Re: [piecepack] Dice and tile backs

["Eric Wald" <groups@...>]

On 8/25/06, Jorge Arroyo Gonzalez <trozo@...> wrote:
> About the checkered backs, I don't think any games use this feature
> explicitly and it can be a bit confusing with games that have layouts
> that have tiles in an hexagon like pattern.

Not if the tiles themselves are arranged in a hexagon pattern, because
the black and white can be swapped by turning the tile ninety degrees.
The checkered pattern can in fact support any arrangement of tiles such
that the small squares form a grid, unless the tile orientation matters.

However, at least one game, Chariots by Mark A. Biggar, arranges the
tiles such that some of the small squares are offset from each other,
which would work better with the plain grid.  The checkered pattern also
gives away information about tile orientation, which may be relevant for
some games.

- Eric