Cormac Mac Art | 19 Jul 2020 9:26 a.m. PST |
I finally have the space to build out a game room. My wife and I do enjoy playing boardgames, and having people over to play boardgames (pre-COVID and hopefully post-COVID). I also have lots of miniatures that I enjoy gaming with as well. I do a lot of solo-wargaming and am also building out some FoW forces and various other projects. So the question I have for everyone is: What are the must have items/equipment/decorations/etc… to have in a game room? Maybe this could be a poll at some point in time. |
JimDuncanUK | 19 Jul 2020 9:45 a.m. PST |
Elbow room and head space. |
RittervonBek | 19 Jul 2020 9:50 a.m. PST |
A room to start with in my case…… |
nnascati | 19 Jul 2020 9:53 a.m. PST |
What Jim Duncan said, plus shelving and snack tables. Use the snack tables for rules, charts etc. keep the gaming table clear. |
Eumelus | 19 Jul 2020 9:57 a.m. PST |
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Marc33594 | 19 Jul 2020 9:58 a.m. PST |
Mini fridge works wonders. Good lighting. |
Hamilton | 19 Jul 2020 10:08 a.m. PST |
Something on bare walls – posters, maps, memorabilia, etc. |
John Armatys | 19 Jul 2020 10:12 a.m. PST |
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clifblkskull | 19 Jul 2020 10:16 a.m. PST |
Good lighting Side areas for staging and keep table clutter off Storage under table for terrain mats, etc. Clif |
DisasterWargamer | 19 Jul 2020 10:22 a.m. PST |
Covered area for miniatures and keeping it able to be dusted Comfy chairs Lighting – including natural light if possible Decent table Pictures on the wall Music system Painting area Shelving for larger models, boardgames and books Flooring that can be easily cleaned Safe place for drinks and food – so they dont get on minis |
Lascaris | 19 Jul 2020 11:18 a.m. PST |
I have a Flexsteel dual recliner and a largeish (65") TV to go with my 6'x9' table. This way my wife can hang out and watch movies etc while I play or, when my brother visits to game with me, we can watch "inspirational" movies as part of the experience. On a more prosaic note, adequate storage for minis and rules and, as noted above, some pictures on the wall to add to the ambiance. |
14th NJ Vol | 19 Jul 2020 12:26 p.m. PST |
Air conditioning, heat, decent lighting, room to move around the table, cabinets or shelves, chairs or barstools, mini fridge, coffee maker. |
jwebster | 19 Jul 2020 12:27 p.m. PST |
Could think about folding chairs for when there are more visitors. Agree with the comfort, you can get padded chairs or have seat cushions Folding table or something to expand the size of the permanent table Lighting – absolutely. It is possible to get high CRI led bulbs nowadays. Colours will look much, much better compared to fluorescent I'm jealous, have fun with your game room |
45thdiv | 19 Jul 2020 12:45 p.m. PST |
Since you like playing board games with friends, as do my wife and I, think about having a removable section. I have a 6 x 12 foot table. Great for miniature battles, but for board games, all though they are starting to need more and more table space, we can only use 3 sides. If I were to do it over, I would make the center 6 x 4 foot board come out so we could sit around all sides of the table to play. As it is now we play board games at the dinning room table. One thing I did was to build shelves into the wall, between the studs. This saved me floor space. Matthew |
TMPWargamerabbit | 19 Jul 2020 12:56 p.m. PST |
Seems I have successfully thought of many of the excellent suggestions above so I must have done something right for once in my life. Can check off: Lighting (three light circuits to control light intensity) Ceiling fan – three speed AC and Heating on call, Swiss chalet 1960 era gas furnace. Vaulted ceiling Tile flooring with rug Lots of elbow room for 12x6 table Folding tables for varied table size configuration Side tables Book shelves for library Music on call Six file cabinets for terrain storage, mostly five drawer 12x padded folding chairs All miniature collection / bulky items storage in adjacent garage room Still need to improve: Add poster art to vaulted ceiling. Small refrigerator TV in room…. connected to house and computers
