My own game board project for over the summer.

[DragoFireheart]

Over this summer, I plan to actually follow through with my idea of a board game that, if I like enough, I'll turn into a video game. I had the idea of taking the AD&D ruleset, heavily modifying it, and then making a game out of it using my own lore. Something like a D&D lite, but with other more random (and potentially) fun elements. Think 2nd Edition DnD mixed with more card drawing. I have some questions:

- What are some good stock/generic figures I can purchase? It's going to be in a fantasy setting so crap like warriors, goblins, dragons, etc. I don't need the figurines to be highly detailed but I don't want them breaking from being accidentally dropped either. (NOTE: I also need some steampunk elements things as well as my lore has some technological elements to it.)

- What's the best and cheapest way to make durable playing cards? I plan to have stacks of cards that the player draws from (ect, they find a magical item, so they draw from the ITEM DECK).

- Would using a "die-rolling" system (ect, use a D8 for this action, a D20 to avoid this trap, etc) to determine the outcome of events going to cause any copyright infringements towards WotC?

- What are some stock/generic game boards I can use for setting up the places my players will explore?

- I'm not a great artist. Any sites where I could use some stock images to act as place holders?

- Thoughts/Suggestions?

 

[jiduthie]

- I'm not a great artist. Any sites where I could use some stock images to act as place holders?

I've no idea about making boardgames, but I do have some experience trying to find and handle art. The short answer is yes, but it probably won't be anything that you'd want to use unmodified. You don't have to be a great artist but if you have a basic understanding of GIMP/Blender/Photoshop in order to make things fit your needs, here are some resources that might be helpful:

http://opengameart.org/
http://www.cgtextures.com/
http://www.lostgarden.com/2009/03/dancs ... -game.html

Also, if you're going to go looking around on google for "free art" make sure you find and read the licenses very carefully. For example: the art in that first link is only to be used for open source projects, anything commercial and you've opened a can of worms.

 

[DragoFireheart]

I'm actually learning how to use blender. Heh.

I'm NOT going commercial and if I did I wouldn't be using stock images. Thanks for the links.

 

[Destroid]

I think a lot of people offer stuff on deviant art for free use.

Durable playing cards can quite easily and cheaply be made using paper and a laminator.

For figures take a look around here, they have good prices, free shipping and a very large range.

 

[Shemar]

I make a lot of gaming materials using self-adhesive laminating sheets. It is relatively easy to print a whole page, laminate both sides and then cut. Depending on your card size you can probably get 9-12 cards per page. It is quite tougher if the back side of the cards also has info. Use wide margins in that case. For heavier duty work like map tiles, print on self adhesive paper, then stick on cardboard (of thickness and durability of your choice) and laminate the top (depending on application and shapes, it may be easier to laminate first). A metal ruler and X-Acto knife are invaluable for accurate, straight line cutting.

 

[waywardOne]

http://www.monogrammatiks.com/see/portfolio/board_games
don't bother with cardstock+laminating for anything other than a demo: reference sheets, fine; deck of cards, horrible.

http://ironwindmetals.com/store/index.php?cPath=210&osCsid=6e0e31dd0664ac7611d9bc0249a2c6bd
never buy Games Workshop shit. average quality, exorbitant prices.

x-sided dice can't be trademarked or copyrighted. they're fucking geometric objects. you're in the clear.

 

[Spectacle]

For figures check out Legendary Encounters from reaper miniatures. They are pre-painted plastics so they are both fairly cheap and durable. Not works of art but decent enough for a boardgame.
http://www.reapermini.com/LegendaryEncounters

 

[skyst]

I second the use of Reaper minis. I use them for my D&D sessions and can always find something to represent PC/NPCs. They're inexpensive and randomly send you free shit, too.