Gaming Room Essentials?

[Mr Mystery]

Evening all.

Due to my current landlord wanting the property back, I'm soon to be on the move to a new flat.

And the one I've got my beady little eyes on has a second bedroom. And yes, this of course means it's going to be Nerdhalla - a space dedicated to my nerdy excesses....

But what needs to go in there? Well, there's the obvious stuff. Table, chairs, shelves for my models and of course a gaming board or three...

Surely there's more to it than though? Can anyone offer recommendations?

[Defenestratus]

Evening all.

Due to my current landlord wanting the property back, I'm soon to be on the move to a new flat.

And the one I've got my beady little eyes on has a second bedroom. And yes, this of course means it's going to be Nerdhalla - a space dedicated to my nerdy excesses....

But what needs to go in there? Well, there's the obvious stuff. Table, chairs, shelves for my models and of course a gaming board or three...

Surely there's more to it than though? Can anyone offer recommendations?

Currently in the design process of a new home build so I can lend my recommendations based on what I told my designer. My space is going to double as a hobby area as well, not just for gaming.

Obviously space. Enough for an 8x4 table and seating. Don't want to have to squeeze around the table, it has to be freestanding so that you can get at least two people abreast between the table edge and the closest wall. In my case, I've got my designer coming up with a neat system where the 8x4 table drops from the ceiling via a remote control and can be hoisted back up into the recessed ceiling when not in use.

Light. Doubly important if you're going to be hobbying in there.

Mini fridge for refreshments. I went for a full bar setup since this will be in my basement/home theatre anyways. Kegerator hells yes!

Sound system. Serves double duty since this space will be for my home theatre as well.

Shelving/storage. I want to display my nerdy toys, not just keep them boxed up.

Lastly,

Ventilation - you know, because most of the time, sadly, nerds stink and you want to go ahead and prime models you're going to want to have a way to get all of those fumes out of there.

My hobby area is going to be a workbench area recessed into the end wall that will be closed off by bi-fold sliding doors (or a sliding barn door depending on what the budget allows) when not in use.

[Captain Bubonicus]

"In my case, I've got my designer coming up with a neat system where the 8x4 table drops from the ceiling via a remote control and can be hoisted back up into the recessed ceiling when not in use."

A buddy of mine did a non-motorized version of that - he and his wife were having to share the spare room for their various hobbies (gaming and sewing), so we rigged up a retractable gaming table with cables and pulleys so we could lift up and save unfinished games for later.

[Katharon]

Mini-fridge.

[Erik Setzer]

Get a 32" TV and DVD player, should both be pretty cheap these days, and set them in a corner or on a wall, and you can watch movies while playing games (or hobbying).

[Mr Mystery]

Currently in the design process of a new home build so I can lend my recommendations based on what I told my designer. My space is going to double as a hobby area as well, not just for gaming.

Obviously space. Enough for an 8x4 table and seating. Don't want to have to squeeze around the table, it has to be freestanding so that you can get at least two people abreast between the table edge and the closest wall. In my case, I've got my designer coming up with a neat system where the 8x4 table drops from the ceiling via a remote control and can be hoisted back up into the recessed ceiling when not in use.

Light. Doubly important if you're going to be hobbying in there.

Mini fridge for refreshments. I went for a full bar setup since this will be in my basement/home theatre anyways. Kegerator hells yes!

Sound system. Serves double duty since this space will be for my home theatre as well.

Shelving/storage. I want to display my nerdy toys, not just keep them boxed up.

Lastly,

Ventilation - you know, because most of the time, sadly, nerds stink and you want to go ahead and prime models you're going to want to have a way to get all of those fumes out of there.

My hobby area is going to be a workbench area recessed into the end wall that will be closed off by bi-fold sliding doors (or a sliding barn door depending on what the budget allows) when not in use.

Sadly I'll be renting, so can't have bionic board :p

Looking for suitable tables is.....odd. I'd rather have a 6x4 table, so board overhang is always minimal or non-existent. Also considering smaller side tables (like camping ones) for casualty storage etc.

Mini-fridge isn't a bad idea either....though proper beer does not require chilling.

TV and that? Perhaps a stereo.

[Erik Setzer]

As tables go, it might be best to just make one. It's not that hard. Granted, there might be valid reasons you can't. If not, one option might be to use a pair of folding tables, with a surface set on top of them (like a roll-out mat, or a Realm of Battle board). You might end up with 6" of extra space on each side if you get, say, a pair of 30"x72" tables, but that's room you can use for dice and stuff. Another option might be to get a dining table that's close to the right size, and get a piece of plywood cut to the appropriate size, then fasten that to the top of the table (permanently or otherwise). Just need to make sure there's not too much of the sheet hanging over the sides, or that it's a thicker sheet, otherwise you risk breaking it.

