Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/08/11/gamers-petition-ikea-to-produc.html
…
3 Likes
Of course “gamers” is a broad brush, and different gamers are going to want different kinds of tables. My apartment mate and I once had a table made from 2 4x8 sheets of particle board ripped lengthwise, a couple of sawhorses and some 2x4s It stored behind the couch, but when assembled, we had a table 8’ long and up to 6’ wide. Which sure beat playing on a 4’x4’ table at the Games Workshop store, where most games consisted of “line up all the figures on opposite edges of the table, move once and fire until somebody loses.”
–Which is a long story to say that miniatures people are going to value variable width more than RPG players or board gamers. Different gamers are going to want different things. I just wish that I had space in my current house to set up mega civilization. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/184424/mega-civilization
1 Like
Works for puzzle folks too.
6 Likes
I helped build the gaming table we use in our house a few years back; we bought two very cheap tables from IKEA and used those as the base, with the tabletop being just a “cap” placed atop them, which makes it easier to move around as needed. We sandwiched a few layers of boards and made a well in the middle for gaming; with the top lid placed on it, it’s the dinner table.
15 Likes
Too late! I kickstarted this.
4 Likes
Approved.
I started using a monitor for maps/tokens ages ago. It’s just so much easier to run off a laptop than trying to use maps and minis, and makes for the best DM screen.
1 Like
Would buy this so fast if it’s big enough. I can usually just about fit a board on mine, but then there’s no room for all the individual stuff, like tokens and character cards and things.
Even games with smaller boards don’t leave enough room for snacks and drinks after all the extra stuff has been tucked under the sides.
They should give the size in the number of expansions you can fit next to a Firefly board on it. Or Scythe.,
1 Like
I’m conflicted between gaming tables being affordable by a far greater number of people, and smaller existing gaming table manufacturers being driven out of business.
1 Like
It is also the go-to storage for record nerds (however I’d advise assembling it with wood glue to handle the weight.)
My games are mostly on Billy or Ivar…
Unfortunately, the Duchess was only available at the reasonable price for a very limited time. Doesn’t help those of us who missed the window.
Ah yes, the IKEA NËËRD…
7 Likes
From what I’ve seen there’s already an intense trend for converting Ikea furnature into these sorts of tables.
Ikea would have to be dense to have not noticed it, if I have (I’ve not much interest in these things).
That’s be a bit like smaller makers of fine quality furniture and cabinetry going out of business. Ikea hasn’t killed them, or much impacted their market from what I can tell. The sort of person looking for furniture at a max of a few hundred dollars an item. Is not the sort of person shopping the smaller and custom gaming tables from small builders. Prices I’ve seen are in the $1000+ range, or close enough to not matter.
Ikea operates in a different market than smaller or higher end furniture producers. What Ikea is going to knock out of the market is DIY options, kits and the like.
3 Likes
The photo of the table in the article is my table! I literally took that photo! How did Boing Boing get that picture?
4 Likes
It is the picture on the change.org petition so most likely from there.
@garethb2 wanna attribute the photo to our new user here if it is his pic?
ETA @Marc_Semenchuk you have instructions for replicating that nifty table?
1 Like
That’s exactly what the game shelves in my house look like (but in beige and blue). Complete with Twilight Imperium and Descent stacked on top.
1 Like
They’re just too huge to fit in anything but a large bookshelf, and those are all full of books already. There’s also a copy of Dark Tower still packed somewhere that will have to go up there as well.
1 Like
My wife finally kicked my board games out of the office bookshelf, so I finally got to join the ranks of Kallax/Expedit-owning boardgame nerds.
Gunna buy another one for my daughter’s room tomorrow.
Such a great shelf.
1 Like
