Computers, Projectors, and Battle Maps.

[Blue Max Studios]

When I first started researching how to make professional looking battle maps on the Ye Olde Internet, I came across this post on the Geek Six website. Now I didn't really find the techniques mentioned all that useful for the kind of look I was going for (don't get me wrong, the maps shown on the site looked great) I was intrigued by one thing: The idea of using a projector to put the battle map up on screen. Minis were simply Photoshop layers that could be moved. Sections of the map could be blacked out at will. Explosions, puddles and other effects could be added easily and stay where they're put - and thanks to the opacity slider, they could even be transparent so the map underneath isn't obscured. It sounded good to me.

The other day, as I was planning out March's deck plans, It occurred to me that using a projector and Photoshop to display Battle Maps may have another potential benefit. Scott McCloud, who wrote perhaps the definitive books on Comics as an art form, suggested the potential of using computer displays for that medium is like having an "infinite canvas" which needs no page breaks to interrupt the flow of the story. This got me thinking...if one used a projector and Photoshop to display a battle map, theoretically that battle map could be as large as you wanted it. You could map a capital ship in one-inch scale and be able to display it without page breaks. Heck, It didn't even have to be one-inch scale, because the resolution on the Photoshop coupled with the magnification of the projector will allow the actual map document to be smaller.

Theoretically, you could map a Star Destroyer.

What I would like to know, my dear RocketFans, is whether or not any of you have used a computer and projector for your battle maps before, and if so, how did it work out? Did you enjoy it, or was it more trouble than it's worth. Fresh cookies for any comments!

 

[kmdietri]

Been doing it for about a year now. Works great, I wouldn't do it any other way now. We have gone completely electronic, no more dice or character sheets.

We use FGII to run combats and maptools to project the map onto our screen.

If you run pubished adventures, there's no problem what so ever.

If you run your own stuff it takes a bit of building up/preparing a map library so you have a map for every sitution.

But I wouldn't go back for anything.

 

[mattcolville]

Been doing it for about a year now. Works great, I wouldn't do it any other way now. We have gone completely electronic, no more dice or character sheets.

We use FGII to run combats and maptools to project the map onto our screen.

If you run pubished adventures, there's no problem what so ever.

If you run your own stuff it takes a bit of building up/preparing a map library so you have a map for every sitution.

But I wouldn't go back for anything.

How do the players interact with the projected Battlemat in FG2?

 

[kmdietri]

How do the players interact with the projected Battlemat in FG2?

The two programs don't communicate with each other. What we do is have a dedicated laptop run maptools as the pc's computer. Then each PC has a wireless mouse to move their character in maptools. While they each run their own PC's off their own laptop via FGII.

I myself would just use FGII for mapping and everything, but others in the group really like the lighting and visionblocking available in Maptools, which I admit is really kool, so we use the combination of the two.

Once we got used to it, combats sped up quite a bit.

 

[cyderak]

I use D20Pro Virtual tabletop with a projector that is mounted on the inside of this:

EN World: D&D / RPG News & Reviews - cyderak's Album: Touch screen Gaming Table - By: Cyderak

Basically the projector bounces the image off of a mirror at the bottom of the table thus reflecting the image onto a 1/4" thick 3'x3' sheet of plexiglass which serves as the tabletop.
Maps are projected onto the plexi-glass and mix of D20Pro tokens, D&D miniatures, and painted metal minis are used for monsters, characters, items, etc........

Then I mounted a wii-mote onto the inside of the table right next to the projector which works like a signal reciever and a infra-red pen works like a mouse.
Because the Wii-Mote uses Bluetooth technology I use Bluesoleil software to make it possible for my laptop to communicate with the Wii-Mote.

Then I use SmartBoard software to map out the array that is able to be manipulated by the infra-red pen which again works like a mouse.

If you don't want to make your own maps you can always go to Dundjinni Mapping Software - Bring Your Game To Life and raid the forums. Guys are always posting maps on there.

 

[OnlineDM]

This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I've been doing this for about four months with a portable rig using my laptop, a projector and MapTool. The details of my rig are here.

I've been using this to run regular games at home, games at my local store, and even games at local conventions. I now use a white vinyl roll-up mat to project the image onto, so everything is completely portable (carry the mounting rig in one hand and pull the suitcase with everything else in the other hand). I'm looking forward to running games at Genghis Con with it in a couple of weeks.

 

[Blue Max Studios]

Wow! Thanks for the input, folks; I really appreciate it. Okay, next question: Who would like to get their hands on a deck plan of a spacecraft the length of a Corellian Corvette? It would be about thirteen feet long at one inch scale, but could be used over and over and be the setting of an entire adventure.

Anybody interested?

 

[jcayer]

I'll add my support for this. We've gone digital with the map(maptools) and projector. We projected on the table for a while and used the wii-mote hack, but have recently moved to projecting on the wall and the players passing around a wireless mouse.

It's been great. Lots of space to project on, the players are starting to add macros to expedite their moves, and the table even has a little free space.

In the future, I could see everyone with their own pad type device and use that to control maptools and digitize their character sheets. But that's probably a year away.

I will add, the init tracker that is build into maptools rocks as well.

 

[falcarrion]

I have a projector rig like OnlineDM. I also use maptools to project the maps.
I also have an Ipad with an app that links into maptools ( Mapnakotic). And an app for my character sheet ( I4E ). Now my problem is my group doesn't want to have anything to do with tech with the game. They don't even want to see what can be done with projectors and maptools at all. Only one guy in the group has bought an Ipad after seeing mine. But that doesn't stop me from experimenting. Like making an app that controls the tolkens. When you tilt an Itouch, Iphone, or Ipad it moves the tolken.

Tilt forward the tolken moves forward.
Tilt left it goes left.
Tilt right it goes right.
Tilt back it move backwards.

I can dream can't I...lol.

 

[Blue Max Studios]

I dunno if it's the genre or the medium. I seem to notice that player of Sci-fi games are more inclined to accept new tech in this manner. Wargamers would much rather use minis and model terrain, if given a choice, and die-hard fans of D&D seem to prefer old-fashioned battle maps. These are just broad generalizations, of course.

Has anyone noticed how Star Trek gamers seem less inclined to use map at all? I suppose this makes sense; very few adventures in ST are set on the ships themselves; they usually involve away teams.