For a "stereo," I'd suggest going with a small one, something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Jensen-Mountable-Vertical-Loading-Speakers/dp/B003XYAUUU/

I have a similar system, it produces good sound, especially for filling a small room. And you can hang it on a wall, so it can be out of the way.

[Defenestratus]

"In my case, I've got my designer coming up with a neat system where the 8x4 table drops from the ceiling via a remote control and can be hoisted back up into the recessed ceiling when not in use."

A buddy of mine did a non-motorized version of that - he and his wife were having to share the spare room for their various hobbies (gaming and sewing), so we rigged up a retractable gaming table with cables and pulleys so we could lift up and save unfinished games for later.

Trying to convince my friend mountaincycle667, who is a masterful artist to do a 40k type mural on the bottom of the table so when the table is retracted, its like the Sistine Chapel of 40k :P

(really, I just want to scare the bejesus out of him while he's laying on his back 10' in the air)

Dreams... dreams...

[Pssyche]

I use two of these Banquet Tables that I bought via eBay.
They are 6' x 2.5', so you end up with a 6' x 5' table.

Link
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-HEAVY-DUTY-6-FT-FOLDING-TABLE-PICNIC-PARTY-CAMPING-BANQUET-GARDEN-TABLES-/131231558508?hash=item1e8e02ab6c

[Wolfshade]

Coasters.

[Mr Mystery]

Coasters - good idea.

Also - book case?

[Erik Setzer]

Coasters - good idea.

Also - book case?

Oh yeah, totally a book case! You can line it with books, board games, card games, figures you want to put on display, all kinds of stuff.

[Lord Mayhem]

My plans include a computer workstation; doubles as DVD/movie player, music system, useful for army building (Army builder, etc) Electronic codices, etc etc etc; tied into a 40"ish TV on a wall.

Idly considering, with some of the huge TVs out there, using a BIG screen TV as a game board, with a sheet of Perspex/acrylic to protect it; that way I could display "surface" terrain on the screen (streets, grass, water). Expensive, but it would be pretty cool.

[Defenestratus]

Coasters - good idea.

Also - book case?

Get some of those glass cabinets at Ikea. GW uses them for fig display cases at their stores (over here in the US anyways).

[Erik Setzer]

Idly considering, with some of the huge TVs out there, using a BIG screen TV as a game board, with a sheet of Perspex/acrylic to protect it; that way I could display "surface" terrain on the screen (streets, grass, water). Expensive, but it would be pretty cool.

Sounds cool, but it'd cost a LOT to get one that big, and I'd be terrified of, say, someone dropping an old school metal Dreadnought even a few inches. I've seen the pits and dings and chunks knocked out of well-used tables at a local game store, I'm not sure a TV screen could handle that.

But it's definitely something to dream about for the future...

- - - Updated - - -


Get some of those glass cabinets at Ikea. GW uses them for fig display cases at their stores (over here in the US anyways).

A couple of these on either side of a bookcase would be pretty cool:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10119206/

[Wolfshade]

Mead for the mead god

[Mr Mystery]

Get some of those glass cabinets at Ikea. GW uses them for fig display cases at their stores (over here in the US anyways).

Nø Ï dön't thïnk IKEA is qüite for më :p

[Lord Mayhem]

Sounds cool, but it'd cost a LOT to get one that big, and I'd be terrified of, say, someone dropping an old school metal Dreadnought even a few inches. I've seen the pits and dings and chunks knocked out of well-used tables at a local game store, I'm not sure a TV screen could handle that.

But it's definitely something to dream about for the future...

- - - Updated - - -



A couple of these on either side of a bookcase would be pretty cool:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10119206/

Yah, that's why I'd put a sheet of acrylic over it; to protect it from dings. I think a 90" to 100" should be big enough to use as a 4x6 game table. By the time I actually have a dedicated room, that should be fairly affordable

[Wolfshade]

The cheaper option (and not quite as good) is to have a projectorand project down, though you end up with shadows :/

[Defenestratus]

Mead for the mead god

Obligatory plug for my buddy James' Meadery Meadworks whatever the hell he calls it.

http://www.charmcitymeadworks.com

[Alaric]

Nø Ï dön't thïnk IKEA is qüite for më :p

Ha! Awesome.

