My new DIY portable digital tabletop roleplaying map!

[seanpecor]

I just designed and built a portable digital map rig:

Build Your Own Portable Digital Tabletop Map for Roleplaying

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts! Just for fun, I wrote the rudimentary "howto" page above and included pictures. Most of the time was spent in design, and I built the rig over a weekend. So maybe this will inspire others to build their own rig and post pictorials

Sean

 

[GlassJaw]

Wow, that's quite a first post! Your setup is amazing.

We also game with a projector (which is awesome) but the challenge is the throw distance as you mentioned. Even with a short throw lens, you still need some distance from the projector to your surface.

Great write-up too.

 

[seanpecor]

We also game with a projector (which is awesome) but the challenge is the throw distance as you mentioned. Even with a short throw lens, you still need some distance from the projector to your surface.

True dat. ProjectorCentral.com was a life saver. I was amazed that you can get a projector for under $750 that could paint a 44" diagonal 4:3 image from only 31" away. And with perfect focus and uniformity. Without ProjectorCentral I wouldn't know which projectors would work.

Sean

 

[Steve Jung]

That is a nice setup. How stable is it when people bump into it?

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Damn that's awesome, but if I had a spare $750 I'd be able to fix my car...


just saying that's INSANE expensive for a gaming prop.

 

[Treebore]

That is sweet. Could you give a link to the specific projector you bought at the website you mention?

 

[Wepwawet]

It's very nice, but it would be even nicer if you put the projector under the tablemat.
Then you woudn't have that big box over the table, nor miniatures casting shadows, and overall it would be more clean and open

I have to try that too, sometime, when i find a projector and a nice transparent ikea table.
Well, and money to spend on those

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It's very nice, but it would be even nicer if you put the projector under the tablemat. Then you woudn't have that big box over the table, nor miniatures casting shadows, and overall it would be more clean and open. I have to try that too, sometime, when i find a projector and a nice transparent ikea table.

That's my setup. IKEA makes several good frosted-white tabletops.

My setup however uses a mirror to increase the throw distance, which still isn't big enough for my tastes; has been known to get nudged by feet during play; and certainly isn't easy enough to set up and take down.

It would be better if I had a dedicated gaming room instead of having to set it up and take it down in my living room every session. I am definitely more about a really good, fixed solution than portability.

 

[seanpecor]

That is a nice setup. How stable is it when people bump into it?

It's pretty stable. Since the whole thing moves as a single solid unit, the map doesn't deviate at all.

Sean

 

[Rel]

That's an amazing setup. I wish I had the money and space to dedicate to something like that because it makes the battlemat just gorgeous.

I also noted that you are local to the Cary NC area and frequent All Fun & Games (my favorite game store). If you'd be interested in meeting more ENWorld folks we have an event called the NC Game Day a few times a year where we get together and play RPG's. Our next one is the first Saturday in February. The signup thread will be up in about a month or so.