Software for campaign managing

[Betote]

I know it must have been said and done to exhaustion, but I can't resist creating a new thread, even if it's only to start posting again here

I've recently acquired a netbook with ubuntu linux, and one of the reasons I decided for a netbook over a laptop is being able to take it to my games. Having all my .pdfs with me without the kilos of weight I was carrying before is a great advantage, but i suspect -I know there's more I can do with my new shiny little toy.

So, what kind of software/webpages are you using to enhace your play experiences? My main game is Pathfinder, but I'm not exclusive, so if there's a multi-purpose rpg tool instead of a PF-centric one out there, it would be ideal.

 

[Umbran]

Well, one platform-independent tool is a wiki - there's a thread on them:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/274026-electronic-support-wikis.html

I haven't started using a wiki yet - right now I'm keeping notes in MS OneNote, which is turning out to be pretty handy, too.

 

[Krensky]

OneNote alike: BasKet Note Pads
Visio alike: Dia - GNOME Live!
CAD Program: CADEMIA - Das Open Source CAD System
GIMP (think Photoshop): GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program

PCGen should run on Linux, and last I looked it was implementing PF support.

RP Tools (MapTool, DiceTool, various other gaming aides: http://rptools.net/

 

[Mark]

It might help to check here -

Software, Computers, Video Games and D&D Utilities - EN World D&D / RPG News

 

[Betote]

Thanks to all of you. I think I have enough for having me occupied for a few days trying out different options

 

[Asmor]

Masterplan has single-handedly renewed my interest in GMing 4th edition.

If I may blow your mind for a moment, Masterplan has the ability to generate a random dungeon delve.

Let me reiterate that, because I don't think you read it with the emphasis it deserves. Masterplan has the ability to generate a random dungeon delve. Everything. Including the map, which is built using scans of the dungeon tiles and it knows which tiles are doors and which are special features and such.

That's really only the tip of the iceberg. Masterplan helps you to plan out entire campaigns. You set up a flowchart of plot points; for each plot point you can create encounters, skill challenges, quests, assign treasure parcels (it also generates random treasure parcels if desired and keeps track of your treasure parcels). It has a built in wiki feature. It has a player-screen feature that lets you quickly send anything to a secondary monitor, sanitized for players (e.g. hidden monsters don't show up on a map, or DM-only text doesn't show up, etc).

It lets you know approximately where in the plot the characters will level up, based on the challenges and quests they will have completed. It warns you if there are issues you might need to consider, such as using a monster that's too high for the players' levels or such.

It also allows you to download everything from the compendium, with a DDI subscription, and from then on use the stuff offline in your own library.

It's also fully featured for running combats. It even reminds you of things that you should keep in mind, e.g. auras and reaction abilities of monsters.

Oh, and it's got other stuff like the ability to make custom rules elements, the ability to make your own calendar and, with a calendar, set up a timeline, etc...

The program comes with a 70-page manual. It's crazy. And it's free. And why are you still reading this? Go get it.

The only downside to it is that it's Windows only. Actually, since it's written in .Net, there's at least a chance it might run under Linux/Mac with Mono, if anyone wants to give that a try.

 

[jdrakeh]

Masterplan has single-handedly renewed my interest in GMing 4th edition.

Is it geared specifically for 4e, or can one import 3x information into it, as well?

 

[Asmor]

Is it geared specifically for 4e, or can one import 3x information into it, as well?

4e, although there's a significant amount of functionality which is rules-neutral.

 

[Haltherrion]

I know it must have been said and done to exhaustion, but I can't resist creating a new thread, even if it's only to start posting again here

I know you have a Linux laptop and someone already posted an equivalent to MS One-Note but I'm going to plug that for others reading the thread.

You may have picked up one-note with one of the MS Office 2007 bundles and ignored it. I certainly did figuring it was just some lame Microsoft tool that was trying to insert itself into my life with little value add to me.

But I finally tried it out and it is an excellent tool. It makes note capture and organization painless. Even gathering info from the web or other applications is nice. It is quick and easy to add notebooks, tabs to notebooks and chapters to notebooks. Within a sheet (which you can rule to look like a notebook, which is a nice touch) you can just put your cursor anywhere and start typing. It will create its own block text which you can make links to and refer to elsewhere. Has some simple drawing tools and some table support.

It is much less featured than word or an equivalent editor because it is meant to be very light weight so you can load super fast.

Obviously there is no specific support for RPGs but if you, like me, have always kept notebooks for campaign ideas, scenario notes, campaign tracking, it is a big step up from paper. Plus my cat can't spill water on it and get the pages all crinkly.

I use it now for just about anything I would have jotted down- serial numbers of RAID drives I've had to rebuild, work notes, collecting information for a blog.

And no, I don't work for Microsoft.

 

[amerigoV]

Obsidian Portal is a wiki/blog/forum site that you can host your campaign.
Obsidian Portal - Campaign websites for Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop RPGs