Tabletop Randomness

[hepcat]

I've been thinking about a gametopper table topper. I'm going to check them out at Gencon this year with an eye towards buying one maybe. I'd love to have a truly 3x3 foot playing area for miniature gaming.

[RMC]

I've been thinking about a gametopper table topper. I'm going to check them out at Gencon this year with an eye towards buying one maybe. I'd love to have a truly 3x3 foot playing area for miniature gaming.

I think we looked at those at Origins a few years ago, they look like the perfect thing for easy use of existing tables.

[Smoove_B]

I'd love to have a truly 3x3 foot playing area for miniature gaming.

Live the dream!

[hepcat]

that's another thing I want: a 3D printer. But I may just see about renting time on one as I just need some terrain printed out. Nothing to merit purchasing a whole printer though, I believe.

I wonder what Rose's armor class would be?

I've been thinking about a gametopper table topper. I'm going to check them out at Gencon this year with an eye towards buying one maybe. I'd love to have a truly 3x3 foot playing area for miniature gaming.

I think we looked at those at Origins a few years ago, they look like the perfect thing for easy use of existing tables.

At the time I think I pooh poohed them. But recently we tried to play Star Trek Ascendancy on my 30 inch wide bjursta table and the 3 inches on each side that hung off bothered me. And I can't justify a full gaming table as the cost seems to be much higher than just a topper, while the table itself would be tough for an apartment dweller to move.

[RMC]

that's another thing I want: a 3D printer. But I may just see about renting time on one as I just need some terrain printed out. Nothing to merit purchasing a whole printer though, I believe.

I wonder what Rose's armor class would be?

I've been thinking about a gametopper table topper. I'm going to check them out at Gencon this year with an eye towards buying one maybe. I'd love to have a truly 3x3 foot playing area for miniature gaming.

I think we looked at those at Origins a few years ago, they look like the perfect thing for easy use of existing tables.

At the time I think I pooh poohed them. But recently we tried to play Star Trek Ascendancy on my 30 inch wide bjursta table and the 3 inches on each side that hung off but bothered me. And I can't justify a full gaming table as the cost seems to be much higher than just a topper, while the table itself would be tough for an apartment dweller to move.

I bought a 3D printer a few years ago, and I printed some things, and even set it up in my office. But honestly, I just never found the time to dial it in. And I have several friends who have a 3D printer that print things much better than I have been able too. So I will just pay them. Lol. But I bought itto print out boardgame dividers, and such. And I still think if I get time I will do that. But I have not had time.

[hepcat]

I wasn't aware there was any real skill involved in 3D printing? I always thought you just filled up a reservoir with magic goop, then uploaded a 3D blueprint and hit "print".

[RMC]

I wasn't aware there was any real skill involved in 3D printing? I always thought you just filled up a reservoir with magic goop, then uploaded a 3D blueprint and hit "print".

Yeah.... In an ideal world that would be it. But you have to calibrate the printer, and there are lots of factors that can impact quality prints and not getting anything out of the printer but goop.

[Zarathud]

If you bought a Wyrmwood modular table like hentzau, it would disassemble and be reasonably priced. My boardgametable.com is heavy but the legs disassemble. And I’ll pay movers now that I’m the olds.

[hepcat]

Interesting, I just assumed the wyrmwood tables were all 5 to 6 grand. I didn't realize the modular version is significantly cheaper. I was also looking at a Jasper from bgt. it's near gametoppers pricing too.

[Zarathud]

They’ve become quite reasonable as long as you pick a predefined model and don’t get sucked into addons. Real furniture is nice.

[hepcat]

Dude, I have real furniture. You make it sound like I’m living in a college dorm. Most people don’t pay 5 grand for a dining room table. Hell, most people don’t pay 2 grand. These are luxury hobby items we’re talking about.

[Blackhawk]

People have dining room tables?

Hell, people have rooms just for dining?

[hepcat]

On the Beverly Hillbillies it was the billiard room.

[hentzau]

3D printing is a completely separate hobby, Hep. There is a learning curve, they aren’t plug and play, and you have to be willing to tinker.

