What do you play on?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

I've got a folding card table, about 2 feet by 4 feet, that our group
plays on. It's been working okay, but between my DM screen and our
reasonably small battlemat, there's no more room for anything. If we
bring one more player on board, which we're considering, I'm not sure
where we'd put him.

So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

Thanks,

-Will

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Five folding card tables and a large piece of whiteboard scored into one
inch squares.

6 players, 1 DM and enough room to run a battle.


"Will Green" <will_j_green@yXaXhXoXoX.com> wrote in message
news:%XcAe.39$e66.24@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com...
> I've got a folding card table, about 2 feet by 4 feet, that our group
> plays on. It's been working okay, but between my DM screen and our
> reasonably small battlemat, there's no more room for anything. If we
> bring one more player on board, which we're considering, I'm not sure
> where we'd put him.
>
> So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
> suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?
>
> Thanks,
>
> -Will

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Play on - stained old battlemat, kitchen table, 6 players 1 DM. We used
games workshop floor plans in the 80's but they where fiddly, shite and
no fun for non dungeon stuff.

equipment -

Coffee overload & biscuits

afterwards

"Black Sheep" beer in local

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Will Green wrote:
> I've got a folding card table, about 2 feet by 4 feet, that our group
> plays on. It's been working okay, but between my DM screen and our
> reasonably small battlemat, there's no more room for anything. If we
> bring one more player on board, which we're considering, I'm not sure
> where we'd put him.
>
> So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
> suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

I've got a 3' x 3' folding card table that I've been using for awhile,
and it has the same problem of leaving no room after the DM screen &
battlemat.

I recently supplemented it with a set of TV trays: wooden ones from
Target ($30 for a set of 4) that have a flat top. (Some varieties are
metal with a lip around the edge, which probably wouldn't work as
well). Aside from being easy to store away in a small space, they have
the advantage of being nice and modular: they can move around, or be
put next to each other for a slightly bigger space. Also, it makes it
easy to keep books, etc. on one, and keep chips and drinks separate on
a different one which keeps character sheets from getting stained as
much

-Pat

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Christopher Adams wrote:
> Murf wrote:
> > Play on - stained old battlemat, kitchen table, 6 players 1 DM. We used
> > games workshop floor plans in the 80's but they where fiddly, shite and
> > no fun for non dungeon stuff.
>
> I like playing at a proper large dining-table arrangement but unfortunately none
> of the people I play with care for it. So it's books in the lap and character
> sheets draped over the arm of the couch, rolling dice wherever we can for us.

We're Knights of the Sofa Set, too. I'm ambivalent, really. A table
setup does help keep everyone's attention, but I'm the type of DM who
likes to be on my feet while I think, roleplay an NPC, or describe
something. Otherwise, my station is a director's chair and a TV tray.

For combat, we use a big, plastic sewing board which just happens to
have a 1-inch grid layout. We lay this on the floor, and use our son's
blocks for scenery and staging. Pente stones make good faceless mooks,
spell effects, or summoned monsters if there's no adequate mini handy.
Works great.

--
Jay Knioum
The Mad Afro

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Murf wrote:
> Play on - stained old battlemat, kitchen table, 6 players 1 DM. We used
> games workshop floor plans in the 80's but they where fiddly, shite and
> no fun for non dungeon stuff.

I like playing at a proper large dining-table arrangement but unfortunately none
of the people I play with care for it. So it's books in the lap and character
sheets draped over the arm of the couch, rolling dice wherever we can for us.

Lame.

> equipment -
>
> Coffee overload & biscuits

Can't stand coffee, but plenty of Vanilla Coke (or Pepsi Max if I'm being good
about my weight) is my poison.

--
Christopher Adams - Sydney, Australia
What part of "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" don't you
understand?
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mhacdebhandia/prestigeclasslist.html
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mhacdebhandia/templatelist.html

Berawler: Is there any sanity or light left in this shrivelled husk of a world?
SingingDancingMoose: There was, but we had to trade it in for the internet.
Berawler: That is quite possibly the best response to any question ever.

 

[drow]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Alien mind control rays made Will Green <will_j_green@yxaxhxoxox.com> write:
> So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
> suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

we use a 3'x5' whiteboard which i picked up as work surplus for a song,
scored into 1"x1" grid. plus couches and folding tv trays for laptops.

