Computers/Laptops at the gaming table?

[Dark Dragon]

I'm with shilsen, too: One player has a laptop (with an actual excel char sheet and a dice roller), sometimes it is used for some background music.
For my part, I don't really like laptops used during a session, they tend to destract from play (especially if wireless conection to the web is possible). A dice roller and spell effect calculator (a player has made a quite useful excel file to calculate the effects of Bless, Prayer, slowed, stunned, sickened,...and all that, on a PC or monster) are useful, though. And rolling 32d8 in a d20 future setting is slowing down the game (I tend to use average results instead of rolling x dice...).

 

[DragonLancer]

With my play group, computers are used for game preperation and scenario writing. They don't play a part at the gaming table.

The one time that I did use a PC (a one shot game in the room where my PC was), it was a distraction when it wasn't my turn or I was involved in the current scene.

I'd rather not have electronic gubbings at the table.

 

[Wombat]

We had an amusing time with a player and his laptop.

Two of my players are massive technophobes, not owning or wanting computers and many other modern objects, but then there is Big Papa and his love for all things shiny and beeping. So, determined to drag us all into the 21st century, he created a new character entirely on his computer (no paper version at all) and hauled this object to our already crowded table, forcing the last of the snacks out of general reach. Still, he beamed proudly at his ability to keep everything in the laptop.

Then there was the problem.

He lost his job.

This was a company laptop.

Oh sure, he got his own to replace it (and a new job, he is doing just fine)...

BUT

He never transfered the character stats to disk, or e-mailed them, or almost anything else...

So now his character is locked away in his ex-job's computer locker ... forcing him to create a new character

I love the convenience of technology.

 

[Seeten]

I play a wizard, and I have spells known from about 9 different sources. Since all my books are on pdf, I copied and pasted all my spells out of the pdf's and into a rtf document, for ease of reference, so I can just look each of them up out of my actual spellbook. Best idea I've ever come up with for time saving. heh.

 

[Bloodsparrow]

Sometimes we have four laptops sitting on the table. Sometimes just the DM (Who uses a program that tracks stats, rounds, damage, etc).

We also have out own message board that we use to save information in an easaly accessable location.

 

[drakhe]

Technology to the aid...

I myself (as player and as DM) use the PC extensivly in prepping and post-session work (I maintain a web-site with diaries, char-sheets and the like) and use a laptop when DM'ing. When I'm playing, I don't realy like to have the PC/Laptop arround, I find it too distracting. As DM it does not distract me because running the game already givesyou a certain level of detachment... you have to keep an eye on too many things, and I find my laptop (using notes in word/excel, a custom written combat helper and sometimes DMGenie) helps me keep the pure number crunching to a minimum. Although I do notice that sometimes I'll lose track of the PC/Laptop when interaction betweeen PC/NPC gets intense.

Drakhe

 

[GuardianLurker]

I don't particularly like my players having laptops at my games, but keep quiet about (and encourage) it as long as the laptops are used to support playing (i.e. character sheets, note-taking, etc.). However, the results will *not* be pleasant if I ever catch one or more players absuing their computer privileges by playing some of the big-time computer games (like Warcraft, Half-life, Unreal, etc; I'm not concerned about Solitaire), or browsing the web while the game is running.

 

[drakhe]

Come to think of it

I would very much like to run a campaign where I would use something like DMGenie/Campaign Suite/RolePlayingMaster/... and where the players only have a basic/limited character sheet (with stuff like equipment, spell lists and such). It would/should allow the players to play more freely, not having to take care of number crunching or maintaining detailed notes other than story notes.

I got this idea some sessions ago when I had to go to the game straight from work and offcourse did not bring my notes/char.sheet/dice/... . The DM said "OK, don't worry, you play and I'll tell you how you're doing" That was one very interesting session. It was very intense and actualy kinda realistc. I mean: when you go open a door to go to work in the morning, your not looking up stats or skills on a character sheet, you just open the door and interact/react...

Drakhe

 

[johnsemlak]

Sorry for not putting an option for those groups where a player, not the GM, has a laptop. I also didn't think about PDAs.

Funnily enough, I've been involved in plenty of sessions with PDAs, and 1+ players having laptops while the GM doens't use his.

Oh, and the first choice should read 'because we game online.'

 

[MonsterMash]

I did try using a laptop at the table as DM, but it wasn't a success to my mind and I don't like doing it.

For preparation it is very useful, working out XP, EL, keeping track of contacts, etc,