I was wondering how other peoples plan out the models before buliding them.

For me step one is pencil and paper, either graph paper, or as often as not, a fast food resteraunt tray liner. (I do more planning while shovelling food into my mouth than I care to think about...)

From there I go to Dungeon Crafter, to produce a plan that can also be used as a map in the game. While I am at it I create any keying that I might need to go with it, then load the keyed map into my word processer.

I then page through my World Works files and pick and choose from my growing selection.

Then I decide how I will need to change the model for use. (See my post on the tower bridge for en example of how I modify things.) And decide how I want to mount it. (Depends on the project, for free standing I use foamcore, for a more three dimensional effect I use insulation foam, trimming it with a flora cutter.)

If I already have printouts I start cutting them, otherwise I go to the printer and print it out before doing the same. (I am impatient enough that I tend to have a stack of commonly used parts, just so I can head right into the modeling. As a result I have a stack of Dungeon Works that was over an inch tall when I started, and still has about a half inch to go... I was a bit too enthusiastic perhaps. )

Then comes putting it together, cussing mildly as I modify things. (Yes, mildly, I tend to say things like 'foo!', 'dang!', and 'drat!'... It's so embarassing...) drawing lightly with a number 4 or 5 pencil, then cutting along the line with a hobby knife and a steel rule.

First a dry fit, followed by any mods needed (heres where the cussing comes in...) then the glue. (Not as much cussing, but a little, this is also the step where things get screwed up if they get the chance.)

And done!


On the other hand a friend of mine who I talked into Dungeon Works back in the early days of WW, and who in turn talked me into it, tends to make things that he doesn't need to modify, dungeons, and the like. And as far as I can make out, he just does a map (again in Dungeon Crafter) and then builds it.

So what do other people do?

The Auld Grump, filling time as the printer chugs away...

So far it's all on the fly. I haven't done any GM'ing since starting to use WorldWorks' stuff, so the best I can do is make a bunch of free-standing walls, props, and the odd pre-fab room, and hope my GM can use some of it. ()

I hope to get some GM'ing done during the summer so hopefully I'll be able to build some of the stuff that's turkling about in my head.

I'll definitely be building The Maiden with an eye towards "show piece" when she sails in to RPGNow, though. Be my first cut n' paste in months!

D

ps - Dang! looks like my ISP ate my photos; I'll repost them when I get a minute.
pps - Okay, the pics in the linked-to post work now. Seems the new board software didn't like [center]. *shrug*

My usual approach is to just do a really rough sketch on graph paper to indicate the activity flow that I want in the set-up, nothing detailed. While the game is going I just grab the pieces that I have available to fill in the detail. I like the spontaneity which can also have an element of unpredictability. As a GM I like to be surprised one in a while and it can give me some interesting problems that I have to work out of. So far the players have had a good time with this approach.

An option for designing layouts that I'm working on to make better use of the sets that I have is to create thumbnails from the PDF files and add them to a library in a graphics program. (I generally use ACD's Canvas.) Some thumbnails may require a little editing to stand out if they are going to overlay other elements. Then its pretty much drag-and-drop. Its also helpful to create a "part-identifier system" to label the thumbnails -- that plus the visual aspect of the thumbnail aids in the actual table top set-up. While this reduces the on-the-fly spontaneity during game play it can help to provide additional ideas during the design process as I look over the various available pieces.