--
\^\ // drow@bin.sh (CARRIER LOST) <http://www.bin.sh/>
\ // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
// \ X-Windows: A mistake carried out to perfection.
// \_\ -- Dude from DPAK

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Chris Christian wrote:
> We play around my massive dining room table that seats eight comfortably. Our
> battle map is a set of LEGO base plates and our figurines are LEGO mini-figs.
> A wide assortment of strange and wondrous LEGO creatures are used as monsters.
>
> Sample pictures:
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-3.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-5.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-6.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-7.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-8.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-9.html
>
> Jester

Nice!

I can attest to this, by the way. Lego works remarkably well as a
battlemat. Sadly, the last time I got an opportunity to use it as such
was in high school, for 2nd Ed, but I'd go with it again in a
heartbeat, if we had easy access to Lego blocks.

Laszlo

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Will Green wrote:
> So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
> suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

Old P200 desktop. In the rare cases where I don't game online, a coffee
table to hold the books and roll dice on; I don't use miniatures.

Brandon

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

We play around my massive dining room table that seats eight comfortably. Our
battle map is a set of LEGO base plates and our figurines are LEGO mini-figs.
A wide assortment of strange and wondrous LEGO creatures are used as monsters.

Sample pictures:
http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-3.html
http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-5.html
http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-6.html
http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-7.html
http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-8.html
http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-9.html

Jester

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Behold! for Will Green <will_j_green@yXaXhXoXoX.com> spake unto the
multitude thus:

>So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
>suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

Sofas and coffee table. A few 2'x3' bits of white-painted hardboard
marked with 1" squares (much cheaper and lighter than a whiteboard).

Alternatively, proper chairs and a dining table, but it gets
uncomfortable after 3 hours or so.

--
Jim or Sarah Davies, but probably Jim

D&D and Star Fleet Battles stuff on http://www.aaargh.org

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:49:30 -0400, "Jeff Goslin" <autockr@comcast.net>
scribed into the ether:

><laszlo_spamhole@freemail.hu> wrote in message
>news:1121117765.095790.26550@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> I can attest to this, by the way. Lego works remarkably well as a
>> battlemat. Sadly, the last time I got an opportunity to use it as such
>> was in high school, for 2nd Ed, but I'd go with it again in a
>> heartbeat, if we had easy access to Lego blocks.
>
>Yeah, I can see that. Unfortunately, Lego got like super expensive since I
>was a kid,

Actually, legos have always been expensive. You just don't see it cause the
money isn't coming out of your wallet.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

pluther wrote:
>
> Will Green wrote:
>
>>I've got a folding card table, about 2 feet by 4 feet, that our group
>>plays on. It's been working okay, but between my DM screen and our
>>reasonably small battlemat, there's no more room for anything. If we
>>bring one more player on board, which we're considering, I'm not sure
>>where we'd put him.
>>
>>So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
>>suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?
>
>
> I've got a 3' x 3' folding card table that I've been using for awhile,
> and it has the same problem of leaving no room after the DM screen &
> battlemat.

In the basement I have a 7 or 8 foot long folding table of the
banquet variety. Upstairs, there's the kitchen table which can have
leaves added to make it over 7 feet long. In the living room there's a
bunch of separate chairs, separate coffee tables, etc. Where we play
depends on several factors. Using a folding card table is definitely
out, though.


--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/seawasp/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

DM70 wrote:
> "Will Green" <will_j_green@yXaXhXoXoX.com> wrote in message
> news:%XcAe.39$e66.24@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com...
> > what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
> > suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

> We game at the dining room/kitchen table, usually supplemented by a card
> table and as DM I usually keep a small tray table or chair next to me for
> stuff I need but want to keep offthe main table surface.

Ditto; depending on whose house were at, we play either on a ping pong
table or large (10') dining table.

> We have a huge battlemat now (one of my players drew it on a CAD program
> at work), so the extra space helps.

Nice.
Lately, we've been using a large vinyl battlemat with 1" squares that
one person (no kids, disposable income) bought.

