Diablo 3 style Modular Game Board Vol. I

[acydl]

Let's face it. We like Diablo 3. Even if it is not out yet. Even if the guys who made the first two are not involved. Even if the composer from the first two is not involved. Here is a modular game board based upon imagery from Diablo 3. It will be used for 40k and Warmachine.

Volume I

Chapter 01 Inspiration

Firstly, here are the inspirational images. Included are images from a Greek Island from an episode of Rick Steves.

Chapter 02 Planning out the modularity

1. Use graph paper or Adobe illustrator to create 4 modular 2'x2' board top view plan. This may take a while to allow several configurations and permutations.

2. Use 2" thick insulation board cut to 2'x2' squares. Then use 3.4" and 1" insulation board for hills.

3. This is blue stuff I got in L.A.

4. Draw in the terrain with black sharpie and write yourself notes.

5. Cut out your foam using a hot foam wand (cheap at Michaels Art Supply). Use a respirator open windows and a fan to help avoid toxins.

6. Mount the blue boards to 1/2" thick MDF 2'x2' squares. I used hot glue, but you can use liquid nail etc.

Here is my Design. Its important to lay them out next to each other. From this point on all modules are only as good as the modules next to them.

Chapter 03 Detail

Ok now add the detail. Sculpt and add cracks.

I used a hot foam wand to add cracks along with a sanding block and metal wire brush.

Keep referring to your reference images to help you make decisions on the way the terrain should look.

Remember it needs to play well as well.

I used thin styrene sheet to cut out the stone blocks on the floor.

Then use hot glue to fix the stones to the foam. Some are recessed and angled to simulate a worn look.

Fill in any gaps with wood filler or light weight spackle.

Continue to see how one module affects the other.

Keep testing your miniatures with the board to make sure things fit and play well.

Here is a pic of the tiles.

Chapter 04 Advanced Detail

1. Create slight changes in levels. For example, my wedge shaped island piece is a slightly different level than the others.

2. Use insulation foam as rocks.

3. For cliffs, use cork bark (they use this for reptiles and is available at pet stores and on amazon). I recommend the half cylinder pieces. Break these up with a coping saw and your raw strength.

4. Hot glue the cork bark onto the foam. Fill in any gaps using wood filler!

6. Hot glue and embedd any large magnets for trees if necessary.

Chapter 05 Test Piece

1. Create a test piece to test out your paints and flock.

2. I used a wedge of foam with cork and painted it until I found a color scheme that was close enough to the greek/diablo 3 look I liked.

Below is an image of my test piece and the colors I used for the the cliffs.

Chapter 06 Base Layer of Paint

1. Pickup some thick latex dark brown earth colored paint at the hardware store.

2. Mix 70% paint, with 20% white glue 10% mixed rock sizes. Go easy on the large rocks. I threw in some concrete in there too. Avoid the styrene rocks.

3. Coat the top surface of your board with the paint. brush in all directions, eliminate brush strokes. Don't go too thick into the cracks.

4. Let dry overnight.

5. Lay a light coat of the latex paint on top in areas where the foam is still visible.

Chapter 07 Washing

1. Create several washes and brush them onto your terrain. Here I've used cheap acrylic paints found at Michaels for 80 cent.

2. The colors ive used are tan, brown, dark green.

3. Spray the washes with water as you go to keep them wet and help them blend together.

4. Let the washes dry over night. When they dry they will be less strong.

5. Add more washes to taste.

Chapter 08 Stones and cliffs

1. Paint the cliffs using the color schemes from chapter 05. Drybrush to taste.

2. For the styrene stone slabs base coat them with dark brown, then wash elements of 40% cool grey and tan.

3. Highlight the stones in the same corners/edges using light logic.

Chapter 09 Dirty paths

1. Wash several shades of brown starting with the darkest one.

2. Dry brush a bleached bone type warm grey at about 15% dark.

3. Dry brush a light almost pink color minimally.

Chapter 10 Wash the grassy areas

1. Wash in some very milky white lime green, then some lime green, then some dark lime green on the insides. Wash these in the areas you want flock.

2. Don't wash everywhere, just in selected areas as the effect is strong.

3. Use the light lime green to transition from the dirty paths from chapter 09.

4. Let dry.

Chapter 11 Flock

1. Lay a diluted mix of white glue with water in the areas you'd like flock. Add the glue mix beyond the perimiter of the flock otherwise you will get unnatural edge coagulation.

2. Sprinkle on the flock. I use a mixture of GW Glade Grass, scorched glass.

3. Sprinkle on lime green flock (this was found at a train store) sparingly to simulate flowers etc.

4. Sprinkle on some woodland scenics Blended Turf.

5. Dont overdo the flock, or all of your hard work on the boards will be covered up.

6. Flip over and knock off the loose flock into a box or container.

abracadabra. Volume 01 complete.

To give it a stronger Diablo 3 look, let's add trees shrubbery and inexpensive fall leaves.

This tutorial was made in honor of a true hero

Stay Tuned for Volume 02 with leaves water and the other modules.

[Ah-a-nothepsis]

let's add

 

..a little tree, and it'll just be our little secret.

 

Wonderful work, I stared at the pictures for a long while daydreaming about a board like that. :]

[Komodo]

awesome board. Gonna steal all the ideas :)

[Kierdale]

Fantastic work!

It'll be a long time before I'm building my own board but I'm bookmarking this tutorial for reference.

 

When do we get volume II? :)

[carnosaur93]

this looks amazing... this is so gunna get shared with the guys :)

[Brother Nihm]

I stared at the pictures for a long while daydreaming about a board like that. :]

Likewise, and I still cannot believe the amount of detail put into that board..

[Son of Carnelian]

Spectacular! More please!

[Kisada]

This is some damn good work.

 

I feel I would need to take painting lessons and paint a whole new army to be worthy of playing on it

[Mr.selfdestruct]

That is really fantastic. This is an excellent tutorial, and I plan to use it!

[HJL]

Bookmarked!

 

Mooooore!!!

[augustmanifesto]

awessommeeee

[Brother Aiwass]

Amazing work. Suscribed.

[Ironfoe]

Looking amazing. Subscribed.

[Aerosphere]

This looks super awesome! You also captured the hues and colours of the Diablo screenshot perfectly. I was thinking about making a board soon too, you've inspired me very much with your use of screenshots coming from a game :)

 

Can't wait to see more, and don't forget the trees! trees are awesome too :P

[Brother Ambroz]

Wow. Truly wow, this is just so many levels of awesome.

[reckoning]

Nowhere near ready to undertake a project like this. But I plan to someday and this will definitely be part of the inspiration. Bravo and more please!

[Rhettski]

I really like your work mate. The key to making great scenery is about preperation and patience. Your tutorial accentuates these assets. Many early gamers rush in expecting Masterpieces and end up, sadly wasting there hard earned money by rushing projects.I look forward to seeing this project at it's finish. Regardless of game, the terrain is the base of what this hobby is about. I'll share some of my city scenery soon. Good work mate.

[Dosjetka]

I could totally wring the necks of people who quote the ENTIRE FIRST POST with all its big pictures, etc... <_<

 

*ahem*

 

Sorry about that, it had to be said.

 

In other news, epic board. The amount of detail is quite astounding.

[Chibasan]

Please mate show us more please!!!