Greetings, Adventurers!

Last week, I published the first release of OpenScreen, a free, fully modular DM screen system designed for 3D printing that is entirely Open Source.

What's that mean?

Free. Duh, you don't pay for it. And you never will. There's no Patreon, no premium tier, no "buy the deluxe pack" nonsense.

Modular. Open Screen builds DM screens out of 5 different types of parts that mix and match.

Open Source. This is the big one. Anyone can design and publish Open Screen-compatible parts, because let's face it, I can't think of everything (also I'm a gamer, not an engineer).

A Little Bit More About the Open Screen System

The open screen system uses 5 distinct parts, each with a specific function:

1. Panels - These are the main panels of your DM screen.  We've built several 4-panel configurations already, although it's quite possible for 3- or 5-panel configurations in the future.  All panels include: (a) Zipper slots for connecting Joints; (b) slots along the top and bottom edges for attaching Toppers; (c) internal snaps for attaching Plates; and (d) holes on the front side for attaching Skins. 
2. Joints - These are the parts that connect between the Panels.  The most common Joint is the Hinge Joint, but there are endless possibilities for what can be attached as a Joint, particularly at the end of your screen.
3. Toppers - These are parts that fit along the top of your DM screen.  Like with a cardboard screen, there is plenty of room for creativity for things like tracking initiative, or even more creative hardware uses like holding a reading light for the DM.
4. Skins - These are slim 2mm panels that fit on the outside of your DM screen (facing the players).
5. Plates - This is where the action is: Plates are the functional pieces of your DM screen, whether you're looking for something to hold a piece of paper, or a dice tower.  Plates come in two parts: The Base Plate which has the Snaps for connecting to your Panels, and The Top Plate, which is where the functional bits are.  You'll need to attach a Base Plate to a Top Plate in order to have a working Panel.

Our design philosophy is simple: We designed all of our parts to be easily printable, with the important bits facing up on the build plate, and using as few supports as possible (although, don't be surprised: the panels use supports in the zipper slots).

Hardware: We expect anything you can do in the Open Screen system to be achievable with Glue, however for best results, we recommend the following:

1. 5mm M3 Screws - These are used to attach Skins to Panels, and used as the standard for connecting Base Plates and Top Plates.  Additionally some Panels may use screws in their assembly.
2. M3 Hex Nuts - These are primarily for connecting Top Plates to Base Plates and are completely optional.  We've done a lot of testing with screws only and the plates hold just fine.
3. 6mm x 2mm Magnets - There are a lot of optional uses for these magnets (for example, there are recesses in the Panels that allow you to use magnets to help keep them closed) and some Panels will require them to function (for example, the magnetic Initiative Tracker).   Additionally, the snaps that connect Panels to Plates are sized to accept 6mm magnets, however in testing we found that the snaps hold incredibly well without them.

I need your help.

This is v1. I designed it, printed it, tested it, but I'm one person with one printer. To get this from "interesting hobby project" to "a real ecosystem people that people find valuable at the table," I need help from the community. Here's where you come in:

Design more parts & accessories. This is the big ask, and the most exciting one for me. The whole point of going open source is that the accessory library belongs to everyone.

If you've always wanted a [your-favorite-thing] holder on your DM screen: a spell card slot, a condition tracker, a custom monster reference, an ambient lighting topper....you name it, you can design it, print it and share it with the community.

Give me feedback. Is this interesting? Is it cool? Did I waste a bunch of weekend time building this? Please tell me. I'm happy to answer questions in the comments. And if you print one, please tag me! I want to see what people do with it.

What's Parts of the System Are Available Today?

Like I mentioned Above, I certainly haven't thought of everything, but here's what I released in the initial release of the system:

• The base configuration (Panels & Joints) (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811241)
• Plate - Dice Drawer (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811272)
• Plate - Dice Tower (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811299)
• Plate - Magnetic Initiative Tracker (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811344)
• Plate - Token Rings & Holder (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811367) Plate - Paper Receivers (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811393)
• Plate - Magnetic Clipboard (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811412)
• Plate - Storage Shelf (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811421)
• Skin - Basic Skin Pack (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811443)
• Topper - Dice Jail (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2811447)
• Joints - Additional Configurations (D & E) (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2827176)

Other Information

• This posting is mod approved. I realize that it may not be the typical Behind-The-Screen Project, but I received permission to post. I hope the community enjoys what I've put together.
• I realize that "world's first" might feel like an exaggeration, however I can not find other DM Screens online that are all of these things: Open-Source, Free, Modular and 3D-Printable. I was recently told "a folder and paper clips is all of those things", and if this offends you, I'm sorry.
• The basis for this system, as well as all of the first-party models that have been released were painstakingly modeled using Fusion 360. AI was not used in the modeling. Candidly, if AI were used in the modeling, I wouldn't think the project was any less cool, but I know that there are some strongly-held opinions on the topic, and out of respect for those opinions, I've made this clarification.
• Makerworld rewards contributors such as myself with points, which entitle those contributors to real-world rewards such as BambuLabs gift cards, at no cost to the end-user. By making the choice to post as an Open-Source Project, I am eligible for the minimum rewards that this program has to offer. I do not believe that this conflicts with the premise that this project is Free.