Computer at the game table?

[Ashrem Bayle]

I know a lot of you use laptops at the game table. While I don't have a laptop yet, I have managed to make my PC accessable from the game table.

That said, what programs do you guys use mid-game? A combat round tracker or module building program would be very useful.

Thanks

 

[mojo1701]

For player stats, I'll write in HTML, and then open in Firefox, so I can tab each, instead of having to open new windows.

 

[reveal]

I know a lot of you use laptops at the game table. While I don't have a laptop yet, I have managed to make my PC accessable from the game table.

That said, what programs do you guys use mid-game? A combat round tracker or module building program would be very useful.

Thanks

I use DM's Familiar to keep track of combat.

I also have PDF copies of books I own, a link to the online SRD, a link to the searchable SRD, ScreenMonkey if I've created maps and want the players to see it on an attached flat panel monitor, the Grim Tales EL-XP Calculator Excel file to quickly calculate XP for players at the end of the night, the Windows calculator and various other electronic tools like Notepad for quick notes.

 

[RuminDange]

Pretty much excel for everything except maps which I use whatever graphics program I need at the time, such as photoshop, paint, CC2 etc.
I use word for some things like house rules but not normally during game unless looking something up real quick that we forgot.

RD

 

[talmar]

I use eTools for most generation, npc, character, treasure, etc, I use excel for combat management, I have a local copy of the Hyperlinked d20 SRD, and I have an access database that has a master index for everyone of my books.

 

[IronWolf]

I use several tools at the table. DM Genie is great and handles my character record keeping and combat tracking. I also us this SRD. And I use WikidPad for campaign tracking and during the game. I have a couple of other tools I use, but those are the big ones.

 

[dvvega]

I just use Excel most of the time.

I've written my own campaign bits and pieces that run in Excel that include: initiative tracker, experience calculator, monster tracker, etc.

The experience calculator even tells me when they have levelled up, takes care of their cohorts, and even allows me to indicate which PCs were part of which encounter.

The mosnter tracker tracks HP, indicates unconsciousness, and death. It takes into account subdual/real damage.

All my notes are written in BBEdit (I use a Mac - any text editor will do though).

Since I have a wireless network at home I use a variety of online look up sources, however I have downloaded an SRD to use in case I'm elsewhere.

D

 

[DonTadow]

I use several tools at the table. DM Genie is great and handles my character record keeping and combat tracking. I also us this SRD. And I use WikidPad for campaign tracking and during the game. I have a couple of other tools I use, but those are the big ones.

I use DM Genie as well as it works for me for combat, story and mass rolls whether secret or otherwise. I have asecond monitor I use to show artwork and I run all my music through my computer with winamp.

 

[azhrei_fje]

I use DM Genie as well as it works for me for combat, story and mass rolls whether secret or otherwise. I have asecond monitor I use to show artwork and I run all my music through my computer with winamp.

Definitely DMGenie. I've tried OpenRPG, DM's Familiar, PCGen/DMGen, and the "home-grown" approach (local wiki, calculator/excel, etc).

DMGenie will manage creatures and encounters (including maps with hot-links to other areas), all equipment and creatures' inventory, all stats, weapon attacks and armor bonuses (and it will auto-add encumbrance penalties for armor types or weight, and notify you when a creature tries to use a shield and a two-handed weapon at the same time), condition tracking (sickened, fatigued, invisible, bull's strength, etc; this is probably one of my favorite abilities because I don't have to track the durations on conditions any more, and DMGenie automatically adds up all of the bonuses/penalties and takes care of stacking), and a whole lot more!

Check it out. And be sure to run through the tutorials, as they will answer most of the newbie questions.

It's at http://www.dmgenie.com/.

 

[Scotley]

Be aware of the risks involved. One of my group had his shiny new laptop on the game table when the host's dog walked by and snagged the powercord knocking the laptop to the tile floor and cracking the screen. Not a happy thing!