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If you could design your own gaming table?

CremlianCremlian
edited April 2012 in Board Games
I was thinking of possibly getting a custom made gaming table. What would you want in a board gaming/Tabletop RPG table? The Geekchic stuff is pretty good specifically the not so crazy portal and emissary models they have.
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Comments

  • MattMatt
    The ability to drop a top over the table and leave your game set up underneath is pretty awesome. I don't know if I'd ever use it for continuing a really long game, but I do really like to have a full game already set up for when I know people are coming over. Helps get as much gaming in as possible. With a fancy table, there could be a big game already set up under there every day, just in case!
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    edited April 2012
    GeekChic Sultan is the table my friends and I have been talking about for the rooms in the Chicago-based gaming club we want to start. So fucking awesome.
    Post edited by WindUpBird on
  • RochelleRochelle
    What Matt said. That makes so much sense if you have cats.

    I would also say some sort of cubby hole area to hold drinks and snacks, but do you really want people with greasy hands messing with your table?
  • CremlianCremlian
    yea the cover aspect is definitely appealing.
  • AprecheApreche
    Perfect gaming table:

    Completely disappears into my pocket. That includes the chairs and games. When I take it out, it is exactly as I left it.
  • open_sketchbookopen_sketchbook
    What if, like, you had hinged sides on the table which have cup holders, a little indent so you can just drop pieces and dice in there, that sort of thing. You drop them down when playing, then when you are done playing for the night but you want to preserve your board, you flip the sides up, the click together, and you slot the regular table surface over it.
  • SquadronROESquadronROE
    I ended up getting a Hoplite as our coffee table, since we play a fair amount of board games and such. It's just about perfect for what I wanted, and it is very useful to have a game set up inside the table and still be able to use it as a table. The rail system is incredibly useful too, I didn't think about it much but it seems like this is the second best part of the table. You can get all sorts of accessories that can be interchanged, to make it useful.

    Need to GM an RPG? Get the GM dealy, which holds up your book and gives you space for your notes.

    Need to hold a lot of dice/cups/sodas/beers/counters? Pick up a cup holder or two. They're insanely useful.

    They even have a dice tower that hooks in.

    They're pretty durable tables, too. You don't have to do much to really keep them clean, just wipe them down regularly (maybe with soap and water). The wood they use is quite high quality.

    The only thing I dislike about it is that they haven't been incredibly responsive to further requests after the purchase. I need to get another cup holder and a dice roller (I got 2 wine glass holders that we really don't use.. bad idea) and I've sent 3 emails and talked to them at PAX without getting things moving along. The best I can tell is just that they're having some growing pains. It did take around a year from commissioning to taking delivery, so they're busy.

    Honestly, if you're willing to drop the money and want a gaming table, Geek Chic is probably the way to go. I didn't see anything out there that was comparable really.
  • AprecheApreche
    I just wish Geek Chiq had a different aesthetic. All their stuff is made to look like old wood furniture. All my furniture is solid black square IKEA modern style.
  • SquadronROESquadronROE
    I just wish Geek Chiq had a different aesthetic. All their stuff is made to look like old wood furniture. All my furniture is solid black square IKEA modern style.
    Yeah, their style is definitely not modern. It worked for me though, we have a mix of ikea and old solid wood furniture.
  • RymRym
    I just wish Geek Chiq had a different aesthetic. All their stuff is made to look like old wood furniture. All my furniture is solid black square IKEA modern style.
    We need Chie to design things for us, all ultramodern with thin black wood and negative space. ;^)

  • RochelleRochelle
    Well the reason why this thread exists is because a member for the FRC, Kerr, is in the family business of woodworking.

    http://www.Kerrandsons.com

    From what I understand, they can make similar if not better quality than Geek Chiq and for possibly more affordable prices. Nothing like healthy competition, especially in a high demand market.
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    Wait...which Kerr? I think my mom knows the father (James) from RISD.
  • Kerr_2.0Kerr_2.0
    I am Philip Kerr. My father (James) has taken a few courses at RISD for fun.
  • MattMatt
    So when do we order our tables?
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    I am Philip Kerr. My father (James) has taken a few courses at RISD for fun.
    Oh, hah! My mom used to teach sculpture. By the by, the Kerr & Sons website looks pretty nice.
  • Kerr_2.0Kerr_2.0
    edited April 2012
    http://www.Kerrandsons.com

