We plan on building a game table and were tossing around a few ideas regarding that. Some ideas simple, with a plexiglass top and a grid underneath; some complex, with a flip-top, built-in retracting DM screen, and dice grooves. I feel like the latter might be a bit too over-the-top, but who knows, maybe it will work. The only other idea we had was to hang a marker board near the table to keep track of initiatives and buffs and things.
We've got a few things to work with. There's a built in bathroom and bar to start with and a sink that was so dirty that none of us will ever dare drink from it. There's a gun rack and shelving that we were going to store rulebooks in and a weird wood-burning stove that kind of gets in the way. Also, a full-size refrigerator.
It seems like we have a lot of potential for the game room, but a lack of ideas. Do any of you have suggestions what we should add to the room or other ways to utilize the resources available to us? Or suggestions for building a feasible game table?
Thanks!
Mathius
Alright, so a member of my D&D group just moved into a new place and we've decided to clean up her basement and use it as our D&D and tabletop game room. We're kind of going from an upgrade from huddling around a kitchen table with a battlemat like we were before, but we're looking for ideas.
We plan on building a game table and were tossing around a few ideas regarding that. Some ideas simple, with a plexiglass top and a grid underneath; some complex, with a flip-top, built-in retracting DM screen, and dice grooves. I feel like the latter might be a bit too over-the-top, but who knows, maybe it will work. The only other idea we had was to hang a marker board near the table to keep track of initiatives and buffs and things.
We've got a few things to work with. There's a built in bathroom and bar to start with and a sink that was so dirty that none of us will ever dare drink from it. There's a gun rack and shelving that we were going to store rulebooks in and a weird wood-burning stove that kind of gets in the way. Also, a full-size refrigerator.
It seems like we have a lot of potential for the game room, but a lack of ideas. Do any of you have suggestions what we should add to the room or other ways to utilize the resources available to us? Or suggestions for building a feasible game table?
Thanks!
Not knowing how big the room is, I'm merely brainstorming here.
For the table, maybe use a park style picnic table as the inspiration. For the top, you could cut a plywood table top and then cover it in the green/black/whatever felt like a pool table, then cover that with a plexisglass face with permanent 1" grids on it. Perma-battle mat!
The marker board is a good plan, although it doesn't have to be hung, if you set it on an easel. Whichever works best for your group, I imagine. Beyond that, some sort of surround sound (failing that, normal mono-directional) system for mood music could be cool.
Also schedule some time to get everything planned out and schedule more time to get everything done in one go at it. Projects that are approached piecemeal and with intervening downtime never look good nor get done usually.
Then post a picture. I would like to see it.
To me the table is the most important part. I'd want something big and solid. I'd want to give each player a little cubby below the table for all their "Stuff". I think circles work best for games. I'd want it to either be felt, or a gridded wet erase surface. Felt would look nicer, but the grid would be more useful for RPGs. Felt brings in other games. Maybe an insert you could drop in to add the grid (like those cheap pool table/ping pong sets my mom used to buy).
Is the basement finished? If yes/no you could go for different ascetheics. You could go for a tavern look, or a dungeon look. I think a tavern would be cooler, but finishing someone's basement would be a big undertaking for this.
I feel like the bar could be used for something (Although I would keep it a bar). Maybe as a minis storage zone, or possibly even the table depending on how big.
Pics would help us get some ideas.
The tavern look wouldn't be hard for the basement considering the walls are feux-wood panel and there's an opeque yellow window over the gun rack in the center of the room and the bar being there and all. And yeah, the basement is finished except the crappy old ceiling we tore out. We intend the replace that soon.
Sorry I don't have pictures! I'm on winter break with my folks and am a few hours away from campus until mid-January. I'll take some pictures when I'm back down there. For now, here's a floorplan whipped up in paint. Most of the available floorspace is in the square area in front of the bathroom and a little in front of the bar. The fridge could move to free up the area over there.
And Jon- cool as that is, sadly none of us have quite the budget for a really awesome room like that. Maybe some day. :P
1. Bar area. Long mirrors mounted on the walls over the bar that probably won't come down easily.
2. Left: Wood burning stove. Probably not ever going to move Right: Shelving thing/gun rack. Window in top center of it.
3. Bathroom. Has a gross shower and shelves.
4. Stairs. Midway up is a door to the driveway, at the top is the main level of the house.
5. Refrigerator.
Grey area - Laundry and furnace room
As for a Theme I'd go with the Tavern one sounds the most interesting not to mention you already have a bar, Wood Paneling and a Gross Bathroom
Wood paneling was actually going to be a suggestion I had if you went with the tavern look. Since it is there, you definatly ought to make use of it.
Thats sort of an awkward space, the L....
I think I would turn the bar area into where we gamed, and then put game storage near the gun rack, bookshelves, ect down there.
For the bar area, I would put a table in the middle of that area, and use the existing bar stuff as storage space. Have people put laptops, character sheets, books, and unused minis over there and nothing but the battlemat and dice on the main table.
Not sure on the dimensions of the sketch, so that might be way too cramped.
If you did go with a dungeon look, then I suggest putting a painted cardboard green face with a gaping maw around the bathroom door, wherein Players walk through the maw to enter the bathroom: the bathroom of annihilation.
www.geekchichq.com/Co_Store/The_Showroom...
Hope this helps.
Really your table should be suited for your group though. YOu could just make a simple table out of plywood and 2x4's. A nice big flat playing surface if thats all you need.
Krusk: Yeah, I should put some scale on there when I can measure things. The bar area is pretty small and cramped. About two people can fit behind it, but definitely not a table. The surface of the bar is also way too small to consider playing on, so really, the bar area isn't very useful other than being... well, a bar.
Quid: That would actually be very suiting for the bathroom! We did tomb of horrors once with a few new players so they could learn to play. When we made it to the annihilation trap, we began prodding it and shooting spells in to figure out what it was. One of the newbies became too impatient for any puzzles and thrust his dick into it. He did not survive.
Erik: That table... it is amazing! There's no way we would ever afford it, but at least we can fantasize about it.
When I get back to Springfield, we'll be able to collaborate on how to build a table. We were going to try and build something a little more elaborate than what you suggested, Erik, but I get the feeling that's probably what we'll end up doing anyways!
I'll keep this updated with pics and everything as we start to make progress.