'Scaper-of-the-Month #77 - GameBear

He's arguably one of the finest map makers on the site and has been chosen as April's 'Scaper-of-the-Month. Introducing...


PROFILE:

Who are you, really? How old are you?

Justin, 36.

What is your occupation?

Dad. Formerly computer programmer.

What other interests do you have?

Basketball is my most consistent activity; I also play ultimate (frisbee) in the summer. I like reading, but spend more time screening children's books than reading adult books these days.

What’s another board game you enjoy and why?

Sadly, my game collection mostly sits neglected on the shelves, although I have started introducing my kids (6 and 7) to some - Survive, Pompeii, 7 Wonders ...

Dungeon Lords (2-player) is the game I have played most frequently in the past year. I like the mind games that come into play when choosing orders.

Why no avatar? And how did you come up with your username?

Not having an avatar suits me (answering essay questions and identifying favorites, not so much... this is painful).

The name is pretty straightforward - I attended UC Berkeley, and needed a username for BoardGameGeek.


HEROSCAPE:

How did you first get into HeroScape?

BoardGameGeek + sales. I couldn't resist. Once I discovered LandSCAPE (and then VirtualScape) I was hooked.

What is your favorite aspect of HeroScape and why?

The terrain. Mapmaking has always been the primary draw for me.

Which General is your favorite and why?

Ullar. The Vipers intrigued me, and helped pull me into the game. I spent some time trying to track down a Walmart master set, but without success. I was thrilled when the EOV were reprinted for Wave 10.

Who are your favorite heroes and why?

Krug is the clear winner. Of the D&D stuff, the Fen Hydra is pretty cool. Generally, though, I prefer trying to come up with armies that incorporate uncelebrated characters.

What are your least favorite units and why?

Deathreavers and Raelin. I don't mind seeing (or using) them in armies, but I am tired of taking them into account when designing maps. The move toward smaller maps has made it harder, too.

What is your favorite Special Ability and why?

Zombies Rise Again sounds fun, but I have not had an opportunity to play with Zombies yet. The abundance of interesting abilities (and diversity of characters) in Heroscape is amazing. I also like some of the abilities I have considered for custom units, but none of those are likely to ever be finished.

What is your favorite map and why?

Ayrwode's Bluff. Asymmetric maps are just cooler. Also, the positive response to this map was very encouraging. I doubt I would have stuck around this long without all the feedback along the way.

What's your thought process when designing a battlefield?

I am most interested in experimenting with new ideas, so my maps often start with a specific feature, or a concept for the layout. The process is not very structured, but terrain restrictions and design guidelines influence decisions (i.e. force compromises) throughout development.

The last few steps are important to me. Once I have a design, I always review its polish (terrain arrangement, tile placement, support, etc.). I also check for extra available hexes, and decide whether I have a use for them.

My maps then sit for a while (a week to a month or more) before I upload them. The delay arose from trying to name my maps (not my strength), but I have found that it gives me an opportunity to catch issues I may have missed.

Which one of your lesser known own map creations would you recommend for us to try?
Well, I can't really claim that any of my maps have been overlooked, but I would love some feedback on my most recent map, Fireworks.

Not interested in trying the map? Then just try the glyphs - add them to the glyph pool for some other map. In any case, please visit my map thread and share your thoughts.


COMMUNITY:

What do you enjoy most about HeroScapers.com?

The resources available through this site. My top 5:
▪ BoV Discussion Thread
▪ VirtualScape by Zzzzz
▪ GHS Characters by GaryLASQ
▪ Heroscape Matchup Calculator by mathguy
▪ MSE - Easy Army Card Creator by bmaczero
That list is way too short - this site is full of good content.

Is there any member of HeroScapers.com you’d really like to play against?

There are so many members I would like to meet, my preference would be just to attend GenCon. Short of that, I'll go with Matthias Maccabeus.


UNIT DEBATE:

Which unit would you say is better: Deathwalker 7000 or Hatamoto Taro?

I would rather use Hatamoto - at least an army can be built around him (510: Hatamoto + Raelin + Izumi + Tagawa + Kaemon). DW7K is just a waste. I suppose the counterargument is that both are a waste, and DW7K is 30 points cheaper.

How would this 510pt Hatamoto army fare against competitive 380pt (+Hatamoto) or 410pt (+DW7K) armies? In other words, if you are stuck with one of these two in your army, is there a benefit to building the rest of the army around them?

What two units would you like to see in the next Unit Debate?

Agent Carr vs. Elite Onyx Vipers.


LIE DETECTOR:

Tell us two true things about yourself and one lie.

1. I designed a rocket, and oversaw a test launch this year.
2. I once went the distance with a world champion boxer.
3. I have yet to win a game on any of my 5 BoV maps.


THREE FUN FAVORITES:

Favorite movie studio: Pixar.

Favorite comic: Calvin and Hobbes.

Favorite food: Bacon.

CLOSING:

What message do you have for the ‘Scaper community?

Thank you.

Thank you for trying my maps, and thank you for all the support. I am happy to have been a member of this community.

Whom do you pick for the next ‘Scaper of the Week?

My pick is a Site Supporter and the developer of one of my favorite Heroscape tools: mathguy.