Previously we've used self-printed battlemats, too, using clear Contact
paper on foam board or very thin plywood. I prefer 1/2" squares, as we
find that the battle moves around a lot.
We gave up on minis and use little colored cardboard chits with the
players names (or numbers for NPCs and monsters)
Lately, dry-erase markers seem to quickly degrade the Contact paper
(and doesn't wipe off completely) so I'll probably go back to wet erase.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

"Will Green" <will_j_green@yXaXhXoXoX.com> wrote in message
news:%XcAe.39$e66.24@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com...
> I've got a folding card table, about 2 feet by 4 feet, that our group
> plays on. It's been working okay, but between my DM screen and our
> reasonably small battlemat, there's no more room for anything. If we
> bring one more player on board, which we're considering, I'm not sure
> where we'd put him.
>
> So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
> suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?
>

We game at the dining room/kitchen table, usually supplemented by a card
table and as DM I usually keep a small tray table or chair next to me for
stuff I need but want to keep offthe main table surface. We have a huge
battlemat now (one of my players drew it on a CAD program at work), so the
extra space helps. Thanksfully, we have about three places we could play
where this set-up is available (one being my house). The DM (me,
conveniently enough) gets a computer desk chair for comfort, but most
everyone else makes do with kitchen chairs or folding chairs.

My suggestion would be to buy a large kitchen table at a yard sale. If you
have a room for gaming, don't worry about what the top looks like. Make or
buy the largest battlemat possible (ours covers the entire table with the
leaf in) and use contact paper to laminate it right onto the table surface.
This also works great to make notes, track HP, etc. as you can write all
over the table with dry erase markers. If this is not possible, pick up a
5' or 6' folding table from Wal-Mart or other discount store. I saw one
earlier in the week for less than $40 (US). Chairs may either be folding
variety (metal/plastic) from a discount store, kitchen chairs from a yard
sale, or PVC from a lawn/garden dept. During non-game days, the PVC chairs
are great for out on the patio or porch.

My $0.02.

DM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 13:39:18 GMT, "Christopher Adams"
<mhacdebhandia@yahoo.invalid> carved upon a tablet of ether:

> I like playing at a proper large dining-table arrangement but unfortunately none
> of the people I play with care for it. So it's books in the lap and character
> sheets draped over the arm of the couch, rolling dice wherever we can for us.

I hate that. It's too hard to lay out a decent amount of paper (and
thus information) for immediate access, likewise for books. It's hard
to keep an eye on potential cheats, and it's too easy for people's
attention to wander because they're more seperated and there's less of
a focus.

Besides, lounge chairs give me backache after a while, especially if I
have to lean forward much (like you do if you've got your stuff on a
coffee table.

I vastly prefer a decent sized dining room table, or something
similar, and plenty of spare chairs for the GM to stack reference
materials on.


--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

In the old days, we used sand tables. They'd be something like 4' x 8'
with raised sides so the sand didn't get on the floor. You'd move the
sand around to draw the floorplan, and use HO scale trees and stuff to
dress it up.

Best table I've played on (more recently) was a ping-pong table in
someone's attic. Plenty of room for dice, minis, books, snacks, etc.


Ralph Glatt

Member, Old Farts Club

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

<alordofchaos@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1121175143.347103.250900@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> DM70 wrote:
>> "Will Green" <will_j_green@yXaXhXoXoX.com> wrote in message
>> news:%XcAe.39$e66.24@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com...

>
> Previously we've used self-printed battlemats, too, using clear Contact
> paper on foam board or very thin plywood. I prefer 1/2" squares, as we
> find that the battle moves around a lot.
> We gave up on minis and use little colored cardboard chits with the
> players names (or numbers for NPCs and monsters)
> Lately, dry-erase markers seem to quickly degrade the Contact paper
> (and doesn't wipe off completely) so I'll probably go back to wet erase.
>

I agree. The dry erase markers are not as good as the wet erase for contact
paper battlemats.

DM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Will Green <will_j_green@yXaXhXoXoX.com> wrote:
] So what do you guys use to play on? Any reasonably inexpensive
] suggestions for a guy looking to trade up?

Large table we can all sit at, with a rectangular sheet of green
felt I picked up at a craft store. They had it marked down as no one
wanted it. Manila folder dungeon tiles in scale on the felt.

JimP.
--
http://www.linuxgazette.net/ Linux Gazette
http://crestar.drivein-jim.net/ June 7, 2005
http://www.drivein-jim.net/ May 14, 2005: Drive-In movie theatres
http://poetry.drivein-jim.net/ poetry blog March 12, 2005

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Chris Christian <cjdc@nwlxgen02.jf.intel.com> wrote:
> We play around my massive dining room table that seats eight comfortably. Our
> battle map is a set of LEGO base plates and our figurines are LEGO mini-figs.
> A wide assortment of strange and wondrous LEGO creatures are used as monsters.
>
> Sample pictures:
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-3.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-5.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-6.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-7.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-8.html
> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-9.html

y'know, these pages would load a lot faster if you put real thumbnails
in instead of scaling the full-size image.


