Gaming Aide Stuff!

This thread will be dedicated to any gaming aide stuff I make for myself for BSG.

The Control Panel is an excellent inclusion in the BSG Starter Set, and I've not seen anything as well designed or robust in any similar game. My eyes aren't the best though, so I do find it difficult to read both due to its grey on grey and the small size of its text and symbols.

Originally I was going to go down the path of painting it and using magnets to make it easier to read and use, but in the end I just decided to make my own. I don't use the 3D Space Optional Rules, so I knew could save a bit of room by not having the level change section on there whilst at the same time making things a bit bigger and easier to read to keep it all to a manageable size.

The process will take me a few attempts as I will have to fluff around getting things spaced evenly and seeing what material works best...but I get a lot of enjoyment out of doing it :)

Below is a copy and paste of a post from another of my threads, but I have moved it here into this dedicated thread to get the ball rolling and document the process form the beginning.

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Last night at work on night shift, I decided I wanted to make a Unit Record Panel, so I could track damage and have the unit stats immediately at hand all on one panel...then I thought perhaps I could actually simplify the control panel by doing the same thing as I don't play with height levels. So when I got home this morning, after a coffee (or two) I went to work in Inkscape and created the basics of these two panels so they could be laser cut in two-tone plastic that is 3mm thick.

The red lines are cut lines, and the black areas are etched lines/shapes/text etc. The plastic is white underneath with a black top, so that when you etch away the black top, it leaves the white underneath exposed, and is great for having text, lines, shapes etc stand out really well.

The Control Panel will utilise 3mm cube magnets (that will glue into the small red squares shown in the pics below) to allow markers to magnetically lock into place to show your KE, Speed and Rotation, and the Unit Record Panel will use red acrylic "pins" to track damage.

I've used the above methods to create bases for another game I used to play, it is pictured down below, so you can get a feel for the look I am aiming for.

I still have a bit of mucking around to do to adjust them a little more to suit my tastes, but this is pretty much how they will appear.

When I have finished designing them and have had some cut out and confirmed everything is working correctly and there are no mistakes, I'll share the files for people to download and get some cut for themselves if they are interested in this kind of stuff.

https://i.imgur.com/3yokh9Rl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ZyePqPdl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7tGhdQjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/a2pp3XTl.jpg

Today I received some quick test cuts of the above files. I had them cut in two different materials and trialled painting one of them to see how that works out.

I'm happy with how these are progressing, but have made some significant changes/modifications and will send those away for some test pieces to be made, this time in a Matte black 3mm acrylic. I should have them by early next week.

Here's where I trialled some painting (before removing the protective paper tape) on some 3mm gloss black acrylic on the left and on the right some 1.5mm two tone black/white plastic on top of 3mm gloss acrylic. The red markers are cut from 3mm acrylic.

https://i.imgur.com/EzuwQ6fl.jpg

Here is a 1.5mm two tone black/white plastic with a single 3mm cube magnet glued into place in a one position on each of the three areas, just to see if they fit ok, and they do. There is also a sliding marker with a 3mm cube magnet down on the KE slider. It all works well, but I made some position changes and changed the look of a couple of things for the next test piece so it suits my tastes more. The two 3mm cube magnets provide a very strong magnetic bond, I dropped this from head height a few times to test it and it did not come off or even look like coming off.

https://i.imgur.com/3oXdkyUl.jpg

Red = Cut lines
Black = Etch lines

The material is cut and etched with a protective paper on its surfaces, so when the laser follows the red lines, it cuts straight through the material, and when the laser etches the black sections, it etches away the protective paper and a small portion of the surface of the material, which leaves a sort of paper stencil over the piece, allowing you to paint various etched pieces and mask some off to paint different colours.

Here's the next Control Panel Design. I've thickened some lines and moved some of the magnets holes a bit closer to the KE numbers and added some other details. I'll try this on 3mm thick black matte acrylic, and paint it with the rectangle borders white, the hazard striping around the sides black and yellow...not sure what other colours I'll use yet.

https://i.imgur.com/gNa9ac6l.jpg

Here's the Unit Record Panel...on this one I've thickened some lines and added a border around the edges which will be painted blue for Colonials and red for Cylons;

https://i.imgur.com/kmmFfPSl.jpg

I also changed the slider marker from a thin arrow to a triangular arrow, I think it will stand out better...

https://i.imgur.com/0tcd4EMl.jpg

Looking really good Rory.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Teaticket

Looking really good Rory.

