Game play surface

[jackdaddyt]

For several months now, I've been looking in fabric stores for a piece of green gaming table felt.  I intended to buy a piece large enough to lay over my kitchen table, which would give us a better playing surface--one that would hold tiles in place better than just the table surface.

Last week, I was in a fabric store, and found a piece of suede "decorator fabric" on sale for half price, which was cheaper (by $.50/yard) than buying a new piece of felt.  The suede works better than I ever imagined.  It prevents tiles and followers from accidental shifting around on the play area when accidentally jarred by elbows or kids.  The backing of the fake suede is still slick on the table, but the piece itself is large enough--draped over the edges of the table--to stay in place.  If it becomes necessary, I'll get some of those picnic tablecloth weights or some spring clamps to clamp the tablecloth to the underside of the table, which will hold it more firmly in place.

We've used it for several other games in addition to Carcassonne (dominoes, card and dice games), and it has changed the comfort level of the table--it just feels "homier" than a bare tabletop.

[koolkat]

Well I always felt it was better to play with bare tabletop. It's better to control tile relative position among each other and they won't slip that much nomatter what kind of surface the table is made of.

[Embri]

Have you tried playing with a gaming mat, koolkat?

It's really a great experience, I have one made from a similar fabric as jackdaddyt (really short suede-like pile) and it's marvelous, especially when you have over exuberant friends reaching across the table to place tiles.  "Earthquakes" can be a real problem, particularly if you have cats in the house!  (Meeples are apparently irresistible kitty toys, despite us adamantly insisting otherwise...)

Now if only we had a magnetic table and Meeples so they'd stay put. 

[Scott]

Interesting thread... I never thought about this before.

[koolkat]

Embri, I have a gambling table (a card playing table of some sort). Pity it's not too big. I'll give it a try soon.

[jackdaddyt]

I considered removing the top of my card table, and replacing it with a new plywood/vinyl top, larger than the original top.  I want to have a surface large enough to accommodate a Mega-Carc game.

I decided that the steel frame, though, would potentially be unable to support solidly the new top, and the added weight of gamers leaning on elbows on the table.  Our kitchen/dining table is large enough for both large-sized games and groups of people, so I couldn't justify spending more money for something I didn't really need.

Now, I just need to teach my guests to use plates and coasters, instead of dumping a handful of greasy potato chips directly onto the tablecloth (as my mother-in-law did last week)!

[Gantry]

We've used both a regular dining room table top as well as a tablecloth, and I prefer the slicker tabletop, makes scooping up tiles at the end of the game easier, or adjusting tiles en masse if necessary.

[mathguy89]

The nice thing about being in college is that you have common areas.  We actually have a ping-pong/table tennis table in one of our lounges which is a great area where we can spread out.  Surface is relatively slick, so the tiles stay, but it's also relatively sturdy so nothing is getting accidently bumped.

[Embri]

With a gaming mat, cleanup is super easy - just pick up the edges, make a funnel and dump the tiles back in the bag.    (make sure you pick off the Meeples, River Tiles, etc. first!)

[edmil]

We wanted to play in our Caravan while we were away on holidays and of course a Van's table is not near enough.
2 pieces of ply and gaffer tape came to the rescue.
The board folds in half for storage so makes it easy to carry. downside when set up on Van table hardly room to move around. Tiles didn't move on the surface due to it's roughness.