Game Storage Solutions

[rexbinary]

Now that I've FINALLY picked up FC, YAY! I am looking at it trying to determine some storage solutions.

Counters - Plano boxes or bead boxes from the hobby/craft stores.

Ship Cards - Will these fit in half binder sheet protectors?

Rule and Scenario Books - standard size three ring binder (Should have ordered pre-punched!)

Map boards and Player Aids - Will these fit in standard three ring binder sheet protectors?

Any suggestions?

[JimDauphinais]

Ship Cards - Will these fit in half binder sheet protectors?

Yes, they will.

Rule and Scenario Books - standard size three ring binder (Should have ordered pre-punched!)

Even the Reference Rulebook is only 120 pages or so. So, I find it is easier and quicker to find things in it if I have it in the form of a bound copy. My RRB5 was punched, put in page protectors and placed in a three-ring binder. My printed RRB6b PDF is staple bound on the edge (two staples) and is working better for me that using a three ring binder (but I have access to a good duplex stapling printer/copier at my office that even allowed me to use cardstock for the cover and back).

If you have an iPad, the PDF on that might work the best of all. I have a Kobo eReader. The rulebook is very readable on it, but I had to split the RRB6b PDF file into a bunch of single section PDF files so that I could reasonably navigate through the rulebook on the Kobo (the Kobo doesn't have table of contents, jump to page or search functionality for PDFs). The paper copy still works a bit better than the Kobo version. Results might be better on a Nook or Kindle than on the Kobo as I believe they have search and jump to page functionality for PDFs.

I keep the individual module rulebooks and Briefing #1 in a plastic expanding folder since I rarely access them.

My Communiques are in binders.

[ericphillips]

I use the bead boxes from Michaels for counters.

Lots of people use the half sheet plastic protector for their cards and put them in binders. I use plastic "envelopes" I guess you can call it. One for each empire, and carry them around in a larger storage box.

The only problem with using the half sheet protectors and their binders is if you print out and laminate ship cards from e23. The lamination makes them not fit. If you don't laminate them, they will fit, and you can mark on the protector with a dry or wet erase, but eventually you will get the sheet dirty with ink.

Head to any print counter, Office Depot or FedEx Kinkos and they can cut the spine off and three punch it for bnding. Or just punch the smaller books that come with the Border and Attack modules; you dont have to cut the spine for those to bind.

[Scoutdad]

Now that I've FINALLY picked up FC, YAY! I am looking at it trying to determine some storage solutions. Any suggestions?

You've already gotten some answers, but I've got to put in my two Quatloos worth.

Counters - Plano boxes or bead boxes from the hobby/craft stores.

Yep. Bead boxes from Michaels/Hobby Lobby are the cheapeast solution, but I like the Plano boxes myself. Bass Pro Shops had a big sale a couple years ago and I cleaned them out.
20 for SFB (one for each of the 16 major races and 4 to split everything else)
24 or so for Federation and Empire (3 per Empire, plus a couple of spares)
4 for Fed Comm. (3 currently in use... one Alliance, one Coalition, and one Generic) By removing some of the dividers in teh generic one, I can fit dry erase markers, impulse cards, command cards, dice, counters, etc.

Ship Cards - Will these fit in half binder sheet protectors?

Yes... they will fit in the half size sheet protectord/binders.
[Eric: When I print the ones from Communique, I scale them to half size, trim the edges a bit, and then laminate two side-by-side. After laminating, I cut them apart and trim to 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 and add to the existign binders.]

Rule and Scenario Books - standard size three ring binder (Should have ordered pre-punched!)

I have a RRB that is in sheet protectors and a 3 ring binder. That's the refernce version, sitting at my desk for writing scenarios and researching.
I have 2 travel versions that were unbound/unpunched. I laminated the covers and took them to Kinkos and had them spiral bound. They will now wrap around on themselves and lay flat at any point in the book. (Takes up less space on the table that way!)
I also have access to a comb binder at work, so all of my scenarios have been placed in a separate bundle, punched, and had comb bindings installed. We don't need to refernce them as often, but it's handle for travel (conventions... firends... etc.)

Map boards and Player Aids - Will these fit in standard three ring binder sheet protectors?

Yes, with caveats. The player aids, no problem. The map boards will fit - but only one to a pocket. I did find some "large document", top load sheet protectors at Walmart that were designed to hold thicker documents. You can easily fit two panels in them (three if you're careful when inserting and removing). I still carry a dozen of so map boards in a separate 3 ring binder in this manner. Unfortunately, the other 40 or so panels just stand on the shelf in the game room.

[rexbinary]

Great stuff everyone! Thank you so much for all the feedback.

[Scoutdad]

This also came up in a previous thread.

there are some photo links there.

[rexbinary]

So I purchased everything for storage, and have been working on getting everything organized this weekend. I only currently have the Klingon Border REV6 rule book and the Klingon Attack Scenario & Ship Guide booklet. They are both bound and unpunched. I wanted to get them punched only so I could store them in a three ring binder.

I went to Staples, Officemax, and Office Depot trying to get them punched. Staples punched the Scenario booklet for free with an electric punch, but all of the places said they could not punch the rule book without removing the binding because it was too thick.

So as a last ditch effort, I tried FedEx Office (formerly Kinko's). I asked the clerk if he thought he could punch it or if it was too thick? He laughed and said "We have a drill press. I can three hole punch a phonebook." Sure enough, it took him all of a minute to punch it.

Going forward I will be sure to specify "Bound, hole punched" when I place my orders.

[rexbinary]

The results!

Federation Commander: Klingon Border, Klingon Attack, and Boosters 1-6:



The front and side of my binder with FC slip cover inserts:



The back of my binder with the FC slip cover back:



Pocket page in the binder for markers, dice, clips, etc.:



Klingon Border Rulebook in the binder:



Player aid and mounted map in sheet protectors in the binder:



Half-binder containing all the ship cards in sheet protectors:



Bead box with all the counters:

[Savedfromwhat]

We have almost the exact same setup looks like the same rule binder even. Just fyi if u buy every product including boosters you will need 6 of the mini binders with ships distributed evenly. The booster pack covers make great front pages for those as well. (I use the romilan border cover on my binder... I wonder why)

[Blammo]

Very nice layout for organizing your materials.

One thing I also do (to save time) is I keep a "GO" book. My go book it a binder with the materials I will need for whatever the next battle I will play or run. That way, when the time comes, I can just open that book and my rule book and I have everything I need. Saves me a lot of time.

[Kang]

Go book. Nice if you can do that; because I own about half the material our group plays with - or did until Jon got KB - mine was more of a 'Go Suitcase'

[Wolverin61]

Go book. Nice if you can do that; because I own about half the material our group plays with - or did until Jon got KB - mine was more of a 'Go Suitcase'

Used to have an SFB suitcase myself, which has been superseded by the SFB plastic storage bin.

[Blammo]

SFB Suitcase...LOL. Yeah, I remember I had a duffle bag for my SFB and F&E stuff. We were playing a campaign in my group using F&E for the Strategic and SFB for the actual battles. Was a hassle to transport, set up, take down, keep track of (especially being before the wide availability and affordability of computers), but I loved it!