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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ranes" data-source="post: 1586720" data-attributes="member: 4826">I've used software for preparatory work on a game before but last week was the first time I ran a game using a laptop as a DMing aid. Out of curiosity, I've experienced several different software packages; thus, I have PC Gen, DM Genie, RPM, Jamis Buck's NPC Gen (updated to 3.5 by Andargor), Andargor's 3.5 stat block generator, an NPC equipment generator and a stand-alone dice roller. Also in use were MS Word, Paintshop Pro 7 and Excel. I used DM Genie's timekeeping and weather generator features. These were great. As game time passed, I could use the constantly updating weather reports to inspire vivid descriptions of people and places, as well as being reminded of Spot, Listen and Search check modifiers. Before the game, I had used PC Gen to generate a few dozen Anglo-Saxon names, which I'd pasted into a word document. These proved handy for bit part NPCs required on the fly. I also used PC Gen's Travel Time and Distance calculator in game. Paintshop Pro held open all the maps I needed. These were all DM's maps. I did not want to present players maps on the laptop. That would have been too awkward and would have definitely resulted in too great an intrusion by the laptop. Player maps and other handouts were printed out, prior to the game. DM Genie and RPM were set up to provide quick in-game rules references. Between them, nothing I needed to check was more than three clicks away. I never opened a book once. The stand-alone dice roller had been used prior to the game, to generate plenty of secret dice rolls. The results were pasted into a notepad document and were used heavily, as was the dice roller itself, during the game. However, any time the players knew I should be rolling a die, they saw me grab one and use it. That was it. The laptop really helped and I saw ways it could help more. I could use DM Genie or RPM to generate random encounter tables and treasures, for example. But I'm not into the idea of using any program to micromanage combat. I don't think the functionality (or even the veracity) of any program is quite there yet. I also do not use any of these programs for PC/NPC generation. I've used them all enough to have found errors in their calculations. I do use them to store NPCs I've hand rolled. I have to say I've found PC Gen to be best for this. It has helped me correct my own errors and the GM Gen feature's interactive stat block is marvelous. Oh, the Excel spreadsheet I used was one in which I'd entered the metamagic components from Unearthed Arcana, which I'm using as adventure seeds, NPC motivations and all that jazz.  All be using the laptop regularly in future. Long term, I still think RPM and DM Genie have much more to offer but, as others have pointed out, they both require so much work to set up, I don't imagine I'll be exploiting that potential soon. But if I do little bits of work with them here and there, I'm sure they'll feature heavily in my DMing toolset in three or four years time. And no, I'm not being sarcastic.</blockquote>

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