Steading of the HIll Giants, 3D build

[sgtslag]

Here is a preliminary post showing a beta version of a 2.5D (almost 3D) model of the infamous, "Steading of the Hill Giants", module, written by E. Gary Gygax back around 1977.  This was the very first module TSR ever published.  I dreamed of playing it out with 3D models, and figures, way back in High School, circa 1981!  Now, some 34 years later, that dream is coming to fruition...  More photo's to follow, as the project progresses.  Here are a couple of still shots, and here is a link to a slideshow.  Watch this space for future photo's, and technique updates.  Cheers!



An overall view of the entry, the tower, and the friendly, local Avon Sales group, calling to see if the Giants are in need of rouge, or eye shadow for their busy raiding parties...


The Avon Mage discovered that the Ogres sent to greet them, are in dire need of a 'how to,' for their personal appearances!  Unfortunately, the Ogres forgot to open the gates!  "No problem," the Mage thinks, "I have a Knock spell ready, for those shy customers who are afraid to undergo a friendly, complementary, make-over.  This will be an easy sale," he thinks to himself...

[sgtslag]

The models used to make the Steading/wooden fort, is from WorldWorks Games', SeaWorks: The Legend of Skull Cove.  I printed the model's pages onto regular 20#paper; these were cut out with a scissors, rather than a razor blade and a steel ruler -- faster, easier, all the way around.  To give the models strength, they were attached, with glue sticks, to 2mm-thick, backboard cardboard.  The backboard was cut to size, as needed.  The model's glue tabs were used to great effect, to attach many of the backboard-reinforced slabs together, to create a heavy, stabil, durable card stock model.  My goal is to haul this stuff to a few conventions, to share my dream with many other gamers, who I believe, also dreamt of playing this fun module out with miniatures, and model buildings...

The triangular supports on the wall sections, will be eliminated shortly.  I have purchased some 1/2-inch thick, foam rubber mats, which interlock, to use as a base.  In carefully reading Gygax's module, I discovered that the Steading is built upon a rock surface, not soil!  I will be painting the foam base pieces to better simulate stone, with varied colors, and textures.  This foam base will be cut with a crosshatch, grid pattern, to a 1/4-inch depth.  This should allow the heavy, 2mm-thick, wall sections to be inserted, to hold them in place.  This will allow me to eliminate the triangular support struts which really get in the way, when moving figures around.  It should also help hold things in place, safeguarding against being blown around, or knocked down, during play.  More to come, hopefully soon.  Cheers!

[wilmanric]

I am looking forward to seeing this! Well done!

[Draklith]

very cool stuff, glad your making your childhood dream a reality...I felt the same way the first time I bought a FX Lightsaber, told everyone who saw it that it took me 30 years to find one, lol

[curufin]

Great looking stuff! I have to agree with the everyone, it is a real thrill to see those dreams come though. I never played SotHG, (or the two Against the Giants sequels), but I always wanted to. Freakin Awesome! More pics and update please! Should we expect ice and fire next?

[sgtslag]

Thank you for the comments, and the Like's. Yes, I am planning to do the same with the other two modules, ice and fire. The Steading has been the biggest challenge. I have figured out how to do the caverns and ice tunnels (same basic techniques, just different paint schemes). The Steading features both built dungeons (will likely use 2D commercial tiles for these portions) and natural caverns, below the fort. Finishing this setting will mean finishing all three, for techniques. Then it becomes a slugfest to git 'er done. Cheers!

[ogrestamp]

YAY!! The Steading of the Hill Giant Chief! I loved that module. My friend DM'd it and I was in the party. I remember trying to figure out how to attack that main hall lol. I had recently thought of making terrain for this, as I thought it would look real cool. I can now see I was right, that looks awesome.

I played G1-G3, D1-D3 and Q1 (Lolth) although, sadly, we never finished with the Queen (and it's the only module I cannot find in my stack of old modules). Great memories.

[sgtslag]

Here are a couple of updates on my progress. I've made a few giant-sized doors, which will hopefully slide in front of the wall sections, in the rubber mats. The rubber mat has been gridded with a water-erase pen, but I have to locate a snap-off razor knife, and make certain I only cut the grid 1/4" deep, as the mat is only 1/2" thick! Cheers!

[sotf]

If you want a more visible grid post painting/flocking, take a wood burning tool and run over the lines. Do it outside or in a garage that you can air out because it tends to smell horrible.

[sgtslag]

That is a good possibility, sotf!! Thank you. Cheers!

[sgtslag]

Update: Proof of concept inserting the cardstock terrain pieces into slots cut into a rubber mat.



I discovered that the doors will not work inserted into the slots with the wall sections -- they tend to bow out.  I will be changing the doors to form a U-shape, with two doors connected by paper to match the wall section they drape over.  For more images, here is a link to a slideshow.  This was just a proof-of-concept, to make certain it would work, as envisioned.  Now that I have proof it will work, I can proceed with finishing the project.  There are still a few details to puzzle out, but overall, this project will come together over the next couple of months.  Cheers!

[sgtslag]

Got the first mat cut with all the necessaries, last night. Managed to make the needed U-shaped doorways, with the U on the bottom. Tested the new doors, and the mat's new cuts, last night: it all works, as planned. Hope to do some painting on the rubber mat tonight, to show the conecpt completed, and ready for gaming. Still need to cover the boards with clear Contact Paper (translucent vinyl), to make them durable. Will likely do the same with the doors. Hope to post new photo's to this thread this weekend... Cheers!

[sgtslag]

I have managed to paint several of the rubber tiles.  Here is a close-up of the one which is finished, with grid cuts, and ground paint.




