Faraday Electronic Battery-less Die Roller!

Over on instructibles user Gadre created a electronic die roller that uses no batteries!  The concept is the same as those Faraday flashlights that use a bit of coiled wire and some rare earth magnets.  The magnets slide back and forth through the coiled wire to create an electric current!


I usually frown on electronic dice rollers, some are just annoying, some take forever, and some are just idiotic.  This one however is none of those, and pretty cool  in so much as it keeps the shaking motion when you're rolling dice! Shooka, shooka, shooka. This motion is needed to induce the electric current!  I'd say this is certainly one electronic die roller that has heart and soul!


Check out the instructible for a few extras such how to build your own roller, pcb's of the a finished board, and a finished pcb of the two dice roller version.  I'm going to see if I can make a three dice version, as everyone knows you need at least three for stat gen! Maybe even do a four version where the lowest is automatically dropped(the led's go out on that one)!


Here is a video of it in operation:





Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by!

Moving Papercraft Mech!

Over on Instructables website there is a article on how to build and then automate a moving mech!  Its pretty slick model of a Madcat in a walk cycle.  Check it out!  Build your own, and post links to your masterpiece in the comments selection below! 

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by!

FREE Sky Tile Texture 8in x 10in

Sky Tile 1in. Grid 8in x 10in
300 dpi

Previously I posted a ocean/deep water tile texture for use as battlemat tiles/hexes and had a request for other terrain types.  My home campaign currently just entered into a demi-plane of air which is why I've been making up "elevation markers" and the soon to be posted "Elevation/Depth" Game Board.  So here are the files for the sky tile texture in a 1in grid, 1.5in grid, as well as a heroscape hex outline and heroscape hex vertices in a 8in x 10in full sheet of paper.  Click on the images and save the full size images and print at 300 dpi from a graphic app instead of from the browser. (rest of the formats after the jump)

Sneak Peak : Elevation Game Board

While previously making my elevation markers I decided to create a elevation game board that was modular and could be configured in a number different ways.  I remembered seeing something out on the market that used acrylic sheets in a 4x4 config and a box tube of varying lengths for various levels.  I think the price was $40.00 for the set up.  

Well my version cost drastically less, or at least I believe I created 4x the amount of space using the same amount of cash.  I'll do a full write up soon but this is just a quick sneak peak(click on the pic below for full view):

The bases are a little more than 1/4 in thick and are very heavy durable acrylic.  I have four of them and they are vary in size (which is why you see the paper doesn't go to the edge, they were from the "ends" box at taps plastic so were very cheap about $2.00 per base.  I used the same dice boxes I used for the other elevation markers as a "sleeve" so another $1.00 the square tubes were just plain and came in 12 in sections (perfect) and cost another $1.00, and I just used a utility knife to mark them into 1 in sections.  The acrylic play surfaces themselves were 5x5 in and cost $1.35 each as i got 8 for about $11 dollars.  So for about the setup you see, its a $10.00 investment.

In the full on post you'll see all of the other different configurations I made.  To glue everything together or actually "plastic weld" i used tap plastics acrylic cement which is water thin and actually melts the two surfaces together and creates a very, very, very, strong bond.  The only thing that is "welded" is the dice boxes to the base and the dice boxes to the 5x5 sheets. I do this so I can slide in various box tubes for various heights (currently have 2 @12in, 2@6in, and 3 @ 4in) or use hollowed out dice boxes as spacers and have other "middle" play surfaces too.  Then put all 4 bases together and you've got a huge 3d play surface.  

Note also the cloud texture i used in the base is just taped on with packing tape so you can put any texture underneath, say water, space, air/clouds/, etc. (might be hard to see in the pic but there is a 1x1 grid on that cloud texture, and I also have a 1x1 in grid on a 5x5 in of transparency which is loose on the lower level.)

Again I'll add more detail in the full post, so keep watching the blog for the post! 

If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the comment section below!  Would love to hear your thoughts on how you work elevation into your games.

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by!

Player Kits

I found this post awhile back and thought it was a great idea!  The post originated on the Heroscapers website  from user winonavampire and he detailed out what a players kit contains for his heroscape games(which can be adapted to dnd/pathfinder or any rpg):

Player Kits:

I wanted to share with you guys something I have had for a while. I am the only one of my gaming group that has 'Scape. I am okay with that because the other guys have their games. I like being able to focus on a couple games so I don't have to buy every game. Anyway, being that I am the one who supplies all fun that is 'Scape, I put together "Player Kits."

They look like this:

They are actually Dentyne Gum Containers that start off like this:

I just peeled all the plastic wrapping off and you get a container like the blank ones you see above.

Lets take a peek into them...

As you can see, there is a bunch of 'Scapey stuff in there.

Here is the contents of each individual kit:

When I am setting up space to play, I set a kit at each seat. That way, everyone has their own set of materials. When the player is finished, they just scoop all their things back into the little jar, close it up and it is ready for the next time to play. I also have a large pool of extra wound counters, in case someone runs out, but 15-20 wound counters in each jar has been plenty so far.

