So, hopefully, someone will know someone that can pull this off, and since it was my idea, maybe they will give me a friends and family discount if it ever makes it to market, lol.

One of the biggest problems I have in X-Wing is the unintentional bumping of the ships when placing maneuver templates, or moving the actual ships. Let alone when the templates actually cross through another ship, etc.

So, knowing that, here is my proposed solution.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9DreCYABujJYnZPMk04YmRsSlU/edit?usp=sharing

Ok, so here is the basics.

Imagine those laser pointers you had as a kid that came from Wal-Mart. The ones that had like 10-12 different "lens filters" that would project a smiley face or a heart, etc.

That's the idea here, with a few simple modifications.

The laser would be attached to a post of fixed length (more later) and would have quickly detachable (or rotating filters like a revolver cylinder) filters that would project the image of a movement template onto the table.

By using a fixed height off the play surface, you can guarantee "scale" compatibility with the factory maneuver templates.

If you were to use a "revolver" style filter system, it would be nearly as fast as picking up the templates.

This would allow un-hindered movement of the ships and take away the need to "manipulate" the play surface so much with your hands and the templates. Think of how much easier it would be to "fly through" or simply move the ship along the template to keep the EXACT facing that your ship would have after a collision.

You would select the maneuver, line up the projection with the nubs, hold the post in place and move the ship along the projected template. If you wanted to get fancy, you could have the post mounted to a small rubber washer or block at the bottom for stability.

Anyways - what do you guys think?

I can see this. It's a very cool idea. But it has issues. That said, I like it, and if you make one I will buy one. Kickstarter it.

What would work better is a play surface that is a projection screen table. You "post" your play surface from below, hook it through a laptop, and load up any map to project, any template to project.

I've seen this done with a D&D table that projected the dungeon (with fog of war and character sight lines)!

What would work better is a play surface that is a projection screen table. You "post" your play surface from below, hook it through a laptop, and load up any map to project, any template to project.

I've seen this done with a D&D table that projected the dungeon (with fog of war and character sight lines)!

What I forgot was that there was a camera that could "see" the base on the table and knew what each base was. When you moved it, it automaticaly updated the map to where the bases new position was, and would lift the fog of war to what the character could see. Some guys had just put it together with a laptop, camera, projector, and some custom software.

That was also back in the 3.0-3.5 days when minitaures were coming back to RPG.

Found it here:

http://public.snt002.df.livefilestore.com/y2pPf99rnU3yvXk8GwzB8xKhr9QbpI8FjcSvU1TcOHoABNCpTtYA7NrwnIxZTFVJ5Bc1bqyk39-rXrlf8Ouza1ZThnQqf_SBi5aX3ij4dTgciY/GameTable.jpg?rdrts=78509899

Microsoft Surface table.

RFID chips on ship bases.

Programmed game environment to project arcs, range information, track damage, etc.

One major problem with the idea is the variable size due to range. You noted that you'd have it a fixed distance from the board, but then how does it project the templates where they are needed? Either you'd have a system of slides/pulleys to move the post around the board, which would be over the whole board, making it large/cumbersome; or you'd have to angle the laser pointer, which changes the distance and distorts the template. These issues can be overcome, but it'd take work.

One major problem with the idea is the variable size due to range. You noted that you'd have it a fixed distance from the board, but then how does it project the templates where they are needed? Either you'd have a system of slides/pulleys to move the post around the board, which would be over the whole board, making it large/cumbersome; or you'd have to angle the laser pointer, which changes the distance and distorts the template. These issues can be overcome, but it'd take work.

The whole thing is one mobile unit. You move it from ship to ship and it shoots the templates down at a fixed distance to preserve scale.

One major problem with the idea is the variable size due to range. You noted that you'd have it a fixed distance from the board, but then how does it project the templates where they are needed? Either you'd have a system of slides/pulleys to move the post around the board, which would be over the whole board, making it large/cumbersome; or you'd have to angle the laser pointer, which changes the distance and distorts the template. These issues can be overcome, but it'd take work.

You put it on a single peg that's x inches long and hold it flat straight above the center of the template.

You would have to position the laser directly above the template's position or you'll get parallax error on your projection. That means that you will have to be able to move on the x and the y direction for positioning. That would take considerable more time than picking up the template and placing it, the only advantage being a furball situation that would make placing the template difficult.

You would need an arm 36 inches long to accomodate the x positioning, and at that length you'll get bending occuring (due to the weight) or you have to go with a gantry setup, at which point it takes up your entire field of view overtop of the table.

You would have to position the laser directly above the template's position or you'll get parallax error on your projection. That means that you will have to be able to move on the x and the y direction for positioning. That would take considerable more time than picking up the template and placing it, the only advantage being a furball situation that would make placing the template difficult.

