DMing with a laptop

[Ferghis]

Another endorsement for Masterplan.

My players don't use laptops at the table, and I'm glad. A couple of them are bad enough with their smart phones, and one just had a new iPad at our last game. For players who only act once every 5-10 minutes, any device is a big distraction.

I agree that digital devices for players are somewhat of a distraction, but I'd love a networked software that allowed each player to contribute to combat tracking. Wouldn't it be great if the player with the cleric attacks with Astral Seal, the DM tells her she hit the target, and then she adds the effects to the target while the DM clicks "next" and deals with the next actor on the initiative count.

I hate having the DM enter all the details for each action, even with Masterplan, where it is as easy as ever. It would be much quicker if each player recorded all the effects his or her character inflicted and received, leaving the DM free to do his job as game manager (instead of game accountant).

 

[Charwoman Gene]

I use iPlay4e on an iPad. It's less distracting than a character sheet for me. Please note, players being distracted is more of a player issue and interest issue than a tech issue.

Tablets, phones, and such work great. Laptops are like everyone having their own DM screen.

And physical dice are better than electronic.

 

[Stoat]

I started using a laptop at the table years ago. I don't use any particular campaign software.

I keep the Compendium open, which means I don't have to use the Monster Manual at the table. The Compendium is also good for looking up PC and magic items powers. Basically, I only need the PHB for the combat chapter.

My group has a spreadsheet on googledocs with every PC's powers, equipment and skills. I open that in a tab next to the Compendium, and it saves me from asking "what's your passive perception?" over and over again.

I type my adventures and campaign notes up using Word. I quit printing them out years and years ago.

 

[KarinsDad]

My group has a spreadsheet on googledocs with every PC's powers, equipment and skills. I open that in a tab next to the Compendium, and it saves me from asking "what's your passive perception?" over and over again.

I type my adventures and campaign notes up using Word. I quit printing them out years and years ago.

Good idea on the spreadsheet. I currently have a 3x5 card, but it gets obsolete over time.

I also have a notebook Word file. Someone asks a question about something from 6 months ago, I have the answer if I took notes on it.

 

[Verision]

I DM with a laptop. I hook it up to my buddy's 50" TV and use MapTools to run encounters and it is slick.

-No more looking through my friend's giant collection of minis to find good representations of monsters: I just find a picture online of the monster, take a screen grab and make a token with TokenTool (before the session).

-No more explaining my drawings: I used to use a large dry erase board that had a grid on it for encounters. I'd constantly have to explain my drawings (yes, that's a lake. no, that's a puddle, not a rock).

-Macros: Dear god yes. I set up macros for the monster's that are reused throughout a campaign and roll attack and damage at the same time without having to get out the dice, roll them, and count everything up. Makes my turns much faster.

-No more counting squares: Dear god, this helps. I have PCs that have high movement (some with 8-9) and MapTool has a built in "ruler". Click on the ruler tool, click on your space, drag to find the distance. Great for moving, finding distances for ranged powers, etc.

I could go on and on about how much I love MapTool, but that is only one part of using a laptop to DM. The other large part is having all my notes in one place. I no longer have to keep a stack of papers with me at all times. I just use a series of notepad docs. One for session archives (players did such-and-such last session), one for XP earned, one for session planning (first encounter is X, then pcs will talk to so-and-so, etc). Much easier to keep organized, and to find any particular piece of information quickly.