Dungeon Tiles

[SamTheCleric]

So, does anyone here use the Dungeon Tiles extensively? I picked up my first set of them last night (the outdoors-y one) and they seem as though they'd really be a good visual aid to the game... looks better than just marker on a battle mat. I could see how it'd take a bit to put together a good sized dungeon, but if you're prepared ahead of time you should be able to do it without slowing down the game.

Also, does anyone have a general description of what's in each of the six sets? Arcane Corridors, Hidden Crypts and Dire Tombs all sound kinda similar.

[chevalier]

The first set, the really big one, is pretty good (although I don't own it, I've only seen it a couple times.) It's also the most generic/adaptable flexible. However, it's out of print and costs around $100 on amazon and ebay.

(As an aside, If it has been bid up so much on the secondary market, why don't they reprint it? It's not like it's version 3 or 3.5 specific, it could work with 4.)

The other sets are more specifically themed--Arcane Corridor is all magic themed, like magic circles, wizard's lab; Dire Tombs is not at all generic, it is Egyptian/Desert themed; Hidden Crypts is all tombs and graveyards.

These can be really handy, especially if you are working in a dungeon or castle or what have you with relatively small rooms. The problem is there's not enough "blank" or "generic" tiles of a given background--the Dire Tombs and Hidden Crypt ones tend to have markings and bones and what not on the ground that are distracting or may not fit in with your particular scenario.

Solution: print off color maps of various backgrounds from a site like

http://www.dungeoneering.net/downloads.php5

These come in a variety of sizes, and if you need really big ones, you can copy and paste or print off multiple copies of the largest ones. I've had great success doing these.

Chris

[Greyen]

Wizards has a really basic Tile Mapper program that has 3 of the sets...can't get to the actual site now as I am at work but you should be able to Google it. Pretty simple to use and neat for preplanning if you have the tiles them selves.

[Keld Denar]

One of my friends that DMs Living Greyhawk games often absolutely LOVES them. He usually plans things out a little ahead of time and then throws the maps together in a couple seconds. They are really handy. Also, getting a set of SteelSquire spell templates to go with it for easy spell slinging by both DM and players. Really adds a lot of strategic placement and tactical movement to the game, which I really like. Fun times :)

[SamTheCleric]

Yeah, I've already got the Steel Sqwire temlates.

Maybe I'll call up my local store and tell the guy to set aside the underdark one... (which I think is just caves)

[The J Pizzel]

I have Arcane Corridors and use them every single session. Even if it's just the wooden door ones and the statues and stuff. I can usually find a place for anything. Most of them have a plain gray tile on the back of them, so you can use them for anything just to hold a place. For instance, the 1x2 (2 square rectangle) is great for bookshelves and such. Also, they work great in SW: SAGA for marking places of terminals and crates and such.

How's the foresty on? I've been meaning to get it. I like the wagon tile and the camp fire tile. Are are many more useful one in it?

jP

[SamTheCleric]

The best thing about it, in my opinion, is that it has long rivers (with 2 bends and a tile for a log crossing) and a long dirt road. Adventurers are ALWAYS going down a dirt road.

There are quite a few big clearings with a couple trees... one that has an entrance to a cave.

I think it should be the one set everyone has, seeing as there's always gonna be outdoors travel :)

[Were-Sandwich]

My problem with Dungeon Tiles is how few you get for the price.

[Lord Tataraus]

I love the dungeon tiles, so much so that I cheated the system to get 10 sets of the original without paying a dime :smalltongue: Then I bought the next three sets, but I don't use the outdoors one that much. Of course, I now have too many pieces which kind of sucks. Though if I had to buy all of the ones I have, I'd just end up printing out tiles and put them onto cardboard or something.

The only problem I have had with an extensive collection is table space and finding all the pieces when I need them.

[SamTheCleric]

Yeah, I'm kind of a crazy organizer... I'm gonna go get those modable tackle boxes and organize the tiles into hallways, doors and rooms by size.

It's a sickness.

[Grommen]

Last time we gamed in person with a friend of mine down in the ATL he got bored and started playing with all my tiles wile I was working up some magic loot for them. (I have quite a few sets). He came up with a dungon layout way better than the one I was about to use, so I just ploped a metric crap load of baddies on the hole thing and called it good.

Turned out we liked the layout of the map so well I copied it down and will be putting it into Dunginie for our online games and were gonna keep it as our secret good guys layer deep inside the mountions.

So the tiles are hit. My friend Hawriel got some more generic ones not from Wizards that worked just as well with my sets. We had a dungon chamber, entrance hall, spooky boiling cauldrin of something, a chaple compleate with evil pulpit overlooking pues. It really aided in our experience that night. Really helps if you have a ton of the tiles and like a 4' by 8' space to lay it all out on. Kitchen table might work as long as your not going to need it to eat on latter that night.

BTW the spell checker ain't working on this computer. May thy gods shine down apon anyone atempting to read this.

[Jastermereel]

As an alternative, while far more more work-intensive, I rather like the cardstock models from WorldWorks. Their recent releases are a little less-fantasy oriented than I'd prefer, I've had a lot of fun with the cave and dungeon setups.

I haven't provided a link because I'm a little new here and some forums dislike links to various sites for various reasons but, it's a COMmercial site for WorldWorksGames so...

[Jastermereel]

As an alternative, while far more more work-intensive, I rather like the cardstock models from WorldWorks. Their recent releases are a little less-fantasy oriented than I'd prefer, I've had a lot of fun with the cave and dungeon setups.

I haven't provided a link because I'm a little new here and some forums dislike links to various sites for various reasons but, it's a COMmercial site for WorldWorksGames so...

[nobodylovesyou4]

I love the dungeon tiles, so much so that I cheated the system to get 10 sets of the original without paying a dime :smalltongue: Then I bought the next three sets, but I don't use the outdoors one that much. Of course, I now have too many pieces which kind of sucks. Though if I had to buy all of the ones I have, I'd just end up printing out tiles and put them onto cardboard or something.

The only problem I have had with an extensive collection is table space and finding all the pieces when I need them.

dont forget transporting them - i dont know about you, but lugging a walmart bag full of tiles everywhere is a hassle, considering also you need to take the books and miniatures as well. maybe i should get a backpack or something.

[Da King]

I have a better method. My table consists of a large sheet of 1-inch grid paper, with a sheet of plastic taped over the entire table. This is great because I can draw all the maps I need with dry-erase markers and alter them in any way I want if I see fit. The downside is that this is kind of ugly, however, this can be esily remedied by creating a few basic maps (generic forest, store, city streets, etc.) and drawing additional things on them to make every one slightly diffrerent. Another great advantadge is that if someone spills pop (or soda, whatever you call it) my maps aren't ruined. This is really easy and cheap to do, so try it some time.

[Bitzeralisis]

I draw all of my maps! All of them! Mua ha ha! ... *shrivels in thought of having to draw more maps*