Tempted to build a gaming table

Like many gamers, I play on the floor or at the kitchen table when it comes time to game. I have been looking for a way to make a decent gaming table, that could also double as a dining table if we wanted to. I think I might have found it as well.

Of course it does look a bit cheaper then I would like, but for a bit more money and crafting capabilities, I think ti could come out looking awesome. The exact build the table the above used can be found here, and like I said, it is a very good starting off point I think.

Of course this is just for me specifically since I am finding myself leaning more and more towards enjoyment of various games that play well on 4'x4' tables. Warmachine, Anima Tactics, and Firestorm Armada being prime examples.

Just giving the build instructions a quick glance shows some areas that immediately pop out as what I would like to do differently.

First I would want to make this a bit more permanent then the original, however still capable of being transported should I decide to move out of my house or whatever. I imagine higher quality bracing around the slits, and possibly some type of locking screws, would do the trick.

Second would be the gaming surface itself. I am thinking that it might be nice to have a recessed gaming area under the table top. The table top being for standard eating, socializing, and gaming if we're feeling lazy. The recessed area though would be so we can keep games going between sessions. This could make longer games of Descent, Talisman, Warmachine, and numerous other games a much high potential of actually finishing.

The third thing I would like to see changed is the remove the solid boards from the underside, and add a storage area for gaming terrain and whatnot. This would go a long way towards helping opening out the shelves and the house in general if these were stored out of sight and gave us more room to actually put family pics and whatnot up on the shelves without it looking weird next to all our various terrain. I imagine you could keep the sides 'solid' in a way, just put some hinges on the panels, but my main concern is finding some spider ready kill me hiding in the shadow.

Lots of possibilities, but some major draw backs for me though. namely lack of skill AND tools needed to get the job done. I'll have to see what I can do about this overall, as well as look at other gaming table plans on the internet.