Tiles? Terrain? Battlemats?

Z

Zaukrie

New Publisher

• Jul 10, 2006

• #1

What do you use in your games for where the action takes place?

Tiles, 3D terrain, paper models, battlemats or what?

One of the stores near me has the really expensive 3D terrain for about 30-40% off as the connectors are missing (what is the name of that company again?) and I'm considering it. But, paper terrain and tiles seem to work well enough for me and the boys I'm teaching the game right now.

 

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Nebulous

Legend

• Jul 10, 2006

• #2

You'll get a lot of different answers. For any of my games, i use a vinyl battlemat covered in a sheet of plexiglass. I write on it with washable markers. I also use pre-printed tiles maps (such as 0one games) that i slide under the plastic so they can also be drawn on. Occasionally, i use 3d paper models for columns, rocks, etc. While i like the full 3D Dungeon Forge sets, they are very expensive, and look like a hassle to put together and take apart.

 

frankthedm

First Post

• Jul 10, 2006

• #3

Zaukrie said:

What do you use in your games for where the action takes place?

Tiles, 3D terrain, paper models, battlemats or what?

One of the stores near me has the really expensive 3D terrain for about 30-40% off as the connectors are missing (what is the name of that company again?) and I'm considering it. But, paper terrain and tiles seem to work well enough for me and the boys I'm teaching the game right now.

Click to expand...

Fancy premade terrain can be nice, but eats up money and storage space.

Homemake terrain can be cheap if you can find free styrofoam and a cheap cutting tool, but still eats up a ton of space.

I make battlemats from fabric store Vynil, dotted with a pemanent marker through pegboard.

 

BlueBlackRed

Explorer

• Jul 10, 2006

• #4

Our group uses several 24"x30" gridded Lexan sheets with dry-erase markers.

They are perfect for our gaming needs and they are incredibly durable.

 

Sammael

Adventurer

• Jul 10, 2006

• #5

Battlemat, wet-erase markers, and D&D miniatures.

 

P

(Psi)SeveredHead

Adventurer

• Jul 10, 2006

• #6

We use dry erase grid sheets. They can stick to things, but the group is too paranoid to actually use that feature *rolls eyes*

The grids are actually 1/2 inch rather than a full inch, which is great. We found minis to be more trouble than they're worth anyway, and just use dry erase. However, we might use minis if there's a lot of creatures on the board.

This method isn't actually compatible with terrain tile sets. I bought a dry erase French tileset the other day; it only has a few outdoor sets, however, and they're too small. Also, they're so "busy" that it's a bit hard to see dry erase marker characters on it.

I just find it takes too long turning a blank white dry erase sheet into an interesting outdoor encounter. Indoor encounters are far easier to do if you don't pay attention to cover or furniture

 

Last edited: Jul 10, 2006

KB9JMQ

First Post

• Jul 10, 2006

• #7

Tac-Tiles, D&D Minis and a lot of dry erase markers.
Also use empty clear plastic dice boxes to set "flying/levitating/etc" things on.

 

Henry

Autoexreginated

• Jul 10, 2006

• #8

Sammael said:

Battlemat, wet-erase markers, and D&D miniatures.

Click to expand...

Ditto.

 

Ashrem Bayle

Explorer

• Jul 10, 2006

• #9

I use my 61" HDTV as a "battlemat" when I game at home, and Tact-Tiles when I'm on the go.
I prefer the TV though. With the right programs and a laptop, you have the perfect setup.

 

The_Gneech

Explorer

• Jul 10, 2006

• #10

Battlemat and Vis-a-Vis markers, with occasional forays into model railroad terrain, fold-up cardstock houses from an old Forgotten Realms supplement ("Cities of Mystery" I think it was), or a preprinted map from Dungeon magazine.

If I had a nicer color printer, I'd try my hand at pre-printing some from "Campaign Cartographer" or the like ... but right now it isn't really feasible.

-The Gneech