Improving Your RPG Game With Acrylic Glass - GM Toolbox

Maps are a big part of RPGs, and a simple acrylic sheet can bring new options to your games.
UPDATE: I forgot to mention in the video, but the thickness I use is .093 inches (2.4mm).

[@iesika7387]

Years ago I worked at a facility that had huge roller printers which could be used with either paper or transparancy film. I'm talking 4-5 foot wide paper and transparency that could be any length I wanted. They let me print whatever I wanted if it was slow and my work was all done. GM heaven. At one point we were playing a game set in our real-world city with a fantasy element and I got to lay printed films down in layers over the map including offshore underwater topography when they started to realized it was about to be kaiju time and "This is what it looks like now that the nuclear plant has exploded."

[@darcyrobbs6866]

We arent worthy.... That is amazing. that is some level 20 dm skill right there. This is the shortest most powerful dm tip video ive ever seen across all channels.

[@SeanLaMontagne]

One of those golden Quality of Life improvements

[@dumbbean7977]

He has LEGS Also fantastic video!

[@Mr.Monster1984]

Dude. Awesome advice. I am from Brazil and sometimes it's hard to find RPG stuff here. This is awesome because I can just draw my maps and cover it with the glass. Then I can make markings and stuff. Thanx.

[@Thundarr100]

I had a DM who did this. He made a table sized hex sheet (he hand drew the hexagons on a piece of printer paper, made several photocopies, and then taped them together to make a sheet big enough to cover his dining room table). He then put a piece of plexiglass over top to draw on, etc. He was able to get the plexiglass fairly cheap because he worked at a hardware store at the time and was able to get it cut in just the right size and get his employee discount. It worked very well and I might do the same thing sometime in the future.

[@4saken404]

I use a trick where I mark the underside of the board with dots (with a sharpie) to give it a permanent grid or hex pattern. That way I can lay it over anything (a hand-drawn posterboard outdoor map, a pre-printed map, or even just the table) and - BOOM - instant markable grid!

[@WestfaliaStuff]

After playing for decades, this came as a new one for me. I am loving it.

[@MyersSgt]

We use a white acrylic sheet from Home Depot trimmed to fit inside the border of our large table; then use dry-erase markers; yes, it takes time during the game for the DM to draw what we can see, but he loves the surprise of the players seeing only seeing stuff from the characters' vision range. I do like the clear acrylic sheet you use... much better if we used maps from the modules or boxed sets. Great video - shows all the advantages of the clear acrylic sheet.

[@victoriatoasterstrudle446]

A favorite variant of the Plexiglas that I love to use is a 8x12 picture frame with a piece of graph paper on the inside. I end up doing a lot of gaming on the go, and this has been a game changer for me.

[@allluckyseven]

Great tip! I would recommend protecting the edges and corners with painters tape or something to avoid scratching your table or damaging the maps when you're placing the sheet on top of them.

[@AW-si9ml]

Love all your GM toolbox videos! I did something similar, except that I pre-drew my maps on transparency sheets (the kind teachers would use with their projectors back in the day) and laid those over the grid mat. Since I was DM-ing at someone else's house, the sheets were easier to carry back and forth than an acrylic sheet would be.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Good idea. Both my small and medium sheets are missing corners due to car trunks when carrying the board to people's homes. My large sheet I picked up when we moved into our current house where I host. It has never left the game room and if I need to take a game to a different place I'l bring one of my smaller (and already damaged) sheets.

[@bbblackwell]

Oh, fugghettaboutit, it's a game-changer... literally. I got one and I use it all the time, even for board gaming. It's easily a top-5 item, right behind the books, dice, pencils, paper, and the table itself! This is just another example why you're the absolute best RPG guy on KZbin. Way t' be, Seth.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Glad it's worked for you. In our circle, since we've been playing so long that players or even their kids have spun off to run their own games, the phrase "I picked up a plexi," has become shorthand for "I'm serious about running a game." Sort of the status symbol for being a GM. I didn't come up with the idea. My first DM when I was 13 used a plexiglass, and I just followed his lead. It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I realized it wasn't the way everyone did it.

[@bbblackwell]

@@SSkorkowsky Ha!

[@kevinsullivan3448]

I have protector transfer sheets that I can use to print out maps on a printer. These are great for common maps. PlexiglassTM is also a thermoplastic. If it becomes bend from storage you can use hot water/steam or a heat gun to soften it enough so that it can be flattened. Lexan is also a thremoplastic, but requires a bit more effort. Other transparent sheets react differently..

