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Coolest. Gaming Set-up. Evar.
- Thread starter Steel_Wind
- Start date
I've read this thread on and off for a while now and I've always been temoted to try it (have the projector already)...I just can't find an accessible, easy to setp up way to mount the projector. droping a mirror or mounting chains will result in my wife killing me. What's the easiest way to mount the projector to project on a table that wont deface my house? I've made a half hearted attempt to find a boom, but to no avail...any suggestions?
DonTadow
First Post
I'll take some pictures tonight. The projector is in my main living room and it still looks like a living room (part of me and the gf's agreement). I used a professional wall mount I picked up at circuit city and mounted it about 6 ft off the floor at an angle from the table, much like dr Nile's set up. It doesnt look bad, family have come over during the project and just thought i was mounting a movie projector (which if you buy a good mount you can use it for, the one i got can move and rotate anywhere allowing me to show movies one night and play d and d the next.talwynor said:
The wires may be distracting, but a good wire protector and some tape can hide those. I toyed with the idea of constructing a moving one out of the boommike stand or a light support, but I don't want to set aside a spot at the table for hte projector.
There are some notable things so far.
1. Shadows, at a distance, if you dont get the angle right whomever is on the side of the projector going to cast a shadow. I fixed this by moving my dm area opposite the projector to the side of the projector. This way i know where to sit to avoid casting a shadow.
2. Allso, the image is not as 100 percent focused as it would be if I dropped it on top, but the diference is not noticable unless you've seen the two side by side.
Dr. Niles, where in the metro detroit area can i pick up 1 inch graph paper, I've tried blicks in dearborn and they do not carry it.
Kid Charlemagne
I am the Very Model of a Modern Moderator
DonTadow said:
Check stores like Office Depot or Staples - they have flipchart pads with 1" grids, and at a reasonable price.
DrNilesCrane
First Post
If you like the pad of paper, ditto to Kid C. If you want large rolls of paper, try Holcomb's Know Place - if they don't have it in stock they can special order it for you (it's pretty cheap) or you can order it off their website (easy to fnd via google). 
DonTadow
First Post
Thanks niles, I'll probably produce the grids on the computer for the time being. Finally got pics of the setup that look good.
I ran into a problem with Battlegrounds which hasn't yet been released so I'll use photoshop until it is released just so i can get used to the other functionality of hte program. . I was actually surprised by how cool photoshop was and how easy it was to use. To prepare the maps I used the main image as the background. Then I make another layer I call fog of war that is a hazy black. I use a big brush to paint over the image. Then I make a few more layers. I make a layer for each trap and name the layer after the number of the encounter. I do the same for secret doors. I have the layers toolbar up so all i need to do is click the eye (hide/unhide) button to make things appear. Pretty cool actually. As the party moves through hte dungeon, I use the eraser tool to indicate what they see. I use the eraser tool that resembles an air brush, resize it to the lightsource size, and then push the button over it. This way, I get the hazy image they can see vaguely down the hall, and the good image they see around them.
This of course made for one of the easiest games to do on the fly in a bit. The party surprised me several times during their actions. Instead of searching for a generic map for their new location or drawing it up on a battlemap, I was able to quickly pop to a mapsource in game, download the map, draw the fog of war, and place it in game in 3 minutes. The group never knew I was winging it.
I ran into a problem with Battlegrounds which hasn't yet been released so I'll use photoshop until it is released just so i can get used to the other functionality of hte program. . I was actually surprised by how cool photoshop was and how easy it was to use. To prepare the maps I used the main image as the background. Then I make another layer I call fog of war that is a hazy black. I use a big brush to paint over the image. Then I make a few more layers. I make a layer for each trap and name the layer after the number of the encounter. I do the same for secret doors. I have the layers toolbar up so all i need to do is click the eye (hide/unhide) button to make things appear. Pretty cool actually. As the party moves through hte dungeon, I use the eraser tool to indicate what they see. I use the eraser tool that resembles an air brush, resize it to the lightsource size, and then push the button over it. This way, I get the hazy image they can see vaguely down the hall, and the good image they see around them.
