TikkchikFenTikktikk
First Post
So, I'm impressed.
(Disclaimer: This whole post is a spoiler.)
I've never purchased dungeons tiles before. I rock it old school, drawing on graph paper for my group and using whatever minis or ripped pieces of paper with names or crude doodles when going tactical is required.
But I'm going to be DMing Encounters Season 2 (aka Dark Sun Campaign Guide Open Beta). And my awesome FLGS owner is giving Encounters DMs 25% off MSRP on D&D stuff. Also, they get D&D stuff 10 days before general release. So I grabbed the new dungeon tiles since they were under my impulse purchase threshold with the discount (<$9, not including tax).
I'm impressed with the feel and appearance of the tiles. They feel substantial, like they will last a long, long time if you take care of them. They look really nice and I can see how they can really enhance the immersion and suspension of disbelief. I haven't played with them yet, but I can see myself becoming a Dungeon Tile convert.
I have some problems, however.
First, the 3d tiles do not fit together well. You need to have a hobby knife at hand to either widen the holes or trim the pegs to get these to fit without tearing or bending the tiles.
Second, there are a lot of water tiles, and even a two-person boat. WTF? I think I've read there are different kinds of sand terrain in Dark Sun, so maybe that's it? Or maybe they are defiled soil? Whatever, it was still extremely jarring to see a boat tile in a set with "desert" in its name.
Third, the flat tiles don't interlock. Maybe I was spoiled by Fantasy Flight Games's Descent. Maybe they have a patent on the idea. But it would be nice if the tiles could stick together a little better.
Fourth, once you have more than one set how do you keep these organized? How do you find the tile you want when you're trying to build a map?
Those nits picked, I'm still going to get a second set as soon as Paradox Comics and Cards in Fargo, ND (Paradox Comics-N-Cards) has them back in stock. (I'm so happy with my FLGS. I wish everyone could have a store this great near them.)
Tile Spoiler[sblock]
First sheet:
* 8x8 Front: Desert with large, raised rock and hazardous terrain dunes
Back: Desert with two small, raised rocks lots of hazardous terrain dunes
* 1x2 Front: Hazardous terrain dune
Back: Raised rock
* 2x2 Front: Raised rock
Back: Desert
* 2x2 Front: Palm tree
Back: Desert
* 2x2 Front: Water
Back: 90° bend water stream
Second sheet:
* 4x8 Front: Desert
Back: Oasis; desert, water in middle, two palm trees
* 4x4 Front: Desert with 2x2 greenery in a corner
Back: Desert with hazardous terrain dune and a palm tree
* 4x4 Front: Desert
Back: Desert with greenery between two palm trees and hazardous terrain dune
* 2x4 Front: Desert
Back: Water stream
* 2x4 Front: Desert
Back: Water stream
Third Sheet:
* 4x8 Front: half (2x8) greenery, half desert
Back: desert beach with 1x8 water
* 4x4 Front: half greenery, half desert
Back: desert beach with 2x4 water
* 4x4 Front: 3/4 greenery, rest desert
Back: desert with 2x2 water in a corner
* 2x4 Front: boat (canoe for 2 with outrigger and sail)
Back: water stream source (2x2 water at one end)
* 2x4 Front: tent
Back: water stream
Fourth Sheet:
* 4x8 Front: desert with hazardous terrain dunes
Back: water (yes, 4x8 of all water)
* 4x4 Front: desert with two raised rocks and hazardous terrain dunes
Back: water
* 4x4 Front: desert with one raised rock and hazardous terrain dune
Back: desert with 2x2 water in a corner
* 2x4 Front: desert with raised rock and hazardous terrain dune
Back: water
* 2x4 Front: desert with lots of hazardous terrain dunes
Back: water
Fifth Sheet:
* 2x8 Front: wooden bridge with raised supports
back: stone bridge with raised supports
* 2x4 Front: wooden bridge with raised supports
back: stone bridge with raised supports
* Fruit vendor stand (opposite side has no fruit)
* Cart/Chariot thing with room for two
Sixth Sheet:
* 4x4 Building Front: four adobe walls and roof
Roof Back: 4x4 yellow stone
Walls Back: four clay brick walls
* 2x4x2 Front: adobe stairs
Back: clay brick stairs
* 1x2 Front: Raised sarcophagus with fighter and sword
Back: Raised 2x2 yellow stone
[/sblock]
(Disclaimer: This whole post is a spoiler.)
