TOPIC: Recommendations for Changes to the Player Mats

I agree that groupings could be helpful rather than trying to match placement on the body (too many slots these days).

Could group Armor together (Head, Torso, Shins, etc)
Could group Clothing together (Shirt, Pants, Back)
Could group Jewelry together (Earcuff, Neck, Rings)

You get the idea.

Corey Pressler wrote: Could group Armor together (Head, Torso, Shins, etc)
Could group Clothing together (Shirt, Pants, Back)

Please no; spatially separating Torso from Shirt and Back would take us back to the bad old days when absolutely everybody slots these things incorrectly. Having them next to each other is not a 100% success rate but it's much higher than it used to be.

Attached is my very bad graphic adjustment. And hopefully it was okay for me to graphically show these changes on your player mat. It was easier to show this than type it.

Wayne Rhodes wrote:

Endgame wrote: Preprinting tokens on the mat is a very good solution for sealed builds. Just fill the classic DnD slots with commons. Could even use commons from TD’s past.

Slots I’d fill are:

head
amulet
torso
Back
hands
2x rings
Belt
Boots
Melee Mainhand
Melee offhand
Ranged mainhand
Ranged offhand

I’d be happy to make some suggestions for actual tokens if this idea has some legs.

The only problem with this is coaches will need to know how to subtract the preprinted tokens out of the build and add the improved tokens. Unless we do something like use your tokens or the standard build.

If the starter items are exclusive for new players, their stats could be effectively zero but they can have cool names, so the effect is the same of having nothing, but they'll get used to equipping something AND be further incentivized to upgrade later.

So the Plate Armor of Awesomeness or the Mittens of Mischief look cool, don't modify any stats or attributes but they fill the slots and train players to look at tokens in the desired way.

And collectors get 12 new sets of tokens to chase... or even trade medium tokens for... so everyone wins!

Jason Robinette wrote:

Wayne Rhodes wrote:

Endgame wrote: Preprinting tokens on the mat is a very good solution for sealed builds. Just fill the classic DnD slots with commons. Could even use commons from TD’s past.

Slots I’d fill are:

head
amulet
torso
Back
hands
2x rings
Belt
Boots
Melee Mainhand
Melee offhand
Ranged mainhand
Ranged offhand

I’d be happy to make some suggestions for actual tokens if this idea has some legs.

The only problem with this is coaches will need to know how to subtract the preprinted tokens out of the build and add the improved tokens. Unless we do something like use your tokens or the standard build.

If the starter items are exclusive for new players, their stats could be effectively zero but they can have cool names, so the effect is the same of having nothing, but they'll get used to equipping something AND be further incentivized to upgrade later.

So the Plate Armor of Awesomeness or the Mittens of Mischief look cool, don't modify any stats or attributes but they fill the slots and train players to look at tokens in the desired way.

And collectors get 12 new sets of tokens to chase... or even trade medium tokens for... so everyone wins!

I would not be against things as you propose, but I am not sure from a pack standpoint it is practical. Only TD knows if have a dedicated product just for beginners is cost effective enough to outweigh the potential benefits.

Wayne Rhodes wrote: I would not be against things as you propose, but I am not sure from a pack standpoint it is practical. Only TD knows if have a dedicated product just for beginners is cost effective enough to outweigh the potential benefits.

Absolutely.

Of course, if those items could also be traded in/transmuted into specific mid-level items, that might also increase the effectiveness of them for new players (keeping them playing)
Heck, even a one-shot discount on the TD shop would be cool, I think.

Another thought for the new player mat... it could also be printed, folded, and provided to them so that they get to take it with them. For me, as a new player, I immediately printed one up because I wanted to use it to plan out my stuff (I'm a visual person) with my physical tokens.

Having something else that they can take with them (just straight-up paper) wouldn't hurt, especially if it had a QR code leading to new player-specific info, etc.

I don't think many people will be using a QR code in the coaching room, but after? Sure!

Jason Robinette wrote: Another thought for the new player mat... it could also be printed, folded, and provided to them so that they get to take it with them. For me, as a new player, I immediately printed one up because I wanted to use it to plan out my stuff (I'm a visual person) with my physical tokens.

Having something else that they can take with them (just straight-up paper) wouldn't hurt, especially if it had a QR code leading to new player-specific info, etc.

I don't think many people will be using a QR code in the coaching room, but after? Sure!

I like the idea of preprinted mats to give to players, the challenge is figuring out a best way to get it to the players that want one, while also not creating more convention trash. Also we kind of long term push players that have played multiple times to the character builder app or other resources to speed up coaching. It helps a bunch with group with 20 to 50 tokens each.

Wayne Rhodes wrote: I like the idea of preprinted mats to give to players, the challenge is figuring out a best way to get it to the players that want one, while also not creating more convention trash. Also we kind of long term push players that have played multiple times to the character builder app or other resources to speed up coaching. It helps a bunch with group with 20 to 50 tokens each.

No one needs more con trash. I think giving it some basic value (you can turn it in for a discount or something, etc.) can help fight that, but it's a fair point.

Here's the thing... I have used several apps. I enjoy them. However, I really like laying it all out on the table, too. Maybe I'm an outlier, but I love the physical aspect of things. If I could have a wearable chip thing (like one of those change makers back in the old days of arcades and casinos) where I could pull out chips, etc. I would love that.

I also think that the visual reminder of something like a mat also has some 'aftershock' potential, helping to remind people of the cool thing that they did.

Here is the latest version of the character equipping mat.

Feedback and suggestions welcome

By request, it is 17 inches high and 22 inches wide, to fit on the coaching tables.

Jason Robinette wrote: Unpopular opinion/suggestion:

With the proliferation of slotless tokens, it might be nice if something was done to put them in check... a new slot that can fit a Holy Symbol only for Clerics wouldn't accomplish a lot, but it would limit them to one Holy Symbol.

A slot for a 'sharpener' to fit the Whetstone or Picc's Grindstone might be good. Especially if it gave a very light bonus if the slot is NOT filled, to benefit the new players and give them a free bonus to offset their limited token pool.

Slotless tokens are great and should not be capped any more than they already are IMO. The app currently caps slotless at around 27. When token design is happening. this is an area that is considered often for tokens. Tokens have been moved in and out--from Slotless to other slots.

The mats cannot accommodate all of the differences between classes. Whetstone and Picc's Grindstone already have a place in Slotless. They are not available in a sealed run either.

Jason Robinette wrote: Here is the latest version of the character equipping mat.

Feedback and suggestions welcome

By request, it is 17 inches high and 22 inches wide, to fit on the coaching tables.

I like the Mainhand and Offhand Slots being prominent in the Middle instead of the top edges like on the current mats;

The label draws attention to an area. It may be better to place the labels above the two tokens for MELEE or even use MELEE EQUIPMENT since mats are mainly used in sealed. RANGED OR RANGED EQUIPMENT would be above the ranged tokens. (BAUBLES sits above IOUN STONE). Placing the labels above adds to the importance of these slots and is clearer to new players.

The text in the Melee Offhand token could be improved to: (Shield) or (Weapon if Ranger or Monk). The parenthesis separation indicates when two weapons can be used by the two classes. Capitalizing the "W" in weapon keeps consistent with the text in the other slots.

The Ranged label and the rectangle backround around the ranged tokens should probably be the same background as the Melee. The backgrounds for Ranged slots are currently lost in the picture and do not stand out.