Maps, Miniatures, Computers,... How do you play?

[theoremtank]

I'm posting this in an attempt to gather as many varying and interesting methods as possible for what media people use to play D&D? That is, do you use large/small grid maps, battlemaps, miniatures, TVs or digital projectors displaying maps, chalkboards, whiteboards, etc?

What I do right now...

I use a large cork bulliten board which I lay flat on the gaming table. I then place gridded maps I draw (with MSPaint) and print up on the computer on the cork board for combat. The players use different colored push-pins to mark their locations on the map. I use different sized/colored push pins for the opponents.

Check out my mapping examples at the following link...
D&D Map Examples

So how do you play it? What methods have you dreamed of trying but not yet implemented?

 

[Emiricol]

These days, I mostly play with OpenRPG since there's no gamers near me that I know of.

 

[apocalypstick]

It's all about the minis and the battlemap, baby. With 3D scenery.

then, the beer.

 

[theoremtank]

It's all about the minis and the battlemap, baby. With 3D scenery.

then, the beer.

I agree...beer is quite essential (ah but that is another thread).

 

[LrdApoc]

We vary.. usually no maps until combat.. then the minis come out and we stage the battle.. once it's over we all go back to our seats and ignore the miniatures. We don;t use PCs in the game, but I know My wife and I both use them for game prep work... sometimes they cause issues .. hence the reason I stopped using PCGen a long time ago.. damned broken stat blocks.. argh.

 

[Fenes 2]

I use a laptiop for my notes, but I rarely use maps, and never used miniatures so far. (I may begin to use counters though, if only to replace dice on the sketches we sometimes use during battles).

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Battlemap, minis & counters, wet-erase markers for scenery.

PC only gets used for game prep. At the table it's a notebook & dice.

 

[dave_o]

First off, theorem, those maps are RAD for being done in MSPaint. How do you do it, dude? (Or dudette - y'never know on ENWorld )

As for me, most of my playing is done online, since Kentucky isn't exactly a gamer's haven. (I'm moving to San Diego in May, though!) When I play online, we usually just describe what's going on.

For my face-to-face games, I use a tape measure for distances, and MageKnight mini's for the game. We have a big, blank, wet-erase board that I draw stuff on.

MageKnight, the game, rocks - btw. And the minis are perfect to double for DnD mini's.

 

[Voadam]

Battle map or hand drawn maps for combats and dungeon explorations.

Miniatures, counters, pieces of torn paper or dice (that count down as wounded) for use on the maps.

My brother brings his laptop with everything on it, we mostly just use it to look up srd things quickly though.

Oh and the three core books, module, and usually a few more books as well as character sheets and printed out personalized spell books.

And scrap paper, lots of scrap paper for notes

 

[Anubis the Doomseer]

Right now I'm strictly paper and pencil, with a play mat and carboard counters for combats.

If I can convince my SO to let me overhaul her old laptop I might put some software/database/management stuff on there. OF course, I might also just buy a new laptop for personal/professional use and do that myself.

When I run Tribe 8 I don't use a combat mat/counters but I do make use of the laptop.