K/H_A Presents: Natural Staircases! (PICS in first post)

[K/H_Addict]

I'm still no good at explaining this verbally, so bear with me here.

First of all, i'm going to direct you to khanbob's Valhalla Highway (http://www.heroscapers.com/download/index.php?dlid=555) map (awesome map! i reccomend it to ANYONE with enough terrain to build it). Take a good look at the pictures he provides, mainly the Mountain. The mountain is exactly that - a mountain. It's solid on the inside, but still able to be climbed from the outside.

Now, imagine that exact same mountain, except hollow inside, with an opening in front of the low road underneath the bridge (and maybe a few smally gaps or passes in the sides). Currently, that is a nearly impossible feat because of gravity. You have to stack terrain to get it elevated.

Now, here's what i would love to see: A natural staircase. Yes. A piece of plastic, much like the bridge from RttFF, except shaped like a staircase:


|_
|_
|_
|_

^^ Side view ^^

That exact shape is possible right now, but it has to be solid underneath, therefore non-passable. With this, it would be totally hollow underneath, which means more room for fighting.

Now, to make it even more versatile, instead of molding it in static levels, it could be molded in single segments, which could then connect like ladder segments do.

I'm thinking it could be something like 4 levels high, and 1 level from the top could be a flat hex-shaped protrusion like this:

(one single step piece)


1 __|
2 |
3 |
4 |__

^^ Side view ^^

Now, this time it's a close up view of a single step. each little "|" represents a single level (as noted by the numbers). It would be much like the side of a fortress wall (still ridged to allow other hexes to connect) so that you can still stagger the various steps. The underside of the top-most protrusion would be molded the same as a wall-walk hex so you can connect it directly to a fortress wall piece for a more sturdy staircase, rather than just stacking it on a wall-walk itself.




What do you guys think? If this were a reality, i would probably use it about twice as much as i (or any hardcore map-builder) do(es) road.

EDIT: Here are a few pics of my completed product:

Assembled view:
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/7856/step3ua4.jpg


Disassembled view:
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/9640/step2zr5.jpg


Bottom view:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8062/step1kj9.jpg

[Glitch]

cool idea! i was just thinking about somthing like this. i would really like to see some custom made mountains/hills, maybe with theive highways above.

[Leif Kicker]

:wink:

[Miniature Geek]

I'm not sure I understand, but I'm glad to see you posting again K/H.

[Grungebob]

Could you create a prototype using glue and spare Heroscape terrain tiles?

[K/H_Addict]

Could you create a prototype using glue and spare Heroscape terrain tiles?

Spare heroscape tiles? You're kidding right? There's no such thing as spare tiles :P



I might actually do that, since glue isn't exactly permanent. Not too sure when i'd get around to it, but i'll see what i can do.

[Grungebob]

Could you create a prototype using glue and spare Heroscape terrain tiles?

Spare heroscape tiles? You're kidding right? There's no such thing as spare tiles :P



I might actually do that, since glue isn't exactly permanent. Not too sure when i'd get around to it, but i'll see what i can do.Well, I was just wondering because I have been considering buying another Master set to glue into some modular map sections or pieces that you can quickly slap together to make a map in a pinch. Your idea sounds like it could be of benefit in reducing the amount of terrain necessary to build elevation.... In essence gluing some pieces together might actually give you more terrain as you are not forced to stack so many in order to create it... Follow me?

[insomnimaniac]

:wink:

The man says nothing yet SOOOO much with the :wink:.

I'll be looking forward to something.

[K/H_Addict]

okay. I'v finished 2 "steps" and am satisfied with the turnout. here are some pics:


Assembled view:
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/7856/step3ua4.jpg


Disassembled view:
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/9640/step2zr5.jpg


Bottom view:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8062/step1kj9.jpg


you'll notice that 2 single hexes have one side cut off. Those are specifically for the top-most step. The flat part is simply a single hex with no sides. because it has no sides, there is very little stacking capability, which is why i set the top-most step the way i did. In retrospect, i guess i could have glued a complete hex as the fourth level, but this is just a prototype.

I pictured it with a knight and a blade grut for size comparisons. tell me what you guys think.

[NecroBlade]

Pretty cool. My only question would be how stable are they?

[K/H_Addict]

right now, since i threw them together with superglue and chopped up pieces, they're not quite as stable as stacking normal terrain is, but it's not THAT far off. If i knew how to make molds and such, i could mold it all into one piece, which would make it much more stable.

I'd say, on a scale of 1-10 fo satbility, they're around a six-and-a-half.

[cycoduck]

Your first two pictures didn't come through.

[K/H_Addict]

i'll fiddle and try to fix them sometime soon. sorry for the iconvenience guys

[markwars]

Great work K/H. ;)

[K/H_Addict]

thanks, markwars. I haven't bee praised here in a while. It feels good.

[johnny139]

thanks, markwars. I haven't bee praised here in a while. It feels good.

Just to balance things out...

YOU SUCK!

[K/H_Addict]

thanks, markwars. I haven't bee praised here in a while. It feels good.

Just to balance things out...

YOU SUCK!

hmm...no smilies. must have been a serious comment. I take offense to that.

