Really Cheap Tact-Tiles Substitute

A while back I talked about Tact-Tiles, both the kinds you can buy and do-it-yourself ways to make them.  For my Lazy Homemade Tact-Tiles #2 idea, I suggested buying a very cheap dry erase kit from LTD Commodities. Well, it no longer appears to be available at LTD, but I did pick up a set myself before they pulled it.  I poked around a bit and, man, the kit is hard to find now, but I did find one set on eBay here: link.  So, obviously, right out of the gate, this option now has one strike against it.  I figured I’d go ahead and post my thoughts on this kit as a gaming tool anyhow.  Hopefully someone out there has better Google-Fu than I do and can locate a retailer if they’re interested.

Here is what you get:

The panels are paper-thin, but they are basically big stickers after all.

Each panel is 12 inch x 12 inch and you get 8 panels total.  That is a pretty good sized gaming area.

I put the panels down on my gaming table and they covered a large chunk.

I doodled a bit of a dungeon on them and they worked fairly well.  Understandably, I had to hold down the panel so it wouldn’t move, but it wasn’t a problem.

So here is the skinny:

• If you want a grid, you’ve got some work to do. I know from personal experience,
  
  there really is no way to permanently mark this kind of surface apart from scoring it.  These panels are going to turn into confetti if you score them.  One possibility would be to mount the panels onto sections of poster board and then score them.
• A quick note regarding a grid, keep in mind games like D&D 3.5 and 4e work on a one-inch grid, so you can really just use a tape measure without much trouble (well, I’m assuming that is true for 4e. I haven’t played it).  Savage Worlds operates on this grid too and, despite the emphasis on a battle map in the Savage Worlds rule book, the official demo I played at Origins used a tape measure.
• The panels stay in place reasonably well. I bumped the table a bit to test this and the panels more or less stayed in place.  I’m guessing inadvertent bumps by players might be more problematic. Having not played with the interlocking Tact-Tiles, I’m not sure how much of an advantage they offer.
• The panels were covered with a clear film that came off.  I initially wasn’t certain if this was suppose to happen. I’m still not sure, but the panels were still erasable after I removed the film (although shadowing did increase noticeably).

The Verdict

• You get what you pay for. These panels aren’t as snazzy as the original Tact-Tiles or the current Battlegraph Boards.  However, if you can find a set, this kit is a hell of a lot cheaper, especially if you consider the amount of playing surface you get.  You get 8 panels for a 2 foot by 4 foot playing area. In comparison, the Battlegraph Boards are $7.00 per 12 inch piece and a set of Tact-Tiles will run you several hundred dollars on eBay (no joke, check the ENWorld forums).
• If nothing else, these panels would be handy for those times combat spills off your regular battle mat.

Since I am fine with my homemade battle mat, I didn’t keep the kit for myself.  I hung it up in two sections in our kitchen, thinking it would be fun for my daughters.  They really liked it, but, whoa boy, was it a bad idea.  My girls are six and three and, well, their marker control is still rather suspect.  Suffice it to say, they didn’t always stay on the dry erase area.  Word to the wise, dry erase markers don’t wash off non-dry erase walls…  our kitchen is a bit more colorful now.  I certainly do not recommend the kit for its intended purpose unless you have a wall you probably be ok with your kids drawing on to begin with.

Dungeons and Digressions Frugal Homemade Game Table

My father-in-law passed away this week and I'm not much in the mood for posting.  I will return to my Garhelm stuff when the mood strikes me.

In the mean time, Ze Bulette at Dungeons and Digressions has posted a nice, cheap homemade game table.  Check it out: link

Stargazer's Tip for a Cheap Dry Erase Battlemat

Sunglar posted a nice way to get a cheap dry erase battlemat from Costco: Cheap battlemats! The board is pre-gridded, so no need to score it.  I remember seeing this white board at Costco years ago and had the same thought.  Great minds think a like.

(This article might be well-known in the blogosphere, but I wasn't sure, so I figured I'd share.)

