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Post by lightning on Apr 9, 2017 22:21:43 GMT -9
I have three questions:
1. Is there interest in large gaming mats? If yes, what size are we talking about? Squre or Rectangle? How many inches grid?
2. Which "page" sizes do public digital print shops offer in the U.S.? And is this is easy available for clients?
3. Do you know any existing sites that would facilitate this process?
I am in the process of making ground textures for either individual tiles or for one big image texture. The reason I am thinking about this that with the workflow I am developing for my ground textures (procedural processes for the base that can be spiced up with manually added details) I can - once I have the algorythms in place - make any sized terrain textures.
So what do you think about this?
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shep
Eternal Member
Red Alert! Shields up! LENS FLARE!!!
Posts: 1,260
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Post by shep on Apr 10, 2017 0:02:19 GMT -9
For me, it's always a question of budget and storage. I don't have much money for printing large scale battle mats, so I tend to plan them as either 40 x 60 cm posters that I can order via the photo service of the German drug store chain »dm« for 7 Euros, or as mats printed on pvc canvas via a quite non-expensive German online print service (https://www.wir-machen-druck.de/). However, I only print mats on pvc canvas that I know I'll be using more a few times.
If I need a map for only one gaming session, I print it in greyscale in the local copy shop (which costs about 5 Euros).
Tiles, on the other hand, I can print with my own printer. Also, I prefer tiles, when the design is in a way that allows me to combine the tiles in various ways. A fixed design, like for example a stock YT-1300 freighter for a Star Wars game, I prefer being printed in one piece as a poster or pvc canvas.
So, in the end, it comes down to storage. Mats have the nice advantage that they can be rolled up tightly and stuffed away in an umbrella stand. Tiles I put in a box…
So, my personal "need" for battle mats is dependent on three things:
- Will I need the mat more than once or twice? (if yes, I'll print as poster or on pvc) - Is it larger than 40 x 60 cm? (if yes, I'll have to print on pvc) - Is it a fixed design that can not be varied? (if no, I'd prefer tiles)
As for tiles, I want to look into a service poster-printer posterXXL.de offers called picture box. For 8 Euros you get 25 laminated 10 x 12 cm images on 250 g/m² photo paper in a box. You can design all pictures and the box to your liking, so this might be a great print option. I think, as soon as I tested it, I'll post my experiences.
As for print services usable for your battle mats, you might wanna have a look into services that allow you to offer your designs as posters…
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