Using Dwarven Forge dungeons

[Tortoise]

On the rare occasion that I do use it I prebuild the dungeon areas I want to highlight with it and cover them with black cloth.

The game I ran this past Sunday (June 14th) was done entirely with Dwarven Forge and I spent quite a bit of time putting it all together.

For most games I go with a battlemat or tiles.

 

[MythosaAkira]

Lastly, I ignore the butterfly ties. Completely unnecessary. (In fact, I think DF has got rid of them in recent releases?)

Yep. Den of Evil, Realms of the Ancients, Medieval Building sets, none have them. I think they've even gone back and filled in the holes on the old sets as well. I imagine they may have seemed like a good idea initially.

I'd like to go back and fill in the holes on my old sets (rather than spend the $$$ on replacements), but I haven't found the time yet...

 

[CharlesRyan]

I'd like to go back and fill in the [butterfly] holes on my old sets (rather than spend the $$$ on replacements), but I haven't found the time yet...

I don't think it's worth it. I've never used the butterfly ties, and I've never found the butterfly holes a distraction.

 

[SlyFlourish]

I use three cut-up black t-shirts as the Fog of War. I will lay out the three or four room encounters beforehand and cover them up with the shirts until the field of view of a character reveals it. I might just pull it back completely sometimes but I don't show them the rooms ahead. For secret walls and stuff I might have a few pieces off to the side I can throw on.

On one of my away-games, I set up each room beforehand and then pulled out the pieces for that room and built it at the time. That wasn't too clunky and added only about five minutes onto the game.

The best way, IMHO, is to build it out and cover it up with cloth.

 

[MythosaAkira]

I don't think it's worth it. I've never used the butterfly ties, and I've never found the butterfly holes a distraction.

I meant fill them in with putty or something

I've never used the ties either, but I think the tiles would look nicer without the holes.

 

[Wycen]

Usually the ties are left alone, however, on occasion, when the terrain changes drastically, they are needed. That is because a new room is set down whole, from a stiff sheet or book and so the ties are useful for keeping it together during the transfer.

 

[Mark]

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[pogre]

I own tons of Master Maze and I build as we go. I have a couple of advantages:

1st we play in a permanent gaming room:

The double set of gray drawers in the back of the picture is filled, no stuffed with Master Maze. I have so much it does not all fit anymore. I have it divided by piece. I can set up a dungeon room darn near as quick as you can draw one of a battle mat.

2nd I have constructed several rooms, some large, some small out of Hirst Arts blocks to complement the Master Maze.

So, if I need a 30' x 30' or a 40' x 40' - BAM I set out one of my pre-constructed rooms. I also have custom made cavern pieces, sewers, towers, etc.

My players complain bitterly if I do not have proper terrain laid out. They claim they have no imagination left and it is my fault. I think they intend it as a complement.

If I had to drag pieces out of boxes, I probably would not use it nearly as much.

 

[pogre]

I meant fill them in with putty or something

I've never used the ties either, but I think the tiles would look nicer without the holes.

There is a tutorial over at Dwarven Forge on how to do this. It includes a paint scheme and is very well done.

 

[teitan]

I'd go with Hirst Arts myself as they are quicker to set up. You just set them down on the table though getting rid of the butterfly things is a great idea as well. Hirst Arts has the advantage that you can make something if you don't have it already or a pre-built piece isn't available. You can also produce things that are even better looking than Dwarven Forge is you have the patience.