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T Callahan | 19 Jul 2020 1:34 p.m. PST |
Easy access to a bathroom. |
Mister Tibbles | 19 Jul 2020 1:49 p.m. PST |
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Tgerritsen | 19 Jul 2020 3:40 p.m. PST |
Games. Beyond that the rest is negotiable. |
Parzival | 19 Jul 2020 4:38 p.m. PST |
If you put a rug or carpet in the room, make certain it is low pile and all one color, probably on the muted side. The busier the rug, the more that dropped game pieces, chits, dice, etc. will blend into the rug and be lost or accidentally trod upon. I'd suggest a comfortably thick pad under the rug as well, if you play while standing. |
FingerandToeGlenn | 19 Jul 2020 6:21 p.m. PST |
Good music, good brandy, good cigars. And probably some games. I actually have three storage systems: a bar height room wife cabinet where games and Plano boxes of minis are stored. Shelves for the better painted minis and those too big for boxes, and the cabinet bar for the big items like dragons and tanks. |
Raptoruk369 | 19 Jul 2020 7:40 p.m. PST |
Steel your heart and dont allow your cats inside the gaming room, its awesome to leave a game midway through for next weeks session only to be heartbroken when your beloved felines trash the joint. |
cherrypicker | 20 Jul 2020 2:28 a.m. PST |
Lots of space, good lighting, space to store all those unpainted and the odd painted figures, aircon. Would like to show my room but not sure how to add a picture |
WarWizard | 20 Jul 2020 5:05 a.m. PST |
TMPWargamerRabbit that room is fantastic! Are those 12 inch action figures in that display case? |
Nick Pasha | 20 Jul 2020 5:08 a.m. PST |
Folding chairs take up space. I have stackable chairs which take up much less space. Instead of pictures on the walls use shelves, as many as you need. You can use plastic shelving or build custom wood shelving to your taste. Use free standing shelves instead of wall hanging shelves. |
Sgt Slag | 20 Jul 2020 6:03 a.m. PST |
Honestly, I think you need a custom, solid Hickory, gaming table, with pull-out drawers for dice, notes, reference sheets, etc., and an electronically adjustable height system. It seems as though you have everything else covered. This is my Kaiser Table, 5 feet by 9 feet, eight player stations: Side view; End view; Side view full height; End view full height; controller next to end drawer. You can get a table built like this, of any size you need. Stain color is your choice, at no extra charge. Visit this site for more information, and options. Two free Hickory Dice Towers are included with every table. Once you get used to a Dice Tower (slow-motion polyhedra dice rolled individually, and a handful at a time), you won't want to be without one: truly random rolls, regardless of rounded corners on your dice; guarantees no one is manipulating their rolls by dropping them out of their palms… Cheers! |
The Shadow | 20 Jul 2020 6:42 a.m. PST |
I don't think that it's a good idea to add posters to the ceiling. It will make the room look and feel smaller. |
Dragon Gunner | 20 Jul 2020 11:31 a.m. PST |
I am not sure how big your gaming room is. One of the best gaming rooms I ever saw was in Rochester Minnesota, the guy had the entire basement and four full sized gaming tables. He could rearrange them so they were end to end for long tables (great for chases) or side by side for a huge playing area (monstrous epic battles). He could separate the tables for multiple different games or to show several different areas of a battlefield. I was thinking it would be great for multi level dungeon crawls /space crawls each table showing a different level. I am jealous I have a loft and finally thought I was going to have a dedicated game room. My new wife moved into my town home and needed it for an office to work from home. Now I am back to folding tables I cannot leave set up. |
French Wargame Holidays | 21 Jul 2020 5:52 a.m. PST |