In the case someone needs a special counter (Grenade, Experience Markers etc) those are kept in the individual compartment of the figures that use them. So, the grenade marker is kept in the Airborne Elite compartment etc. When they are done with the marker requirering unit, they just put the counter(s) back with the figs.

Other things I do to make the game easier and flow better:

I have a Reference Binder, which is just a 3 ring binger with top loaders containing every rule rook, scenarios, and the FAQ. (You can kinda see it in the background of the first pic)

Army Cards are kept in a CD Binder separated by General. Obviously commons are stacked together in the same slot. Bonding Squads and Heros are file next to each other, and like units are filed together (All marrow are next to each other, orcs, samurai etc.)

As you can see a pretty slick idea using some tools from around the house.  Depending on how well you know your group you could even customize these containers for each person.  I have a small container with "community dice", though really you should buy a set of your own dice for your character.  These community dice allow my players to grab an extra d6 or 10d6 to use for either back-stabs, fireballs, etc without having to rummage through their collection or ask people for their dice or to sit and roll 10d6 on individual rolls.  So I could see creating a "player kit" for my wizard player and include the extra d6 she needs when casting her fireballs, a few extra d4's for magic missle etc.  For my thief player I could see including a collapsible pen and a mini post it note pad to send me, the DM/GM messages on his alternative activities, etc.  I think that would be a very cool thing to do for players.  Now all I need to do is get rid of all that gum! ;)


If you do this, or have similar ideas I'd love to hear about them!  Feel free to place them in the comments below!

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by!

  

FREE Ocean or Lake Water Tile Sheet 8x10 Heroscape and 1.5in Grid

In yesterdays post I posted a deep water tile sheet using a 1in.x1in. grid specifically for dnd or pathfinder rpgs. I received a few requests via email for a similar 8x10 full page with a larger 1.5in grid for dnd, pathfinder, and heroclix as well as a overlay for games like heroscape and classic battletech.  So it was pretty easy to do those formats, so here they are!  Just click on the pictures to download and print out at 300dpi.  I'll likely create additional pages of other terrain as well in the future as this seems a popular feature.  Again if you have any questions, ideas, or similar resource links leave a comment!

Deep Water Tile Sheet 8x10 300dpi
Heroscape / Classic Battletech

Deep Water Tile Sheet 8x10 300dpi
Intersection Highlight
Heroscape / Classic Battletech

Deep Water Tile Sheet 8x10 300dpi
Heroclix Or Alt DnD / Pathfinder 1.5in. Grid

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by!

Adhesive Guide for Resin Parts

The following is a guide of sorts, actually more of an account of my use with the various adhesives / glues with regard to their use upon resin parts.

The resin I use is the "quick cast" resin from Tap Plastics. This resin is a tan resin when dry so I also use tap plastics black super pigment to produce a nice gray resin. I use this resin for casting my own design of "field stone" and "cut stone" dungeon pieces. I use those pieces to construct modular dungeons and other structures.

There were a few criteria that I was looking for when searching for the "right" adhesive / glue for use with resin pieces. These included:

Build Your Own Hyper Pulse Generator (model)!

Build A HPG Station

Today's post is of a build I did for a recent Classic Battletech game which takes place in 3028.  Video of the entire build after the jump...

To give you a quick overview of the situation, the merc company hired by House Steiner is on garrison duty on a far flung world bordering the Periphery and the Draconis Combine.  It is a pretty backwater planet and the planet only broadcasts to the HPG Network infrequently(monthly or every 3 months).

Extinct Volcano Mountain-top
HPG Station Location

After some initial battles, which the merc garrison troops were on the loosing end, it was found out that "the Baron" was working with pirates to harass and drive out the garrison troops and cause shortages in goods and necessities in hopes that the populace rise up and secede from House Steiner to either the Draconis Combine or become an independent world amongst the Periphery Kingdoms.  A Steiner Advisor was sent to aid the merc garrison troops as they were a "green" unit and House Steiner was wavering in their hiring of this unit after the losses suffered at the hands of the pirates.  However the first skirmish with the pirates after the advisor arrived, the advisor was killed by the Baron!  The Baron strode into the fray with his custom 100 T Atlas Mech and thought he had the merc garrison troops at his mercy!  It was 
then the baron was killed as he tried to flee, with back to back headshots to his Atlas! (The baron's atlas was actually one hex from going off the map and escaping! It was an awesome set of shots!) The victory went to the merc garrison troops!  

So for this scenario it turns out that battle with the baron was holovideo'd, and the supporters of the baron and the Pirates heavily edited a copy, thus spinning the killing of the baron and the advisor as if our heroes were the actual murders and the baron was not a turncoat!  So the "race" between the merc garrison troops and the pirates to the HPG station was ON!  Now the HPG rested on a extinct volcano mountain top with only a winding road snaking to the sumit, and whom ever got their first and transmitted their side of the story were going to be the victors!

It Begins! Welcome to d4d6d8d10d12d20 !

You Can NEVER
Have Enough!

Welcome to the inaugural post for d4d6d8d10d12d20 ! This blog is primarly about role playing games, specifically Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder RPG, and the tactical combat simulation game Classic Battletech .