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Ultimate RPG Gaming Table

Posted by Zonk on from the light-from-above dept.

Nyrath the nearly wise writes "RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons are traditionally played on a tabletop using miniatures. The problem is that the players are only supposed to see those parts of the map that they have explored. Gamemasters are reduced to drawing explored sections of the map on the playing surface with dry-erase markers or using cardboard tiles representing stretches of corridor. Some fellows have an expensive but elegant solution. They map out the playing area in a laptop using software such as Tabletop Mapper, which allows to game master to dynamically hide and reveal sections of the map. The laptop is attached to a 1600 lumen DLP projector mounted on the ceiling and projecting an image of the visible map onto the tabletop. The miniatures can then be moved on a dynamic map. The eye candy factor is vastly increased, gamemaster labor is reduced, and the players have more fun. The elegance is that this is an intuitive enhancement of the traditional gaming experience, instead of an unfamiliar new user interface to be mastered."

7 of 348 comments (clear)

  1. Table? by Anonymous+Crowhead · · Score: 5, Funny

    We played on the floor.

    1. Re:Table? by Clock+Nova · · Score: 5, Funny

      Luxury.

      We used to dream about playing on floor. We had to play on damp carpet on top of garbage heap.

      --
      There they were, sitting in the van with all those dials, and the cat was dead. -V. Marchetti, CIA
  2. Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your parents sure let you do a number on your basement. It'll be a shame when they kick you out.

  3. Miniatures? by cranos · · Score: 5, Funny

    The last time I played D&D we didn't need no stinking miniatures, just some paper, dice and a shit load of caffinated beverages.

    Imagination is a wonderful thing.

  4. Floor... by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
    We played on the floor.

    "Your party has left the linoleum plains and come to an area of deep pile shag ..."

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  5. Computer Graphics? by coopaq · · Score: 5, Funny
    projector mounted on the ceiling and projecting an image of the visible map onto the tabletop.

    Cool... so with the projector you also get realtime shadows!

    And the DM can have the Dragon's shadow show up via hand puppet gestures!

    Of course the Raging One Finger of Darnisus will probably be the most popular creature shadowed on the board.

  6. Re:but what about... by Josuah · · Score: 5, Funny

    The kicking feet might damage the projector under the table. Like when someone decides to die a dramatic death and act it out because they are being "in-character". Or all the boys are playing footsie with the one girl they managed to con into playing with them. Or the fans in the projector get gunked up with all the Cheetos that fall on the floor.