diaglo
Adventurer
i've used minis since the beginning. but that just means pulling them from my wargames for use.
way back we used protractors, tape measures, string, and rulers.
since 1999 or so i've been using battle mats
Are you using battlemats or similar visual representations in your games?
- Thread starter The Greene Knight
- Start date
i've used minis since the beginning. but that just means pulling them from my wargames for use.
way back we used protractors, tape measures, string, and rulers.
since 1999 or so i've been using battle mats
Alaxk Knight of Galt
First Post
4E would be impossible to run (imo) without a battlemat of some sort.
It's interesting though, in 2nd, we rarely used minis (typically for only the most important or complicated battles). In 3rd, we rarely played without minis and a battlemat. In 4th, I'd never run a game without one. The game, which started as an outgrowth of a minis game, has come full circle.
It's interesting though, in 2nd, we rarely used minis (typically for only the most important or complicated battles). In 3rd, we rarely played without minis and a battlemat. In 4th, I'd never run a game without one. The game, which started as an outgrowth of a minis game, has come full circle.
Wet erase battlemat from Chessex all the time. Have a bunch of Dungeon Tiles and older, Games Workshop, card floorplans (without a squared grid on them) but its too much hassle to find the ones I want for the adventure and time consuming laying them out - the battlemat is so much handier and I can designate different terrain with different coloured white-board markers. I sometimes pluck a selection of appropriate tiles out though for maybe a specific 1 shot convention adventure, since a small handful of tiles is less cumbersome that a long rolled up vinyl mat.
I also have some Dwarven Forge sets - wish I had more, especially their Medieval Tavern stuff but, again, its time consuming to lay out and I find that it detracts from the urgency and tension in an exciting session - might occasionally lay out a "special" room where the BBEG is lurking, just for added effect (ideally before the players arrive).
I used to always use a battlemat sized sheet of that 'grass' (not sure what its called) thats used by model train enthusiasts, complete with bundles of 'model' moss and trees of various sizes and colours for outdoor encounters/adventures but I find that its not really workable in 4th Edition because range/AoE effects seem much more important these days. I used to just make a best guess re, for example, the area or range of a fireball but I'm somewhat reluctant to do it with 4th Ed with all the mention of squares and such, and the tactical nature of the whole thing.
I also have some Dwarven Forge sets - wish I had more, especially their Medieval Tavern stuff but, again, its time consuming to lay out and I find that it detracts from the urgency and tension in an exciting session - might occasionally lay out a "special" room where the BBEG is lurking, just for added effect (ideally before the players arrive).
I used to always use a battlemat sized sheet of that 'grass' (not sure what its called) thats used by model train enthusiasts, complete with bundles of 'model' moss and trees of various sizes and colours for outdoor encounters/adventures but I find that its not really workable in 4th Edition because range/AoE effects seem much more important these days. I used to just make a best guess re, for example, the area or range of a fireball but I'm somewhat reluctant to do it with 4th Ed with all the mention of squares and such, and the tactical nature of the whole thing.
darjr
I crit!
Paizo flipmat here as well.
Not as much, but for some things there hardly is anything else as good. The Paizo ship, for instance, has been used so much and borrowed for other games that I'm not really sure who has it now.... oh well... time to get another one.
That flip mat and the ship tiles work great together.
Not as much, but for some things there hardly is anything else as good. The Paizo ship, for instance, has been used so much and borrowed for other games that I'm not really sure who has it now.... oh well... time to get another one.
That flip mat and the ship tiles work great together.
The_Gneech
Explorer
Once you go mat, you never go back!
Or at least, I never have. Started using a hex mat in my Champions/Fantasy HERO days and would never willingly stop, no matter the game system. It really helps make the scene so much more concrete to me.
CAVEAT: I'd probably be willing to do Call of Cthulhu without a map, but that's because if you are actually in combat in that game, you've probably lost anyway.
-The Gneech
Or at least, I never have. Started using a hex mat in my Champions/Fantasy HERO days and would never willingly stop, no matter the game system. It really helps make the scene so much more concrete to me.
CAVEAT: I'd probably be willing to do Call of Cthulhu without a map, but that's because if you are actually in combat in that game, you've probably lost anyway.
-The Gneech
falcarrion
First Post
What I did was take a piece of plexiglass and drew one inch grid pattern on it.
Then I just lay it over the grass.
We started with a gridded whiteboard and I've since moved to drawing everything in Dundjinni. Print it out, cut the margins and tape. It really allows me to show the players what I'm trying to describe. On top of that, it is real easy to drop in props. A cage here, skeleton there, really sets the mood and lets the players incorporate things into combat.
Surprisingly, it hasn't added that much to my prep time.
Surprisingly, it hasn't added that much to my prep time.
knifie_sp00nie
First Post
We use a PC running MapTool hooked up to a 52" TV for a battlemat. The DM runs MapTool on a laptop and is the main orchestrator with a player controlling the party via wireless mouse/keyboard. We still do the rolling and calculating with dice and pencils, but track status effects in the program. It's very colorful and you can have all the maps and tokens laid out far in advance.
Steel_Wind
Legend
Tabletop Battlemap Projection, (top-down @ XGA resolution) w/ Wii infrared pen.
And I am adding the use of MorphVox for use at the table too in my Star Wars SE campaign. This allows me to use the software to change the sound of my "NPC voice" on the fly at the table, using pre-set profiles for females, droids and other voice changing effects. Not perfect, but works much better than you would think, especially when you add the use of a microphone face mask (this device manufactured for use by court reporters to whisper into their recording gear so that their voice is not heard in the courtroom/examiner's room).
Short strokes: the players hear the morphed voice over the speakers I have wired under the tabletop and not my real voice. It can be kind of a cool effect and enhances roleplaying.
Morphvox voice changing software is absolutely ideal for remote play using Fantasy Grounds II or RP Maptools when used with Ventrillo, of course.
And I am adding the use of MorphVox for use at the table too in my Star Wars SE campaign. This allows me to use the software to change the sound of my "NPC voice" on the fly at the table, using pre-set profiles for females, droids and other voice changing effects. Not perfect, but works much better than you would think, especially when you add the use of a microphone face mask (this device manufactured for use by court reporters to whisper into their recording gear so that their voice is not heard in the courtroom/examiner's room).
Short strokes: the players hear the morphed voice over the speakers I have wired under the tabletop and not my real voice. It can be kind of a cool effect and enhances roleplaying.
Morphvox voice changing software is absolutely ideal for remote play using Fantasy Grounds II or RP Maptools when used with Ventrillo, of course.
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