[GForce3062]

thanks, markwars. I haven't bee praised here in a while. It feels good.

Just to balance things out...

YOU SUCK!

hmm...no smilies. must have been a serious comment. I take offense to that.

Don't worry K/H, you're cool. Those stairs look awesome! They're also a sweet idea.

[K/H_Addict]

So, GB. What do you think? You're the one who asked for the prototypes...

[Billtog]

To solidify the balance: KHA, you're an okay guy. Thanks for your pictures.

[Taelord]

This is super cool K/H. I love the idea, but how could you cut up your HeroScape? How?!

[insomnimaniac]

This is super cool K/H. I love the idea, but how could you cut up your HeroScape? How?!

Easy, in the back ground it looks like a file. I'm sure K/H used other tools as well. :D :wink:

I love the idea but how sturdy is it? It seems thin. Are you putting something behind the step to strengthen it? I'm very interested in seeing something built with these. Very cool.

[The Super Atheist]

no offense, but they don't look like a solid starcase, they look all hollow and stuff, unrealistic, you know what i mean?

[K/H_Addict]

ehh...i kinda lost faith in this project. I only cut up 4 hexes, but if i ever decide to get this thing started, i saved like, 12 hexes when building, so in the end, GB was right. The loss of these hexes eventually leads to saving many may more hexes.


Right now, it's not all that sturdy. I haven't cared enough to try to put it in a map yet, because nobody here seems to care enough about my thoughts (makes me feel kinda hated, actually). I was hoping some of the bigger customizers (Imax, Grishnakh, CupidsArt, etc) would comment here, but apparently, i don't deserve their time.



I'll work on this more when i feel like it, or maybe when i get the motivation. Thanks for the feedback for those of you who left some, and i guess i'll update when i get around to it. :?

[Taelord]

Poor K/H. He feels unloved.

[GForce3062]

Poor K/H. He feels unloved.

Like a red head step-child. :wink:

[insomnimaniac]

Poor K/H. He feels unloved.

I'm sure many on here kind of feel that way. People not responding to their posts and so on. I'd take offense to a comment like the one quoted. It could come off as mean, rude or unnecessary sarcasm.

Let me tell ya K/H, I updated a post of mine with a custom character and only a few commented. Sure, I put my time into it, just like you put time into the steps. Try not to let the lack of comments deter you from finishing. Try and use that as motivation. I think it is a great idea. I'd like to make a mountain or large hills but do not have enough hexes to do so. Keep your chin up kiddo!

[insomnimaniac]

no offense, but they don't look like a solid starcase, they look all hollow and stuff, unrealistic, you know what i mean?

I took this idea as a way to build up "mountains" and "hills" that would be hollow underneath, so that way you didn't need to use many hexes to stack up to make the mountain or hill. I don't think they were actually stairs.

[GForce3062]

Poor K/H. He feels unloved.

I'm sure many on here kind of feel that way. People not responding to their posts and so on. I'd take offense to a comment like the one quoted. It could come off as mean, rude or unnecessary sarcasm.

Let me tell ya K/H, I updated a post of mine with a custom character and only a few commented. Sure, I put my time into it, just like you put time into the steps. Try not to let the lack of comments deter you from finishing. Try and use that as motivation. I think it is a great idea. I'd like to make a mountain or large hills but do not have enough hexes to do so. Keep your chin up kiddo!

Yeah, when I posted my customs for the first time, nobody really posted comments in my thread, but I didn't care cause I figured they had someone else's customs to look at........ like someone who had cards for their customs. :cry: I hope one day I can play a game with you or PoF and be able to use those stairs you created.

[Dictatorbilbo]

I, for one, think that the staircases are awesome; they let you do things normally impossible with heroscape tiles! I love the idea of gluing tiles together to make shapes normally impossible- If only I had more than one master set... :?

I think this is a great idea that you should pursue further.

One question: how are the staircases secured to each other? It's not quite clear in the picture...

[hi1hi1hi1hi1]

No one gets the amount of feedback that they want on this site, there simply aren't enough hours to spend commenting on the boards. I have the same problem with my customs. I know it seems like the important people, i.e. mods, nether, imax, gbob, cupids art, truth, etc., aren't interested in your work, but they don't have time to look over everything and give a detailed review. The best way to get some feedback here is to go through other people's threads and critique their work.

[K/H_Addict]

eh...thanks for the comments guys. I appreciate it a lot, maybe i'll try and invest in some kind of mold to make this a lot more sturdy. I just don't know where to start (this is where the experienced modders chime in ;))

[insomnimaniac]

eh...thanks for the comments guys. I appreciate it a lot, maybe i'll try and invest in some kind of mold to make this a lot more sturdy. I just don't know where to start (this is where the experienced modders chime in ;))

WHAT??? More experienced?? Ouch :lol: Well, I''m not more experienced but I can help you. :wink:
http://www.hirstarts.com/moldmake/moldmaking.html

I hope that helps you out.

[Dictatorbilbo]

Though, if your going to make molds for it you might want to either:

a) make the pieces a bit thicker- plaster cast that thin would still be pretty frail

or

b) cast the finished pieces in some sort of resin, which would be more difficult to do and a bit harsh on the molds.