[@MaxWriter]

Very clever advice. I like the idea of writing on the bottom of the plexiglass and the stacking of it for different levels. I had this idea when I first started playing Dungeons & Dragons back in 1979. I got some kind of large graph paper and used the plexiglass on it, allowing me to draw out the dungeons I ran my brother and the kid from down the street through. We actually played on my bed, sitting around it on the floor, to give us lots of room. I, too, have gotten several pieces of plexiglass over the years but they mostly sit behind the door to my room. I'll have to try out some of your ideas. Thanks for sharing this.

[@SSkorkowsky]

I really should have known that you'd be one of the only other GMs that's done this :-). I got it originally from my first GM back in the early 90's. He'd been playing since the 70's and it was a 2x3 piece with tape along one side that held on a piece of cardboard with a grid on it. It was only taped one one side so we could slide maps under it. So I pretty much grew up believing that all GMs just have to have a plexi, like it was a Rite of Passage or something. It wasn't until I went off to college that I learned that no one else did. I usually got weird looks, but then people quickly came around once they saw how useful it was. My main use for the extra plexis is the pre-drawn maps. I'll draw it out all pretty and perfect and then hide them behind the bookcase that's behind me. When the time comes, I pull it out and lay it over the board. It's extremely useful. The other one is that I can keep multiple maps going at once without having to erase one. Such as in The Crack'd and Crook'd Manse we had one for the inside of the house and one for the property grounds since the PC's kept going back and forth

[@SimonLasone]

Hey, thats a clever way of dealing with pre-printed maps, among other things! Thank you for sharing it!

[@d_Brian67]

I typically don't use miniatures, but these are some fantastic tips!

[@SSkorkowsky]

Thanks.

[@inomad1313]

Seth Skorkowsky Does it make a difference to the dry erase if it’s acrylic or polycarbonate?

[@GM_Darius]

My old friend group use to use the ol' glass idea but we only could get this large plastic sheet. Was soo damn good, and so damned easy as a DM, but players would leave notes on it that stained INTO the plastic unless we got some heavy duty cleaner after a week.

[@flameofthewest6758]

This is one of the best ideas I've ever seen! Seriously and all the ways you pointed out how to use it. Now I can't wait to build my own gaming table and use this! Thanks Seth!

[@Rokkiteer]

Totally doing this. Thanks. I started dm'ing a few months ago and preparing interesting maps have proven a tough challenge.

[@BanjoSick]

We used to play in a class room in a wood cabin. Always used the blackboard for battle plans, maps and such. Never seen a better solution. Always wanna have a blackboard or smthg similar that does not clutter up the table.

[@erniemiller1953]

I bought a 6' folding table. On one side of the table I painted 1" square gridlines. The other I painted 1" hexes. Then I drew the map on plexiglass with a dry erase marker. The top plexiglass was where I drew details and placed miniatures. This was back when plexiglass didn't cost $80 a sheet.

[@jerryl7050]

When did you pick up the underside map idea, that's brilliant! :D

[@dragunhero00]

my mind was BLOWN!

[@josephpurdy8390]

You can create vinyl print to adhere to glass. To create a grid or hex pattern that is placed on the bottom of the glass. You lay the pattern side down ontop of your map. The top side has no vinyl and will be easy to write and erase on. This method is best for large print maps that have a scale that suits being represented by the grid or, hex patterns.

[@benschwader4537]

We game with friends across the Atlantic using Roll 20. I am so envious of you and sitting around the table and gaming old school.

[@ThomasAndersonbsf]

you can use tinted pieces of acrylic for your layers instead of just several clear pieces, that way the level the miniature is on is easy to tell by everyone based on what colors are overlaying the piece, and use a stick with a claw on the end to grab and move them :)

[@SirNightmareFuel]

Why would you need a claw to move the glass? is it intended to reduce finger prints or something? Edit: Oh, I see you meant to move the miniatures under the glass. derp.

[@pieboxer]

This is fantastically amazing. WHAT A GREAT IDEA!

[@ballsgearshifter]

This is awesome! - TIP: No matter what DO NOT use rubbing alcohol to clean Plexiglas! It makes it super brittle and cracks may even form instantly. Ammonia to a lesser degree.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

This is a criminally undersubbed channel.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

This is so gooood! Whoever the one guy who disliked it has no clue!

