I got my Tact-Tiles and they are the bomb!

[el-remmen]

So, I got the Tact-Tiles I mentioned I had ordered in this thread and used them yesterday for the first time.

I was worried at first when I tried them out when I first got them just to see - because it seemed like I could not get enough control to draw straight lines on the glass-like surface with a dry erase marker as I could on a regular Chessex board - but it was just a matter of getting used to the new medium.

The whole group was impressed by them - and the first time we were able to move the tiles off of one side slide the whole thing over - wipe the removed tiles and plop them down on the other side there was a hushed awe! No more confusing "mobius strip" battlemat dilemmas!

The carrying case was a bit of disappointment as is just a cardboard box with a plastic handle and it only came with one marker (for some reason I expected it came with a set of four colors) - but the use of the tiles themselves totally overshadows that, and I hoghly recommend them.

 

[Crothian]

THe DM of one of my games has them and they are pretty cool. We soon found out that the cooffe table was not the best place to set them being a bit small but other then that snafu there were no problems. I would have liked them more if they were double sided though.

 

[el-remmen]

Here is a qusetion someone might be able to answer for me:

I have been considering getting these stamps, which say they can be used on vinyl OR dry erase. . . but I am skeptical. . . anyone here have them/ever use them?

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Hmm... that's odd.... our set came with 4 or 5 markers....

We use them alot and seemingly can't do without them now! They're definitely worth the money. Although I agree the cardboard box is wimpy. From what I heard last year, they were wanting to look into a more sturdy carrying container for them. If all else fails, go find an old laptop carrying case and put them in there. The box seems to hold up quite well. Our DM has a set and still has them in the cardboard box and it's held up well so far, as he's had that set for 11 months now.

 

[KB9JMQ]

I love my set.
Outside of Third Edition they are the single best thing I have ever gotten for gaming.
I underestimated how valueble it would be to erase the old part of my map move the rest of the tiiles over and then place them down and continue.
Game playing is actually much smoother now because of it.

 

[JoeGKushner]

As I note in my review of the Tact-Tiles, you can use the Dungeon Stamps on them, but don't press them too hard into the ink and give them about 20-30 seconds to dry. Clean up is also a bit of a pain but if you've got windex or something, not a problem. It is not as easy to use as it is with a regular mat which holds the ink better and doesn't bead up.

 

[fafhrd]

Here is a qusetion someone might be able to answer for me:

I have been considering getting these stamps, which say they can be used on vinyl OR dry erase. . . but I am skeptical. . . anyone here have them/ever use them?

As Joe said, they bead up quite a bit. My players decided the stamps weren't worth the hassle. I've been looking for a dry erase ink reserve that I can pour into the Dungeon stamps pad. I'll let everyone know when I find a source and how it works out.

 

[MarauderX]

Don't use the stamps, use reuseable peel-n-stick kits:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486242137/104-1936227-1883106?v=glance

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1880301032/104-1936227-1883106?v=glance

Single best example I have is here: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=1841017&postcount=11

I got a set of 12 different color markers for ~$12 at OfficeMax or Staples, which gives me all the range of color that I need. I use 3 different blues for different depths of water, 2 greens for grassy fields vs. dense forest, orange of course for fire, red for fallen enemies, and the non-natural colors become magical area effects. More than being able to draw on the fly, I like being able to prep a set of 6, another set of 4 and still have 2 left over to record initiative or add in as needed for when a battle goes 'out of bounds'.

Are you worried about leaving the marker on the tiles too long and having it be permanent? Don't. I left four tiles the same way for about 4 months and it was only a little more effort to wipe them clean. I didn't get the box, as any milk crate for books and minis does just as well.

I was at Winter Fantasy recently and they used battlemats. I couldn't help but think about how much I missed my tiles and told them about it. Tact-tiles should give me a commission for that Con alone.

Lastly, I like to create maps in AutoCAD, as it doesn't take me long and I can print out a large format (24x36, 30x42 or 36x48) map to scale and used markers as the dynamics would change. Instead I find myself spending the same or less time thinking up the Tact-tiles maps and adding color instantly.

 

[Breakdaddy]

My Tact Tiles set has been the single best purchase for in-game use that I have made. My prep time has been cut in half for mapping and on the fly changes and additions can be made in seconds. It is truly a time saver, if a little on the high end of price (worth every penny IME).

 

[JoeGKushner]

In terms of pricing, as the miniatures themselves get more expensive, I don't even know if they're that expensive.

I mean even the standard Reaper figures are like $4.99 to $6.49 these days and heck, if you look at Games Workshop... Valten on foot for $20 bones?