I actually run a TV game board for rpgs so I can offer insight. Use real glass. Just tell a glazier people will be leaning on it and they should size its thickness for u. There were good reasons not to use plexi or acrylic but ill be damned if I can member why. The size I have on the larger version is aboot 42" wide. I can lean across it with my arms on the middle of the glass and it doesn't budge or flex.

I can also offer ventilation insight. Hopefully u got a window in there. If so, get a piece of wood or metal approx. 8" wide. And as tall as the window opening. Cut a hole in top and bottom as far from eachother as possible. Pic up a size appropriate fan, the oscillating ones are fine just disable the oscillation. Fasten it to the top hole blowing out of the room and put a hole 1.5 times bigger below. This hole doesn't have to be round, remember to keep as far from the upper hole as u can. May need to mesh it to keep bugs out.
There u go. Cheap ventilation. There are better ways of course, but I doubt this would cost more than 50 bucks.

[Mr Mystery]

Thankfully, none of my friends are at all whiffy, or even mildly fragrant :)

So window should suffice.

[Christian Møller Hansen]

hookah and absinthe fountain!!!

[Mr Mystery]

I can do a packet of ciggies and a few bottles of Hobgoblin?

- - - Updated - - -

Off to view the potential Nerdvana in about an hour, and I'm hoping I might have enough space for a spray cabinet thing. You know, box with extractor and that, what is for spraying things without gassing oneself?

Anyone know if they're worth buying, or something even a cack-handed wizard like myself could reasonably assemble?

[Kibo]

Hello,

I'm also lucky enough to have one room to express all my manly creativity.
Here is the map of the room:
https://simpleaswar.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/image5.jpg?w=900&h=555
And a panoramic picture:
https://simpleaswar.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/wargamesmancavephoto-06-05-2014-16-38-10-copie.jpg?w=900&h=258

Kibo

[Wolfshade]

Chairs and nested side tables

[Mr Mystery]

Yep. That too.

I may stretch to a dining room table - that way I can host RPGs as well.

[Mr Mystery]

Can anyone recommend a decent table?

I'm struggling to find one big enough at a reasonable price.

Would prefer to avoid trestle tables, but I'm not massively fussy.

[Lexington]

If you've got the tools around to build it, the classic 'Drunk Dwarves'-style table, with removable inserts, is pretty ideal. Sadly, the site's since gone offline, but The Wayback Machine has you covered (https://web.archive.org/web/20081006134308/http://www.drunkdwarves.com/?p=200) there. The plans have to be altered a bit for a 6' x 4', but it's not too difficult. Four of us built one for my old post-collegiate homestead a decade or so back, and I believe it's still in use today. They sturdy, they be. One thing I might recommend is shaving an inch or two off of the legs, as we found ours to be a tad high.

For the rest of the decor, I've got fond memories of the 'Game Pub' a few of us set up at our old workplace in a room we rented upstairs. We had a couch, a 32"-screen TV and a mini-fridge up there, as well as a small painting and game storage room in the back. Documentation here (http://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?115664-Show-us-your-Man-Cave-Lady-Cave-Nerd-Cave&p=1560419&viewfull=1#post1560419). In retrospect, I wouldn't necessarily recommend the 'at work' setup - it got awkward after a few of us parted ways with the company - but it was a very nice place to be, while it lasted.

[Mr Mystery]

Sadly, engineering is far from my forte so I really don't trust myself to build anything not pre-cut.

Though I suppose I could buy the odds and sods, and hire a carpenter to bunt it together. I'm quite keen on a lipped play area too, as it prevents loss of dice when rolling.

Cheers for the linkage dude :)

[completeHook]

IIRC you also live in the Garden/Lorry Park of England, I got a great deal on a really solidly built oak dining table from The Furniture Factory (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3940556,0.4981447,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9KUief2laLo3aHArvkGV0g!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656!6m1!1e1) in Rochester. They don't really have much of a web presence but there is some basic information on their Yell page (https://www.yell.com/biz/the-furniture-factory-rochester-8224537/).

It was a £900 table which was damaged in transit so the guy let me have have it for £150, it was in a van parked round the back packed with other damaged stuff. Obviously getting a deal like that is entirely dependent on what they have, but it could be worth giving them a call and seeing if they having anything they are looking to get rid of. As far as the damage went it had a few gouges on the table top, you can just about make it out in this picture (http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=12117&d=1420114377) I shared on a previous thread on hobby areas (http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?51920-Show-us-your-hobby-area-man-cave-secret-gaming-dungeon!&p=468544#post468544). It's a solid piece of furniture and could just as easily support a 6x4 plywood board.

