We've had Lattice for about three days and the gloss is already wearing off

I like the lattice better than the old system (backhack and ghostcap all the things, fight over exactly one base then everyone disperses) because I like the constant firefights it creates. I have actually seen and fought on places of the map that I didn't even know about prior to the lattice, and that is a very good thing.

That being said, there are some improvements to be made. Indar wasn't created with the lattice in mind, and it shows in certain spots by making some areas nearly unassailable now that you can't flank them. Getting a biolab when you only have one teleporter room? Good luck with that -- those things are hard to crack even when you have 4-5 angles of approach. Going up the canyon (want to say Quartz Ridge, but may have the name wrong) toward Hvar? Never going to happen.

Well, you've got me there. I completely forgot to take influence into account.
I guess I'll accept being wrong gracefully, since the correction makes Hex look even better

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Some regions are/were far too big though, and splitting these up into smaller chunks would be good. I've never actually played Company of Heroes, but from watching some casts on youtube, the big regions remind me of the cutoff sectors in CoH (or whatever you call them: sectors that extend too far for the sole purpose of severing connections like a middleish-of-map sector also including a road that extends to the edge of the map, but not a meter outside that road on either side). Granted, the effect isn't nearly as big.

Differently sized regions do provide for more variety, but I'd still like to try a true Hex map: each region is 1 hex. Preferably captured without having to wait 10+ minutes at a console next to a rock though (read: I don't know how it could be facilitated. Probably involve some automatic detection of troop movements, and if fighting occurs the area would be neutral). Unfortunately (for me) I think just plopping down a hex grid on top of current map would be terrible.. all those multi-hex or on-the-gridline bases.

Getting rid of the hexes completely and making regions conform to terrain more closely would also be nice. If an influence system is to make a comeback, would it be harder to visualize the length of border shared? I suppose so, but you could eyeball it fairly well and only be a few percentages off most of the time.

random thoughts of the day.

Exactly. I've been thinking about your random thought of a day for a while now.
Ever since the lattice was announced on the test server I realized that the forum warriors were winning their campaign and that to please the community there was a real need of an alternative.

My alternative is similar to yours: Overall, it's more territories, less bases, less spawn rooms.
It should promote open field battles by providing capture zones similar to hills or small woods.
With some hex being solely resupply points, like an ammo tower or a sunderer terminal.
With less bases it should provide less spawn camping and direct the flow of battle away from bases and add variety to it.
Open field already happen in both hex and lattice, but here they should be made easier to attempt for solo players.

A lot of people are looking for something that cuts out a clear front line with slower progression.
The lattice gives that illusion, but isn't actually a front line. It's more of a straight line. And the slowness is artificial due to the fixed capture times rather than the actual fighting.

Having fight be fought on a parallel line, even if it's only two or three territories wide, would make it much more interesting, with strategic flanking having much less of an impact while still being possible.
Having smaller territories would mean that even with lower cap times, the overall progression would be slower and would have a better ratio between waiting for cap and fighting.

Current Esamir has something similar already, everett supply and old shore checkpoint are parallel progression towards the same objective: Elli Amp. However the territories are far too big.
The way the lattice is setup on the test servers shows the same progression, but with only one territory.
It would be interesting to have more, semi parallel steps, like:
- the bridge before old shore->old shore->Elli North tower-> Elli AMP
- the fishing bay->abandoned NS canning factory-> Elli AMP
- the frozen lake->Everett Supplies-> ELLI south substation -> Elly AMP

Of course all adjacency and influence would be into effect.

Just go check out the post in my sig, and give me your feedback on it:
https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2...nes-an-alternative-to-hex-and-lattice.126460/
It needs a bump, but I'd like feedback rather than me simply posting nothing of additional value.

Yes.

I want to answer that for you. Needs a bit of explanation tho.

Lattice = Hex + Direction (through lines)
Alert = Hex + Direction (through reward)

Deduction:
It takes direction to make Hex fun - and Lattice is Hex in disguise. I hope peeps get my point.

And for your question "what does that say about the hex" ... It's the foundation. It's people that are flawed. It's people in need of motivation.