Our Background:
We are three guys in Boston interested in all kinds of games, and in this case miniature based wargames.
We are fascinated by technology and a question in our minds was "How can we innovate wargaming terrain and table design to make a more immersive and interactive gaming experience?"
Our answer to this is what we call 'Augmented Terrain'.
Meeting Penny Arcade at PAX EAST:
For PAX East in March 2011 we built a dock table for Warmachine called 'Clockwork Cove' that included smoke effects, RGB LED lighting in buildings and terrain, LED searchlight pieces, with RFID cards & scanner to trigger all of these effects using an Arduino Microcontroller in a central building. In our group we have collectively over 15 years of model making experience, so it also fit into an aesthetically pleasing Steampunk Harbor theme very well.
When Penny Arcade Mike saw the display, he asked how he can go about commissioning a project for his gaming group.
After some discussions, the plan was to build a table, ship it out to Seattle in August, then fly out to PAX Prime with the terrain to complete the delivery. This is the story of how we built (and delivered) it.
Project Requirements:
Modular Board: 2' x 2' squares that can be reoriented and rearranged for many combinations
Modular Terrain Height: They wanted a way to change the terrain height. We came up with an approach not tried before in wargaming.
Corvis-Themed: Mike's gaming group was playing through a Privateer Press RPG set in a city called Corvis. They liked the theming and used this was the compass for art direction. Corvis is at the junction of three rivers and used to be a farming city. It is famous for a large University and has been at the center of many conflicts when different armies occupy the territory. Over time the city has fallen into great disrepair and depression, especially since the wet, unstable ground has allowed many buildings to become unstable and slowly sink into the ground. There is a vast underground network of tunnels and chambers of the old city.
Lights: We knew we wanted to include LEDs in the terrain and buildings, in a modular way so that each feature can operate independently of the table configuration for the scenario.
Theme:
Even if the undercity was not a playable part of the board it needed to have the feeling that something was lurking under the streets
We wanted to create a sense of depth. Although the playable surface can be flat, we wanted to add a 3D effect. We found images which were representative of the look and feel of Corvis. These guided many of our decisions.
Concept Generation:
We started by sketching and brainstorming. We made scale index cards with the terrain drawn on it to see how it works when they are shuffled and rearranged. After we came up with the terrain inserts idea we made a Solidworks CAD assembly.
Dont forget that your local gaming store is still one of the best places to present and discuss ideas. Carry around a small notepad in case you ever get an inspired idea and dont feel silly about considering the 'wrong idea' because you never know when that thought process may lead to the 'right idea'.
Extra Links:
Mike was so happy with how the table turned out that he posted a feature on the Penny Arcade Homepage.
Also feel free to check out our facebook page
For information on what other members of the warmachine community thought check out our thread on Privateer Press
We are three guys in Boston interested in all kinds of games, and in this case miniature based wargames.
We are fascinated by technology and a question in our minds was "How can we innovate wargaming terrain and table design to make a more immersive and interactive gaming experience?"
Our answer to this is what we call 'Augmented Terrain'.
Meeting Penny Arcade at PAX EAST:
For PAX East in March 2011 we built a dock table for Warmachine called 'Clockwork Cove' that included smoke effects, RGB LED lighting in buildings and terrain, LED searchlight pieces, with RFID cards & scanner to trigger all of these effects using an Arduino Microcontroller in a central building. In our group we have collectively over 15 years of model making experience, so it also fit into an aesthetically pleasing Steampunk Harbor theme very well.
When Penny Arcade Mike saw the display, he asked how he can go about commissioning a project for his gaming group.
After some discussions, the plan was to build a table, ship it out to Seattle in August, then fly out to PAX Prime with the terrain to complete the delivery. This is the story of how we built (and delivered) it.
Project Requirements:
Modular Board: 2' x 2' squares that can be reoriented and rearranged for many combinations
Modular Terrain Height: They wanted a way to change the terrain height. We came up with an approach not tried before in wargaming.
Corvis-Themed: Mike's gaming group was playing through a Privateer Press RPG set in a city called Corvis. They liked the theming and used this was the compass for art direction. Corvis is at the junction of three rivers and used to be a farming city. It is famous for a large University and has been at the center of many conflicts when different armies occupy the territory. Over time the city has fallen into great disrepair and depression, especially since the wet, unstable ground has allowed many buildings to become unstable and slowly sink into the ground. There is a vast underground network of tunnels and chambers of the old city.
Lights: We knew we wanted to include LEDs in the terrain and buildings, in a modular way so that each feature can operate independently of the table configuration for the scenario.
Theme:
Even if the undercity was not a playable part of the board it needed to have the feeling that something was lurking under the streets
We wanted to create a sense of depth. Although the playable surface can be flat, we wanted to add a 3D effect. We found images which were representative of the look and feel of Corvis. These guided many of our decisions.
Concept Generation:
We started by sketching and brainstorming. We made scale index cards with the terrain drawn on it to see how it works when they are shuffled and rearranged. After we came up with the terrain inserts idea we made a Solidworks CAD assembly.
Dont forget that your local gaming store is still one of the best places to present and discuss ideas. Carry around a small notepad in case you ever get an inspired idea and dont feel silly about considering the 'wrong idea' because you never know when that thought process may lead to the 'right idea'.
Extra Links:
Mike was so happy with how the table turned out that he posted a feature on the Penny Arcade Homepage.