You would need an arm 36 inches long to accomodate the x positioning, and at that length you'll get bending occuring (due to the weight) or you have to go with a gantry setup, at which point it takes up your entire field of view overtop of the table.

I can tell you from desktop experiments in my office that it doesn't have to be nearly that long.

I took a green laser with a diffuser from a stage light and laser printed the template onto it.

With my rudimentary model, it has to be about 11-13" off the table and the entire thing is completely mobile and roughly the overall total size of a cardboard tube you would ship legal paper in.

I think you are somewhat confused as to how it is supposed to work.

You would have to position the laser directly above the template's position or you'll get parallax error on your projection. That means that you will have to be able to move on the x and the y direction for positioning. That would take considerable more time than picking up the template and placing it, the only advantage being a furball situation that would make placing the template difficult.

You would need an arm 36 inches long to accomodate the x positioning, and at that length you'll get bending occuring (due to the weight) or you have to go with a gantry setup, at which point it takes up your entire field of view overtop of the table.

I can tell you from desktop experiments in my office that it doesn't have to be nearly that long.

I took a green laser with a diffuser from a stage light and laser printed the template onto it.

With my rudimentary model, it has to be about 11-13" off the table and the entire thing is completely mobile and roughly the overall total size of a cardboard tube you would ship legal paper in.

I think you are somewhat confused as to how it is supposed to work.

I may well be shorter than that, but then you are putting it on the play surface, and if the laser is not situated with any ability to move it in the X, then the base will be next to the ship base to do its projection (cause if it isn't, and it is at any form of angle, you'll get parallax error) so then it would be amongst the furball and not getting in the way how exactly?

Parallax error (think of the eyes as the laser light projection and you'll see my point):

It may very well work, but I don't think it will be practical and the possibility of error for even the slightest angle is high.

dont know if it would work and besides we never *manipulated something on the table* cause in our shop we have fair sportmanship and the thing is to much high-tech that would make us look more nerdic as we are right now. I know that some guys sometimes use laser pointers to clarify the firing arc probs unclear situations thats cool tough but using a stand and other things on the we all know full packed table with pilot cards, dmg deck and templates would hinder and slow the game more down as it would help cause we have to attach and dettach the lens filters and then position the pointer to the so beloved position and such. nah i for myself would never use it and if someone does i wouldnt even lend him a hand by doing such action cause it would just go on my nerves with all those little things that would take 10 mins or more ? to have the perfect result ?

Ps: sorry for my bad grammar iam speaking 4 languages and english is not my main language but i try to get better ;P ( go away grammar nazis >;P )

Why not have a small laser diode that is mounted on the base, with a coin cell battery behind it, and a lens on the front that projects the beam at the 80* front arc angle with a slight downward tilt that forces it to stop at the ship's maximum range? Any post or base that is illuminated would be in range. It could even be made to project a bump or dotted line at the R2 and R1 bands.

I actually had an idea but it was much more complex.

Using a table computer (much like microsoft's surface one) you could create a program that makes the templates and can register where exactly the ship is. There are endless possibilities we wrote down but the issue is A) cost of the computer table. and B) programming

@Sergovan: You will not get parallax error.

This type of parallax arises when your ruler is very high. A laser projection has zero height.

You are projecting onto the upper surface - the top of the games table. In your diagram the point at which your red and green lines cross is on the tabletop is where you are reading the result. To get parallax you would need to be able to see through the table, which you cannot do unless it is made of glass.

Even if you were to move your head around, you couldn't get parallax. You will also see exactly when the beam starts to climb up the base of the ship, so you know the exact point on the tabletop that marks the end of the template - assuming you didn't get crazy optical effects as the plastic is clear.

@ moppers

It is not the ruler height that matters, it is the angle to which the laser is projected onto the surface. Any angling of it and parallax occurs as the shape distorts.

I was trying to show in the diagram how the distortion would occur if the angle of the laser projection is off, that's why I am saying treat the "eyes" like the laser projector.

It would be very hard to line up the laser directly, 100%, above the template's position as they are different templates and you have to be able to manipulate it into position.

What is the accuracy of the rig going to be? .01, .001, .0001?

Errors in an angles deviation multiply over distance. How far above the table is this thing going to sit to clear everything? 6", 12".

How far is it going to be away from the center pole to be in position to project over a ship's base? 2-4-6"

How often would you need to calibrate it?

It would be a neat visual tool to see but I don't think it will pass the practical.

@sergovan: You know of the height and angle of the beam emitter. You take this into account when creating the template. It's not possible to suffer parallax error in this situation.

My biggest worry is eye safety and weird refractions in the clear base.