This of course made for one of the easiest games to do on the fly in a bit. The party surprised me several times during their actions. Instead of searching for a generic map for their new location or drawing it up on a battlemap, I was able to quickly pop to a mapsource in game, download the map, draw the fog of war, and place it in game in 3 minutes. The group never knew I was winging it.
Last edited:
DrNilesCrane
First Post
I use Photoshop the same way (use it at work and prefer it over what I've tried out there specifically for running adventures). Nice pictures (but a little shaky/blurry) - it looks like you're getting a really good quality image! BTW, I liked the map of the two story inn: do you have a link to that image so I can borrow it for an upcoming adventure?
DonTadow
First Post
I'll email them to you when I get home (at your website email address) . I really like that inn too, but can't remember where I picked it up. The ease of use with photoshop is just remarkable. Does anyone have any other tricks with the program they use for this?DrNilesCrane said:I use Photoshop the same way (use it at work and prefer it over what I've tried out there specifically for running adventures). Nice pictures (but a little shaky/blurry) - it looks like you're getting a really good quality image! BTW, I liked the map of the two story inn: do you have a link to that image so I can borrow it for an upcoming adventure?
Sorry the camera pic didnt come out as well. Looks like my next investment should be a good digital camera.
DrNilesCrane
First Post
Cool, thanks - I'd appreciate it!
RE: Photoshop - If you create a circle and fade it out (and/or add a gradient effect) you can make some nifty light source effects.
RE: Camera - By chance are you using a Nikon Coolpic? It's the camera I use and I had the same problem - I make sure to hold the camera on target an extra half second before moving and it took care of that. Not sure if that's helpful in your case though!
RE: Photoshop - If you create a circle and fade it out (and/or add a gradient effect) you can make some nifty light source effects.
RE: Camera - By chance are you using a Nikon Coolpic? It's the camera I use and I had the same problem - I make sure to hold the camera on target an extra half second before moving and it took care of that. Not sure if that's helpful in your case though!
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
talwynor said:
I've finally got my own setup and here's what I did.
1) Bought a nice, 30" x 60" Ikea table with a white translucent top. It's frosted from the bottom but the top surface is perfectly smooth. (Total table cost with legs about $100.)
2) Bought a 20" x 24" mirror at home depot and mounted it to a piece of particle board, same size. (Actually it's a hinged setup on two boards, but you get the idea).
3) Put the projector on the floor (near the DM's feet) and project onto the mirror, which is angled to project the image up onto the bottom of the table.
PRO:
a) Easy setup and takedown, even playing in my living room. (No angry wife.)
b) Projecting the image onto the bottom of the tabletop means nobody casts shadows onto your map leaning over the table. It's a very clean setup.
c) The glass tabletop from Ikea "accepts" dry erase markers. The players can mark on the map; they even use it as a scratch pad to keep track of their BAB with buffs and such. It would probably also work with wet markers (overhead pens) but I haven't tested it since the dry erase are working just fine.
CON:
a) Maximum "screen size" on my setup is about 24"x24". This is a function of throw distance. I could improve it by raising the table top (Ikea legs are adjustable and I could even buy some bed risers...) but the size of the mirror is a "hard" boundary so I can't really move the projector to increase throw.
b) Keystoning can be an issue. On a 24x24 map it's actually maybe 24x22. It's very, very slightly trapezoidal even with the keystoning cranked all the way. It's very very slight and the player have never noticed but it bugs me that it isn't perfect.
c) Projector on the floor. Mirror on the floor. Players' feet and the dog on the floor...
I make all my maps using e-Adventure Tiles from Skeleton Key games. I export the tiles and put the maps together in Photoshop, placing the different rooms on different layers to reveal them as the players explore.
I have to remember to take some pics. We are playing tomorrow.
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