Cleaning Your Shower Board Battle Map

Okay, I think I’ve done the “cheap dry erase gaming surface” thing to death, but here is one last post about it.  Before using my shower board/tile board/Melamine battle map much, I was concerned that the surface wouldn’t clean as well as real whiteboard.  Various sources on the ‘net (such as here) warned of problems of ink not coming off.  I would erase maps between sessions to avoid such problems.  Suffice it to say, this was a bit time consuming.  Well, after forgetting to clean the map once, I discovered there really isn’t a problem. Sure, the longer the ink is on the board, the harder it is to get off, but it has always wiped clean with whiteboard cleaner or water (or at least clean enough; I’m not sure even real whiteboards ever get completely clean after repeated use).  When in doubt, bust out the shower cleaner. It is shower board after all. Hell, with all the beer, chips, and gamer sweat, its a good idea to disinfect that surface after a while anyhow.

Cloudy with a Chance of Orcus – Whiteboard Uses for RPG Gaming

In my post about the showdown in the Upper Temple of Orcus, Omote noticed a strange “map/poster” sitting on an easel in one of the pictures:

That is a piece of extra shower board/tile board/Melamine. Before I started using my massive battle map, I used two pieces of “whiteboard” purchased on the cheap from Craig’s List. The lady selling them didn’t know they weren’t real whiteboards (neither did I). Anyhow, they were cheap and these extra pieces are damn handy. Oh, the easel is my wife’s, but I long ago commandeered it for my own twisted purposes.

Various uses:

• Mapping - I stand in front of the whiteboard and draw an overview dungeon map as the party explores. This makes me feel like some strange, Gygaxian weatherman, but it works very well. It makes the mapper’s job easier and gives all the players a sense of where their characters are. It may sound like extra work, but it actually speeds up play because the players don’t need to question me as much about dungeon details.

• Initiative Tracking – I often write the initiative order on the board so that everyone in the group has a clear idea of when their turn is coming up.

  

• Extra Battle Room – I bust out these pieces when the battle spills over the area on the large battle map. It happens more than you’d think in a dungeon the scale of Rappan Athuk [especially if the DM (uhm, me) doesn’t start drawing at a good point on the large map].

• Artwork – My girls love to draw on these surfaces.

The Ultimate D&D Room

A friend of mine just shared this from Make.

THE ULTIMATE D&D ROOM

Those aren't tears... just some dust in my eyes... really.

Gaming Setup 101: A Portable, Cheap, Kick-arse, Battle Map or Homemade Tact-Tiles, the Lazy Way

UPDATE 7/6/10 - Great Victory Widgets seems to be no longer in operation (their Web site is down at least).  Also, Longtooth Studios does seem to be producing its version of Tact-Tiles.

I wrote up how to make nice, huge white board battle map before. The problem with that thing is that it's not going anywhere (it's 4 ft x 8 ft). This is fine for me since I host the D&D games I play in, but if you are a traveling DM, it's not much help.

If you're fine with using a vinyl battle mat, then that is the easy way to go. Personally, I've grown to dislike these because they only work with wet erase markers. Wet erase is old-school in the bad way. It's messy and a pain and, if you're clumsy (like I am), you're bound to get water all over your precious gaming books and notes.

A few years back, a company called BC Products made Tact-Tiles, puzzle-like white board pieces that you could assemble for battle-map goodness. A lot of folks really liked these, but they must not have sold well enough because BC Products stopped making them. That is a shame because they are a great idea. In addition to being a portable, dry erase surface, a lot of DMs like them because they can pre-draw battle fields for upcoming game sessions. When it's go time at the table, the DM just puts together the puzzle and, tada, place your minis and start rolling dice. On top of that, the DM can lay out the map bit by bit (e.g., as the party explores the dungeon) for the ol' "fog of war" effect. Personally, I don't have that kind of prep time, so I have to stick with "ok, everyone go get a beer or use the bathroom, I have to draw the huge temple you're going to die in."

Great Victory Widgets is now making a product under the Tact-Tiles name, but it doesn't appear they have any direct link to the original makers (given the "Don't get your knickers in a knot" trademark disclaimer on their site). Unlike the original, these new ones are clear and wet erase. Again, wet erase stinks. On top of that, these things will run you $95 for a set of 8 (although FRP Games has the same set for $85.00). $95 or $85 - that is a damn hefty price, especially for wet erase.

