Using Fantasy Grounds with a projector for home games

[Nylanfs]

The problem I have with using a TV/monitor as part of the table is spilling things, getting marks on the screen etc. Which is why I'm seriously looking at a projector system.

[Trenloe]

I've seen various attempts at this - mostly at conventions and local stores where the GM has a wooden scaffold type construction to hold the projector at a fixed distance above the table, pointing down at a white/light coloured sheet with or without a grid.

They work, but have the issue Valarian mentioned above (shadows) and the additional issue of bumping the scaffold. If you do a more permanent solution at home then the scaffold would be removed and you'd just have the shadow issue - that goes away pretty quickly once the player moves out of the way. But it can take a bit of getting used to, especially if the players are used to leaning over the map and poring over their options.

Things to look for in a projector are the brightness (as you'll probably want to play with the lights on) and the size of the projected image at a particular distance - measure the distance from your ceiling to the table top and subtract some for the size/positioning of the projector and mount, then work out what size projection the projector can do at that range - the smaller the distance between the projector and the table the smaller the resulting image will be. Projectors have different "throw" distances, you'll need one with a short throw distance. Also, if you can afford it, look for LED projectors rather than lamp projectors - there'll be less cooling fan noise and less need to replace a lamp sometime in the future.

[JohnD]

A few things to note about projectors with lamps - as mentioned above, they put out a lot of heat and there is noise from the fan, but also the bulbs themselves can be quite costly to replace.

[Trenloe]

And to add about throw range - a lot of projectors aren't designed for short distance projection, this is one of the reasons why you see some people using mirrors to increase the distance and allow for horizontal mounting off to the side somewhere rather than vertical.

[Skellan]

really useful info, thanks everyone!

I am on a mission to get this working now

[Trenloe]

I am on a mission to get this working now

I'll be interested in seeing how you go. Every time I see an HD projector on special I consider doing something like so. So far I've managed to resist the expenditure...

[ddavison]

I have an extra projector lying around from my old business I sold. It's still HD quality, but it's a DLP. Anyway, I wasn't really happy with the ceiling mounts that allowed it to be projected downward. The mirror approach has merit, but I was really hoping for something with a much more "finished" look instead of a "hey look what I rigged up in the garage" look. I should probably just hire a nice finish carpenter to put together something that looks like a little less of an eye sore. The chain approach looks like it might work well since it can be placed back flat to the ceiling when not in use. You'd be guaranteed to hear the mirrors-on-the-ceiling jokes from your friends, but that's probably manageable. After all, I can kill their characters off if they get too obnoxious.

[hawkwind]

i can imagine the response of my Mrs if i started screwing projector mounts or worse mirrors to living room ceiling! What I do to bring my occasional home games in to the 21st century, and apologies for mentioning a competitor to Fantasy grounds, is to run two instances of Roll20 one in GM view on a laptop and another on player view on a big old flat screen telly to take advantage of the intelligent lighting in Roll20. Any actual fighting still get with mini on a old fashioned Chessex battlemap. I could do it with Fantasy grounds and have the advantages of the combat tracker but the dynamic lighting in Roll 20 and for that matter maptool is so much better, it also saves hand outs and I can show all the art work from modules and other sources

[Patou]

Very sweet!! That is exactly what I want to do

[Zeus]

Some other suggestions.

1. Take 1 standard dinging room table with a toughened glass (non-frosted) top.
2. Apply a sheet of A3 paper to the underside of the glass (in the middle somewhere). You can use any size paper but I have found A3 to be just right for most encounter play + larger images can be scrolled. You can use smarter looking black fabric tape to secure the paper.
3. Take a standard projector and mount underneath the table (either pointed directly up or bounced off a 45 degree angled single sided mirror).

Instant digital game table without the high expense of a handcrafted wooden table, plus you can easily throw a table cloth over the tabletop when not is use and still use the table for normal dining

Another alternative is to procure a tabletop projector, these are found at most AV stores that service schools and other academic institutions as they are heavily used in schools. These projectors are designed to simply stand on a table and are designed to short throw the image directly to the tabletop itself (even at very acute angles). Highly portable solution and great if you play at different locations often.

Finally, don't forget about the various wireless casting technologies that are available. iOS AirPlay, Google's Chromecast and several others can be used to wirelessly beam desktops to a variety of TVs and internet TV STBs. If money is not an issue you may also want to look into the various wireless HDMI solutions that are emerging too.