Dungeon Master’s Keep - $150 GM Screen?

[frankthedm]

Given what some folks will drop on luxury items, I say more power to GF9 for putting out a premium item like this.

I feel bad for any game shop who get stuck with this sitting on shelf waiting for it to be sold if they misjudge local demand. But hey, that's the story with a lot of high end niche market products.

 

[Lanefan]

That's a lot of gype!

... er, what is "gype," anyway?

Stuff. Junk. Whatever.

In this particular case it's {maps, dungeon notes and archive files, NPC sheets, charts and tables, adventure module, etc.} a surprising amount of which I often seem to need to see all at once; also note paper, minis, pens, dice, pointers, whatever I'm drinking at the time, etc.; along with non-D+D stuff that seems to live back there no matter what I do with it e.g. cat comb, various bills, a couple of other games in packages, and whatever else gets piled on when I'm not looking.

Lan-"expanding to fill the available space, plus 10%"-efan

 

[TheAuldGrump]

The official card stock 3.5 DM screen is, so far, the most perfect DM screen I have ever seen. Perfect height and containing all the most useful information I commonly reference in running a 3.5 game. I don't want anything as bulky as the 4e screen, even if I was running 4e. The token pockets remind me of how saddened I am by the death of WotC's plastic minis production.

Hmmm, there were two other for 3.X that were also good -
Kingdoms of Kalamar had the DM Screen from Hell. Flip over charts, so when you did not need the charts for combat they were hidden away, sucker was huge, remarkably sturdy, and had a random pizza topping chart.

Scarred Lands - a smaller screen, but had the page references so it made book flipping faster. This was my screen for most of 3.0, used in conjunction with the one I made with Castle Works Ultimate by World Works Games.

The advantage of the screen I made was that the dice tower was 'big enough' for a good sized fireball, and I built a shelf for my 'next up' miniatures. Ate up room, but looked cool, and helped organize.

Currently I use the landscape version of the Hammerdog DM screen - four panels, landscape, so it can hold eight pages, four facing the DM.

I tend to put 'motivational' posters in on the PC side.

Hades Day Begins by TheAuldGrump, on Flickr


Faerie: Closer Than You Think by TheAuldGrump, on Flickr


Munchausen Hero by TheAuldGrump, on Flickr

The Auld Grump

 

[DaveMage]

The 4th edition logo is certainly a turn-off, but I like the model.

I don't $150 like the model, but I $29.99 like the model.

 

[Runestar]

I am sorry, but how is that lump of plastic worth $150? The equivalent for a child's toy castle would cost what? $10 $20 max?

Are you sure the designer didn't accidentally insert an extra zero in there or something?

 

[WHW4]

I am sorry, but how is that lump of plastic worth $150? The equivalent for a child's toy castle would cost what? $10 $20 max?

Are you sure the designer didn't accidentally insert an extra zero in there or something?

I am in agreement with this sentiment. I know if I bought it, every time I looked at the thing I'd think about what other junk I could have bought with the other 125-130 bucks. Not to mention the fact that if it ever got out at the table how much I paid for it, the quiet looks of derision would be insufferable. And we have a couple guys who have sunk a considerable chunk into minis. I mean... we're in a recession.

Basically, I'd have to come up with about four or five uses for the thing to justify it. We are moving way beyond "thing I hide my precious notes behind" territory.

 

[Perram]

Really? I mean, Really? What are they going to do, take your "Edition Warrior" merit badge away? I use Paizo accessories all the time even in my 4E games, even, *gasp* for Organized Play! 4E games and I don't cover or worry about logos one bit. And no one has ever brought it up either.

And I use 4e accessories and minis all the time, too. Heck, I'm on record as being an ex 4e fan boy who still likes a lot of that game.

As I said in my post, I just don't want the edition war to come up when I set down the GM screen with the big giant 4e logo on it.

See, my players will be looking at me, as their GM, a lot. The screen will be in front of me. It isn't a logo on a piece of paper or card stock on the table or tucked in my books, and the piece is just so awesome (Yes, this is AWESOME) that it will always be the center of attention!

On the other hand, Auld is right, it will be pretty easy to mock something up with Hirst Arts to cover up the logos.

 

[BriarMonkey]

...

Currently I use the landscape version of the Hammerdog DM screen - four panels, landscape, so it can hold eight pages, four facing the DM.

...

I saw that Hammerdog screen out there and it instantly struck me as utile across so many differing systems - given how you can just change your inserts as you wished. I just need to remember that its there and order myself one or two... Somehow, my mental notes don't stick.

As to the item at hand, while nice, I think I'd go with the landscape screens before I could justify to myself the price tag of a resin screen. (Though, may haps a few additional bells and whistles would make me rethink.)

 

[Shadowslayer]

I think its cool. I don't have the 150 to blow on something like that, nor do I have a need for it....but there's nothing wrong with it.

Its a lark, a conversation piece. A functional one, but a conversation piece nonetheless. Something for collectors.

If it was something integral to the game then that would be annoying. But its not. I hope they sell a bunch of em.

 

[Herschel]

The 4th edition logo is certainly a turn-off, but I like the model.

And here I thought gamers were the antithesis of fashionistas instead of the target market for Garanimals.

I mean I never realized creativity, fun and imagination could be so stifled by mis-matched logos and branding inconsistencies.