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

[PatEllis15]

I have my laptop for quick generation of NPC's/treasure/monsters, but I can live without it.

We currently use Battlematts, and map EVERYTHING. I find that if you don't, you end up with problems.. i.e. if you only map for combat, when move in to draw something up, they know that something is coming...

I am also beginning to create all my dungeons using Hirst Arts Blocks... makes for customized 3d dungeons for everyone to travel through...

Taro Sarask

Pat E

 

[dagger]

Index cards: We use these to record spell effects that are in place for everyone at the table.

For example: We have a card for each of the bard songs (and spells like bless or prayer ect..), so when the bard is using inspire courage, we put out an index card with the effects onto the table for everyone too see. This is especially useful at high levels when their is 12 different spell 'buffs' or whatever going.

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Dry Erase Board: We use a stand up dry erase board to record initiative.

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Battle mats:

Here is what we have used to protect our battle mats (all types) since first edition d&d.

We buy every 5 years or so a thin sheet of clear Plexiglas from Home Depot (about 18 bucks) the same size or bigger than the mats. We lay this over the mats on the table and Wa La!

We write on the plexi with grease pencils, comes off easy and the battle mats are like new even 10 years later. We dont write on our mats with anything.

Advantages:

-Plexi is cheap
-Protects battle mat
-Grease pencils cheap and last a very long time
-Flat sturdy surface for miniatures
-Plexi lasts a very long time
-Cleans up easy, no wet paper towels or cloths (water does not work with grease pencils anyway)
-No marker smell
-Easy to draw on


As far as carrying matts around, we use these large card board tubes with caps on the end.....

 

[der_kluge]

That index card for spell buffs is a great idea, Dagger. I might have to use that when I start DM'ing for our next campaign.

Currently, we have a poster-size er, well poster of 1-inch grids. It's just like something you'd hang on your wall - cardboard back, clear plastic cover, even plastic frame. We write on it with markers, and erase as needed. We also use miniatures. We have some Steve Jackson miniatures for monsters as needed, unless we have a Reaper mini for the monster. Counters as needed as well, if we're fighting a lot of little things.

No computers. I use a PC to write all my games on, and use EBON to generate names.

 

[Zerakon]

What I use:

- Vinyl battlemaps (square used 99% of time, hex-based gathers dust in the closet mostly)
- a few minis (for PCs, major enemies)
- cardboard counters that I drew weapon symbols on (sword, bow, spear, etc). I might announce that "yellow are goblins, red are skeletons"
- DM screen (to hide notes and some dice rolls, but not attack and damage rolls, those are all out in the open)

What I may start doing:

- I'm thinking about writing a program and sticking it on my laptop to generate initiative rolls for all PCs automatically. I don't like the "initiative roll organizational delay" that cuts the flow of story-telling. Are there any freeware programs that do this? (I'm aware that such a thing might be included in Campaign Suite, DMGenie, etc. but really I just want an initiative roller and nothing else.)

-- Zerakon the Game Mage

 

[Dimwhit]

We use battlemaps and minis for combat. I'm the only one who uses a computer all the time. I keep my characters on a custom excel character sheet. Speeds things up. I can do quick calculations for things like Power Attack, bardic music, etc. Everyone else prints their sheets from e-tools and does the pen and paper thing.

 

[Desdichado]

I don't care for minis. If I need some tactical representation, I pull out graph paper and a few pencils.

However, another guy (and occasional DM) in our group loves minis and has even been known to make scenery for planned combat scenes.

 

[Scorch]

Well the WizarDru group has the following setup:

One of those giant 1" grid poster pads on a card table next to the dining room table. Dungeon, scenery, etc. is drawn on it as we go with mechanical pencil with colored markers used for highlights. Notes are scribbled onto the sides of the grid pad occasionally by those sitting near it.

We use miniatures that I provide (I try to paint 4 a week but have been slacking off down to 2) and I got a varied enough inventory that WizarDru can turn to me and say: "I need ten goblins, three minotaurs (the large sized ones, not those huge ones you got), two flying creatures, a gargantuan delver (thank goodness for Mage Knight big minis!), and a naked flying sorcerer". I was able to fill all those except the last for which we used Dr. Strange from Marvel HeroClix. Typically we just use them for marching order outside of combat with one miniature representing the group until we roll for inits and go tactical.

We currently have three laptops in use. WizarDru's and my own hook into WizarDru's wireless network while Zad's is standalone. Zad and I keep our character spreadsheets and notes on our computers rather than the tradional PnP. Zad also uses his laptop to keep notes that you see in the story hour. WizarDru uses DM Genie on his laptop.

I hope to incorporate crafted landscapes into our combat or perhaps some more Dwarven Forge dungeon sets if I ever decide to spend the cash on them.

Scorch

 

[SJ]

battlemaps are good

We use a chessex battlemat (36"x48"?), many pewter minis that I've gathered (and had friends paint). We write all over the mat, using it for terrain, maps, notes, etc. It's written on and erased many times in a session.

I often have dungeon tiles that I throw down for significant items on the map that require better artwork than I can provide (and I can't provide much).

I also have cardboard counters from Dungeon mags, but the minis are a lot more fun.

I've tried the laptop at the table thing several times, but it just doesn't work for me. The initiative cards from Game Mechanics help alot with ordering inits.

As someone else hinted, our spellcasters use note cards or stickies for spell effects. So when the buffs come on-line, they stick them up for all to see.

 

[WayneLigon]

A large blank square-gridded mat from Steve Jackson Games.

A 2'x2' quarter-inch peice of plexiglass from the local glass place.

Some Fiery Dragon counters, and dice.

The special dungeon tiles from past issues of the Dragon and Dungeon.

No computer - too slow, unweildy and prone to having something carbonated dumped on it.

 

[Zappo]

I use a whiteboard, with squares on it, and erasable markers.