DM Utilities

Azure Trance · May 5, 2004

Correct me if I'm wrong but the major (three) supported DM programs are Roleplaying Master, DM Genie and DM Familiar, right? I finally got a laptop and am shopping around. Also, is it me or as I read on the site for DM Familiar do patches cost money?

Hand of Evil · May 6, 2004

You also have Twin Rose Software Campaign Manager.

I don't think patches have a cost but upgrades do.

kingpaul · May 6, 2004

PCGen also has a plug-in called GMGen that is a DM utility.

DMFTodd · May 6, 2004

Patches for DM's Familiar do not cost anything. The upgrade mentioned on the website was for folks who bought DMF very early at a lower price.

There's also Crystal Ball for the Mac, Helge's DM Screen, and probably some others that I am forgetting. If you're looking specifically towards Combat Management it's DM's Familiar, Roleplaying Master, DM Genie, and GMGen as far as I know.

AutoSponge · May 7, 2004

IMO, they all have their benefits but I've learned (only recently) it's better to roll your own dice in front of the players. So, given that, just spend the least amount of money on the product that will give you the functions you need. For me, DMF acts like a database to help me find rules, spells, items, or monster stats quickly--but that's about it.

Other programs I run in a typical session are the NPC generator, NPC treasure generator, excel, GSNotes, and Adobe Acrobat.

Setanta · May 7, 2004

AutoSponge said:
IMO, they all have their benefits but I've learned (only recently) it's better to roll your own dice in front of the players.

That hasn't been my experience. At first, my players were a bit suspicious of the nefarious computer when it would get on a hot streak, but after a few sessions using DM's Familiar, they saw that it all averages out fine, just like dice, but it makes my combat rounds go much faster.

DMFTodd · May 7, 2004

but after a few sessions using DM's Familiar, they saw that it all averages out fine, just like dice

DMF also has a "Test Dice Roller" function where you can roll 10,000 dice and show the players the results. Not that this convinces them though. My players are convinced the computer is out to get them. But then again, they think I have "lucky dice" that are out to get them as well.

As Autosponge notes though, you don't have to use a particular feature of DMF if you don't want to.