I have been playing around with different configurations for a custom table and wanted to note some things I’ve landed on that I really like. A main one thing is having the map mounted so that it can slide around as needed on top of a bigger playing area. My table is 65” x 95” in total with a 5.5” arm rest around the outside and the middle is a recessed neoprene surface. I have the OOB Global map mounted on 1/2” rigid foam with a 1/2” aluminum frame around it. This allows the map to slide up close to whoever’s turn it is, but then be in the middle so both players can roll dice In front of them without disturbing the map and in easy view of the other player. (Plus we like lots of room to roll the bones). This ability to adjust the surface along with a standing height, makes it comfortable for long uses because you can move around more and don’t feel as tied down.
Things I’ve learned and changed from original design - I originally used too big of a frame for the map and mounted it on too high of a foam block (you can see these pictures at the bottom) - it made it hard to see the other player’s dice and the big frame took up too much real estate. My global map is mounted on much thinner foam (the framing is bad, you can see if you look closely) but I also used much thinner aluminum angle for the frame. This gives just enough grip when needing to move the map around (I use furniture slides on the bottom, which glide very nicely on the neoprene) but doesn’t make the whole thing too bulky. Having it an inch or so off the surface keeps the dice off, but isn’t so heigh that you can’t see the other player’s dice rolls. When playing other versions (such as Zombies) the board is much smaller, but it can easily swap in and out on the same table since it can move around where ever it is needed or be pushed aside.
I originally made it normal table height, but found long reaches while sitting were harder and it just felt cramped. Standing height with a bar stool is a great way to have the best of both worlds.
The 5.5” rim around the table itself gives you a nice arm rest that doesn’t interfere with the gaming surface. I’m playing with how to best add some cushion to this part - open to suggestions. Sometimes I just lay a piece of leftover neoprene on it.
Dice bounce nice on the neoprene and stay off the floor. It also feels nice and has enough give to allow things to slide but be picked up easily. Wouldn’t definitely go with neoprene again as a surface covering.
I made the drawers open to the inside of the table so you can stay hunched over the action while accessing and stowing stuff away. 50/50 on whether I would keep this if I were to do it again. If I were doing it again, I might try to build customer drawers form scratch using actual drawer glides, but that was beyond my ability when I first did this, so I just used clear plexiglass boxes with aluminum pulls mounted on them. It’s nice having them clear, and I was happy with how the pulls came out, but without glides they can be a little fussy sliding in and out of their slots.
I originally designed the table so that I could put a cover surface back on top when not in use, but find I don’t really ever do that, so if I were to do it again, I might not mess with that part (I never even finished staining those as you can see in the pictures).
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Custom Map
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Which rules would you apply to this map? A&A Global 1940? HBG Global 1936?
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A&A 1940 plus rules of my own. Never played or read the rules of HBG. For all I now my rules could have some overlap but to my knowledge they are either my own or twisting of things that I have seen on the forums that were concepts that I made/am making into rules
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I really want to figure out which program so I can get this worked out and get to designing and play testing the variant I have in mind. Then I can share more. But I need this map done first
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All vector programs have a learning curve. Best way to learn a program fast is to start an actual project with them.
Google techniques as needed, not to get an understanding of the program.It really comes down to ownership and time.
Adobe is cheaper at first but you will need to keep paying. Add that you will feel you need to use it to get the $20 out of it.
If later revisions are warranted, you will need to re-subscribe.
Affinity will be more expensive at first but you own it and can use it whenever you have the time.Both will do what you want in this case.
If I was starting out now, I’d use Affinity as it offers the most options for my time. (no having to get it done before the end of the month/subscription)A lot of the techniques/commands are similar in both programs so switching later isn’t relearning from scratch.
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I ended up doing some more research and I went with affinity. Thanks for the help Robert and everybody else. I will keep people updated as this moves forward with an actual program
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I am unsure how to convert the file so that I can show you guys all of the progress I have made. I attached here a picture of the middle east so people can see how that ended up. I have finished the majority of the pacific and have also made some good progress on Africa. Africa should be done this week leaving only the Soviet Union, the Americas, and the sea zones.
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I do want to emphasize that this draft of the map is purely for conceptual use. The amount of house rules and additions going into this variant will require a significant amount of play testing. Due to that I don’t want to take the hours needed to make this map all pretty and what not only to find out there are some fundamental flaws.
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I can get a discount on Adobe since I am a student but it is still $240 a year.
Adobe are a bunch of criminals. Buy older CS3, which gives you unlimited time ( never register it). You used to buy something and use it forever, now its total BS where they “lease” a program for one year. Rubbish. CS3 works great
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@Imperious:
I can get a discount on Adobe since I am a student but it is still $240 a year.
Adobe are a bunch of criminals. Buy older CS3, which gives you unlimited time ( never register it). You used to buy something and use it forever, now its total BS where they “lease” a program for one year. Rubbish. CS3 works great
I have 20 years with photoshop… yes, started using it in 1999 lol… and each version i upgraded to was basically the same, what really changes are the plug ins, CS3 is the last version I upgraded to, been using it for over a decade now, it is great.
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I already purchased and am using Affinity Designer, a vector program with a one time purchase fee.
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how much?
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It was $49.99
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It was $49.99
That seems like a decent price tag, although I have no experience with Affinity Designer. But from the looks of it, it’s a nice tool.
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I still have my old laptop with my old Adobe software, so I’m fine for now (although my Laptop is on it’s last legs).
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Affinity seems like a good program. I am sure if I had any sort of technical skills it could do a lot more than I am using it for
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That is true of all software. :-D
I am using CS6 of Illustrator and PS but stopped upgrading the MacOS at OSX.12.
PS is buggy now and I’ve switched to Affinity Photo now.
Affinity is a direct reaction to the highway robbery of Adobe.
Quark has upped its game as well to compete with Indesign.Still only playing with Designer as I work faster in Illustrator. ( started back in 1992)
All in all, Affinity will replace Adobe in the future. It just needs the time to integrate new features.
Like Adobe did throughout the 90’s and very early 00’s.Adobe stopped major feature rich updates and lost revenue so they switched to “leasing” and forced people to upgrade/pay.
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…
Affinity is a direct reaction to the highway robbery of Adobe.
…With their Affinity product line Serif finally managed to become competitve against Adobe.
I switched from the Creative Cloud Photo subscription (PS+LR) to Affinity Photo about one year ago.
I have started with Affinity Designer some months ago. Still much to learn.With Affinity Publisher they will offer a replacement for Adobe Indesign anytime this year.
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Hadn’t heard of Publisher.
Thanks for the heads up.
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Was going to try to show you guys where I am at through dropbox but it says you cannot preview this type of file. Anybody know how to convert it? This is probably a very simple thing but I am not a technology guy
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Was going to try to show you guys where I am at through dropbox but it says you cannot preview this type of file. Anybody know how to convert it? This is probably a very simple thing but I am not a technology guy
In Affinity Designer use “File - Export…” to convert your project file (.afdesign) to jpg (to keep filesize small) or png (better quality but larger file).
You get an image of your project, then.
Then use an image hoster such as for example https://postimages.org/ to upload this image.When uploaded, copy-paste the “direct link for forums” they show you after uploading that file into your posting here.
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