Here is a link to a slide show of another four tiles, and some additional photo's of the wall section in place to show how it will look.  Here is an image showing several mats together.





These mats, painted an appropriate group of colors, would work nicely for nearly any type of terrain needed:  ocean (blue's, green's, and white's), desert (more yellow's, tan's, and browns); grasslands (green's, brown's, and maybe some purple's for flowers?), etc.  From a miniature gamer's point of view, I think I've found a superb ground mat system, which is easy to store, easy to transport, easy to customize, easy to use, and durable!  More photo's to follow, as this project progresses.  Cheers!

[Meph]

Where did you get those mats, those look great.

[sgtslag]

The mats were purchased from Harbor Freight; I paid $9.99 per set, but the web site lists them for both $9.99 and $6.99 per set -- both sets appear to be the same... Anyway, I used DMScotty's sponge painting technique, starting with the lighter colors, progressing to the darker colors, applying all layers while the first was still wet.  By applying them wet, they blended better than if they had been allowed to dry between layers.  I used an inexpensive, natural sponge (wetted with water, excess squeezed out, prior to use), and a 4"-square, ceramic, white bathroom tile ($1.00 at any DIY store, in the tile section -- this is my standard painting palette, as dried paint scrapes off easily).  I did not bother to wipe off the left-over paint, between layers.  I just squirted craft paint onto the tile, mushed the sponge into it repeatedly, to evenly distribute the paint across the sponge, then I applied it to the mat.  I did not worry much about exposed gray mat areas, as the gray was intended to mix with the other colors.

The first mat was cut before painting, but the other four mats have been painted first.  I used a water-based projector pen to draw the grid on the first mat section, but I plan to try a ball-point pen on the next one, to reduce the visibility of the grid.  If I don't like the more subtle grid, I can go back over it with a felt tip pen.

If I could find a 2.5D-upright dungeon PDF, like the flat, 2.5D-upright fort set I'm using in this project, I would consider buying it for a similar dungeon set:  upright wall sections, inserted into cross-cut, rubber mats, painted in shades of gray and black.  I like 2D for RPG's, but I prefer a 2.5D set-up for mini's gaming.  Hopefully someone will find inspiration in this project that can help them with theirs.  Cheers!

[ogrestamp]

I love the paint job on those mats. Really cool and well done.

[sgtslag]

Another update, with photo's, and a slide show (here!).  This is a good view of the final result, though it is not the whole build, but rather a few walls, and doors, to show how it all comes together.






And now something completely different...  I had some leftover rubber mats, so I experimented with making some Dungeon Mats, for use with my version of D&D Next 2.5:



First up, gray's, and brown.  All three samples rely upon the natural gray color of the rubber mat, as the first "color" layer, with the subsequent color layers consisting of additional gray's, and in this case, brown, as the last color layer.



In this second example, I've added some Sunflower Yellow, and I backed off on the brown layer.  I think the Yellow is too strong, but it has potential.  I actually like this one the best, in spite of the too-strong Yellow.



This is the first attempt, and the Brown is way too strong, while the Yellow is much better.  Best part is, there is no "Right", or "Wrong", there is only what pleases your eye.  All of these Dungeon Mats will be cut with 1"-square patterns, which will allow the 2.5D Dungeon card-backed pieces to insert, and stand up, in basic square patterns.  Diagonal pieces, or curved pieces. will pose some challenges.  These pieces may need to attach to the inserted wall pieces, to stand up, but that is a can I am kicking down the road...  For now.  Cheers!

[ogrestamp]

I do like that first mat but all three work. I doubt you would get any negative comments from your party.

Also, what is that creature in the first pic. I would bear my weapons at him, too.

[sgtslag]

That creature, in the first photo, is a Mage Knight Ettin -- you can't see much of his 2nd head. I remember there being a couple of these critters in the Module -- I think... I picked a couple three off of e-Bay, a while ago. They will make great creatures for my BattleSystem games as well, providing another type for my Armies of Giants.  They appear to have green skin, which is not my preference, but I have not gotten around to repainting them yet. I need to go back through the Module to see how many of these bad boys I actually need for that BattleSystem Skirmish game... Cheers!

[sgtslag]

Small update: I laid out a hodge-podge of mats, to measure out, and see in scale, just how big the Steading really will be. The scale is 1 inch = 5 feet. I've got some 25-28mm Human figures on the mats, to really put it into perspective:


Here is a link to a slideshow, if interested, with more photo's of the table layout.  Note that the tape measure, and the gray foam edge pieces, mark off the limits of the Steading, in this scale.

The female Fighter figure, bottom corner, is a Human, in 28mm scale.  The Steading is larger than a football field!  It is 300 scale feet x 400 scale feet...  I doubt players will be able to move through it, and into the dungeons beneath, within a 6-hour time slot, at a convention.

Last night, I painted up another three mat sections, in browns, to fit out the whole of the Steading (I also painted the smooth edge pieces which came with the mats, so now I can put those on, if desired, to give it a more finished look).  I am going to be cutting them, so I won't have anything hanging over the table edges.  I am also planning to shrink the size of the Steading, slightly, so it will better fit on my table (5 feet x 9 feet).  Currently, the Steading will overhang by 2", on the sides.

My next step will be to cut grooves in the remaining mat sections, to slide in the wall sections. I also need to make up around 30 doors, for all of the rooms.  I looked, and there are actually three gates in the outer walls -- I only have one made up, so far.

This project is moving forward at the blazing speed of a glacier...  Fortunately, the glacier is occasionally calving off bergs.  Yippee!  Cheers!