    From what I understand, they can make similar if not better quality than Geek Chiq and for possibly more affordable prices. Nothing like healthy competition, especially in a high demand market.
    We can make better quality, for sure. I have looked at their tables several times at PAX east. While they are nice, their joints could use some work and as mentioned their aesthetic is either too patch work or simplistic.
    All their stuff is made to look like old wood furniture.
    this
    Post edited by Kerr_2.0 on
  • AmpAmp
    My friends and I are planning to spend the summer making our own gaming table out of a bit of Ika bashing and our collective carpentry skills. It will either be a monstrosity or wonderful. I hope for the latter.
  • no fun girlno fun girl
    edited April 2012
    I just wish Geek Chiq had a different aesthetic. All their stuff is made to look like old wood furniture. All my furniture is solid black square IKEA modern style.
    We need Chie to design things for us, all ultramodern with thin black wood and negative space. ;^)
    ^^ is the plan
    Post edited by no fun girl on
  • CremlianCremlian
    We should get back to talking about what are some nice features for a gaming table.

    So far I like extendable player trays and a table that can be covered with another layer to hide or protect the board game (or have it pre-set up) and cup holders to get those scary and dangerous drinks off the actual playing service.
  • AprecheApreche
    A slit in the table so if you have some card or something that needs to stand up, you can stand it up. This could be cards. It could be a player aid card/sheet. it could be a shield to hide pieces (Reef Encounter, T&E, Modern Art, etc.). You could even maybe make it work with tiles for Scrabble, Rummikub, Mahjong, etc.
  • ChurbaChurba
    edited April 2012
    A slit in the table so if you have some card or something that needs to stand up, you can stand it up. This could be cards. It could be a player aid card/sheet. it could be a shield to hide pieces (Reef Encounter, T&E, Modern Art, etc.). You could even maybe make it work with tiles for Scrabble, Rummikub, Mahjong, etc.
    I saw something like this, at supernova, once a table that had slits around the edges. The slits were actually somewhat wide, but had two bars of firm bristles on either side pointing inward, so that it could hold tiles and cards of varying thickness and heights firmly(as in, upright and not tilted, and so they don't fall out or over when someone bumps the table), without having a dozen different sized slots.

    Post edited by Churba on
  • RymRym
    Built-in player screens. ;^)
  • MattMatt
    I'm picturing something funky where the table edge, along with about 3 inches of table top, could flip up and act as a screen, while revealing a cavity that could hold whatever slots, trays, etc. that a player could need.
  • CremlianCremlian
    I feel like those might get in the way...A lot of the table designs I've seen have the extendable player trays down below the level of the table which would make it easier to hide the pieces. without having some weird shield... Not sure how one would do this without making it stick up too high for some games or the tray to be constantly hitting your legs.. I guess you could just make some wooden walls that can be added or removed as necessary to the game.
  • CremlianCremlian
    oh yea Matt good idea.
  • AmpAmp
    edited April 2012
    Multiple layers of table? A top felt layer for role play and card games with a smooth wooden one or matt for for war games (as in you could reverse it or spin it round). Maybe the option for interchangeable tables for difference scenery.
    Post edited by Amp on
  • AprecheApreche
    Multiple layers of table? A top felt layer for role play and card games with a smooth wooden one or matt for for war games (as in you could reverse it or spin it round). Maybe the option for interchangeable tables for difference scenery.
    They're called leaves.
  • AmpAmp
    Thank you for extending that branch of knowledge Scott.
  • RymRym
    Thank you for extending that branch of knowledge Scott.
    Well, they've often made from the trunk.

  • no fun girlno fun girl
    edited April 2012
    Multiple layers of table? A top felt layer for role play and card games with a smooth wooden one or matt for for war games (as in you could reverse it or spin it round). Maybe the option for interchangeable tables for difference scenery.
    Actually, my family's kotatsu table has a reversible top with a felt side and a wood side. Plus, it's a kotatsu. It's nice.
    Post edited by no fun girl on
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