Looking for advice - gaming table with or without vault

[Enderasha]

I was curious to get some feedback/help from the fine gaming folks here about gaming tables and vaults. I have permission to put a gaming table in the renovated basement space but the area it is going is a little constricted. I can fit a 4x6 table comfortably and wanted to do a gaming table since I’m adding low-wall-dungeon tiles and 3D dimensionality to the game. My two main questions are:

-is the vault even necessary, does it add enough to the experience, this isn’t doubling as a dining table so I don’t need to worry about storing games in progress

-how wide a rail around the recessed area do D&D players like? Most tables I’ve seen have only a 3-4 inch rail which is much smaller than a character sheet or book. Gives the largest play area but is less functional for players. Board game players obviously don’t mind this.



Because the area is so tight some of the options people use to address space concerns like personal character sheet trays, desk areas, or cup holders that stick out may be slightly problematic. I had eyeballed the https://www.carolinagametables.com/product/dining-room-game-table-base/ option because of the big perimeter but it loses a LOT of play area (48” wide table has a 32” wide play area). If these side options are necessary I might be able to shuffle around where we put stuff in the room, it’s a big “might” though.



Love to get some feedback from folks who have used these tables.

[Khedrac]

Currently my main gaming site we are playing on a ping-pong (table-tennis) table with the net taken down - and that is 9 feet by 5 feet.
With groups usually being 4 or 5 players plus a GM the table is effectively full (six players works, but begins to be a squeeze).
Partly this is because some of the players have a small stack of books, others bring laptops or tablets. All of us tend to have some A4 paper plus dice boxes, character sheets, saved notes, spell crib sheets etc.
Most of the space goes on the battle-mat - the players either side all encroach on the mat and have to move things when the action moves in their direction.

We do play in a renovated basement - this is good, not for atmosphere, but it greatly reduces the road noise from outside (some games are held upstairs - it's quite a bit noiser due to the main road running part the house).

In my experience there is no particular value in a recessed table-top - yes it does limit dice falling off the sides, but it cuts down on surface area which really really matters (and it makes it much harder to have a book 1/4 off the table to be less in the way). I like to use a dice tray for rolling, but that is personal preference and I will pass it to other players to use (mainly those with metal dice) to protect the table-top and roll on a pad or book instead.

Personally I think a 6'x4' table too small - I have gamed on such tables, but it too narrow to comfortably have players on both sides and decent space for miniatures in the middle. If not playing games where miniature use for position and spacing is important then this becomes less of an issue.
You do, however, need to think about how to fit your entire gaming group round the table together with all the books/paper/computers they normally bring (plus space for drinks or snacks).

As for the basement/vault - forget atmosphere, what's important is having fun with your friends (and atmosphere usually means reduced lighting and I am now at the age where everyone pulls out their reading glasses to game - more light is good, less light is bad).

To me your space sounds too small for rpg groups - it might do very well for other board games or wargames (and having a table where a wargame can be left up for weeks on end can be useful) - but that is my opinion and it is your group and opinion that matters here.

I would have a chat with your gaming group and see what they thing - they may say "go for it".

[LordCdrMilitant]

I was curious to get some feedback/help from the fine gaming folks here about gaming tables and vaults. I have permission to put a gaming table in the renovated basement space but the area it is going is a little constricted. I can fit a 4x6 table comfortably and wanted to do a gaming table since I’m adding low-wall-dungeon tiles and 3D dimensionality to the game. My two main questions are:

-is the vault even necessary, does it add enough to the experience, this isn’t doubling as a dining table so I don’t need to worry about storing games in progress

-how wide a rail around the recessed area do D&D players like? Most tables I’ve seen have only a 3-4 inch rail which is much smaller than a character sheet or book. Gives the largest play area but is less functional for players. Board game players obviously don’t mind this.



Because the area is so tight some of the options people use to address space concerns like personal character sheet trays, desk areas, or cup holders that stick out may be slightly problematic. I had eyeballed the https://www.carolinagametables.com/product/dining-room-game-table-base/ option because of the big perimeter but it loses a LOT of play area (48” wide table has a 32” wide play area). If these side options are necessary I might be able to shuffle around where we put stuff in the room, it’s a big “might” though.

Love to get some feedback from folks who have used these tables.

I use a 7' by 4' table that we made ourselves. It's of lightweight construction and can fit through doors if turned sideways [total height is slightly shorter than the width of a doorframe]. The top is plywood sheeting nailed to a box frame with a couple of cross bars to provide support in the center regions of the table.

It was originally intended for model railroads, but due to space constraints that didn't become possible and we took up the tracks and use it for a gaming table now. It lives in the garage as horizontal storage space, and I clear it off and bring it in for a game if a friend comes over.

It's got pencil lines demarcating a 6'x4' area in the center of it with 6" staging areas at the end of it. It works out really well, in general.