I am doing the same at the moment, just started building my main table. For me 1.One large dedicated table for counter or RPG games 5ft wide x 10ft long. It has extendable slide outs to almost 6ft wide to fit my tiles for tabletop Wargames. Fitted drink holders and slide outs for rules, PC/IPad and dice towers. Built on coasters so it can be moved. 2. Two storage tables/cabinets for terrain, on wheels that have fold out wings to extend the table or be stand alone tables. 3. Storage cabinets for miniatures 4. Display cabinet for miniatures 5. Memorabilia and paintings in the walls 6. Comfortable chairs and a lounge 7. Sound system 8. Good lighting Cheers Matt |
Saxondog | 21 Jul 2020 1:39 p.m. PST |
Number one has to be storage. Shelves. I used to have a finished out garage. 12x22 with it's own half bath and it wasn't used as much as I would have liked…..storage. Didn't have enough and digging was required. Had some things in a cabinet in my dining room and other's in the back bedroom/office. |
cj1776 | 21 Jul 2020 7:10 p.m. PST |
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snurl1 | 21 Jul 2020 9:05 p.m. PST |
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12thFoot | 22 Jul 2020 4:09 a.m. PST |
How about a gaming table hinged to the wall with shelving behind. When you're not playing you can raise the table and have the space for something else |
Given up for good | 22 Jul 2020 4:49 a.m. PST |
Think about the height of the table. Most normal units are too low for long term leaning over and can easily be raised to give more comfort and storage area. I once played on high tables that had bar stools for siting at – great day as you could flop in arm chairs away from the game or sit at the table on the stools. Think also about a ledge around the table but a bit lower for drinks / dice etc. This keeps them to hand but away from the main board. A dart board never goes wrong even if it's only for ten minutes while waiting for the last person to turn up. |
huron725 | 17 Feb 2021 7:07 p.m. PST |
Good lighting, adequate space to move around the game board, game board high enough. No chairs/stools. Don't want the gamers to get too comfortable. If this is a social event break out the comfort and drinks. If we're here to game we're gaming! :) |
von Schwartz ver 2 | 18 Feb 2021 3:58 p.m. PST |
What about the stripper pole? |
huron725 | 18 Feb 2021 4:02 p.m. PST |
I would prefer NOT to see a bunch of overweight, middle aged, gray haired old men on a pole!!! Thanks but NO. |
Robert le Diable | 19 Feb 2021 8:28 a.m. PST |
There's going to be a vote on the best paint-stripper? |
Kaiju Doug | 19 Feb 2021 12:29 p.m. PST |
Any flat surface could work for most avid war gamers. My workshop doubles as our game room. I have a 4x7.5 table that folds in half for board games, card games or if I have a woodworking project to do. One wall is shelves that hold troops and terrain. Several of our members are young punks (30+) and I have threatened to take their fancy phones away during the games. And BTW, get off my lawn. |
von Schwartz ver 2 | 19 Feb 2021 2:28 p.m. PST |
Air freshener Industrial strength |
von Schwartz ver 2 | 20 Feb 2021 11:02 a.m. PST |
I do appreciate being referred to as "middle aged". Middle aged perhaps for an land tortoise. |
huron725 | 23 Feb 2021 5:44 p.m. PST |
Well, von Schwartz ver 2 I am over middle age. I don't expect to live to 112. :) |
IronMike | 27 Feb 2021 6:32 p.m. PST |
Three things: Storage, storage and storage! |
ACW Gamer | 22 Mar 2021 5:29 a.m. PST |
Hello all. I just started a Facebook group for gamers to share pictures of wargaming rooms for inspiration. Check it out. link |
Last Hussar | 02 Apr 2021 7:16 a.m. PST |
Beer A way to open beer bottles. Everything else is optional.
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Carl T | 30 Nov 2021 1:02 p.m. PST |
I found a great solution for my game room display case and for long term storage for my wargaming room. You can find some photos here. link |
Wolfhag | 02 Dec 2021 10:30 a.m. PST |
I just moved into a place that has a 500 sq ft air conditioned finished basement with a full kitchen and fridge. It opens to a 2 car garage for storage. I can easily fit 3-4 six to eight foot gaming tables. My wife said it's my Man Cave to do what I like with it. I'll post pictures when I'm finished. Wolfhag |