Troll Lord Games

Is it viable to build terrain blocks and pieces, such as those used by aficionados of Games Workshop's games, for usage in tabletop RPGs? I've often wondered why I never see anyone use a flocked table and a host of plastic trees for a forest encounter. Is there something I'm missing?

Similarly, shouldn't it be possible to build interlocking "rooms" to use for dungeons?
_________________
Ben Overmyer
Artist & Web Designer
http://www.manatrance.com

These things exist, and some use them... it can be fun, as it adds a layer of 3d-ism and tactics (some would argue that the current d20 version of D&D requires this types of things), but they're far from required in most games. If you're interested, you might look into Dwarven Forge or Hirst Arts; both make very good terrain and "dungeons."

Well, considering rpg's actually grew out of wargames, such use is entirely appropriate.

I've always been happy with a laminated grid and a dry erase marker myself, but I've been known to use a bit of terrain (domino's and the like for dungeon corridors) as well.
_________________
"We'll go out through the kitchen!" Tanis Half-Elven

Peter Bradley

It's possibe to use such things, and I have done so from time to time. I tend to stick to plain old grids / battlemats for sheer ease of play. The rest of the terrain and stuff, why cool is too much to lug around generally speaking.

.................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

Oh, and there are also several cardstock freebies available from Wizards, and they turn out pretty well (I've built several of them, using balsa wood for support on thick cardstock). They can also be modified and altered, as I did with the mausoleum one, adding in statues, higher walls, and the like. Time-consuming as hell though.

I'm a huge terrain fan. I make most of mine from cardstock, though, from companies like WorldWorksGames. You can see a gallery of some of the stuff I've done here:
http://wwgallery.pcinfoman.com/index.php?cat=10024

(In my experience, cardstock is cheaper, easier and lighter than most other forms of terrain. I'm about the least crafty guy in the world, so if I can make cardstock terrain, anyone can.)

To go with those, I have a number of terrain mats - gridded maps made with Dundjinni or using WWG masterboard tiles to create large areas of a single terrain type - Grass, Forest, Desert, Stone - and some with various features (I have a nice Dundjinni made map with a river running through it, for example).

I also use dungeon tiles a great deal as well - both the store bought kind (such as WotC's, which is one of their finer products) as well as the printed kind (like WorldWorksGames, Skeleton Key Games and others). I've taken to mounting my homemade tiles on matboard (the kind used in picture framing), since its durable and relatively cheap, and gives the tiles a little heft. Tiles printed on cardstock or paper tend to warp a little, move around and flat out blow away too easily for my tastes.

I also have a few chessex battlemaps that I can plop down to the cover the table and use dry erase markers when in need. But once you go down the terrain path ... its difficult to go back.

Back in the 80s, my Gamma World GM used to use a Spanish knock-off of LEGOS to build dungeons. We just moved the miniatures through the 3D setting as we explored. It was great, but I've got to think the time to put it together would be prohibitive for most people.

Dwarven Forge's products, while beautiful, are...well, they're out of my reach financially.

For rock formations in WH40k, I used to use polystyrene, a hot wire cutter, and some other bits. Would a similar technique work for rock walls?
_________________
Ben Overmyer
Artist & Web Designer
http://www.manatrance.com

Mana Trance wrote:
Dwarven Forge's products, while beautiful, are...well, they're out of my reach financially.

For rock formations in WH40k, I used to use polystyrene, a hot wire cutter, and some other bits. Would a similar technique work for rock walls?

I am pretty sure I saw someone post a link to a set up they did using the technique your mentioning. Plus, from my experience doing model RR scenery, yes, it will work.

The main drawback for me to use such "scenery" is simply set up time. So I go with the stuff Fat Dragon Games, Skeleton Key, et al produce.

Plus the company savagerobby links to is pretty friggin awesome as well.

I would love to own Dwarven Forge, but like you, I can't talk myself into paying the money for it.
_________________
The Ruby Lord, Earl of the Society

Next Con I am attending: http://www.neoncon.com/

My House Rules: http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic ... llordgames

I've made some pretty cool terrain pieces with the wire and polystyrene.

