Manufacturing Map Tiles

[Bront]

Anyone know a good way to manufacture your own map tiles? I'm thinking it might be easier than the current solution of drawing every room out on the mat first, would look cooler, and would be very cost effective.

 

[philreed]

You may want to give SkeletonKey Games a try.

You can download their Annual for free. It includes over 50 free tiles.

 

[Buttercup]

Just off the top of my head, I can think of two methods.

1. Use your printer to create a standard square, say a 8"x8" with a one inch grid. Print that out, then using colored pencils or art markers, draw what ever you want on the tile. Glue the paper to cardstock, and get it laminated.

2. Find an illustration you want for your tile. Google Image Search is your friend here. Save this image and then open it in Photoshop. Superimpose a 1 inch grid on top. Print, glue to cardstock, laminate.

However, you could just buy Tact Tiles. I have a short list of most valuable gaming aids ever, and tact tiles are at the top of it.

 

[Bront]

1. Use your printer to create a standard square, say a 8"x8" with a one inch grid. Print that out, then using colored pencils or art markers, draw what ever you want on the tile. Glue the paper to cardstock, and get it laminated.

To merely suggest this means you overestimate my artistic ability

But the other ideas, definately worth thinking about. Preferably the less work the better. I'll have to try them out on some normal paper before going to a thicker stock.

 

[Bront]

Anyone else have any usefull input?

 

[Zander]

Use a photocopying machine to copy a grid onto the kind of transparent sheets used for overhead projectors. You can get sheets that are specifically designed to be photocopyer friendly. They're not expensive.

You then draw the rooms/areas in advance on the sheets using wet wipe overhead markers and deploy the sheets as needed. If you have enough of them, you can map the whole module ahead of time. Once the adventure is over, simply erase the map. The sheets are then ready for the next adventure.