[@blackwoodknight4913]

You brilliant SOB why didn't I think of this

[@jamesrickel3814]

A cheap trick I have found is Christmas Wrapping. Most have a 1 inch grid on the back you can pre draw maps then just throw them away.

[@ezekyle1abaddon]

While I know you and your players arent interested in doing love plays it would be REALLY insightful just to see a few hours of gameplay. Between the unique way you use the GM screen, combined rolls and maps, I think seeing it all together would help cement how they all flow together and work.

[@romueltheknight6860]

The back side of rapping paper often has a grid if you're short on money

[@dfhellraiser4td]

Go to your local sign shop! Most have acrylic in stock or can easily order you a piece! Trust me, I've been putting stickers on things for 16 years now!

[@feralart]

I built my game table. The center grid area is covered with a clear vinyl sheet that is tacked down all around, I use this for dry erase.

[@tabletopgamingwithwolfphototec]

❤ *Solid advice from a TTRPG Sage.*

[@BeaPlot]

are you a wizard

[@shlifon]

That's sooooo cool! Always a pleasure to watch your videos! Keep up the amazing job! And thanks for all advises and video support. I am still building the courage to be a keeper :)

[@cesarpereyra2289]

Who could dislike this?!?!?

[@AndrewDayMortgage]

Battletech map! Nice!

[@4saken404]

Yeah I noticed that, too. Took me back. Waaaaaay back! lol

[@donblack1571]

Genius thanks Seth.

[@patchbunny]

I've thought about going to WalMart and buying one of their 24x36 poster frames and just keeping the plexiglass to keep maps flat. It's cheap, but I don't know if you can write on them like Seth shows with dry or wet erase markers and have it clean off easily.

[@stonemorris5356]

Bullets would be awesome inspiration tokens

[@zjflorence]

Mind...Blown!

[@TheSelfeDestruct]

Very nice tips.

[@johnsmithfrombackeast7376]

Great ideas!

[@prestonbrower762]

You can find a plastic poster board that does the same thing for $6 at hobby lobby. Granted a bit less heavy

[@magonus195]

Love it. Brilliant.

[@cheeseburgerdave2463]

Great idea. Thanks

[@tennozeorymer]

Dang. This is SMART!

[@mosesbrown4126]

Was sold at the thumbnail, but I watched anyway

[@RossMackinnon]

Seths a real one

[@BigFrakkinOgre]

This is gold

[@DraycoVideo]

Holy shit. This is genius.

[@SeanLaMontagne]

Wow... just wow...

[@shanelorrison5224]

This is GENIUS

[@PossumMedic]

Great tips thanks! :D

[@erichobbs4042]

That's genius!

[@MatteBlacke]

Great idea!

[@kadper]

Oh my god, he has legs!!!

[@glumbosch9254]

great Idea.

[@k_while9497]

for this use case, what is the recommended thickness of plexiglass? Prices by me are crazy right now and range anywhere from $45 to $85 for 3/32 in, 1/8 in, and 1/4 in thick acrylic.

[@SSkorkowsky]

3/32 or 1/8, depending on how wide and how much you'll be transporting it around. If you're going to be moving it house-to-house, go with 1/8. If it's not likely to leave the house too much, 3/32 is probably fine. My big 32x44 sheet is 3/32, but never leaves the house and rarely leaves the table. However, its size and weight makes it very bendy and if I were to move it too often it would likely crack. 1/4 would be too thick and heavy for my needs.

[@poodlefilmstrailer]

Where did you find the Palace of enlightened throne map?

[@josephgreene9789]

This is great!!!

[@manfaceddog9288]

mind = blown

[@josullivan5604]

Brilliant!!!!!!

[@gurtana]

Seth, do you know a type of plexi material that is transparent but does not give a very reflective surface? I would like one without the reflective glare to enhance the detail of the battle map underneath to allow a greater degree of viewing angles. Thanks

[@SSkorkowsky]

I wish I did. Though the glare is far worse on video than in-person. Glare has never been an issue during games, but hell with videos

[@gurtana]

@@SSkorkowsky thanks for your reply. I wanted to use this plexi method for miniatures table top gaming, rather than roleplaying and so the focus will very much be on the ‘paper mat’ terrain underneath the plexi throughout the majority of the game. So that’s why I would prefer the least reflective surface without being frosted. There’ll be terrain features then placed on the plexi too.

[@SteveWhipp]

OOOoooo.... damn good idea!

