Sedition Wars tile design
We are just pitting the finishing touches on a couple of the tiles, but I thought we would give you a sneak peek.
There were a few different routes we could take with the tiles. When we did the alpha rules we created a poster map that was rendered in a hi-tech blue-print style. While I loved it, it wasn't quite the look I wanted for the finished game. I wanted the tiles to be rendered in a 'realistic' style that made you think you were looking at a real location. I wanted to present Alabaster Station as a definite place - a secret facility that the Strain nano-virus has ravaged and swept clean. The virus consume all organic and non-organic material it comes across - re-purposing it into part of the construct.
In the course of my career, I have been lucky enough to become friends with some incredibly talented people, and the person who did the art for these tiles is one of the most gifted artists I know. Rich Wright worked on a wide variety of products for GW - he did the tile art for Warhammer Quest and Space Hulk 2nd edition, along with most of the 40K vehicle cover paintings in the mid nineties. Since then he's produced matte painting and 3D work for a wide variety of well known projects - the intro scenes for Motorstorm, Muse Sing for Absolution video, and many other high profile projects.
He built the tiles for Battle for Alabaster completely in 3D - lighting and rendering them just as you would with any vfx shot, then importing them into photoshop and adding details, weathering and blood stains. I really love the results.
We purposely kept the designs pretty clean and futuristic - Sedition Wars is a high-tech universe so we wanted to steer well clear of any dark and gothic elements. I didn't want them cluttered with furniture and details - partly because all that would have been consumed by the virus, and partly because it would interfere with game play.
There are ten different tiles, and one transit network car (that's a train!), so that gives you a wide variety of different board set ups. What the pictures here don't really show is the size of the tiles - each is 12x12 25mm squares, so they are 350mm square (including borders) - pretty big! You can link them together in a lot of different ways - creating many different settings for games.
The ones I have shown here are the Cargo Bay, the Personnel area, the Engine Control Room and the Transit Car (you get two of these - there is an awesome scenario that needs both of them).
I hope you like them!
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Comments
Creator Keegan Fink on June 3, 2012
After reading the alpha version of the rules, the light red outlines (see the angular corner "bar"/countertops in the third map down) indicate areas where players can take cover to increase their defense modifiers. Classified as "cover features", the alpha rules also mention you can vault over them, in order to take cover, at a penalty to your total movement. I know the alpha rules have been changed HEAVILY since their inception last summer, but they certainly suggest a host of features — some of which appear to remain in the final version (IE: light red outlines indicating low cover features).
Creator Jordan Peacock on June 3, 2012
I'm also hoping to make 3D boards for my copy of the game when I get it. Am I correct in assuming these are 1-inch squares? I suppose one challenge will be to figure out how to represent those benches and still make a space where a figure can stand. (I suppose that's one issue 2D doesn't have to be concerned with.) One concern I have is about doors; I see marks on the table that seem to indicate color-coded doorways; are there going to be markers in the game to indicate open/closed doors, or is that a detail that would be irrelevant to game play?
Creator Eric Nielsen on June 3, 2012
I just got started with Hirst stuff after seeing the video posted about 3D boards for this.... that control room is going to be a major pain to model I think :)
Creator Daniel A Sniadoski on May 29, 2012
Jason, based on the photos they've published so far, I think your guess about the plus indicator is accurate. I was wondering about vertical movement rules (stairs, ladders, etc). I'm not just intending on making the existing tiles verbatim, but also extending them vertically. That's why I wanted to know about LOS rules.
Creator Jason Windedahl on May 29, 2012
I also plan to make 3D boards (may be starting now based on these tiles previewed), for the game are the playable areas only those tiles with the + mark on them? thanks
Creator vincent tobia on May 29, 2012
will you be making a tile generator or design specs public so we can deisgn our own?
Creator Daniel A Sniadoski on May 29, 2012
Just a quick question to Mr. McVey (if he follows these comments), or anyone in the know on the rules for the game (I'm not fishing for highlights). What would the impact of making a custom 3D tiled environment (an actual model terrain battle board) be for gameplay (objectives, LOS, etc) and clearance of the actual miniatures? Would model protrusions (limbs sticking out) be a significant factor if the table terrain was models explicitly 1:1 based on the actual printed art tiles? Just asking as I intend to do such a thing for my set when it arrives. As an aside, I strongly believe in this project and have been a fan of pretty much everything Mr. McVey has been involved in since about 1988.
Creator Style over Substance on May 28, 2012
Are those place-holders for doors or actual doors?
Creator Colin J Smith on May 28, 2012
Refreshing new approach in game board design. Love it.
Creator Batei on May 28, 2012
Hey Bill! I am pretty sure they must be double sided because the game contents list 5 boards. If we both buy a set we can put them together for a huge layout. :D
Creator William (Bill) Reger on May 28, 2012
Very Nice! Will they be double sided?
Creator Lee Langston on May 28, 2012
Huzzah! (x3), Huzzah! (x3), Huzzah! (x3) ;)
Creator John Falcon on May 28, 2012
I'm looking at the tactical combat that can occur with thiese layouts....nice!
Creator Lawrence "Saker" Collins on May 28, 2012
Three cheers for steering clear of dark gothic anything!!! Huzzah! (x3)
Beautiful work.