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Post by Mawkleonite on Jan 27, 2015 2:57:59 GMT
So I have just started playing D&D, and for my first foray into it, I have taken on the role of DM and I am loving it. As soon as I started I began looking for unique and interesting ways to portray the "playspace" for my players. Currently I am just drawing maps out before hand and coloring them in. I am making index card cutout furniture, etc but I am extremely excited to get started on making some 2.5d stuff. I have seen all of the 2.5d tile videos and love the concept and the beautiful look of it, and then, before I could make any...I saw NEXT. Now I am torn on which system to make.
I like the original 2.5d for its "pretty" nature, but I understand and am also drawn to the potential ease of use of the NEXT system. So I guess my questions are:
1) Is the NEXT system just as quick and easy to put on the table as a tile would be? I don't want to spend all of my time laying out walls when I could just put down a tile.
2) Can the new system look just as pretty with as many unique decorative aspects as the original tiles where you could actually paint and put textures on them?
I hope my post makes sense and I'm looking for any advice. I am going to build one of these systems for my group...just trying to determine which one is best before putting the time, money, and effort into it.
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Post by adamantinedragon on Jan 27, 2015 3:02:06 GMT
My first effort after discovering this site was a fairly standard 2.5D series of rooms and hallways. Took me all of 2-3 hours to make, with another hour for the paint to dry. My group loved it. And this is a group that had grown accustomed to my Hirst Arts highly detailed and carefully painted terrain. Which they love too.
It's all good in the end.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2015 3:47:49 GMT
Why not do both? Use the next for quick setup terrain, and tiles for more specific adventure quests or to emphasize an encounter.
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Post by DnDPaladin on Jan 27, 2015 22:56:06 GMT
same here, do both ! thats what i do, i have tiles for more compact rooms and stuff. but i use the Next style too cause it allow me to create random tiles for adventures. next allow you to create rooms on the fly with has wide or small as you want. while tiles have a limitation, they cannot expand to be bigger or smaller on their own.
basically the lost time is int he creation, not the setup. when you think about it. it may take me a bit more time on the setup. but i can do it the size i want. the form i want. while you wit tiles will lose much more time creating a tile of varying sizes becausee you actually have to construct each tiles. thats exactly why DMScotty switched to Next. because he had enough of having a tile of each size category for the sake of being prepared.
Next takes a sizable box to store everything. while D take twice if not tripple that amount of space for storage.
whats the best for me is Next mostly cause i need to transport everything from my place to the gaming store. so having prefab tiles is a definite no go for me. but on the setup, tiles is faster. on the creation, Next is much faster. you also have to consider that you are already playing Next with beds, brasiers and the likes of stuff to stuff the room with. so its only logical to go the distance and make the room itself Next.
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Post by ashrothedm on Jan 27, 2015 23:56:08 GMT
Both are simple. It takes almost no time at all for me to set up either type.
Personally it's just aesthetics to me.
I generally dislike how negative space is portrayed in Next, and I'm more comfortable with negative space in an irregular modular tile.
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Post by Mawkleonite on Jan 28, 2015 6:04:36 GMT
Thank you! I appreciate the input. I had debated about doing both and using them for different things. Now another question, when you guys put the texture on your NEXT mats, do you do anything unique with it? Do you do the look just like Scotty has? I like the look of the textured paint but I don't know how it would do on the mats? If it would crack where out, etc. Again, thanks for all the input it really is helpful!
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Post by halloweenville on Jan 28, 2015 13:41:18 GMT
First Welcome, second I agree do both I'm fist making DMG's basic dungeon tile set then going to make DM Scotty's 2.5N set.
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Post by voduchyld on Jan 28, 2015 15:13:14 GMT
Yeah both systems are great. It's all a matter of what you need and prefer.
I DM at my brother's place and its easier for me to use 2.5D Next.
But i sometime use a tile here and there, because it takes less time to set up on the table.
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Post by Mawkleonite on Jan 31, 2015 4:26:25 GMT
Thank you all for your input! Very helpful
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Post by voduchyld on Feb 2, 2015 2:12:02 GMT
I have only crafted the walls yet (couldn't fond any Cork mat, i have no IKEA near me) but my intentions were to paint it with thedmg's advanced stone technique, i think it could look good.
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Post by Meph on Feb 2, 2015 11:28:39 GMT
I bought my cork mats at walmart. $5 for 4 12"x12" mats. They were in the craft isle, near the foam board. Can also buy them at any office supply store.
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Post by voduchyld on Feb 2, 2015 13:58:23 GMT
alright! Thank you Meph! I'll be sure to give a look at walmart to get some
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Post by DMScotty on Feb 2, 2015 19:28:38 GMT
Yeah many places sell cork mats.
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Post by Hamsterglue on Feb 2, 2015 20:55:49 GMT
I have only crafted the walls yet (couldn't fond any Cork mat, i have no IKEA near me) but my intentions were to paint it with thedmg's advanced stone technique, i think it could look good. i found these cork mats... still waiting on them to arrive. I have my first set of walls built....just waiting for a clear day to take them outside for a dash of black spray paint. EDIT: just checked the tracking on it...they are sitting by my front door. I will update on the quality of them asap. err...back on topic. I was in the same predicament a few weeks back as the OP. I've decided to build both types as well. the next system just seems much more portable and I'm usually the one lugging all the specifics anyway. One thing floating in the back of my head is how im gonna store all of the terrain im wanting to build and i have to remind myself its just cardboard.... i can rebuild it stronger and faster. EDIT 2: The cork is top quality and was shipped quickly. the mats are a little smaller than i wanted but i bought 2 packs. I'm thinking about doing a dungeon/stone floor & grassy field on one set and a battle scarred field exterior & cave floor on the other set. I'm also gonna have to trim the sides a little because the mats have rounded corners and once pieced together a 25mm would fall in the hole it creates.
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