Anyone using a tablet at the gaming table?

Erithtotl

First Post
I have long avoided using my laptop at the gaming table because of the distraction factor. But it occurs to me a tablet PC might be the ideal accessory. It'd be like having a book with the whole SRD, as well as all my notes and utilities closeat hand.

Unfortunately tablets on a whole are quite expensive so I haven't given it a shot yet.

Anyone doing this?
 

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I started using a tablet about a month and a half ago and love it.

I have been using my laptop to varying degrees at the game table for the last 5 years, but the tablet appears its going to take that to a whole new level.

I'm currently working on building a customer made Excel CS, thats formatted for my tablet and to take advantage of the features of the tablet.

I'm also running a weekly campaign, I'm running ENWorld Publishing's "War of the Burning Sky". Since it come as a PDF I have been able to run my entire game from the tablet. Thanks to my collection of PDF's and a few web sites I Have run the last 3 sessions with just my computer, not even pulling my books out of my office.

The main program I'm using is MS OneNote which comes installed on most tablets as part of the basic software. It allows you to print to it, paste images, type or write text and has been very useful.

JD
 

JDragon said:
I started using a tablet about a month and a half ago and love it.

I have been using my laptop to varying degrees at the game table for the last 5 years, but the tablet appears its going to take that to a whole new level.

I'm currently working on building a customer made Excel CS, thats formatted for my tablet and to take advantage of the features of the tablet.

I'm also running a weekly campaign, I'm running ENWorld Publishing's "War of the Burning Sky". Since it come as a PDF I have been able to run my entire game from the tablet. Thanks to my collection of PDF's and a few web sites I Have run the last 3 sessions with just my computer, not even pulling my books out of my office.

The main program I'm using is MS OneNote which comes installed on most tablets as part of the basic software. It allows you to print to it, paste images, type or write text and has been very useful.

JD

Which tablet are you using and do you recommend that model?
 

I'm technically using a tablet at my gaming table. I stopped using it in tablet mode, though, after a month or two. The smaller screen size on a tablet means that, even in laptop mode, it's only about as tall as my DM screen, so there's not much distraction.

I mostly use it in tablet mode when I'm doing planning. It wasn't bad in tablet mode, I just found I liked it better upright. I think it's very much a "how do you work" question. I type very fast and write very slow, so I get better notes typing. But, it's more portable and I get better ideas writing, so that's how I plan. Plus, pdf books are much easier to read in portrait view. PCGen is much easier in landscape.

That's an aweful lot of non-committal information. I hope there's something helpful in there, though.

Oh, and the price on convertable tablets has come down a lot recently. When I got mine, it was roughly $2,000. Now, you can get one that would blow mine away, even accounting for the tech curve, for $1,100, IIRC.

FWIW, I got a Gateway and like it. It seems to have held up pretty well and, after putting some additional RAM in it last week, it'll hold me for another couple of years.

As a note, MS OneNote is worth the price for gamers. There's a learning curve, but it's a fine piece of software. Also, Excel, with the columns resized and zoomed out to an insane level makes excellent impromtu graph paper. I've done multiple quick/preliminary maps with it.
 

My main problem with a tablet is that I have a lot of computers as it is, and it likely wouldn't do double duty outside of gaming and web surfing purposes, so I don't want to spend $2K for a laptop I use so infrequently.

During a session I'll likely use for:

1) Searching PDFs/rulebooks
2) Looking up my notes for the session
3) Running combats
4) Taking notes

I type infinitely faster than I write, but I don't anticipate doing a lot of writing in session, it's going to be more reading.

I get all the software for free so that's not an issue thankfully.
 

I have a Gateway Cx210X, I did a lot of upgrades from the manufacturer so it would last me a while. It has the Intel Core Duo 2 2.16ghz, 2 Gig of Ram (upgrade able to 4), 80 gig 7200rpm HD and the upgraded video card. I'm running Win Vista Home Premium, which is the minium version of Vista that supports the Tablet options.

I ended up spending a little over 2k but thats due to the upgrades and a 3 year warrenty/ battery replacement/ Accident protection plan, which was almost $400 of my cost. Plus this is a replacement for my current laptop that was over 3 years old and not top of the line when I got it. I'm just using the original laptop to run my projector for maps now.

I would recommend it, I've been very happy with it so far.

BTW - be aware the graphics on tablets are limited and do not have the ability to do top end video games at this point.

Check out Gateways site, the base prices in the CX210's may have come down some since they announced a new model mid month in April.

JD
 
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Sorry when I said gaming I meant 'tabletop gaming'. I have a dedicated PC for PC gaming and other home PC use, and I have a high powered laptop for work.
 

Erithtotl said:
My main problem with a tablet is that I have a lot of computers as it is, and it likely wouldn't do double duty outside of gaming and web surfing purposes, so I don't want to spend $2K for a laptop I use so infrequently.

Well, there you go. You're asking whether you should spend $2k on a toy for gaming. That's up to you. I wouldn't, but that's just me.

Everything you've described, a tablet will do quite well, provided you have the software to do them (combat tracking being the trickiest). The question is: Are you willing to spend $2k on that?
 

Erithtotl said:
Sorry when I said gaming I meant 'tabletop gaming'. I have a dedicated PC for PC gaming and other home PC use, and I have a high powered laptop for work.

Understood that, this being an RPG site, just wanted to cover the basis for you or anyone reading the thread.

JD
 

Mercule said:
Well, there you go. You're asking whether you should spend $2k on a toy for gaming. That's up to you. I wouldn't, but that's just me.

Everything you've described, a tablet will do quite well, provided you have the software to do them (combat tracking being the trickiest). The question is: Are you willing to spend $2k on that?

I was hoping someone could recommend a $1000-1500 tablet somewhere but I keep looking and not finding one, even used :p
 

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