Also feel free to check out our facebook page
For information on what other members of the warmachine community thought check out our thread on Privateer Press
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Signing UpStep 1: Base Table Board Quarters
The base design is centered around floorboards. These are pressed cardboard with some wood pattern coating
These are relatively inexpensive, extremely stiff and do not warp. They are also very light, easy to cut with a circular saw, and very thin.
MDF (medium density fiberboard) is a common material people use but is not any cheaper, extremely heavy, the dust from cutting can be cancerous to inhale, and the porous nature of the material means that if it gets wet it will cultivate mold. Simply put, the floorboards are a great balance of all of these requirements.
Tools Used:
Power Drill (preferably 2)
Circular Saw
Power Sander
These are relatively inexpensive, extremely stiff and do not warp. They are also very light, easy to cut with a circular saw, and very thin.
MDF (medium density fiberboard) is a common material people use but is not any cheaper, extremely heavy, the dust from cutting can be cancerous to inhale, and the porous nature of the material means that if it gets wet it will cultivate mold. Simply put, the floorboards are a great balance of all of these requirements.
Tools Used:
Power Drill (preferably 2)
Circular Saw
Power Sander
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did the good job.
Lot of envy!!!!! Arrrrgh!!!!!!
An excellent write up and brilliant integration of old school tabletop gaming and modern model-making tech.
It makes me want to get back into Necromunda as I think this specific theme would also suit that dingy corner of the WH40k realm.
Congratulations as well to the finalists and winners, it was a great pleasure to see our entry up here with such high-caliber projects.
It was definitely a lot of fun, and even if its not wargaming, it can just as easily be a Halloween costume, Aquarium, or sweet Monopoly board. Hopefully early next year we will be able to post on some new projects and experiments. Thanks again.
Building stuff is always supposed to be fun!
Home-based systems start around $15k, there is a lot of other stuff that comes with them. Stratasys, 3D Systems, Objet, and Z Corp are the companies to check out for high-quality systems (some are also 'office-friendly').
Makerbot is under $2k but the resolution is considerably lower.
Id say your best bet is to design it on CAD then contract it out to a vendor to build. Many have free instant quotes online:
* Redeye on demand
* American Precision Prototyping
* Zoom RP
or just search online for 'Rapid Prototyping Vendor' in your area
Two things I'd like to add, the blue LEDs would have probably been better off orange or "amber".
And the second is more of a question/statement. I'm surprised to see that you guys glued/assembled quite a few things before actually painting them (pipes, grates, barrels stuff that goes under metal mesh mostly seen in step 6). Any reason you did it that way? I'm of the idea that painting some of the extra features separate would have been easier... no?
Otherwise superb work! Since I wont have anything to show off (no pictures) for the epilog contest you'll get my vote.
We didnt have any other blue on the table and wanted to make the light streaks really stand out. The amber would be great against a flat black but we were concerned that it would get washed out.
The order of assembling, painting, and gluing comes from personal preference and the part geometry. With the right brushes and steady hand you can dig under the pipes and ink the seams. Its also handy to have a small bottle of paint-on primer in case the paint gun misses a spot.
The mesh and wooden planks went on last after the pipes underneath were complete.
I knew it was preference to assemble before painting, I always like to ask in case someone does something that might be cool enough for me to start doing it that way.
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtyCXIsOixc
For your insert systems you could cement rare earth magnets into the recesses on the board and have corresponding metal tabs or washers embedded just below the surfaces of both. This would make all your inserts and surface mount bldg, player pieces, atmosphere sets, etc lock down nice and stable yet be easily moveable. In the opening documentation of this table system you mentioned using RFID tags, swipe cards and Arduino. You could add more LEDs in more colors which could detect a individuals player pieces and have the board sense which player the piece belonged to and automatically light up different LEDs denoting what player 'owned' what objectives. You could even have Arduino controls change atmosphere lighting to reflect elapsed game time or changing game conditions. At the start of a game each player could register a swipe card to which game assets could be matched and subsequently altered to reflect progress in the game. The overall management of all these RFID tags, game progress and status, etc could be done wirelessly with the Arduino communicating with an iPad, and maybe even iPhones (iPad for the GM and iPhones for individual players - Android devices could be supported as well or used instead). You could even devise 'game kits' that would contain game specific assets, inserts, game outline and even game specific apps for the tablet/smart phone options that would use the 'Master Game System'. You could even liscence the software and device drivers for the Arduino & RFID hardware to allow third parties to develop their own 'Game Kits' for your 'Master Board Gaming System' making it easy for your system to become a whole new industry standard. Just 'My 2¢' from a very enthusiastic fellow gamer. Good luck guys and best wishes for your continued success. Regards, Fuzzee Dee.
Haha, thanks man you rule!
These are some great points, we definitely need to make an instructable for the Arduino Board soon and get your thoughts on it as well.
The magnets would be great for securing buildings or more fragile structures.
You have some great points for integrating new tech, the dynamic atmospheric effects are what can really pull people into the setting of the game. Gonna have to go now and make some more sketches :)
We are entering into the "4th Epilog Challenge" to Win a Laser cutter
Can you imaging how much more cool stuff we could build with one of those?
Buildings, Origami, Spaceships?!?!... origami buildings inside spaceships?
The sky is the limit, please vote for our project so that we can continue making awsome Terrain.
THANKS!!!
We appreciate all the positive comments!
We really enjoyed working on this project and want to make it as accessible as possible for anyone else who is interested in wargaming (or in making a cool board for monopoly or toy or something).
Tho questions: How long and how much did it take?
Gotta say though, the last 2 weeks to make the shipping and flight deadlines were reaaaaally full days lol.