Do you use a computer when playing?

[AwesomeOpossum74]

Back in the 80's I remember people wrote everything down on school paper, and drew maps on graph paper. There was no electronic technology involved. l) are very common, and I know they've permeated tabletop gaming to a big degree. There are character generators everywhere you turn, and people create maps with image editors, etc.

I wrote the beginnings of my first adventure story on the computer, as I really don't like actually writing. On top of that, making changes is a heck of a lot easier. When it comes time to begin the adventure I'll print it out.

When it comes to mapping, I could probably draw out a "quick" map on my graph paper, but it wouldn't be too detailed. I'm not very good at transferring what's in my head to "paper", and even worse at drawing. I've seen some beautifully hand-drawn maps that I'm envious of. I've also seen the output of some map building utilities that include tile images and make the map making process a whole lot easier and faster. I haven't yet determined which way I want to go with this.

However I decide to develop, the big plan is to print everything for the actual gaming, to keep it as authentic as possible. No electronics at the gaming table allowed.

How to you manage the building of your adventures? Do you use electronics while gaming?

 

[Ahnehnois]

Absolutely not. I find them distracting. I want people looking at other people.

In general, I either print stats I think I'll need well ahead of time and wing it. I don't generally use maps, and I never use notes (in D&D or in any other context for that matter). Frankly, I think all of those elements detract from the actual game.

 

[Vegepygmy]

I use a computer for my Saturday night MapTool game, and not just for the virtual tabletop. But when I play real tabletop D&D, I don't use a computer at all. Maybe it's old-school prejudice, but they feel like a distraction to me there.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I DM from a laptop and have done for over a decade now.

The only exception to this was when I used to DM at home ... but as I live in a different country to where I play, the laptop is the only way I can do it now.

My PDF collection is enormous. I run 4E games and have all but two books as PDFs. I've got an offline version of the Compendium in case wifi isn't working plus - most importantly of all - a truckload of maps that I can refer to when the PCs decided to go off the beaten track, as it were.

I actually prefer DMing without a laptop but I have no choice now. I can't exactly fill my luggage with the books I need!

 

[Dog Moon]

I sorta switch back and forth depending on how I feel. This is usually how it goes:

DM:
1) Everything on the computer. EVERYTHING.

OR

2) Notes and stuff on paper with printed NPCs and monsters when needed with maps on the computer [we use a projector and battlemaps so it's just a LOT easier to do maps on the computer]

Player:

1) Everything on the computer.

OR

2) Physical paper character sheets. For long lasting characters, however, that gain lots of abilities and spells and unique items and stuff, I generally tend to convert everything onto electronic format when I realize I'm paging through what feels like a miniature notebook for a single character.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Oddly enough, I used to use a laptop in some games, mostly Champions! or GURPS, back in the early 90s. Today, not so much, though people will come to my games with mobile devices, and they can be handy to look up something on the compendium or take a picture of a play surface to re-construct it later.

 

[GameDoc]

I found the laptop too distracting at the table and quickly went back to printing things out on paper.

However, I have found more recently that I like having my books on my iPad for reference and limiting the printed material to character sheets, maps, and a sheet with the monsters I'll be using. I'd ditch the character sheets too but I am yet to find an app that I like better. So the iPad is helpful at the table. I think because it's effectively a book, it doesn't create the same level of distraction as a laptop (no screen creating a barrier between you and the others around the table, no messing around with a mouse or trackpad).

Unfortunately, WotC's ban on PDFs and lack of a 4e app that stores info locally so you don't have to be logged in really prevented me from playing 4e as described above. I've played several other RPGs incorporatingn my iPad, and a couple of friends also use their tablets as well.

The DDN/5e Playtest materials are all PDF, so I have been able to use the iPad for that. I'm eagerly awaiting their upcoming promise of all editions in an electronic format. I really hope that means PDFs or an application that stores the information locally, and not just an expanded DDI Compendium accessed on a web portal.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Since about 2003, all of my Characters, NPCs and campaign/adventure notes have been placed on some kind of portable hand-held device.

Originally, everything was on my Palm Tungsten. When that died, I went to an iPod Touch. Since acquiring an iPad, I use that preferentially, but due to cloud storage, I can access the data from either iOS device.

In addition, depending on the campaign, a couple of us will have the 3.5 SRD pulled up, and at least 2 guys have their 4Ed PCs on computer only. One has it on his laptop as a PDF, the other accesses DDI via my iMac, which is right next to the gaming table.

 

[S'mon]

I use the computer a lot off-game, for the game blogs etc. For tabletop games I do not use a computer at the table, I find it very distracting, it puts my brain in computer-mode not gaming-mode.

 

[billd91]

I do a lot of running from my iPad these days.