Yesterday I talked about how I ordered a table. Now let’s talk about that specific table that I ordered and why I picked it out of all the market. There are reasons that drew me to the Jasper board game table from BoardGameTables.com. But before we get to that, let’s talk about what I wanted in a board game table.

Why I Wanted One

Besides the fact that a board game table just seems cool. I did have reasons that I wanted to get one. In particular with Malts and Meeples I want to stream campaign games. However, with my current set-up that means every time I stream, I set-up the game, set-up the cameras, set-up the lights. It isn’t too bad when I play something like Paper Dungeons, but with Sleeping Gods, I needed 25-30 minutes to rush to set it up every time.

And I don’t consider Sleeping Gods to be that hard when it comes to set-up. So other games that I want to try, things like Folklore: The Affliction or Solomon Kane or Middara: Unintentional Malum Act 1, those are much bigger. That means it’s going to be a whole lot more work to get it to the table. And some evenings with a toddler, I am rushing at the very last second to get stuff ready for the stream.

I could stream later, start at 8:30, buy an extra half hour. But that is not that useful for me a lot of the time. Mainly Marvel shows come out on Wednesday and I like to watch them without it getting late. So I like that start time at least for myself right now. And having a table with a topper would solve a lot of the problem.

What I Wanted in a Board Game Table?

So what did I want in a board game table? Firstly and most importantly, I wanted a table that I could get a topper for. So one with a decent recess to play at one level, and then the topper for normal gaming. I also wanted to get one that would fit the playmats that I already have.

So I own three Watson sized playmats from Board Game Toppers LLC. They do some with great artwork. So I didn’t want to not be able to use that. I want a table that is going to fit it nicely on top or on the inside.

There are other elements as well that interest me. I wanted to work with a company that had stuff in stock. Too many companies run Kickstarters or Gamefound campaigns that are going to be delayed for when they ship them out. I also wanted one where they’d have accessories in stock later. Stuff like cup holders are very nice. I do have TV trays that drinks can be put on, but a cup holder is also very nice.

Jasper by Board Game Tables

So why did I pick this one?

Let’s start out by talking about price. Board game tables are not cheap and to get everything I wanted at once, and to get new chairs, it probably would have been $2000+. That is more than I’d be selling from my collection.

So I looked it down to more stripped down options. And I looked at a few different companies before landing on the Jasper by Board Game Tables. The big thing for me, like I said, is the topper and using the mats that I already had. I found a place that would do more custom work, but that was more expensive. No surprise there, really. But that is the only way to get the mats I had to fit in the recessed area.

The Jasper by Board Game Tables, on the other hand, comes with a mat. That means that I already had something that’d fit down in it. It with the topper fits, however, the Watson playmats from Game Toppers LLC just about perfectly. The width is right and the length is just the tiniest bit longer for the table, but that is the right direction to err.

So just with that, the shipping, table, and topper, the whole thing came to $1400, much better than a $2000+ bill for something custom. And the other companies out there, like Wyrmwood, they make amazing extremely high quality and hand crafted projects. However, that also made their base stuff more expensive, and less ideal for the playmats that I already had.

Final Thoughts on a Board Game Table

Board games are 100% a luxury item. And I am fine picking up something like that. On an average week, I would use the table three times, or two, for playing games. It’d also help make streaming easier for me.

I love to stream board games. But it becomes work towards the end of most campaign games. The amount of set-up as you unlock more things, that can be a lot. Even if a game is not a legacy game with unlocks, some games just have a ton. I don’t even know how to film something like Middara: Unintentional Malum Act 1 because of how much it has.

But a game table is going to help me out a lot. And I am excited to get it and get it set-up. I ordered the game yesterday and I know the shipping labels are printed already. I hope that it gets picked up today. If that is the came, sometime this weekend it’d likely show up. And when it does, I’ll be posting pictures on Twitter.

Do you want or have a specific table for playing games? Is it like my current one an DIY project and do you want a recessed one like I am getting?

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