General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
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Yeah, I've been busy and we have a milestone date to meet this week at DLA so I've not been able to pounce on this yet.
Another week or two.
And yes, it will be an explanation of the technology, how it works, what the specs mean, how to measure and calculate your throw distance possible in your present gaming room setup and links to reviews, sites and distance calculators so you know how big your image will be with a given projector model.
A lot of that has already been touched on in this thread so far and a few have taken the plunge already. I can't disagree with the projector choices made that I've seen mentioned here so far and I'm really looking forward to pics and comments from those who will soon try this out in their own games.
I honestly think we are on to something here. This tech transcends genres and systems and can be used in every game session. You don't have to know much about it to look at a pic of a projector image on the tabletop and know "Hey! That's cool."
__________________ .Robert
Last edited by Steel_Wind; 6th March 2005 at 07:49 PM..
I understand that, as do the the people on these boards i'm sure. Therefore I suggest two alternatives:
1) Ask to borrow a Players Handbook. If you have any questions then call your gaming group or sign on here so we can answer your questions about problems designing your character.
2) They can always download PARTS (not all) of the SRD if they wish here or here.
They don't have even print it out. They can always take a look at it online and work from there.
My $.02
In my current group several players don't have PHB's, but there are people using both the options you listed above.
However, I would point out that many gamers (perhaps most) don't know that the SRD exists, and many don't what to read it off a computer or print out reams of paper. Many people don't use the internet regularly, and don't use their computer for gaming.
Also, I do think it's perfectly possible to have fun gaming even if not all players have the PHB.
I use the Klooge Werks software in my game. I have my laptop in front of me, and another PC initially hooked up to a LCD screen on the table, and now a projector.
With that program I can scan the maps in, and then uncover areas as the PC's explore which is displayed automatically on the players screen. That view can be shifted around or zoomed in an out.
The next step is to setup the projecter over the top of the table like the setup that started this thread. Currently when a battle starts we switch back to a whiteboard and minatures.
Our group used the projector last night, and I used photoshop for the mapping which I really liked. The group enjoyed using the projector, one of them said he hated to admit it but he really liked it. We didn't get to use miniatures with it because if we mounted it the distance from projector to table isn't enough to have a good sized image, so we just threw the map on the wall and used little dot's in photoshop for positions. I can only imagine how much better it would have been if we got to use the minis. We don't normally game with a computer, and I frankly loved it. I could look rules up quicker on d20srd.org than in the book more often than not as well.
We are going to try and find a way to mount the projector next week, and hopefully get to use minis.
In my current group several players don't have PHB's, but there are people using both the options you listed above.
However, I would point out that many gamers (perhaps most) don't know that the SRD exists, and many don't what to read it off a computer or print out reams of paper. Many people don't use the internet regularly, and don't use their computer for gaming.
I understand the individual words, but the sentence makes no sense to me. How can this be?
__________________ "And once again, tithing is 10% off the top. That's gross income, not net. Please people, don't force us to audit. Now I'm going to pass this around a second time. Brother Ned, you'll do the honors." - Reverend T. Lovejoy
Check to make sure your projector can focus at short range (ours is about 4' max, or 5' with a mirror). With a mirror we also are looking for a ceiling mount (vertical flip) and rear projection (horizontal flip).
It will also give image size at your target distance. Our target for selecting a projectors is 30"x40" at 5' (50" diagonal). This gives enough room for the party to see up to 12" (60') in all directions (darkvision range, lowlight w/30' light source).
Last edited by jodyjohnson; 7th March 2005 at 06:18 PM..
Sorry for the play-by-play here but I'm excited, and it's on topic.
The projector arrived today around 12:30. I left work to go move it inside as soon as UPS.COM showed delivered (It was rainy today.)
At work the rest of the day I was buzzing, cranking out vast quantities of good work due to bundles of little kid with a new toy energy.
Got home, cracked it out, ran the S-video cable from my Geforce 3 TI200 (if you just cringed, congratulations!) aimed it at the wall about the same throw distance I'll be getting from in my ceiling and....
(Before you read on, this ends well. Don't make any judgement about the projector until you get to the end.)
WHAM. Disappointment. What a blurry picture. I moved it out quite a bit (6-8 feet) and no focusing would bring it into clarity. Played with settings for awhile, etc. I began the internal debate. "Is this good enough, do I accept paying $1000 for junk." etc, etc.
Suddenly it dawned on me. The BenQ logo was crystal clear. The menu was crystal clear. The problem was my video source! Woohoo! I hooked up the 15-pin video cable and hooted for joy!