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Thanks Teaticket!

I've got some more test/prototype pieces coming early next week, so should have some more pics to show of my progress next week :)

I've made some more progress on my pimped-up pieces for BSG, although progress is slow :)

So these are the latest test pieces for a Ship Status Panel. Cut in 3mm black matte acrylic, and then painted with coloured spray paints before removing the protective tape.

Blue edging for Colonials and red edging for Cylons. The inner area of the 3mm square holes are white, but that is just because I didn't bother taping them over before spray painting due to these just being test pieces, those holes will be black on the actual game pieces.

I've also got a 1mm thick matte black plastic piece cut to the same size and shape that glues to the back of these for the actual game pieces.

I'm happy with these now, so I'll order myself 4 x of each the Viper Mk II and the Raider to paint up for the game...and today I am starting on painting the latest test piece for the Control Panel...I'll show pics of that when finished in a couple/few days.

https://i.imgur.com/9DgJGnWl.jpg

Here's where I'm at with the Control Panel. Again, this is just a test piece but I'm pretty happy with how it is so far (no altitude setting as I don't use those optional rules).

I'll give it a clear matte varnish tomorrow, just to smooth the look out a bit more, but I'll likely make no changes to the design and end up ordering about 8 of them and painting them up and adding the magnets and the "sliding" marker.

https://i.imgur.com/3mrwaqGl.jpg

I just posted your pick in another thread. I guess I didn't look to see that you're the same person over at BGG. These are great.

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Originally Posted by Ken at Sunrise

I just posted your pick in another thread. I guess I didn't look to see that you're the same person over at BGG. These are great.

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No worries mate and thanks...I have a different forum name over there on BGG :)

I've decided to add the "Altitude" slider. Even though I don't use those optional rules, others obviously do.

Due to having to widen the panel to fit the "Altitude" slider in, I created a filler panel in the bottom left, which is supposed to look like venting on the face of the control panel. I also added "rivets" to the inside corners of all the inner panels.

Still tinkering with it for a bit, but will share them in the next week or so.

Red lines = Laser cuts all the way through the 3mm acrylic
Black lines = Laser etches the surface of the acrylic

https://i.imgur.com/uZqpsidl.jpg

I know they'd be pricey but I'd probably buy a set of them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ken at Sunrise

I know they'd be pricey but I'd probably buy a set of them.

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If you know someone who owns a laser cutter, it would be fairly cheap, if you get them done by a business, it can be a little expensive, unfortunately.

Once I get all the files finalised and test cut, I'll share them all so that those interested can get some done if they'd like.

I finally got around to gluing the backing to the control panel and gluing the magnets in.

Also, I'm getting a couple of test pieces cut for the control panel with the altitude slider, once I get them and confirm everything is correct, I'll share the files.

Below is a pic of a Viper Mk II with its (non-altitude) control panel and damage track panel with some damage markers showing damage taken by the Viper and its pilot.

https://i.imgur.com/X0gbJKNl.jpg

These look great. I don't know if anyone who has a laser cutter but I will look around. Thanks,

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Originally Posted by Ken at Sunrise

These look great. I don't know if anyone who has a laser cutter but I will look around. Thanks,

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Thanks Ken!

I hate to use this word but ... Wow! You are a clever and innovative person who deserves a lot of rep. Well done. :sAprvd:

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Originally Posted by Baxter

I hate to use this word but ... Wow! You are a clever and innovative person who deserves a lot of rep. Well done. :sAprvd:

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Thanks Baxter!!!

I've uploaded the file containing these laser cutting files on here, but they seem to be taking a while to appear. They are available on BGG if you wanted them.

I'm going to be updating those files with some more content soon, too...

...and by the way, here's a couple of pics of the Control Panels with the "Altitude" slider included;

https://i.imgur.com/5GYMM8ul.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/51bvm5Sl.jpg