Look at this:
http://www.dwarvenforge.info/bibliothequeimages/IO/IO.htm

Why aren´t we all gaming like this?

If we had the time & money, would and should we all game with props like these?

Or are there reasons against using 3D-props?

Usually I´d mumble something about freedom of imagination etc, but when I see pics like these, I wonder if I´m not just protecting myself from a serious fit of envy.

Quote from: SettembriniLook at this:
http://www.dwarvenforge.info/bibliothequeimages/IO/IO.htm

Why aren´t we all gaming like this?

If we had the time & money, would and should we all game with props like these?

Most of the time I prefer to roleplay without any spatial reference. I can enjoy 2D/3D positioning if the emphasis of the game is on OOC tactics and strategies. But I keep it very basic (paper, cheap tokens, etc...).

It is a significant investment. Not just to buy the stuff and design it but also more importantly the space required. At least if you live in the city, space can come at a premium and is worth a lot of $$$. You may well spend 100, 200, 300 bucks a month to have such a monster toy home.

There's also the fact that most people outgrow toys when they reach their teen years. I count myself among those. And frankly, even if that wasn't the case, I don't think I'd have the heart to keep a huge toy like that at home, to be seen by acquaintances and friends.

The first thing coming to mind when I see this is...

Wow, you are so adult.

So you wouldn´t want to be a player with this DM?

Quote from: SettembriniWow, you are so adult.

So you wouldn´t want to be a player with this DM?

Yeah, if the game is D&D or something very strategic like that. I just wouldn't personally be comfortable having those toys at home.

In case you (or someone else) doesn't get the image reference: In the movie, the virgin guy hides all his toys (which include an hilarious Oscar Goldman action figure) when a gal comes to pick him home.

Like it or not, adults with this kind of stuff will be stigmatized. So I'm actually thankful that this isn't something that interests me.

That stuff is mad cool, but my playstyle wouldn't really jibe with a big diorama playmat.

Unless I was playing MSH.  Then I would wear a Knight Rider T-shirt, bring a 2-liter of Big Red and Chili-Cheese Fritos and go to motherfucking town.

So you don´t want it, because it would be embarassing to you?

Quote from: SettembriniSo you wouldn´t want to be a player with this DM?

Depends. If he was into the same playstyle as me, sure. I don't mind wading through games books or hanging out in a workshop/study where minis are painted but the kind of excess in that link, :shrug: the minis and props do nothing for me.

Regards,
David R

Too much investment in one limited-use prop.

QuoteToo much investment in one limited-use prop.

That kills it for me too, but would you not get kicks out of playing in a campaign where there is a DM going that route?

Quote from: SettembriniThat kills it for me too, but would you not get kicks out of playing in a campaign where there is a DM going that route?

I guess... I played Gamma World (1st ed.) for a while with my friend Brett GMing and he used to make various bits of terrain and stuff (his trees made out of wire and scourer pads were pretty good). It's kind of fun.

I think my kicks would mainly come directly from appreciating the owner's obsession.

3-D scenery is the bomb.

I use the Dwarven Forge cavern set and some assorted DF room and corridor pieces on a routine basis. I don't use it as often as I used to, but I use select pieces like the dungeon floors.

I also use Grendel resincast scenery (I get this stuff on Ebay) and I used to homebuild a few pieces out of foamcore. I once had a two-level waterfall with an 8" (40 feet in D&D terms) drop on it for a dungeon I designed. The cool thing about that one was you turned it around and it formed some mountain cliffs.

If you don't have much to spend, I suggest some dollar-store aquarium pieces. You can actually get some good stuff off of the aquarium shelf- ruined walls and pillars and rocks.  

I have 4 wedding cake pillars that stay in my prop-box as well. They cost like a buck for all 4. They look great, like roman pillars. You can stand them up, or leave them laying down for a 'ruined pillar'. Makes a great obstacle for guys to get behind or on top of.. or jump out from behind.

Also check out http://www.dagoom.com

My Wednesday DM has a large amount of Dwarven Forge material that sees little use.  IMHO the stuff looks better than it plays, at least if you stick to the size of corridors and rooms you'll find in a standard 80's style dungeon.  Manipulating the figures is a real hassle in a 10' corridors or 20' x 20' rooms.  The doors are a pain in the ass, too.

Wow, that's way cool.  If I had the time and energy, I'd love to have a setup like that.  And I'd display 'em, too! Stigma my ass; I have hand-painted minis on display throughout the apartment, games of all sorts stuffed in every space, all of my girlfriend's (of six years) friends know I game...hell, they've come over and seen me gaming...and no one looks down on me.  

For me, it's the time, money and expense involved that keeps me away from it.  The minis I collected over the years were costly enough...and 3/4 of them aren't painted.

And anyway, with a grid and some eraseable markers, I'm not limited to the pieces I have...no constraints that way, no sir...

I actually use some of the hard foam pieces I picked up from Dagoom on clearance for crazy heap sometimes.  For a more standard fantasy campaign, they're perfect.
 
But I also play Rifts, In Harm's Way, Traveller (which there are some nice sci-fi sets out there, btw), and plenty of other non-fantasy games.  To get such a diverse collection would be cost prohibitive for me.

It's alright, but

1. the setup time can a pain - not worth it if there's a chance that the group is going to spend 5 minutes or less in a given room.  

2.  It can make it feel a little too much like playing with dolls.

3.  If you provide props, it tends to draw attention towards spatial concerns.  Some players will take huge amounts of time deciding the exact square they're in instead of just running up and attacking.  The spatial focus can also draw attention away from plot and dialogue.

It's good if you're running an intense dungeon crawl or similar but otherwise not worth the effort.