What was I thinking? Eh? (I know what I was thinking, I was hoping to use the monitor as well as the projector, but it's a very small sacrifice for me. We DM with laptops and I've got lots of network connections and a WAP so we can use remoting software in lieu of the mouse and keyboard at "MapServ")
I'm bursting at the seams with excitement for my game on Saturday!
Anyway thought I'd share.
Toodles! Off to Home Depot to find an extension cord and some wire shelving, and then to see if anybody carries 25' 15pin video cables.
__________________ "No man should outlive his fictional wizard. No man!" - Homer J. Simpson
Please check your laptop keyboard. There is usally a function to enable the monitor on the laptop to be on at the same time as the external monitor.
There is often a keyboard shortcut combo to turn laptop on, external monitor on - both on.
Important: this feature is designed NOT to work on a lot of laptops if the laptop is powered up with the external VGA cable already plugged in. On my T30 Thinkpad, I need to power it up - THEN connect the external VGA cable, then hit the keyboard shortcut keys to get both laptop monitor and the projector working at the same time.
With a SVHS cable - this does not apply and it always automatically goes on.
Your chipset probably works the same way.
__________________ .Robert
Last edited by Steel_Wind; 6th December 2005 at 06:12 AM..
Re-reads. *GeF3 Ti200* You are using a desktop for this?
Ok. You can get a VGA Y splitter. Not ideal. What you really want is a new card with a Digital Video out and a DVI top VGA converter so you can run two monitors, but....whatever
(If you are looking for a new card, a GeF 6600 GT AGP will fix you right up.)
Now, I want a high-def projector, it will be used for watching movies/tv, playing xbox, AND hopefully to game with once a month. The gaming table only has a bit more than 5' from surface to ceiling, so I am not sure if this projector is gonna put a decent-sized image on there.
Well, the S1+ is a low end projector. So there is not point pretending it's the coolest rig you coud ever get - it isn't.
But that does not mean that it isn't *cool enough*. It will do the job.
At 1400 ANSI (which is a little optomistic for this unit, it's more like 1100-1200, really), it's bright enough to get the job done. Not as bright as you would like if you had your druthers, but it is serviceable in normal ambient lighting - and that's the test.
The picture is 800x600, so it's not mega crisp and clean - but hey - 800x600 is all *we* have right now and we love ours - so it's not that it's not good enough. It is.
Diagonal image, depending on zoom, is about 30" to 42" in the 5'6"
zone, about average for a DLP. It's comparable to most.
Physically the projector is a little bigger than others in its class and its depth will eat up a few more inches of projector space when its tilted on its side. No biggie, just something to remember when you are working out how much room you have and where it will sit.
If there is a downside on this projector, the contrast *is* a little low. So dark images will not be all that clear as they might be on a more expensive unit. But that's not a disaster by any means. For most gaming purposes - you will not notice.
When viewing a dark movie like say, Underworld,...you will notice it a bit.
The nice thing is though - this unit will get the job done and the price is extremely competitive. I've used the S1 (though not the S1+ but the difference i minimal) at a presentation (not for gaming) and it works fairly well. It's not STELLAR for movies, but if this is your first projector - you'll be sitting back on the couch going "wow" when you use it for that purpose for the first time.
And being able to go "wow" counts large from where I sit.
I assume you've looked at this one as it is one of the lowest prices in its class and you are wondering whether its good enough.
Subject to what I've said above - yes - I would think it is "good enough" for the intended purpose.
Now, I want a high-def projector, it will be used for watching movies/tv, playing xbox, AND hopefully to game with once a month. The gaming table only has a bit more than 5' from surface to ceiling, so I am not sure if this projector is gonna put a decent-sized image on there.
Not sure either, as there is no listing for this unit on Projector Central yet. That in itself strikes me as very odd.
That said, all the stats seem to be VERY nice and appear to dovetail with the stats on the Optoma739. That's a very nice projector if the stats are to be believed - though I doubt the lamp is really good enough for 5000 hours. My reaction to that is - maybe in ecnono mode you can get to 3000. But 5000? Nah. I wouldn't be counting on that as a reason to buy it.
Everyone selling it seems to refer to Tiger Direct at the same price.
It's possible that this is a Optoma 739 which has been refurbed or otherwise packaged off to Tiger Direct from Optoma.
FWIW, the 739 at 5'3" is in the 33"-39" diagonal range. You'd do better getting a new lower table to use it with. 6" inches more of throw space would help a lot.
All the stats I can see on it appear to be very positive. But I'm suspicious of a unit without a single review on Projector Central. I'd call Optoma first and get the low down on this rig and see if its the 739 under a different model number before I bought it. There is no entry on Optoma's website for it either. That also is not a showstopper - but call em and find out more first.
__________________ .Robert
Last edited by Steel_Wind; 10th March 2005 at 06:35 AM..
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