Salutations everyone,

So, not that I do as much gaming in person these days as I'd like, but I dont have a table currently... RPG, dining, or otherwise... so I've been thinking about building something custom for either my dining or my den and figure I may as well throw together a pretty decent table for gaming and such. I've surfed around Craigslist and such for tables in the past just in case something interesting popped up, but at this point I think I could build something half decent for relatively cheap plus it will be a fun side project.

So does anyone have / has anyone seen plans for a decent game table? Or want to show off what they're using for their gaming sessions?

While I havent settled on a Hexagon/Octagon or a Square/Rectangle ... I have been considering [THIS] table that I saw on Reddit. The user didnt post plans, but I think I could figure it out easily enough.

So lets hear it / seem em!

If I was any good at construction, I'd make an octagon shaped table, and in the middle sink it down by about an inch. Inside the sunken portion put a grid for 1" x 1" squares so they snap into place, and put a piece of glass over the top to cover / protect it. Then cut out a crap-ton (that's metric) of 1" x 1" pieces to paint various colors so you could have a changeable battlemap tile set.

~SE++

I've been looking at various tables that have all sorts of snazzy sunken or raised teirs, but I'm kinda thinking that I want to stick to a nice simple flat table. That way it could serve as both a normal table and a gaming table as well as for whatever other purposes I need.

Maybe a 4' diameter octagon with a central support leg...and then have it disconnect easily for transportation. Since I end up moving every few years I'd like it to not be a giant pain in the ass to lug around, or to get somewhere and find it to be too big.

When I was researching reusable maps, I saw a set-up where a guy had this whole rigging to put on top of a table that projected the game map from a computer onto the table. But the thing like took up half a SUV to transport around and was like putting a whole table on top of your table.

I have an old 'for the lulz' projector, and have been playing around with how I'd be able to set it up cause I much prefer being able to photshop maps and then project them than having to print the stuff out (even though paper maps have an appeal to them). I've also considered the dry erase grid option but again you start running into materials and supplies and cleaning...whereas my computer will have all the stuff on it anyway.

With projector maps you have two options of course. From under the table and shine through, or from above and shine down. From below means more construction on the table, having to have a glass or similar section for the map to display on, plus mirrors to angle the image in order to make it large enough to play on. From above means finding a way to mount the projector, run the cables to it, and then dealing with the shadows and such thats caused by the image being shot down from the ceiling.

If I went the route of getting fancy like that, I think I'd just spend the money on a cheapo 40" TV ...build a table around it and put a sheet of glass on top. Then run the cable from a laptop to the TV to DM the map that way. Cut out a section of wood that fills the TV spot, and keep the glass handy... and both the TV and the Table should function separately and together no issues.

http://www.ultimategamingtable.org/

http://www.geekchichq.com/the-sultan-gaming-table.html that's if i had won publishers...

Heeeey, GeekChichq ... some of their stuff is pretty snazzy, but not only do I not have the $12,000.00 laying around (Ok well I do, but I've got plans for it) but a lot of their stuff looks cool at a glance be seems impractical when it comes down to it. Big heavy tables that would take a team of people to move, and all the cup holders, books slots, and such are nifty but most of the time my gamers have books and laptops everywhere along with a slew of other stuff and the little doors and dice trays would more often than not just go ignored while stuff just sat on the table itself haha.

I'm pretty sure that building the 'Avenger' ultimate gaming table might be doable. They want $11 for their PDF plans, but I'm betting I can just make my own sans all the little drawers and essentially just be a 4' x 8' table. Which is basically a sheet of ply wood, then the grid and such on top.

Both good links regardless though!

I kinda like the idea of the television in the table, though I can see the frustration that since there would probably be significant space between the screen and the top of the glass, it might get hard to know which square everyone was on...

~SE++

Oh, I was describing the rigged-up projector as a way to say it looked unnecessary and excessive.

Oh they are. Thats why I was describing above, both ways have fairly significant cons and require a lot more work ...the pro being that I dont have to go somewhere to print out the maps I make on my computer, then tape the paper together / to the table etc.

The TV method is something I've seen a bit, but not experienced in person. I'd of course put a sheet of glass over my TV and see how it worked in reality before buying a TV and building the table.

I do feel like if you have the glass on top of the tv, it's going to be hard to immediately know which square on the screen corresponds to which token or figure.

Tangentially, a friend and I once discussed opening like a tabletop gaming-themed bar with themed drinks (mainly revolving around Fireball whiskey) and themed nights and like tables with screens and stuff meant for gaming.

But the hardest question of all...

Is it Dungeons and Drinking?

Or Drinking and Dragons?

The Firebarr

One last blurb before I doze off for the night.

On the topic of projectors / TVs ....another option would be to have the screen alonside the table where everyone can see, but still do the hand drawn grid on the table. That way people can move minatures and such, but can also see the more detailed image on the screen to get a better idea of whats going on.

Plus I tend to bring up books and such from time to time, so instead of calling prople over to the laptop or making them find it on theirs....it could be put on the communal screen.

Not sure about exact schematics, but here are my opinions...

4' x 6' rectangle: A table like this fits ANYTHING. Thanksgiving dinner, Warhammer Fantasy (which needs the 4' width as a minimum), Arkham Horror (which can certainly use it too), D&D with eight people plus battlemat and snacks, the works. If you want a table to serve any purpose, I think that's it.

48" Round: Seats a lot of people without feeling cramped and has a good surface area. As a round table, there's no easily defined head or foot, which is great for making everyone feel included, which is good for family or friendly meals as well as gaming. It's a little off for board games and unworkable for tabletop wargaming, but is better overall for D&D, card games, and smaller, squarer tabletop games like Mahjong or Settlers.

Ultimate D&D Table: a square or hexagonal table, about 4' in "diameter". pick sturdy materials for the legs and thin but strong for the top, then apply to the top a grid (square or hex: your table choice decided this) of 1" small floor tiles to the surface, creating a built-in battlemat for gaming that, if you made sure to make it level, is a decorative "granite countertop" when it's time to convert to an eatin' table, especially if you throw a cloth over it.

Check this one out.

http://imgur.com/a/JJgYm

I've been leaning towards circle / hex / octagon cause it keeps the action closer together and doesnt make one person sit at the "short" end of the table etc.

But this one is rather doable and a pretty easy build. Its similar to a lot of the GameChiq tables, but unlike those it actually has a rim wide enough to rest your arms and books etc on. I may play around with the dimension a little bit and see if it would fit comfortably in my den.

Otherwise I can move my TV to the Den and make the living room just a room with a big table in it.

That's pretty clever, and good looking. What are the overall dimensions?

If that isnt readable, I'll start quoting everything via text.

4'2" x 6'2". Do appreciate.

Its a very nice size. But the fireplace in my den would be a pain for at least one person.

Im fine with moving the PC out of the living room, but I did like that its centralized and can be seen from dining room and kitchen.

First world problems.