steel
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 102
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Post by steel on Nov 30, 2012 0:46:06 GMT -5
hey guys, i'm trying to build a two level (possibly 3) base that i'd be able to use several times. So far the design is using a thick ~1/2" foam core board as a base that i'd be able to craft tiles on, and on top of it i'm using inch diameter dowels around the corners and towards the middle to hold up a piece of clear plastic (cheap picture frame stuff). with this i'd be able to make large set pieces, and possible water terrain.
The goals for this is to be a very sturdy piece, (thus the 1/2" foam board and thick dowels) that i can dismantle and pack in the back of my car. So i'm open to suggestions (i have plenty of time, about 2 months before i'd need it). The main thing is a binding technique that won't be permanent, but would still be sturdy. The first idea i had was cutting into the foam but i don't have a way to punch through cleanly and large enough for the dowels
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Post by onethatwas on Nov 30, 2012 5:08:41 GMT -5
if this base is simply to be used as a frame that can hold up the second or third level, and has no other purpose, then I would recomend you take the foam core (or cardboard, if you wanted to go cheaper), and cut holes in it the size of the dowels in the desired locations. This way you can insert the dowel into the hole to provide additional structural strength. Also, adding flanges to the dowel 1/2 inch up from the end of the dowel (so that the flange rests atop the surface of the foamcore) will also prevent some wobbling that could occur.
As for making a clean cut...well, I'd suggest to just be cautious when cutting...a little diligence goes a long way.
Not entirely sure what you really need though, so there may be additional ideas that could help.
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Post by dm1scotty on Nov 30, 2012 10:40:52 GMT -5
I never make tiers. I just replace the tile with the next floor. If some PCs stay on another floor for some reason you can just leave that tile out and add them to the new tile when they enter. I had a game with a tower and an attached courtyard and in that case I just literally stacked the tiles on each other as the players went up. I also used Fog-of-War to hide the inside of the tower while they were in the courtyard.
It seems to me that doing an actual multi-tier setup just adds complexity you don't need at the table. Having a semi stable platform could be a disaster if it were to fall over and you had to re-setup including figuring out were all the PCs and monsters were. It also could be fiddly reaching into the lower layer without knocking said over.
I would just go the stack-able route.
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Post by onethatwas on Nov 30, 2012 14:12:00 GMT -5
I agree that in alot or most cases doing the simple replacement of tiles is the best way to go, or stacking if it applies. I can understand why you may need to have both floors present at the same time in an aligned manner, but it can create obvious problems doing so, so you almost need to craft less for portability but rather for stability and permanency. Not to mention it has limited uses.
Although because you mentioned it, I can see a definate appeal to having a tile that abstracts under water environs by having a plate of plastic at the top level, glued over with the correct wave-like texture, and then painted with stainglass paint....hmmm
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steel
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 102
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Post by steel on Dec 1, 2012 0:03:46 GMT -5
for clarification, the foam core board (remember, this one is 1/2" thick, therefore MUCH more sturdy if i punch holes) is what i use to place my dungeon tiles on top of. I just started DMing so i'm still using standard dungeon tiles for now (though set piece design coming up at the end of this module would be sweet. The last two rooms are perfect to build). Therefore I'm hesitant to punch through my $10 investment. Although right now it only looks like creating a more stable base is to cut holes into it.
Eventually i want to set up a bird's eye view camera angle so i can have 2 level battles (think having a kill zone for the players, with archers up top and brutes/soldiers at the bottom) and still present a map view as if i was using tokens.
Still, if we can't figure anything out, thanks for the input anyways, and i'm glad i kept those receipts
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Post by onethatwas on Dec 1, 2012 0:34:06 GMT -5
well if you're simply trying to build a framework that cane help you design a third dimension (another level), I don't see why you would have to ruin your current dungeon tiles...they are merely being placed onto the foamcore from what I understand you saying. so make the framework larger than the actual size of your dungeon tiles that you are setting down, and place your dowels into the foamcore within this extra space. The only problem would be if you have to provide support in the middle due to drooping with this clear material you're using, and you can craft a simple, stand on dowel/pillar to support the middle...one piece won't hurt anything.
However, the alternative would be to basically just craft stand on pillars, and hope nothing shifts. One way to make this work is to make the pillars, and glue lightweight magnets (Walmart has some that can be bought for relatively cheap, but their magnetic strength is a bit lacking) to the bottom of the pillar base and the top of the pillar during the crafting process in a place where it won't be seen (Watch DM Scotty's video, and you'll be able to get an idea of where to place the magnet). Then gut out the first layer and foam of the foam core starting from the bottom (the side no one will see) in the place you want your pillar to go, set a magnet in there, glue...and thar ya go. Instant psuedo stability without trying to come up with overly elaborate methods to do so. Just make sure the magnets are in the correct polarity alignment to stick. And then make sure your paint doesn't contain any iron or anything when you paint...it may come up weird looking if all the paint finds its way to one place.
Anyway, hope that helps out some with your idea (although I'd still say that DM Scotty's suggestions might be easier/cheaper/better in the long run).
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Post by hideousprime on Dec 1, 2012 4:38:25 GMT -5
I found foamcore at the dollar three for $1per sheet.. may want to check there.
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steel
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 102
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Post by steel on Dec 1, 2012 18:56:45 GMT -5
yes but the foam core at those places are more than half as thick, making it unsuitable to hold pillars. I'm having a hard enough time trying to convince myself that it's thick enough now
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Post by dm1scotty on Dec 2, 2012 10:47:16 GMT -5
My mantra is that if a player can knock it over they will....lol
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Post by danielc on Dec 2, 2012 16:26:32 GMT -5
My mantra is that if a player can knock it over they will....lol I have even been known to knock over things you would have thought I could not knock over. One suggestion for "stories" or tiers that I saw and liked was a scifi game with a combat inside a ship. He would set the levels next to each other on the table and line them up where the stairs were. You just went from map to map as the combat moved along. Just a thought.
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Post by madladdesigns on Dec 2, 2012 17:06:29 GMT -5
That's how I would do it, lay them side by side then you can have the game playing over multiple floors simultaneously.
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Post by hideousprime on Dec 3, 2012 9:06:51 GMT -5
yes but the foam core at those places are more than half as thick, making it unsuitable to hold pillars. I'm having a hard enough time trying to convince myself that it's thick enough now ummmmm... glue two of them together! If its an epic fail you wasted $2, which you can repurpose for other things so maybe just a fail. If it works and holds use it on the expensive one and still repurpose the cheap.
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Post by m3talslime on Dec 3, 2012 16:25:13 GMT -5
I have considered stacking, and not only did I decide against it, but if you have seen my stone stairwell pics you can see I have the potential to have 3 separate "tiles" at once. It can make for some intense action when you have players separated even when they are within feet of each other.
Maybe I have seen too many old movies with sword fights on staircases, but ruling that option out just seems wrong!
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Post by dm1scotty on Dec 3, 2012 21:24:26 GMT -5
Just having the tiles side by side is the prefect solution. I have one of my PCs make a map and if the PCs backtrack I just rollplay it if the danger no longer exists.
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Post by danielc on Dec 3, 2012 21:57:16 GMT -5
Maybe I have seen too many old movies with sword fights on staircases, but ruling that option out just seems wrong! I do nto think having the levels side by side would mean you can't have epic staircase fights. As they move up or down they hit a point they move to the next map together.
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Post by m3talslime on Dec 3, 2012 22:40:39 GMT -5
Nah, I just meant the reason I built the stairwell in the first place. It was probably more work than I would do again though, unless I had a really good reason to do it.
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