krs@amdahl.UUCP (Kris Stephens) (02/11/85)
One of the best aids for frp game-play (as well as DM/GMing) that I've
seen is a 3x4 sheet of 1/4-inch plexiglass marked with a one-inch grid on
the back. I've seen the markings done in two ways: A sheet of 1-inch quad
paper taped to the back (the darker the lines, the better); Score the back
of the plexiglass using a table-saw set very low. While the second is
technically harder to execute, I think the results are better. Place it
on a sheet of paper or cloth for clarity, though.
With a board like this, the DM/GM provides the team with grease pencils
and describes "what you see" while they map it or, for especially complex
maps, draws it in for them. This way, the party can see only those parts
of the "dungeon" that their characters see and it's easily expanded and
modified as the game progresses.
Strange hint: erasing grease pencil from plexiglass is a chore, but if
the group has smokers in it, cigarette-ash works remarkably well as an
abrasive (Use with paper towels).
--
Kris Stephens (408-746-6047) {whatever}!amdahl!krs
[The opinions expressed above are mine, solely, and do not ]
[necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Amdahl Corp. ]pkh@alice.UUCP (Paul Pavlidis) (02/14/85)
Our gaming group used a similar set up until someone sat on the board. We used soluble markers, so we could remove our drawings with water. Of course, the occasional Pepsi-monster would be encountered and partially obliterate our map. Nothing seems to works just right, does it? "You hit the Salamander, but tore a hole in the space-continuum. You lose again Ha ha ha..." Paul Pavlidis (the mad druid)
jagardner@watmath.UUCP (jagardner) (02/14/85)
[Line eater...] Another thing I've found useful for gaming is transparent or semi-transparent plastic. In our local K-Mart, they sell this stuff for $1.50 (Canadian) a metre (and the roll is about two metres wide). I cut out individual rooms, draw them with grease pencil (or coloured felt markers if I'm feeling creative) and put the rooms together as we play (jig-saw fashion). I use this system for Champions, so I put the plastic over a paper hex grid whenever we have to get down to the nitty-gritty for combat (in Champions, it's very important to know exact distances when you're fighting, unlike in most D&D melees). D&D DMs may be reluctant to give their players such exact maps, but with overlays you can do nice stuff. For example, you can have one map giving the interior of a building and then put in overlays as rooms are explored. It's particularly useful for lulling players into a false sense of security. In Champions, players always know it's battle time when the hex paper comes out. With plastic transparencies, they never know when they're entering one of those "special" rooms... Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo
lori@hp-pcd.UUCP (lori) (03/21/85)
Gee, I hate to plug a commercial product (especially when it's not mine), but the group I game with has been using one of those vinyl "battle mats" you see advertised in Dragon magazine. They already come with a 1" grid on them (or 5mm grid or 5mm hex, they make several kinds), and you can use any color of washable felt marker that you can find on them. A little spendy ($8-9.00 apiece) but well worth the price in convenience. belated from the World of Vindarten Mark F. Cook