That said, If you want some stuff, hit me up. I’m at camp this week and I have to finish up a big project next week, and then at camp again…so if you don’t need it right away, I’m your huckleberry.

[Isgrimnur]

Not to mention ventilation. But then, that may be a problem you've already solved through hobbies. I wouldn't know.

[baelthazar]

Dude, I have real furniture. You make it sound like I’m living in a college dorm. Most people don’t pay 5 grand for a dining room table. Hell, most people don’t pay 2 grand. These are luxury hobby items we’re talking about.

We inherited a table from my wife's grandmother. Hell, most of our furniture is inherited. I play games in my office on a beat up 3 ft x 3 ft breakfast nook table from my parents. The good news is that I can often skip large playmats, because they tend to be over 36in long.

[YellowKing]

I really want a "real" gaming table, but it's hard to justify when my cheap thrown together solution works just fine. Large folding table, large neoprene mat. Done.

We have a finished storage room that we're currently using as the kids' arts and crafts room. I had a thought that when they get older I could convert that into a full gaming room and put a nice table in there. Dreams....

[AWS260]

People have dining room tables?

Hell, people have rooms just for dining?

"Dining rooms" are a common motif in popular science fiction. Like the Jetsons' flying car, I hope to one day have one.

[hepcat]

Pshaw, we'll all have indoor bathrooms before then.

3D printing is a completely separate hobby, Hep. There is a learning curve, they aren’t plug and play, and you have to be willing to tinker.

That said, If you want some stuff, hit me up. I’m at camp this week and I have to finish up a big project next week, and then at camp again…so if you don’t need it right away, I’m your huckleberry.

Thanks man, that's very generous of you! I may take you up on that for some terrain at some point. But I promise not to be a bother!

Not to mention ventilation. But then, that may be a problem you've already solved through hobbies. I wouldn't know.

Another upside, you're saying?

[hentzau]

Not to mention ventilation. But then, that may be a problem you've already solved through hobbies. I wouldn't know.

Ventilation for PLA isn’t an issue. ABS and other more exotic filaments that you need higher temps for, then you need ventilation.

Eco-friendly resin isn’t too bad as far as odors, but I don’t take chances and have a fan in a window when I’m printing and it’s getting stirred up.

[Blackhawk]

This is a long ways away for me, but how much ventilation and for how long are we talking?

[hentzau]

This is a long ways away for me, but how much ventilation and for how long are we talking?

Well, a typical minis print for me takes about 2 and a half hours on a mono printer. Decreased layers and anti-aliasing will increase that by as much as double. If you’re venting during the pour of resin and then the print and the drain and clean of the resin tank, call it 3-3.5 hours.

What I’ve been doing is just running an air filter right between the printer and the wash station. That takes care of 90% of the odors. That’s using low odor plant based resin.

[Blackhawk]

That could be a problem. I have birds, so I have to be especially careful of fumes. I can seal off the bedroom and turn on an exhaust fan (I do this for other fume-heavy projects), but the room isn't exactly comfortable to be in during that time, save for some brief periods in the spring and autumn. If a miniature is 3+ hours, I can only imagine what larger projects must be (terrain, organizers, utility items, etc. - my main interest.) It isn't like I was going to be getting one anytime soon, but that could be enough of an issue to prevent it outright.

[hentzau]

That could be a problem. I have birds, so I have to be especially careful of fumes. I can seal off the bedroom and turn on an exhaust fan (I do this for other fume-heavy projects), but the room isn't exactly comfortable to be in during that time, save for some brief periods in the spring and autumn. If a miniature is 3+ hours, I can only imagine what larger projects must be (terrain, organizers, utility items, etc. - my main interest.) It isn't like I was going to be getting one anytime soon, but that could be enough of an issue to prevent it outright.

Well, I wouldn’t recommend a SLA/resin printer for terrain anyway, other than for greebles and furniture and the like. Larger pieces the FDM/filament printers are the way to go.