To be fair, some might say that $95.00 is not all that bad when you consider the amount of use you could get out of these. Hell, if you're a video gamer, the price is less than two video games. Ha, double hell, as a table top gamer, you've likely spent more than that on RPG books that see little use. Still, it's hard for me to plop down that kind of cash for something like this. Maybe it's because when I buy RPG books, it's at $20 or so a pop, and not in the $100 ballpark.

I'm guessing the new Tact-Tiles are made of plexiglas. For some reason, plexiglas doesn't appear to be suitable for dry erase, but only wet erase. The Great Victory Widgets site explicitly says their tiles are wet erase (they toss in a free marker!). The Avenger Ultimate Game Table uses plexiglas and its makers also explicitly state they use wet erase markers. I don't understand this as other folks use dry erase on plexiglas (see this ElephantStaircase DIY Dry Erase Board article). However, I'm assuming there is a reason or else people would be doing so

On the other hand, plexiglas is transparent. That is why the guys behind The Avenger Ultimate Game Table use it for their surface. They can place whatever map they want underneath (e.g., a D&D grid, a BattleTech hex map, etc.), and then go to town. I just don't see transparency as being a big plus for the new Tact-Tiles. First off, the tiles are already scored with a grid, so you don't need a grid underneath. On top of that, it sort of eliminates the "fog of war" feature. If the DM is placing them over an existing map, he'd have to hide the unseen areas of that map until he put the tile down. I'm sure Great Victory has their reasons for using plexiglas, but I can't figure them out.

Longtooth Studios started producing Battle Graphs a few years back and they're basically the same thing as the original Tact-Tiles (i.e., dry erase). Unfortunately, now Longtooth Studios has stopped making them: "We are currently unable to continue the manufacture of our Battlegraph Dry Erase Boards. We are continuing our efforts to find financial support to get things up and running...."


This fellow has posted his own step-by-step guide for making Tact Tiles: How to make your own Tact-Tiles. This seems all well and good, but a bit of a pain in the ass if you're like me (i.e., lazy).

So, below are a couple ideas of my own:

DISCLAIMER: I have not done ANY of this stuff myself. I'm happy with my big ol' grid, so I haven't bothered to spend the time or money on these theories.

Lazy Homemade Tact-Tiles Idea #1

• Do what I did for my mammoth white board battle map (i.e., buy a big piece of tile board (a.k.a., shower board a.k.a. Melamine) and score a grid on it with an Exacto knife), and then cut it up with a jig saw.
• $11 or so for the tile board and some sawing and you have Tact-Tiles.

Lazy Homemade Tact-Tiles Idea #2

• Go to the LTD Commodities site and buy this Dry Erase Kit. It includes eight 1 ft x 1 ft dry erase tiles that you can assemble as you'd like, up to a 4 ft x 2 ft area. The kit is a whopping $5.95.
• I have no clue what these things look like out of the box, but I bet you can use them as is. That is, rather than stick them to the wall, keep them on their backings and use them as tiles.
• Worst case scenario, if you can't use them "as is," stick 'em on some poster board.
• The only problem here is that they don't interlock. I'm not sure how much of an issue that would be. Then again, if it's $95.00 for interlocking or $6.00 for non-interlocking, I'd rough it.
• You might be able to score a grid on them, but, if not, a D&D grid works on 1 inch scale. It would be easy just to measure movement with a tape measure and skip the gird entirely. (Actually, if you're okay with that method, you could skip the scoring part of my tile board map design, as well).

If anyone tries either of these methods, I'd love to hear how they work out.

Gaming Setup 101: A cheap, kick-arse dry erase battle map.

Upgraded Battle Map 1, originally uploaded by -Frost-.

There are plenty of options for battle maps these days. There are the classic vinyl mats, but those are wet-erase and I find them a pain in the ass to clean. I don't like having water or soggy paper towels around my pretty game books. I know a lot of folks, such as the folks who designed the Avenger (aka the Ultimate) Game Table use plexi-glass. However, that can be a bit expensive. For example, this site has a 18 inch x 24 piece for $9.00. You have to pony up some considerable coin if you want a good-sized map. The only bonus is that you can place any kind of grid you want underneath it (e.g., a hexmap, pre-printed maps, etc.).