Keith
--
Keith Davies "Trying to sway him from his current kook-
keith.davies@kjdavies.org rant with facts is like trying to create
keith.davies@gmail.com a vacuum in a room by pushing the air
http://www.kjdavies.org/ out with your hands." -- Matt Frisch

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Keith Davies <keith.davies@kjdavies.org> wrote:
> Chris Christian <cjdc@nwlxgen02.jf.intel.com> wrote:
>> We play around my massive dining room table that seats eight comfortably. Our
>> battle map is a set of LEGO base plates and our figurines are LEGO mini-figs.
>> A wide assortment of strange and wondrous LEGO creatures are used as monsters.
>>
>> Sample pictures:
>> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-3.html
>> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-5.html
>> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-6.html
>> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-7.html
>> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-8.html
>> http://www.glabrous.net/sigil/pictures-9.html
>
> y'know, these pages would load a lot faster if you put real thumbnails
> in instead of scaling the full-size image.

.... but I should've also said it looks pretty cool.

I considered something like this, but lack sufficient LEGO to make it
work.

My last group, we used a 3'x3' battlemat (I wonder where that ended up,
too). Some of my players have since gotten into Heroscape, so there's a
decent chance we'll be building the set piece battles, at least, with
it.


Keith
--
Keith Davies "Trying to sway him from his current kook-
keith.davies@kjdavies.org rant with facts is like trying to create
keith.davies@gmail.com a vacuum in a room by pushing the air
http://www.kjdavies.org/ out with your hands." -- Matt Frisch

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Jeff Goslin wrote:
>
> Yeah, I can see that. Unfortunately, Lego got like super expensive since I
> was a kid, so I'm not about to go out and buy the lego I need for that. I
> remember when legos were like 5 bucks for a huge bucket or something. Now
> they are like 20 bucks for a little miniature model or something. Boo! I
> used to really like playing with legos, too.

I really don't much like the new Lego sets they have these days.
I don't think they foster creativity so much as they establish
conformity. "No, here is the *RIGHT* way to build this."

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Jeff Goslin wrote:
> <laszlo_spamhole@freemail.hu> wrote in message
>>I can attest to this, by the way. Lego works remarkably well as a
>>battlemat. Sadly, the last time I got an opportunity to use it as such
>>was in high school, for 2nd Ed, but I'd go with it again in a
>>heartbeat, if we had easy access to Lego blocks.
> Yeah, I can see that. Unfortunately, Lego got like super expensive since I
> was a kid, so I'm not about to go out and buy the lego I need for that. I
> remember when legos were like 5 bucks for a huge bucket or something. Now
> they are like 20 bucks for a little miniature model or something. Boo! I
> used to really like playing with legos, too.

<http://shop.lego.com/leaf.asp?cn=44&d=11&t=5> Big 1000 piece bucket for 20$. Not too bad.

--
"... respect, all good works are not done by only good folk. For within these Trials, we
shall do what needs to be done."
--till next time, Jameson Stalanthas Yu -x- <<poetry.dolphins-cove.com>>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Christopher Adams wrote:
> Murf wrote:
> > Play on - stained old battlemat, kitchen table, 6 players 1 DM. We used
> > games workshop floor plans in the 80's but they where fiddly, shite and
> > no fun for non dungeon stuff.
>
> I like playing at a proper large dining-table arrangement but unfortunately none
> of the people I play with care for it. So it's books in the lap and character
> sheets draped over the arm of the couch, rolling dice wherever we can for us.
>
> Lame.

I recommend getting a coffee table and/or TV trays.

I had a sofa-set crowd myself, but a large coffee table gave us
something to huddle around for battles and my large TV tray gave me a
place for my DM's screen and dice rolling.

--
Justin Alexander Bacon
http://www.thealexandrian.net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Jeff Goslin wrote:
> Yeah, I can see that. Unfortunately, Lego got like super expensive since I
> was a kid, so I'm not about to go out and buy the lego I need for that.

Garage sales can be your friend here. Lots of parents sell off their
kid's legos (and other toys) super-cheap once they out-grow them.

Back in the early '80s, when I was growing up, my mother was able to
collect for me a truly awesome array of Star Wars toys as the kids who
bought them in '79 hit their middle school years and out-grew them. I
literally had four large AT-ATs to play with.

--
Justin Alexander Bacon
http://www.thealexandrian.net