[@gadlen2]

First, thanks! I'm excited about getting some clear plastic sheets for my group's gaming. What plastic do you use? Do you have any thoughts about erasing and cleaning your sheets? A few articles I've read say that polycarbonate is better for dry erase than acrylic because acrylic tends to leave traces of marker after you erase.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Don't know about what works best with Dry Erase. I use Vis-a-Vis Wet Erase pens. They's good and bold. Dry Erase doesn't work well at all on acrylic glass or laminated maps unless you want to spend the rest of the night scrubbing.

[@gadlen2]

@@SSkorkowsky Wow, good to know! Thanks!

[@TheGuardDuck]

Awesome!!! Where do get these and how much do they cost? Our group could really benefit from this!

[@SSkorkowsky]

Check a hardware store (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.) Run you $20 to $30 depending on the size you want.

[@missyjames8887]

Awesome 😁👍

[@youtigee]

Where do you store them between games however, as if you store them vertically they would eventually bend.

[@josephpurdy8390]

Under your bed

[@youtigee]

@@josephpurdy8390 It wont fit under my bed , its full of boxes of old roleplaying books.

[@youtigee]

Plus I dont think Seth has a key if he needs to retrieve it for a game

[@SharneAndrews]

Legend. We've been considering this option for a while but have been concerned about 'shadowing' - that is to say do the markers tend to leave behind a faint black cloud after prolonged use? Do you have advice on particular markers or the like? Great post - much appreciated.

[@SSkorkowsky]

It hasn't been a problem for me . I use Vis-a-Vis wet-erase pens. The leave a nice, thick line that's easy to see. The only one that ever shadows is blue. But that just needs a bit of windex to clean up. The boards are much easier to clean than my mats are. Even wet-erase ink really clings to those. The smaller plexi sheet that I used when showing different levels has been used extensively for years. It was my board for 8 years before I upgraded to a bigger one, and now it's just used as a back-up or for pre-prepared maps. Most of its discoloration is just scratches and a busted corner from travelling in car trunks and normal wear and tear. I got it in 98 or 99. Link to the markers I use: amzn.to/2FmbVBy

[@SharneAndrews]

Cheers for the detailed reply!! We'll def' look into it for our games :-)

[@Thornspyre81]

Where can you get a big sheet?

[@finncullen]

Is that map at 1:00 the Topkapi palace in Istanbul? By staggering coincidence I've printed that entire section for my Night's Black Agents game just yesterday. Out of curiousity what are you using it for?

[@SSkorkowsky]

That's the Palace of the Enlightened Throne map from the "Al-Qadim, City of Delights" box set. It's a very safe bet that they modeled it after the real Topkapi Palace.

[@finncullen]

LOL - thanks. By "Modelled after" it looks like they took coutyards three and four and changed the names... Great map though. I suspect that in the Al Qadim version Dracula wasn't trying to break into the Sultan's Privy chamber at the north east of the eastern courtyard to steal the relics kept there. If your players want a satellite view the google map satellite view is pretty clear goo.gl/maps/MLxaN1fxDR92

[@Shazzner]

how thick is the acrylic? I've got access to a laser cutter, might be cool to etch in certain details or the outline of the map on the underside.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Damn. Forgot to mention that in the video. I use .093 (2.4mm) thickness.

[@SSkorkowsky]

I've often thought about etching one with a half-inch grid. Mats are usually full-inch, which is good to say is 5 feet, but often times I'd prefer to break it down into yards or meters. Just depends on the game, really.

[@AlaskaSkull]

what is the larger mat in this video and where can I get it?

[@SSkorkowsky]

It's a Crystal Caste combat map. Hex on one side and grid on the other. Had if for 16 years or so. Sometimes it's hard to clean, even with Windex (I use Visavis overhead wet erase pens). So defintiley use a plexiglas topper over it. amzn.to/2JD265x

[@inomad1313]

What kind of wizardry is this?!?

[@PaulLaPorteJr]

You can spend $25-$30 for a sheet or you can do what I did and buy a cheap 24x36 poster frame at Wal-Mart for $10 and take it apart...

[@c_bass1971]

1 downvote? Someone got lost on the way to their fail video.

[@fufu1405]

Meh… acryllic glass makes everything look glossy. I prefer the finish of the chessex maps.

[@Krulik080]

[@DonniesBoStaff]

Wisdom: 26

[@zoosmellpoopslord]

You look like you lost weight Seth :)

[@fhuber7507]

Its acrylic or its glass... Not acrylic glass. Plexiglass is a brand name of an acrylic.