I created my battle map from tileboard from Home Depot. It costs about $11.00 for a 4 ft. x 8 ft. sheet. It is a heck of a deal, although toting it home might be a problem. I crammed mine into the back of my Jeep Cherokee and that was an adventure to say the least. I had to cruise down the interstate hunched over like Grandma Betty so that the tileboard could fit in the car. In hindsight, I should have just asked an employee to cut the board into a couple manageable pieces.

To grid the map, I used a dry-wall T-square and an exacto knife. I have found no other way to ensure a permanent grid. Even industrial strength marker has come off. A dry-wall T-square is marked just like a ruler, so that greatly simplifies the process of scoring the 1 inch squares. Go slow, though. Since you are cutting into the board, any mistakes you make are going to be permanent.

Gaming Setup 101: Not-So Famous Gaming Table - Option 2

Option 2: The "I May Not Want to Eat on It, but It Will Work" Method

If you’re like me and have a tight budget, I suggest you check out the wonders of Craig’s List (http://www.craigslist.org) for your gaming table needs. (Not to mention, you might want to search for used Dungeons & Dragons goodies as well.) Craig’s List is basically one big online rummage sale. Log on, select your city (on the right side of the page), and start searching. Steer clear of the “services” section unless you’re looking for another kind of role-playing. If you don’t find any ads, place your own wanted ad. Craig’s List is entirely free, so you have nothing to lose. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. I found my chairs and both of my tables via wanted ads. Most of the folks selling these large folding tables previously used them for flea markets or garage sales, so don’t expect much in the way of looks. However, for the price, you can’t beat it.

Craig's List:
Homemade folding table with lovely faux wood paneling surface (86” x 33“) & 8 wooden folding chairs: $25.00

Homemade folding table with red Formica surface (96” x 30“): $10.00

Craig’s List Total: $35.00

As you can see, I bought two tables and eight chairs for less then the cost of one table at Sam‘s Club or Costco. Are they pretty? Hell, no! But they serve their purpose beautifully. On top of that, they are much larger than the tables I quoted above. Granted, Sam’s Club or Costco sell larger tables than the ones I quoted, but expect to pay a good bit more (for example, one comparable-sized table at Sam’s Club goes for about $70.00).

Again, these tables aren’t pretty at all. I had the odd luck of finding two people selling large, homemade tables. The faux wood paneling table is hideous and not terribly sturdy, but it works. More importantly, the wooden chairs that came with it are much better than the plastic or metal ones you can get, so those were a tremendous deal. The red Formica table isn’t pretty either, but is well-made.

I could care less that they are ugly. My battle map covers them almost completely anyway. However, if you end up with some ugly tables, and are bothered by it, just throw a table cloth or sheet over them.

I think I’ve made my point. Craig’s List can be your best friend when it comes to finding a great gaming table. Even if you want tables that look better than my beauties, you still have a good chance of finding tables and chairs for a much better price than what you’ll pay at the store. And, what the hell, right? It’s a free service, so why not try?

Once you have your tables, the next step is to get yourself a great gaming surface. I’ll discuss that in my next article

Gaming Setup 101: Not-So Famous Gaming Table - Option 1

How to Create a Not-So Famous Gaming Table

Buy yourself two, large folding tables. You don’t need a nice table for gaming but you do need a big table. Yes, boys, size matters (even in Dungeons & Dragons). Even if you have a small gaming group, you’ll likely need a large gaming surface. In addition to needing room for the battle map or game board, you’ll need room for polyhedral dice rolling, players’ books, drinks and snacks, and, of course, your broad sword. Assuming you have the space, I recommend picking up two tables. This will provide you with ample playing area. Even if you have a small group, one table probably won’t be enough to accommodate everything and everyone. Also, gaming groups have a tendency to grow, so think about the future. Buy the largest tables you can afford (and, obviously, that you can accommodate). I recommend your tables be at least 72” x 30” (6’ x 2.5’).

In addition to large tables, I recommend folding ones. Why folding? This allows you to use your gaming area for other things than, well, gaming. For example, although I game in my unfinished basement, it’s nice to be able to fold up the tables and put them against the wall so my kids can run around down there on a rainy day. Also, if you ever move, it’s much easier to fit a folding table through the door than some mammoth one-piece table.

There are two ways you can go about getting your folding tables:
Option 1: The Fancy Pants Method
Option 2: The "I May Not Want to Eat on It, but It Will Work" Method.