[Arkhan Land]

So from time to time when there's an off night at the club me and some of the bartenders/my friends who game will setup and play a game where we get to angle all the stage lights at the board, and ill sometime move one across the room for an extra color/angle.
so my suggestion is to get a few lights with some indoor spot bulbs and a gel-pack off a music/dj-gear website to get that war-bound atmosphere

lil phone pic example, heres red and green opposing
15935

[Mr Mystery]

Carpenter contacted for quote.

I may yet have a Drunken Dwarves table!

[Thaldin]

If you were in Western WA, I'd make it for pizza!

[Mr Mystery]

:p

Got one quote for labour only. £60-£80, which seems a fair investment.

Might start a project log. Building Nerdvana.

[Lexington]

I may yet have a Drunken Dwarves table!
Woo hoo! The corresponding article for making inserts can be found on this topic archive page (https://web.archive.org/web/20090723094206/http://www.drunkdwarves.com/?cat=26) on Wayback Machine as well.

[Mr Mystery]

For that, I'm going to get four lots of 2'x4' MDF type stuff. And then put Realm of Battle tiles over the top as and when (I would just suspend them across the struts, but sturdy as they are, a base layer will help to completely avoid fall-through and model destruction :) )

Oh, and they're necessary for X-Wing!

[Muninwing]

I use two of these Banquet Tables that I bought via eBay.
They are 6' x 2.5', so you end up with a 6' x 5' table.

Link
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-HEAVY-DUTY-6-FT-FOLDING-TABLE-PICNIC-PARTY-CAMPING-BANQUET-GARDEN-TABLES-/131231558508?hash=item1e8e02ab6c

the extra foot of space is good for dice and reserves...

[Mr Mystery]

Drunken Dwarves has an additional 2' at the end, which should be plenty to hold reserves and that.

I'm seriously considering getting Music Stands for books and that. Not only useful for tabletop gaming, but when I run a roleplay game, I can have one either side of the GM chair, open at useful pages.

This sort of thing. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooltechstuff-Orchestral-Holder-Tripod-Adjustment/dp/B0123ZPB9Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1444480955&sr=8-5&keywords=music+stands)

And anyone who visits or dwells within Kent and Sussex are very welcome to head over for a game once it's all up and running :)

[Thaldin]

Damn those music stands would save a lot of space on pencil and paper gaming nights.

[Arkhan Land]

Drunken Dwarves has an additional 2' at the end, which should be plenty to hold reserves and that.

I'm seriously considering getting Music Stands for books and that. Not only useful for tabletop gaming, but when I run a roleplay game, I can have one either side of the GM chair, open at useful pages.

This sort of thing. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooltechstuff-Orchestral-Holder-Tripod-Adjustment/dp/B0123ZPB9Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1444480955&sr=8-5&keywords=music+stands)

And anyone who visits or dwells within Kent and Sussex are very welcome to head over for a game once it's all up and running :)

music stands are great, I have a few KMs that can hold up even the mightiest of tomes. plus find a nice wooden one for that mage's spell-stand sort of look

[Mr Mystery]

Funny how good ideas seem really, really obvious once you thought of them :)

And speaking of good ideas...I'm not sure this one is...

Heresy set has me contemplating a Zone Mortalis board...

[Kirsten]

you can get some good laser cut MDF buildings and corridors, with interiors. you could get a set of those for not too much money and use them on a normal board

http://www.fantasyarc.com/#!shop-bhc/c1fwu

[Mr Mystery]

I'm not convinced by wooden terrain - it always looks cheap to my eyes.

[Wolfshade]

I think it looks good.

But if you don't like it cover it will polly-filla to give it a different texture!

[Mr Mystery]

Nah.

I'm feeling spendalicious, so shall spoil myself with a FW Zone Mortalis.

[Path Walker]

I have some great MDF stuff for necromunda but I love my ZM, although to my shame its unpainted, still so much fun to play on! Well worth it.

[Psychosplodge]

I've got one of the bulkhead kits. It looks exactly like what its supposed to be.

[Defenestratus]

Just got the go ahead from the War Department to put one of these bad boys in the man cave / game room.

http://geekchichq.com/the-sultan-gaming-table.html

[Mr Mystery]

Sadly, GW already hold the contract on both my Kidneys....

[Psychosplodge]

War department, I like that.

- - - Updated - - -

Also that's beautiful.

[Defenestratus]

War department, I like that.

Any husband knows what I'm talking about.

[Thaldin]

I've seen those tables first hand at PAX when I went a few years ago. They are GORGEOUS.

