What are the different game board materials that people have seen used in the past, and what are some that might work but haven't been tried.
Chipboard, cardboard, wood, clear plastic glass are the only ones that come to mind. What other materials are there that would work, and which might be the more cost effective to produce.
I have seen game boards made from all types of fabric. It might be hard to make such boards look professional, but they can be pretty cost effective.
Most common of course are cardboard, plastic and wood, these are also the cheapest. I've seen a few amateur games with boards of some kind of metal of steel and indeed a pirate's game on fabric. I don't recall any names, sadly.
In a movie my dad have seen, a prisoner had made a set of chess pieces with food (ex:Dry bread) and played with himself to make sure he does not become crazy.
So after earing about a movie like this, I would say that you can craft a game out of anything.
A beige stripe of velour Rug to glue on the the insides of the token box and a crimson velvet "towel" (Sorry dunno the name, more quadratic than rectangular, sized rather like the bandanas you knot around the neck than a towel) with the game field painted on it wich also is transported in the box.
The tokens ---> rings of precious semi emerald stones like Jade, bought in a jewelry - now you know WHY rug softening the inside of the the token box.
Not worth to mention but back in the days of my first games little Foamy liked to make gigantic game boards made of paper, glued together with stripes, and then when this became too small either I came to the idea to try out a mega traveling game (like dice and walk the fields) that consisted of a DinA4 sized book for notices and you would walk over it and when you reach the end of a double-page you would proceed to the next page. The 2nd never was produced and the first only was an unfinished attempt, because I would*ve needed to paint a 2nd book for 2nd player with exactly the same content - and it was the time before I had a printer, but it was a pretty neat idea. Lol.
So, what about a role-able game board that could fit inside a tube? Of course, who would want to buy a game in a tube?
Cwali's early games such as ZooSim and Titicaca came in a tube. It's true, though, that many people don't like games that come in a tube, because it is an awkward shape when storing the game.
I've sold many games printed on cloth boards and rolled into tubes. I've now migrated from felt boards which I've had to get cut and printed myself to getting custom printed bandanas from bandanaman.com, and I have started getting plastic packaging from www.placon.com.
It's doable, if your game graphics are on the simple side. I'm not recommending it if your game board is a realistic relief map of Europe, though.
Consider also that a mass produced game will not be able to use the same material than handmade game.
I like the idea of a game in a tube. It takes less space and the box damage itself more easily than a tube. I am sure that producing a tube is easier than a box. The only problem is where do you store the tube, it does not stack as easily than boxes.
Shipping is also a problem if we're getting to business concerns. If someone orders one tube game, I simply wrap it in paper and send that. Two or more tubes and you're scrambing for boxes which are oddly shaped or very big for the thing you want to send.
So, what about a role-able game board that could fit inside a tube? Of course, who would want to buy a game in a tube?
Actually, Axe, you may have something there. Especially when digital ink becomes common-place. There are already games in a tube:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=5846
Don't forget good ol' tennis balls (just kidding!)
Mitch
So, what about a role-able game board that could fit inside a tube? Of course, who would want to buy a game in a tube?
Lots of people do. It's called LCR... and that game sucks big time.
I designed a board made of perler beads (also called fuse beads). But they can break easy if used too rough.
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Like a screen print? Oh yeah, I've heard of one by Back Yard Games (I think that was it) a pirate game with a map gameboard.
I wonder if that would cost less or not?