Ultimate LCD Gaming Table

     After playing various RPG for a few years and working with a regular dry erase mat for the maps, I began looking for some alternative methods of making use of maps. I did some searching on the web and found some sites dealing with "digital map tables". The most prevalent type that I have see all deal with various forms of projection. Either mounting a projector above the table and pointing it straight down, or mounting it under the table and bouncing it off a mirror to redirect it to the table from underneath.


This peaked my interest.

     Both of these methods looked pretty good, however the problem with projecting the image down at the table from above would make shadows on the table where the miniatures were. Also when reaching across to move the minis, it would cast a shadow on the map. While this isn't that big of a deal, it was something that I took into consideration.  After some more searching, I found some sites dealing with using an "IR Pen" and a Wiimote in order to make the map more interactive for the players, rather than just relying on the GM to move the mini's on the computer. 

     I began by making my own IR Pen to see how it would function. It was very easy to make using some parts I picked up at Radio Shack and a pack of dry erase markers from Office Max. I won't go into a parts list because there are already WAAAY too many sites with instructions on how to make them now and you can also purchase them for under $10 from ebay.  The next thing was what type of projector I wanted to get. After reading about others who were using projectors, the throw distance was a large factor. If it was too small, the size of the overall projected image would be really tiny. There was also the problem of how to mount it, also aiming the mirror correctly. It just sounded like a lot of work. I started thinking about an LCD TV instead. I did some looking and couldn't really find any documented sites that had any pictures showing how the LCD would look in the table. I could only find a few text only posts from people saying they had done it. Most said that they just had the TV set up vertically like it would normally be and then they would just look at it to see the map. There was one who said that they just lay the TV flat on the table, but I wanted an option that was not so invasive. I didn't want to have a big screen sitting in the middle of the table. Then I started thinking what if I mount the LCD "IN" the table?

And so it began...