Laptops - What programs or resources do you use to help you run or play your games?

Olaf the Stout

Hero

• Apr 14, 2010

• #1

In the previous thread I asked if people used laptops to help run or play their games. Since I have just inherited my dad's old laptop I am looking at using it to help run my D&D 3.5E game. So I was wondering what programs, tools or resources people you use to help you run or play their games?

I'm generally thinking of programs, tools or resources that are actually used during the session, but something used outside the sessions is probably equally useful and relevant to this thread.

So what do you use?

Olaf the Stout

 

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MerricB

Eternal Optimist

Supporter

• Apr 14, 2010

• #2

My sessions (which I run as DM) will typically have the following programs running in:

* Google Chrome, accessing D&D Insider
* Microsoft Word, which has the adventure I'm running in some cases
* Microsoft Excel, which I use to track combat HP and initiative
* D&D Character Builder, for a GM-PC if necessary
* D&D Monster Builder, when modifying/adding monsters

Cheers!

 

Allenchan

First Post

• Apr 14, 2010

• #3

SumatraPDF, Firefox, OpenOffice. I keep it simple.

 

G

Gilwen

Explorer

• Apr 14, 2010

• #4

When I DM and use a computer I have one note up for my encounters. I use the monster builder to copoy and paste monster details and go from there.
I've toyed around with dice rollers but their distribution is always too perfect and not as dramatic as my players ability to be superior in every way on paper and screw themselves on the dice roll To this day they would reather take on a great red dragon than a bunch of kobolds.


Gil

 

T

tylerthehobo

Explorer

• Apr 14, 2010

• #5

Adobe for PDF's
Readdle Docs on the iPhone for storing PDFs for review on the fly and during trips
And, well, I was making extensive use of Google Docs, because I could type up materials and reference them offline, but allegedly Offline Access is dead - Tyler is Gaming...: Google Docs yanks Offline Access? You gotta be kidding me... (just aggregated info and posted about this in my blog...) You may wish to instead look at Open Office or another alternative, assuming that you don't always game around a rocking wifi connection

ObsidianPortal.com is a great online resource for organizing your campaign and players. I highly recommend it!

-Tyler the Hobo

 

Krensky

First Post

• Apr 14, 2010

• #6

Foxit for PDFs, The Guide (an extrinsic outliner) for notes, OpenOffice.org Calc for combat tracking, Firefox for the web. Occasionally PowerCrunch if I need a calculator. DiceTool for dice if needed.

Skype rarely if someone needs to webcam in.

 

malraux

First Post

• Apr 14, 2010

• #7

When I was running 3e, DMGenie was indispensable. For 4e, since I run mostly modules out of books, I just haven't had a need for a laptop for DMing.

 

Pig Champion

First Post

• Apr 14, 2010

• #8

Apart from having 4E's programs, if I'm running 4E, I mostly just have a number of notepads and pdf's open. To me, it's just a replacement for a pen and pad of paper to track, note plothooks etc and reference rules. Nothing has really changed they've just gotten smaller and easier to carry.

 

coyote6

Adventurer

• Apr 14, 2010

• #9

Running D&D 3.5, I always had Sovelior's SRD open -- I downloaded it, unzipped it, and had a folder of bookmarks set up (to the DM screen, Skills, Feats, All Spells, All Monsters, and Magic Items pages), and would open them in separate tabs (in Firefox). If I was using an adventure module and hadn't re-written any complicated SRD monsters (e.g., demons, devils, dragons, etc), I'd open them in individual tabs, too.

Aside from that, PDFs (in Adobe Reader and/or Foxit), Word, Omnihedron sometimes (a die rolling program; you can also set up lists in XML and it will randomly pick from the list), and that was about it.

GMing M&M, I'll often have Google Earth or Google Maps open, to whatever city the campaign is running in -- using street view to say, "You are here" is kind of fun.

If only Freedom City was available . . .

 

D

Dykstrav

Adventurer

• Apr 14, 2010

• #10

Microsoft Word for my campaign notes.

Adobe Acrobat for .pdf files.

The calculator tool to track hit points (especially for solos), if you count that as an application.

Windows Media Player for music.

Mozilla Firefox to find images, or to pull up youtube for random silliness or music that I don't have on my laptop.

Autorealm for maps. Photoshop or GIMP from time to time to tweak maps or images.

That's about it.