I've never purchased dungeons tiles before. I rock it old school, drawing on graph paper for my group and using whatever minis or ripped pieces of paper with names or crude doodles when going tactical is required.
But I'm going to be DMing Encounters Season 2 (aka Dark Sun Campaign Guide Open Beta). And my awesome FLGS owner is giving Encounters DMs 25% off MSRP on D&D stuff. Also, they get D&D stuff 10 days before general release. So I grabbed the new dungeon tiles since they were under my impulse purchase threshold with the discount (<$9, not including tax).
I'm impressed with the feel and appearance of the tiles. They feel substantial, like they will last a long, long time if you take care of them. They look really nice and I can see how they can really enhance the immersion and suspension of disbelief. I haven't played with them yet, but I can see myself becoming a Dungeon Tile convert.
I have some problems, however.
First, the 3d tiles do not fit together well. You need to have a hobby knife at hand to either widen the holes or trim the pegs to get these to fit without tearing or bending the tiles.
Second, there are a lot of water tiles, and even a two-person boat. WTF? I think I've read there are different kinds of sand terrain in Dark Sun, so maybe that's it? Or maybe they are defiled soil? Whatever, it was still extremely jarring to see a boat tile in a set with "desert" in its name.
Third, the flat tiles don't interlock. Maybe I was spoiled by Fantasy Flight Games's Descent. Maybe they have a patent on the idea. But it would be nice if the tiles could stick together a little better.
Fourth, once you have more than one set how do you keep these organized? How do you find the tile you want when you're trying to build a map?
Those nits picked, I'm still going to get a second set as soon as Paradox Comics and Cards in Fargo, ND (Paradox Comics-N-Cards) has them back in stock. (I'm so happy with my FLGS. I wish everyone could have a store this great near them.)
Tile Spoiler[sblock]
First sheet:
* 8x8 Front: Desert with large, raised rock and hazardous terrain dunes
Back: Desert with two small, raised rocks lots of hazardous terrain dunes
* 1x2 Front: Hazardous terrain dune
Back: Raised rock
* 2x2 Front: Raised rock
Back: Desert
* 2x2 Front: Palm tree
Back: Desert
* 2x2 Front: Water
Back: 90° bend water stream
Second sheet:
* 4x8 Front: Desert
Back: Oasis; desert, water in middle, two palm trees
* 4x4 Front: Desert with 2x2 greenery in a corner
Back: Desert with hazardous terrain dune and a palm tree
* 4x4 Front: Desert
Back: Desert with greenery between two palm trees and hazardous terrain dune
* 2x4 Front: Desert
Back: Water stream
* 2x4 Front: Desert
Back: Water stream
Third Sheet:
* 4x8 Front: half (2x8) greenery, half desert
Back: desert beach with 1x8 water
* 4x4 Front: half greenery, half desert
Back: desert beach with 2x4 water
* 4x4 Front: 3/4 greenery, rest desert
Back: desert with 2x2 water in a corner
* 2x4 Front: boat (canoe for 2 with outrigger and sail)
Back: water stream source (2x2 water at one end)
* 2x4 Front: tent
Back: water stream
Fourth Sheet:
* 4x8 Front: desert with hazardous terrain dunes
Back: water (yes, 4x8 of all water)
* 4x4 Front: desert with two raised rocks and hazardous terrain dunes
Back: water
* 4x4 Front: desert with one raised rock and hazardous terrain dune
Back: desert with 2x2 water in a corner
* 2x4 Front: desert with raised rock and hazardous terrain dune
Back: water
* 2x4 Front: desert with lots of hazardous terrain dunes
Back: water
Fifth Sheet:
* 2x8 Front: wooden bridge with raised supports
back: stone bridge with raised supports
* 2x4 Front: wooden bridge with raised supports
back: stone bridge with raised supports
* Fruit vendor stand (opposite side has no fruit)
* Cart/Chariot thing with room for two
Sixth Sheet:
* 4x4 Building Front: four adobe walls and roof
Roof Back: 4x4 yellow stone
Walls Back: four clay brick walls
* 2x4x2 Front: adobe stairs
Back: clay brick stairs
* 1x2 Front: Raised sarcophagus with fighter and sword
Back: Raised 2x2 yellow stone
[/sblock]
