Ultimate Gaming Central - What would YOU build with $100 Million?

[Altalazar]

Ok, you are an eccentric Billionaire...

And a gamer!

You decide to take some "play money" to the tune of say, $10-100 million, and build the ultimate gaming central. I mean, a place where there are libraries full of gaming materials (including a store with great discounts for members), there are lots of conference rooms for actual games, and perhaps even some "pit" games where you can watch the players, with the character sheets projected up on big screens like in bowling alleys.

I could go on, but what I'm curious about, is what do you think should be in this massive gamer's paradise and resort? And I'm looking for serious ideas - not off-the-wall nonsense ones. Something that could actually work and, while perhaps not profitable, would certainly be a viable choice for the eccentric billionaire gamer...

 

[Kyramus]

1) separate VR room for LARPers.
2) lots of soda machines.
3) Interactive record keeping for the overhead screens. If character is damaged, it reflects on the sheet.
4) electronic battlemats
5) customized character portraits, can be electronically super imposed on character sheet that's over head
6) Competition of speediest group to go through a specific adventure. winner gets to be shows on a wide screen movie theather later in the evening.
7) movie theather with "The Gamers" showing for newbies. For other times, it shows other DND oriented and friendly movies.
8) each person has an electronic key to a personal locker for dnd book storage. or other storage. kinda a locker room but only for dnd stuff.
9) rogues can now go gambling with their "gold pieces" at the dnd casino.
10) Fantasy event wedding, complete with photographs, pictures, and costumes for Prince and Princess.

hehe

 

[VirgilCaine]

Well, private, affordable game rooms.
Quality products on hand, everything else special order at reasonable markups.
A general area to have "open" games for people to watch. Soundproof enclosures for said "open" games.

A clean, friendly environment to game in.

And, since I'm rich, I put it in Vermont or Alaska maybe, so it won't be robbed.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Privite game rooms for different sizes of groups and gamers.
Fluff - mats and mini and tiles and such for use if needed.
Computer Gaming booths.
People to cart around snacks and drinks.
Painting center.

The building would be designed to reduce noise and yet keep things close together.

 

[Qualir]

1. My own RPG design company, or just talk Hasbro into selling off the D20 system if possible.
2. An elaborate gaming/office building capable of serving as a convention sight.
3. Hire back all the good designers and artists that TSR/WOTC lost/firede/P'd off.
4. Sit back and enjoy those wonderful talents refering to me as the big boss while begging me to join their next gaming sessions
5. Then I would probably wake up, realize I was dreaming, and descend into a major depression

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

A gaming library with EVERY gaming book ever written, along with full-time archivist and computer workstations at every game table to access searchable online versions of those books.

A number of themed private rooms (the castle room, the big game hunter trophy room with mounted dragon and unicorn heards, the starship ready room, etc.) for games, with surround-sound stereos and mini-fridges in each room.

A drawing room-style common area with overstuffed leather chairs, card tables, open liquor/espresso bar, and full-time chef to prepare gourmet munchies.

A spacious, networked computer room for PC gaming with all the classics and the best newer games.

 

[WayneLigon]

Dream Park

 

[Altalazar]

I wonder if we ever will manage to have a billionaire gamer who decides to do something like this...

ASL found Kurt Schilling, who isn't a billionaire, but he certainly helped save it with MMP.

 

[Wolffenjugend]

D&D girls wearing chainmail bikinis and serving drinks!

 

[Zappo]

Well, I'm a software engineer, and what I most desire is a good DM assistant program. But since we're talking millions of dollars...

Gaming rooms equipped with a projector mounted on the roof designed to rotate between projecting on the wall or in the middle of the table.

Every room should have a DM position which consists of a PC, desktop split over three flat touch screen displays that face the DM. The computer runs a custom-designed DM-aid software, which is where a large part of the money will end up: it should allow quick and intuitive character creation, 3D combat management, state-of-the-art centralized database and search engine for every published source in high-quality electronic format, making full use of the triple touchscreen. One 15" screen could be directly linked to the projector and display a rendered battlefield or whatever the DM desires, one could be low and wide and show the PCs' sheets at all times, the other should be large and running the word processor, combat manager, dice roller, and search engine components. The software also integrates a music and sound effects database/search engine, and real-time voice modification facilities. Full surround, of course. Finally, it is integrated with the room's lights; their color and intensity can be computer-controlled from the DM's position.

Each player has a small hi-res flat touchscreen which displays his character sheet(s) and includes a dice roller, and can be used to send/receive private messages or take notes. Since not everyone likes to use a keyboard, give 'em an optical pen and the best handwriting recognition software on the market. Picture a character sheet where you erase and change your Con score and immediately your HP, Fort save and Concentration skill are updated. Something like that.

A bunch of guys are paid to keep the database updated with everything possible. Save for the 3D models for the rendered combat, that would be asking too much; just stick to the major monster manuals and don't bother with excessive detail, it has to stimulate imagination not supplant it. A DM can also connect to his database account and upload whatever custom data he desires through a simplified client. The user interface should be given enormous care, resulting in an incredibly complex program that can be learnt in ten minutes. It is very costly but it can be done. Extensive testing should make sure that crashes are unheard of.

Powerful computers and gigabit ethernet links should make sure that response times are near-zero. Plus, wireless broadband in the entire site. Oh, and UPS.