[baelthazar]

I was going to say, I was under the impression that resin was good for minis, but you have to create a lot of struts and supports to prevent collapse during the printing process. Chunkier things, like terrain, it is less useful for.

[hentzau]

You can get great terrain prints from resin. But based on the kind of print you would need to hollow it out and put drainage holes to let the resin in the interior drain out and allow the alcohol to wash and drain. Plus quite a bit more expensive than FDM.

[baelthazar]

You can get great terrain prints from resin. But based on the kind of print you would need to hollow it out and put drainage holes to let the resin in the interior drain out and allow the alcohol to wash and drain. Plus quite a bit more expensive than FDM.

Yeah, I am always reminded of the resin sculpts from Forge World for the large vehicles and such. Basically, there were some you needed chisels and saws to get out from the struts!

[Blackhawk]

I went and dug my copy of Fallout: Wasteland Warfare out of storage. I'd picked it up just before I went on my boardgame hiatus. I went and really looked at the offerings on the official site. They have every terrain offering under the sun - as stl files. One of these days I'm going to have to get myself a 3d printer!

[hentzau]

I went and dug my copy of Fallout: Wasteland Warfare out of storage. I'd picked it up just before I went on my boardgame hiatus. I went and really looked at the offerings on the official site. They have every terrain offering under the sun - as stl files. One of these days I'm going to have to get myself a 3d printer!

Still a great game. I have tons of terrain and minis. But I’m still deep in Pulp Alley.

[Blackhawk]

Yeah, it's really appealing to me right now. Although Modiphius really likes big price tags, which hurts. I'll have to get by with the starter set I already own for the foreseeable future.

[Isgrimnur]

Heat: Pedal to the Metal

Days of Wonder, the company behind the Ticket to Ride tabletop game franchise, revealed a new tabletop game called Heat: Pedal to the Metal.

Heat: Pedal to the Metal is a Formula One-inspired racing game set in the 1960s. The game will allow 1-6 players to compete in car races on four different tracks. As players compete to win each race, they’ll need to manage their car’s speed to prevent their vehicle from overheating.
...
Heat: Pedal to the Metal will be released first at Spiel Essen (a tabletop gaming convention), which takes place October 6-9, 2022 in Essen, Germany. The game will be released around the world in fall 2022.

[Fardaza]

I have Heat: Pedal to the Metal on my BGG wishlist already! Looking forward to seeing how it plays.

[Isgrimnur]

Rules are up on the DoW site.

[Daveman]

I really like Flamm Rouge and Heat is by the same designer. Heat looks a little more complex but is still built on a straightforward concept of managing your deck/hand of cards... I can't wait to try it out.

[Blackhawk]

Since I'm jumping back into the idea of building terrain and playing terrain-based games, I'm being reminded of just how odd it is looking for supplies (especially if you are trying not to spend money.)

For some things, you just have to browse until you find something that looks right. You're working at scale, so you are mainly interested in the shape and texture - not the function. Example: 1/2 inch PVC pipe plugs:



Why?

Spoiler:

55 gallon drums!

And then there are readily available, cheap materials. That come by the hundreds of square feet and are impossible to transport by car.

"Excuse me, can I purchase two square feet of fencing, please?"

[Fardaza]

Just snagged Lost Ruins of Arnak off Amazon. It's on sale for $41!

Now if I can just find time to play it this week.

[Blackhawk]

My #1 most hated rule in RPGs (which shows up in skirmish games, too) :

If you shoot into a melee, randomly determine who is hit.

The presence of an ally doesn't negate the ability to aim! It's easier to accidentally hit your friend, but equally likely? Pfft.

[hepcat]

I have no problem with that rule. Sounds realistic to me. How many times do you watch a show where two people are fighting and a third person with a gun is constantly being told to shoot, but refuses/hesitates because they aren't sure they'll hit the right person?

Answer: a lot.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, I like that rule - assuming there's a character skill or trait that can mitigate it ("Eagle Eye"; "Steady Hand"). Make special character traits special again!

[hepcat]

Someone has been playing Dungeon Universalis.