Part One: Setting Your Stage
Shaya slowed as she turned the corner, and she gently placed a hand on the ancient stone wall beside her, carefully crossing the threshold of the corbel arch. Raising her torch, she stifled a gasp as the gentle glow from the fire spread over the rows and rows of ancient texts and dusty piles of forgotten treasure. While she knew the value of her mark, the volume “Draculian Arcana”, a large tome of forgotten knowledge that was said to be made of pure gold, she had not expected the sheer volume of what the library held, and that it all seemed to be untouched. She glanced over at the rest of her party, who were now rounding the corner, and offered them a sly smile, hoping that she might be able to pocket some of the more valuable trinkets without their noticing. And yet… it all seemed too easy. Sure, they had to avoid the traps of noxious gases and poisons, but she could scarcely believe that all this treasure would remain untouched for so many eons.
She was about to say as much, when Dimitri placed gloved finger to his lips, his crossbow aimed past her. And then, she heard it. A strange, faint, slithering sound. She raised the torch higher, her eyes groping into the darkness, searching for the source of the sound. But, it was too late. She felt a sense of dread begin to fill her, as she realized that whoever (or WHATever) was making the noise would surely alerted of their presence by her light.
I look up as a voice from the other end of the table cuts through my thoughts- “Roll for initiative.”
Welcome to Up Your Game: Integrating Technology with Tabletop Gaming. This is the first of a multi-part series that will highlight products, software, and other ideas that may enhance your tabletop gaming experiences. Today’s topic: Setting Your Stage.
Games are a great way to bring people together. Game nights were a staple in my family growing up, and tabletop gaming continues to be one of my passions as an adult. Games break down barriers, bring us closer, and let us connect and learn more about each other (though some may argue that they have experienced love lost after an exceptionally long game of Risk). Games take us out of our day-to-day troubles, and let us experience different worlds and different lives. Games challenge our minds, leading to new ways of thinking, and encourage the use critical problem solving skills. Why not take the extra step and enhance the spaces we play in and immerse ourselves even further into our imaginations by engaging our physical senses?
Lights:
Recreate the flicker of a torch, the swell of an ocean, or the chaos of a night raid with unique and programmable lighting options! The next evolution of home lighting solutions have arrived, and boy, are they neat! Many bulbs can display a large array of colors, can be controlled remotely, and can even be set to respond to your background music!
Sounds:
Nothing gets you in on the action like a good soundtrack! Besides providing background music for your game night, many board games feature companion soundtracks or story moments to match your game. Some games even have fan made music! We’ll shed more light on companion sound for specific games in a future installment. Today, we will focus on some hardware options.
Whole-Home and Whole-Room Solutions:
Looking to spread the sounds throughout your home, or for a higher-quality whole room experience? Many sound products can pair together with other speakers, or can even be integrated into an existing Home Theater sound system.
Definitive Technology’s 2-Way Wireless Speaker series, the W7 and the W9 can not only be controlled from your Android or iOS device, they can also be controlled from your PC. They can access your digital library, streaming services, and radio. This series connects to your home wireless network, and can be set to play different sounds through multiple speakers simultaneously.
Portable Solutions:
Are you a gamer on the go? You can still provide a great soundtrack to your game, no matter where your group is playing! Here are a few portable sound options that feature wireless connectivity, and rechargeable batteries.
Smells:
Did you know that there are candles and wax tarts themed after your favorite genres? Here are what a few online shops have to offer!
Nerdie Nifties offers soy candles and wax tarts inspired by books, video games, and more! Some of my personal favorites include Mage’s Books, Hobbit’s Pipe, and Forbidden Forest. The shop has some promotional offers, if you are purchasing multiple items.
Boonzy Arts has a great collection of scents in their Wheel of Flame series. These candles are inspired by places that you might visit in Dungeons & Dragons, and include metal dice from Norse Foundry that are uncovered as the candles burn. Each candle retails for $22.00, but you can pick up the whole series for a discount.
Frostbeard Studio features both soy candles and wax tarts inspired by your favorite books. With scents linked to places in books, such as Through the Wardrobe and Cliffs of Insanity, you can quickly cover a wide variety of places that you might encounter on your adventures. If you’re not sure what to choose, you can pick up a tea light sample set to try four scents at a lower price.
Are you a fan of tabletop gaming? Do you have ideas of products, services, and applications that have enhanced your tabletop experience? What are some of your favorite games to play? Is there technology that you wish existed, but currently doesn’t? Please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, and comments down below! I look forward to hearing from you!
Looking for more? Check out Part Two, here!
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