I was also blessed to get "paid" in dwarven forge once upon a time and ended up with about 6 boxes of the stuff which is used sparingly in our game. It can be fun but I find when playing say "castles and crusades" that the terrain becomes less neccessary than it seems to be in 3.x

As for the hotwire check this out.

1st. Cut a bunch of 4 inch squares out of hardboard (masonite) As many as you would want/need to create your environment.

2nd. If you happen to have the hotwire (expensive as well) and the time invest in some of the 2 or 3 inch thick corning styrophoam insulation. The hard kind they use these days behind drywall walls. I HUGE sheet of this stuff is around 20 bucks and well worth it because you can make a ton of terrain.

3rd. Just start cutting some rocky looking walls by searing off inch wide hunks. Save the flattened "edge" parts for straighter walls. Cut right along the corners of the rectangle for L shaped pieces. don't make them much bigger than 4 inches long at a pop though i would guess you could cut longer pieces and then trim them down or break them off as needed to fit on your four inch squares.

You could also cut some 1.5 inch pieces to create spaces for doors and things of that nature.

After a short time you should have several yards of inch wide pink hunks that look kind of "rocky" due to the wire and the cutting.

4th. Take these narrow sections that you've created and glue them down to the masonite/hardboard with gorilla glue or something similarly ultra sticky. Glue them along one of the edges of your 4x4 hardboard square and you suddenly have a very decent "wall section.' It just happens to be pink and brown which isn't very "dungeonesque" at this point.

5th. Once the glue dries, take these pieces and coat them with artists gesso. It has marble powder in it and some other binder and sticks to anything. Paint hardboard and foam completely with the gesso and let it dry a few hours so that when you touch it it doesn't feel wet or come off on your fingers.

6th. Get some bottles of cheap acrylic craft paint at a hobby store. Avoid using expensive stuff sold to the "artists" if you can or use a sunday coupon if you want to purchase a ton of paint.

Get black, white, green, yellow, burnt umber, and ochre.

Mix this paint together to get the "dungeon color" that your shooting for. And begin dry brusing it onto the pieces you made. As a finishing touch take a very small bit of white, ochre and green and mix that (adding more white than anything) to get a whitish-greenish-yellowish color. Use that to dry brush onto any of the raised surfaces you have left.

If you need a grid of some sort on your pieces, you can always go back and draw one onto the flat portions of your terrain with a metal ruler and sharpie.

Either way you should probably have enough "walls' and "L" shaped corners to construct about any sort of dungeon or town wall you need and spend a whole lot less than you would with some of the pro kits. You are going to put some work in but really, no more than mini painting or any other hobby sort of activity. If you have friends that game and or work with mini's invite em over, buy some beers and make it a party.

Advanced: Water areas.

These require some wood clamps and tons of hot glue. (which i prefer to the more toxic "real water" epoxy that is sold at train and hobby places, tho those work really well for large spaces i guess.

Take your flat pieces or any of the "walled parts" that you want to have "water filled" and paint the hardboard with a color that you think represents your "water" for your subteranean area. You could also paint that base area with red-orange colors and make it "lava" if you wanted. I havent tried that personally but I can't see why it wouldnt work.

Clamp a "box" around flat pieces around the edge of your square so that the hot glue or whatever doesn't leak out. You definitely dont want that. once you have say some 1x4 inch pieces clamped around the edge. Squirt the hot glue into the area about 1/8th of an inch deep. if you need to smooth it out use a heated putty knife.

Let the pieces cool off and pop the "box" off and you have a water piece or a lava piece.

Its fun to be an art teacher.

Case

Also:

If you want to add some cool extra's to your dungeon terrain, get some really weird looking turf and lichens (By Woodland Scenics). A big bag of that stuff is like $6-12 bucks and lasts forever.

Use white elmers type glue after all the painting and what not is done and just smear a dab here or there where you want to add your fungus and growth. Stick little pieces of the turf or lichens (really little pieces) here and there on the various pieces you created and your set.

Note: Things that dont work: Any type of plaster of paris really sucks for this type of thing. It will NOT stick to the styrofoam and tends to flake off in a nasty powdery mess. Experience is a bitch.

Case

I really wish I had more time and I would try building terrain and dungeons. Or I really wish I had more money and I would buy tons of stuff. Yeah, Dwarven Forge's stuff is great. I've seen some outstanding castles online as well.
_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth