Building blocks for a labyrinth, ideas wanted

[Rhoderic]

Lately I've spent a lot of time planning a highly modular labyrinth for BA and similar games, but I keep getting stuck with the boring, practical bits. There's specifically one thing that I'm having a surprising amount of trouble with. Let me explain:

The labyrinth I want to build would be kind of a 3D version of that children's boardgame, "The aMAZEing Labyrinth" (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/1219), with a bunch of tiles that can be slid around to create different paths. I'd like to model a 60 x 60 cm board with 10 x 10 tiles. Each tile would have a square pillar in each corner (with walls running between some of the pillars). These pillars are the problem. For 100 tiles, I need 400 of them. I'd like some extra tiles for the sake of flexibility, so let's say 500 pillars. I was thinking they'd be about 1 x 1 x 5 cm (the exact dimensions aren't so important, so long as they're all the same). Most importantly, I need them all to stand up perfectly straight... well, maybe not perfectly straight, but close enough. That makes me reluctant to simply get a lot of 1 x 1 cm balsa and saw it by hand. I don't have access to a table saw or anything like that. I suspect that a lumberyard would charge more than I'm willing to pay for sawing 500 pieces like that.

So, is there some more clever option that I haven't thought of? I've considered LEGOs and Hirst Arts blocks but they're both too expensive. I'm actually surprised that something this trivial is giving me so big a headache

[Ruarigh]

Not sure if you are into card modelling, but the WWG chunky dungeon or Mini-chunk (http://www.worldworksgames.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=114) might suit your purpose. I have this set and plan to build it one day, but then I say that about all of their sets, some of which do actually get built.

Another option might be to not use pillars in the corners. Instead, make short lengths of wall using foamcore. These would have the same function but would be easier to cut and build at the correct angles.

[Dewbakuk]

Small Jenga blocks? I don't have a set to check but I wouldn't be surprised if they're somewhere around that. The game comes in different sizes.

[gamer Mac]

If you are wanting cheap try this. The pillar is just a WIP for a temple I am making. It is made out off Foam core and card. Then painted with textured paint. Still to finish painting this one but you can get the idea.



Painted

[Svennn]

Have you seen this?
http://www.victorialamb.com/wugs/labyrintus/Labyrintus.html

[Rhoderic]

I'm aware of the Labyrintus game and provided it's not prohibitively expensive, I'd like to buy it when it's released. That said, I think it's a tad small for my purposes (it seems to be about 30 x 30 cm), and I like the idea of a labyrinth with sliding tiles more than one with moveable walls. Nevertheless I'm really looking forward to Labyrintus and hoping it'll be affordable.

I've been looking around for stuff like Jenga blocks myself. Most wooden blocks of this sort seem quite expensive though. As for not using pillars at all, it's an option, but I fear it would make the tiles join up in a much uglier way. That's the problem with making a modular labyrinth like this: You need pillars in every corner for it to look right. Notice how the Labyrintus game uses pillars too.

[Dewbakuk]

The other option is to make a single one, mold it and then cast them. Latex for molding can be picked up quite cheaply. It's not the best stuff to make molds from but it works. The real downside to this is time though, casting 500 pieces is going to take a long time.

I think your best bet is to get some 1x1 wood. Rather than balsa, have a look at 'Beading' racks in DIY stores. They have all sorts of dowel thicknesses and patterned wood, but they also have squared lengths as well. Should be cheaper than balsa, if a little harder to cut, less likely to be damaged by the cut though. Do you know anyone with a scrollsaw or similar? Would make life easier.

[Rhoderic]

I briefly considered something like your casting idea, only using cheap modelling clay (DAS Pronto) and press-moulds instead. Since I don't have to let it dry in the mould, it could go much faster. I was thinking that in order to get perfect shapes, I could build the moulds out of some LEGOs. But then I remembered that from my previous experiences with DAS, it warps a lot when it dries

[Rhoderic]

BTW, Gamer Mac, how do you manage to cut your foamcore so neatly? The foam always gets squished along the cut when I do it.

I suppose "sharp knives" is the answer, but in my experience foam tends to be murder on modelling knives.

[gamer Mac]

You said it "Sharp knives". I use one of these stanley knives. Quite cheap compared to a modelling knife blade. Also gives you a better, neater, square cut.

Retractable snap off blade

[Col.Stone]

Rhoderic, go to Jula.se, look for kontursåg, they have one for 500SEK
then buy some patterned woodstrips  (vägglister eller vad det heter (sry swedish)
then spend all christmas cutting strips 

[Operator5]

For the Curse of the Jackal God that I am working on for mid 2009, I am going to include a printable pillar. It is designed to be wrapped around a 1" diameter dowel and glued. Then slide it off the dowel and glue to the base (I would suggest foamcore or for more stability a 1" square piece of wood.

You can print out as many as you like.