[Mr Mystery]

Still sticking with Drunken Dwarfs :p

In theory (depending on when my deposit is returned to me) I should be able to procure the woods needed for it next weekend, and drop them off to the carpenter.

Week later? Game on!*


*well, not quite. I'll still need an actual tabletop like.

[Mr Mystery]

Change of plan.....

No drunken dwarf table.

Flat only came with a sodding massive farmhouse table!

16253

It's as if Nerdvana wants to be born.

[Mr Mystery]

The portents are aligning!

GW have put up a painting video for the 40k board....

But. Can I afford it in my November pay? Board yes. But....that's a lot of paint pots

[Psychosplodge]

diy store paint matching?

[Mr Mystery]

Could do, but then it's not likely to have the same properties.

Will just have to take the plunge. I've done it before - though as an employee-ee, so was a case of 'need more X, grab more X and known loss it'

[Psychosplodge]

?

[Mr Mystery]

Would need to be Acrylics.

[Psychosplodge]

They don't generally do much oil based paints these days do they?

[Mr Mystery]

Not a clue!

[Path Walker]

I'd had good luck grabbing a few artists acrylic tubes and mixing myself, saves a lot compared to getting 10-15 tubs of GW, depends what colour you're going for though.

I think most interior paints are emulsion and so water based, rather than oil based and is thicker but similar to acrylics. The pigment might not be as dense, so when thinned will potentially need a few coats

[Mr Mystery]

Will probs stick with GW Paints.

Not the cheapest, but I do know what I'm doing with them. Which is important when you have as little artistic ability as wot I does.

[Psychosplodge]

Might be time for that airbrush you always wanted.

[Mr Mystery]

True, true.

Might save that for my currently five Knights.

Why currently five?

There. Will. Be. More.

I want at least one of each class! Big, stompy, shooty. Ideal for Heresy games!

[Path Walker]

Having finished my second, I can't imagine ever doing a Knight without an airbrush, its an essential. With a table it really depends what you're doing, ifs it flat plains like the RoB or City then I think just a big ****-off brush with be quicker to be honest, anything intricate like a ZM table is where the aribrush would come in handy really

[Mr Mystery]

Indeed.

Get a decent brush and you're done in probably a few hours. Airbrush would need constant reloading and thus cleaning etc.

[Psychosplodge]

I didn't really think that through, I was just thinking how to get the most mileage out of the tiny pots of paint.

[Mr Mystery]

I've got the GW spraygun. That might be good for the larger areas. Certainly a good deal quickerer.

Could even mask off the edge (no. That's not actually going to happen. Ever)

[Morgrim]

I'd do the base coats in craft store acrylics. Thin them to the same consistency as your normal GW paint and they will work fine. Apply with a big brush. Use two coats if it's a colour that doesn't cover well. Use your good GW paint for the detailing, or drybrushing even. It will not be any harder than basecoating with GW paint, it won't stump your artistic ability, and it will almost certainly be a good deal quicker. :P (And definitely cheaper.)

[Mr Mystery]

I shall have a poke around, see what I can find.

Also need to find suitable display cabinets. Room has pooloads of storage, which is great for my terrain as it won't get dusty - but I want to have my models out for all to see.

And I think I'm going to move my rule bookcase....

[Wolfshade]

Oh, important things for a gaming room. A futon

[Mr Mystery]

Hell no! They're the most uncomfortable furniture I've ever encountered. Beds of Nails included.

[Wolfshade]

Hell no! They're the most uncomfortable furniture I've ever encountered. Beds of Nails included.

Not for you, for the person who plays the game too slowly and ends up staying, or when a guest drinks too much beer and can't drive/cycle home.

[Morgrim]

Hell no! They're the most uncomfortable furniture I've ever encountered. Beds of Nails included.

Are you meaning the proper japanese style futon, or the weird western semi-couch?

[Mr Mystery]

The latter.

And this month? Bumper bumper pay packet, so I make that 'board and terrain o'clock'

I have a look around the intartubes for different types, but for now I'm going to plump for the 40k Cityboard and a couple of Imperial Sector kits - and quite possibly an additional Ad Mech kit, on account I field Knights and Ad Mech as my standard 40k forces.

Not especially fussed for fortifications at this point. I like them in the game, but as generic scenery I find them quite dull. Far better in my eyes to have a shattered cityscape!

[Mr Mystery]

Bums.

Board plan didn't work out, as no Black Friday Bundle, and I got seriously bill bombed left, right and centre.

So....table toppers. Any recommendations? In theory the board will go up and stay up, so overall weight and durability are flexible.