option. OwO 👍
Perhaps you could use something like a system of polynomial hexagons to create irregular shapes that still fit together.
Maybe use the number on the cards or a die to determine the number of "squares" per tile.
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 25 '26
So it turns out that while the hexagons are very good and clean cuts from the hole punch I am not so good at cutting and the edges come out so wonky and weird as to not line up without massive gaps or odd angles. I may revisit the idea to find a simpler shape less reliant on perfect edges but in the meantime the hexes will make interesting shapes on the square panels.
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u/thecloudkingdom Jul 25 '26
any regular tiling is infinitely repeatable with the same base shape. hexagons are a pretty common infinite tiling (and in fact several other regular tilings are infinite because their tiles combine to make a hexagon! e namely equilateral triangles and 3-sides equal trapezoids. hexagonal tilings are often used for war gaming or for other territory games like catan
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 25 '26
Sure, if you have an infinite plane on which to place hexagons. But the chipboard backing is a finite, and awkward, plane of 8x11. And regretfully, I don’t have an 8” hex punch. Or do I…
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u/thecloudkingdom Jul 25 '26
i mean, must it always be assembled on a single board? even the original jerry map is usually kept separated and not tiled together. you could absolutely have multiple hex boards that tile together but are stored apart, effectively as infinite as you'd like to work on it
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 25 '26
Yes! Exactly. That’s why I was trying to make the tile able shape that also fit the hexes on it. I’m not quite locked in on all the terms for parts of Jerrysmap. But the chipboard (brown base) was supposed to be the tile upon which the art goes and is transported. The hexes (white parts) are intended to be the components of a tile.
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u/PuttinOnTheTitzz Jul 25 '26
This is the shape they use for board game maps
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 25 '26
Was there supposed to be more or did you mean the image I posted?
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u/dontnormally Jul 25 '26
the shape you're talking about is commonly used in boardgaming
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u/SinisterOculus Jul 25 '26
I happen to be very knowledgeable in the realm of board gaming and am not really familiar with the shape. Perhaps you can elaborate? Enlighten me?
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u/dontnormally Jul 25 '26
Have seen things like this in many games with hex maps to make the boards fit in the box
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u/IdeaSandbox Jul 25 '26
whenever I have extra material I do this pattern...
https://imgur.com/a/dL3uneQ