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Massive Game Table Mat

Started by Nefaro, January 17, 2015, 12:11:46 AM

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Nefaro

I've debated a few ideas for putting a removable game friendly cloth-ish layer on top of my gaming table. 

It's 42x78" with the leaf in but something a bit short of the 78" length would be fine since the far end doesn't get used much when it comes to boardgames.  But it still needs to fit most of the table.

After thinking about just buying a length of felt, I have doubts as to whether it will stay still during some gameplay while people slide stuff across it, without adding some extra material and work to keep it from doing so.  At that point, I'm not sure the time & price would be worth it.  I already have a large felt mat with hexes on one side and blank on the other - but it's a tan color and I'd prefer something dark that allows all those components with text to stand out and have some backing that will keep it motionless. 

I'd really prefer having a huge mouse pad style "game mat" to cover most of the table.  The commercially sold ones are still way too small, intended for a single person playing a CCG not some big box game.  However, it looks like this Company sells the plain 'ole mouse pad fabric & rubber off rolls by the cut yard.  Easy to just roll up and put in a closet when not in use.

If I can get a 36x54 "mouse pad" from them, that may be good enough.  Although I should probably just go all-out and do two yards worth and cut it down to fit perfectly.  Maybe I would prefer the rubber on the bottom to be a bit thinner than a mouse pad because this one's listed as 1/4" thickness but I won't complain if the price is reasonable for such a monster.


Know anyone who has done this?  Or thought about it?  ^-^  I saw some Kickstarter featuring some table-size game mats like this but don't know if it ever went through.

bayonetbrant

You could probably do some gumshoe work to figure out who makes the placemat-sized play mats for games like MtG.  My son has one that rolls up very easily and unrolls totally flat with no problem or residual curl.

something like these
http://www.ultrapro.com/product_list.php?cPath=74_152

find out who actually manufacturers them for Ultra Pro and see if they can make you a big one
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Nefaro

#2
Good suggestion.  I was looking for just such plain fabric mouse mat material for purchase by the yard, and that one place I linked earlier was the only decent one I'd found.  I wouldn't mind the thicker quarter inch at all but for it taking up more space when rolled.  That may not make much of a difference, however.

If I can get one yard off a 54" mouse pad roll for the listed $40 and decent shipping, I'd be happy.  In green or black, not sure yet.

After too much searching, I actually came across one of the old Kickstarters for huge game mats.  It's not the exact one I had been looking for, dunno what happened to the one I saw about a year ago or less.  That one was for this specific purpose.  Here's the Mega Gaming Mats I did find:

http://store.frontlinegaming.org/fat-mats


They have some fancy graphics on them, for miniatures use, so they're a bit pricier than I had hoped.  But if I can find one that isn't too loud in the background, I may be able to get some dual use out of it.

Unfortunately the "Grassy Plain" 4'x6' mat is out of stock, along with a couple others.   I would pick up the 4'x6' Ocean one but it may be just a bit too bright for what I want.  The Space one would be ideal, but it's also sold out. 

Perhaps I should grab two of the 3'x3' Star Field mats and use them together?  The dark color is perfect and I think the background would go work out great, especially with games like Star Trek Fleet Captain, Xia, etc, and even all the others with boards.  After some precise placement, I wouldn't think the seam wouldn't be much of an issue with the non-slip bottoms.  Still.. that's $110 whereas a single 4'x6' is $95 for Frontline's mats.   ???  Compare that to $40 on a 3'x4.5' mouse pad!  The latter probably doesn't have the extra smooth fabric and spill coating, however.  It would probably look pretty nasty if someone spilled a beverage on it.

Currently leaning toward just getting the pair of 3x3 Star Field mats for the higher quality surface and their resilience in being rolled and unrolled repeatedly.  Just don't want to have issues with trying to keep the sides together while on the table.
Hrmm..

Nefaro

Found some similar 3'x3' Star Field ones at Cool Stuff for $35 apiece.   ;D

http://www.coolstuffinc.com/p/203416



Nefaro

CSI also had 3x3 plain black battle mats for around $26 apiece.   

A little persistence paid off!  :)


Hopefully they're decent quality.

mirth

My group uses felt regularly for large games  (6' x 10' or larger tables) and it works pretty well. Generally it's single piece felt with with bits of foam board underneath for hills and contours. Usually sand or some kind of flocking material is laid down for roads, and blue masking tape is used to mark streams. Buildings, trees, and other terrain are all added as needed. It all comes together pretty well.

Here's a pic from one of give you an idea of how it looks:

"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

Nefaro

That looks good mirth.  Although the only minis games I may rarely end up playing involve aircraft (with hexes) or ships.  These mats are going to be for some extra table padding with board & card games.

Nefaro

Got the two 3'x3' "mouse pad" battle mats in from CSI.  They were just what I expected. 

There is a small strip of area down the center of each one with some slightly noticeable circular areas inside that stand out a bit in the light.  But that may go away after sitting flat on the table for awhile.  I don't notice it when I'm sitting down much, only from above with light reflecting so taint no big deal.

I still have about 2 or 3 inches of open table on each side but I definitely like the cushion and feel of it.   Thanks for the suggestions guys. O0


Barthheart

Quote from: Nefaro on January 22, 2015, 08:52:02 PM
Got the two 3'x3' "mouse pad" battle mats in from CSI.  They were just what I expected. 

There is a small strip of area down the center of each one with some slightly noticeable circular areas inside that stand out a bit in the light.  But that may go away after sitting flat on the table for awhile.  I don't notice it when I'm sitting down much, only from above with light reflecting so taint no big deal.

I still have about 2 or 3 inches of open table on each side but I definitely like the cushion and feel of it.   Thanks for the suggestions guys. O0

How 'bout a pic?

bayonetbrant

The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Nefaro

Quote from: Barthheart on January 23, 2015, 08:18:58 AM


How 'bout a pic?


Will be included in some pics of games on the table soon™.

Nefaro

My recent purchase in action, the pair of 3'x3' black game mats under a solitaire game of Dead Of Winter:




I'm rather OCD at times, so I often end up picking stuff off it fairly often.  The occasional hair or stray speck.  But it's cloth top and thin non-slip rubber like material underneath is nice.  I just wish I could've found something about five or six inches wider, to cover the table all the way to the edge, but it does so for most of it. 

Don't have to worry about accidentally sliding cards into my table leaf seams or cards/dice sliding or bouncing off the table so much either.  Keeps the dice rolling quiet with the cushion but feels a bit weird at first due to the extra bouncy rubberized bottom.  I still use a dice tray for rolling, most of the time, just to keep the odd stray die from knocking pieces or counters over. 

The seam between the two game mats hasn't been an issue thus far.  Not like the table seams could be.