I knew this was going to shock a few people, so I'll defend myself now. First off let me start by saying I'm from the old school so I don't need all these gadgets to play the game. The game I'm playing in now the
DM isn't using any of the sounds or lights except the house ones and we're having a blast. The room is very multipurpose great for stand up war games to the most intense role-playing experiences. Every aspect of the room was designed to be versatile from again the sounds and lights to even our playing aids that are all interchangeable. It's like a giant Lego set for the mind that you can create any world. We are fortunate to have the finances and the space to even consider this fantasy if you will.
RPG's, D&D in particular has had a major influence in my life. It's bonded me together with life long friends. Some who've stayed around and others, who moved along, but it's that bond in life not just as friends, but in our jokes, our mannerisms, and what we find funny. Just like us here bound together with a language that others wouldn't even begin to understand the humor.
A long time ago I began plans for this project, and I watched as technology began to become cheaper and better until then my finances became able to make this dream a reality. Along the way I found a few other liked minded individuals and actually went into business with one in the glorious late 90's internet boom in the form of one of the first internet design companies in South Florida. We worked a lot and the game was sort of our outlet not just in playing (something we didn't have much time for), but in our humor. I always said if I make it I'm going to build an amazing game hall.
So more time passed and I worked and collected and worked and collected some more, I also took a few summers of hiatus from normal work managing a band and collected from coast to coast. So the pile was growing and so were my ideas for creating this hall.
Then out of nowhere, I met my buddy Shawn one fateful day at the game store. This guy had just as much stuff as I did, I couldn't believe it. And this guy could paint min's too! So a friendship developed, that ended up as business partners in property development. That's how we have this extra room to house this monstrosity in one of our unused spaces. That was three years ago and the collection has more than doubled since then. Many old gamers form the old days gave us, and I do mean "GAVE " us (Thank you guys) piles of books, miniatures, and memorabilia. It was old, new, valuable, all kinds of stuff. I had a notice at the game store for new players up all the time and room for them in the game or not I'd have them over. We'd become friends and the next thing I knew they'd show up with a box full of old
RPG's, miniatures, etc. Many times I tried to offer some cash, but they'd refuse or say you get the pizza tonight. So as it stands now we're only a few book's shy of every TSR D&D product produced including most of the rares. Non-D&D TSR is pretty strong as well, and then you can double that in other
RPG's and games.
As far as audio and visual aspect it's just the beginning of the next evolution in
RPG's. The technology is there for us to use it's amazing I'm telling you. Once you master the controls it's like playing the guitar or like singing a song it flows with your story telling.
Beyond any role-playing experience I've ever had. And when it's time for a combat just bring up the house lights to desired level set out your dungeon tiles, ground terrain, miniatures, whatever you need, or just role your dice. It's all controlled at the
DM's fingertips. And when I transfer it over to an audio interface then things are going to get really crazy. But I wont get ahead of myself I haven't done that yet, Ill post the results down the line.
Finally now that I've been rambling on forever and most must be questioning my sanity, my only defense is a quote from the bottom of Traveller's posts "There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line" I also quote Field of Dreams "If you build it they will come". I guess this is how so much of this stuff ended up here, sort of a game-hall of dreams. And one more thing since I've exposed myself I'd like to say I'm so glad I found the Acaeum it filled in a gap not only in what we needed to complete our collection, but its opened up a whole world of our early history to me, plus everyday I get to talk to a bunch really cool guys from all over the world. Thanks Scott.
I know I'll post pics ASAP!
Mike a.k.a. Invincible
"Its either a wand to cast Bigby's Hand spells or a +3 backscratcher. We're not sure which."