Option 1: The Fancy Pants Method

If you have the cash, you can get nice folding tables from places like Office Depot, Costco, or Sam’s Club. I’d recommend going to Sam’s Club or Costco. If you don’t have a membership, ask a friend who belongs to take you. By and large, you’ll get more for your money. For example:

 

These tables run from around $40.00 to $80.00. Obviously, the bigger the tables, the higher the price. Again, I recommend you get the biggest ones you can afford.

Naturally, you’ll need chairs to go with your tables. Like the tables, I suggest getting folding ones that can be stowed. The price of chairs varies a lot. For example, you can opt for the Steel Cage Match 4-Pack at Office Depot for about $30.00:

However, since you’ll be sitting for hours at a time, you’ll likely want something at least a tad more comfortable. Sam’s Club has a four pack of plastic chairs for about $80.00.

Assuming you don’t opt for the Steel Chairs of Torture, here is the price breakdown for the cheapest stuff from both Sam‘s Club and Costco:

Costco
Two folding tables (72” x 30”): $50.80 x 2: $101.60
Two 4-packs of folding chairs: $104.99 x 2: $209.98
Costco Total: $311.58

Sam’s Club
Two folding tables (72” x 30”): $39.88 x 2: $79.76
Two 4-packs of folding chairs: $81.37 x 2: $162.74
Sam’s Club Total: $242.50

Sam’s Club is about $70.00 cheaper and appears to be the winner here. However, keep in mind that the Sam’s Club prices I used were based on my location (I had to enter my ZIP code), so your results may be vary. Also, obviously, your price will be cheaper if you don’t need as many chairs.

Personally, both of these totals are a bit rich for my blood. If you’re married like me, you might have a hard time convincing your wife that such an investment is worth it. (Although, I should point out, these tables and chairs are handy for parties and that kind of thing in addition to gaming, so you might be able to work that angle).

However, if you’re like me and have a tight budget, I suggest you try Option 2: The "I May Not Want to Eat on It, but It Will Work" Method.

Gaming Setup 101: Famous Tables

One often overlooked aspect to D&D gaming is the physical area in which you play. Understandably, most folks focus on buying game materials, prepping the adventure, buying snacks, etc. However, in order to have a truly satisfying experience, you need a good place to play. This article is a first in a series about the crucial elements for a great gaming setup. My tips are for the gamer on a budget. If you’re like me, most of your money goes for bills, diapers, and other necessities (e.g., beer). More often than not, gaming supplies are the last on the list.

The Table

The table is the cornerstone of the gaming setup. If your table is crap, your game will suffer. However, having a great table can be simpler, and cheaper, than one might think.

Famous Gaming Tables

A few gaming tables have made the rounds on the web. By and large, these tables aren’t for a guy on a budget. Here are my thoughts on them.

The Avenger Table
This one is my personal favorite. It is highly utilitarian and that is the real key to a great table in my book. You can even buy instructions for $11.00 from the website. The table itself is not cheap though. The website states that the entire setup cost the creator about $2000.00 to assemble (that price is for the whole room, but I’d bet the bulk of the money went to the table). If I ever had the time and resources, I would seriously consider making such a table. The only thing I have against it is its wet erase gaming surface. Personally, I think dry erase works the best for gaming, and I think one could easily substitute a dry erase surface for the one they use. I’ll deal with options for a cheap and practical gaming surface in a subsequent article.

The Agyris Game Table
This table is probably the coolest looking table around, but I’m not a fan. It has some neat features, like a clever way to pass messages to players, but other than that, it doesn’t seem that practical to me. It’s too cool for its own good. One aspect I do like is its elevated gaming surface.

Pen, Paper, & Pixel Table
I have seen quite a few setups online that make use of an projector to display the battle map on the table, such as the Pen, Paper, & Pixell one. The main innovation here is about the gaming surface rather than the table itself, so I’ll save most of my review of this setup for that discussion. For the actual table, while I think the size is perfect, I’m don’t care for the rest. The table is designed to be low so as to be used with the surrounding futons. While it might be very comfortable while relaxing or waiting your turn, this setup requires players to lean forward all the time to roll, move miniatures, etc. That seems a bit annoying to me. It looks perfect for hanging out, drinking a beer, and BSing with friends, but not so great for playing a game.