Printing Counters?

[Hjorimir]

I don't even use miniatures anymore as there are too many pros for counters:

1. Easier to store and transport
2. They stack (so you can, for example, easily place a character on a mount)
3. You can easily stack tokens on them (such as for when a character is marked or affected by something)
4. They are CHEAP
5. Nobody crys if they get chipped (because, you know, they don't chip)

I don't use cardstock (too wimpy for my tastes) and I don't use glue out of a jar. Here's my recipe.


Ingrediants:

• A printed page of counters (personally, I have a color laserjet and they come out looking great)
• Spray glue (Elmer's white)
• Spray matte clearcoat
• A Rottary Cutter (these are awesome as they will never tear the paper as they become dull and they are wicked-sharp)
• Backing Board (this is the stuff they put behind picture frames....VERY durable and thick)
• A healing cutting board
• A steel ruler with a cork backing (so it doesn't slide about...which is extra nice if you're fond of your fingers)
• A small rolling pin (my wife gave me one from one of those crazy Pampered Chef parties she goes to)

Process:

1. Print out sheet of counters (I print them out in small groups on a single page to better manage the cutting process...shorter cuts are easier so I try to stick to two columns)
2. Spray glue on backing board
3. Carefully attach counters (no air bubbles allowed)
4. Use rolling pin to smooth everything down and really make sure the glue sticks
5. Spray on the matte clearcoat (completely optionaly, but if you want the counters to last it helps keep them looking good)
6. Wait to dry (I usually wait a day, but you can cut it down to 4 hours or so)
7. Cut them out using the rulers, healing cutting board, and rotary knife (I can't overstate stress the importance of being careful...that knife is very, very sharp)
8. Toss in craft case (the cheap ones with little squares...I think they're normally used for beads) or get some little plastic bags

=)

 

[frankthedm]

I don't even use miniatures anymore as there are too many pros for counters:

1. Easier to store and transport
2. They stack (so you can, for example, easily place a character on a mount)
3. You can easily stack tokens on them (such as for when a character is marked or affected by something)
4. They are CHEAP
5. Nobody crys if they get chipped (because, you know, they don't chip)

1. Easier to throw dozens to hundreds of foes at high level heroes

img139.imageshack.us/img139/5859/keepextraminionsnn0.png


TBH, I still prefer minis, though for those who do not have 1000's of figures already, counters are probably the better idea.

BTW if you use counters, don't forget to stop by this thread.

 

[Rechan]

HEY FRANK. Got a question.

I downloaded that huge fat zip file of sprites. But how do I take individual sprites and put them "on a page", on the counter sheet grid?

 

[frankthedm]

HEY FRANK. Got a question.

I downloaded that huge fat zip file of sprites. But how do I take individual sprites and put them "on a page", on the counter sheet grid?

1. open a base grid gif/png that is 96 DPI.
2. open a blank MS Paint file.
3. copy the grid into the blank MS paint bitmap.
   
4. open a blank MS Paint file using the [START] button in the bottom left of your screen.
5. open a sprite in IE or MS Paint {depends on the version you use]
6. copypasta the sprite into the blank MS Paint file.
7. Edit the sprite if desired and set background colour to white or 'magic pink'.
8. copypasta the sprite to the grid in the other paint window, setting the transparent color to white or 'magic pink'.
9. As you paste the image, use "stretch/skew" to get the sprite to fit the size you desire.

 

[Rechan]

Thanks Frank. One problem, the grid you just provided... For some reason, when I click it, it's just horizontal lines, not vertical lines. Is that intentional?

 

[Celtavian]

re

I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble with minis. I ran an encounter with Shadow Hounds and it was an immense pain in the behind keeping track of each dog with their teleport movement constantly shifting their position. I'm planning to shift to counters myself. I like the minis, but it is just too much of a pain to track them during combat against multiples of the same kind of creature with minis that aren't differentiated.

 

[sckeener]

Has anyone tried to laminate their counters? or are they still too light?

Anyone know what Kwik copy is willing to do? Print/cut/laminate?

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I print mine out via color laser onto full sheet labels, stick that to 25 point pressboard (the stuff classification folders or the heavy duty folders you see in government offices are made from, it's equivalent to something like 300 lb card stock if I remember right) and cut apart with a razor knife and steel ruler. A pack of 25 labels costs about $13, and Staples has a set of alphabetic file guides (25 of them) for about $20.

This

 

[frankthedm]

Thanks Frank. One problem, the grid you just provided... For some reason, when I click it, it's just horizontal lines, not vertical lines. Is that intentional?

could it be your web browser is shrinking the .png to fit to your screen size?