Electronic Aids for Gaming Table

[Larcen]

Hi. Our DM has been using eTools on a laptop to handle all encounters and that has been working out very well. Combat is much faster for him since he rolls all dice on his PC and the creature's stats are all at his fingertips.

Recently we just set up an old PC (P-II I think) and a monitor right next to the gaming table. The idea being to use the monitor to graphically show a tactical display of battles, instead of contuining to use our beloved whiteboard. We also have an extra monitor that can be hooked up to the DM's laptop.

Can anybody recommend some software that can be used to display generated/scanned maps and then place moveable icons representing all combatants on the screen?

We have heard that the new versions of Windows can handle multiple monitors. A cool setup would be to have the DM's laptop connected to a monitor and have windows detect the extra monitor. On his laptop's screen would display stuff that only he should see. On the monitor screen, which is turned to face the players, would be the map and stuff that the party can see. Has any one tried this kind of setup?

Also, any software out there that will only reveal sections of the map based on available lighting? I can envision the DM adding the party members in a dark room than placing the light sources (either mobile or immobile) at the appropriate locations and have the program illuminate a circle of the proper diameter. Would be a great visual I think and also serve to remind the players that in a lot of cases they are surrounded by the dark unknown.
Of course, taking care of PC's with low light vision, etc, is an added complexity. Also, ideally the DM's screen should show the entire room and hidden monsters, only the player's screen will be in the dark.

Anything currently available or should I break out my copy of VB 6.0 and get busy?

 

[Henry]

Moved to Software & Computers.

 

[Max]

Sounds like you should take a look at this:

http://www.kloogeinc.com/werks/index.htm

I've never used it, but based on your description it could be what you are looking for.



Max

 

[DMFTodd]

Combat is much faster for him since he rolls all dice on his PC and the creature's stats are all at his fingertips.

Blech. If your is using software at the gaming table, he should really get some software designed to do that. Then you'd really speed combat and make the game run smoothly.

The Combat Management programs roll attacks for you with 1 click (claw, claw, bite, crits, attack and damage) rather than typing in dice rolls. And you get a lot more information at your fingertips than just monster stats (spells, skills, feats, rules, other).

I of course recommend DM's Familiar since I wrote that. There's also DMGenie and Roleplaying Master. DMF does not have mapping software. I recommend a battlemap.

 

[Dagda]

I use a PC at the game table. It has two monitors, one for me (the DM) and one facing the players. The DM montior is located slightly below the height of the table and off to the side. A DM Screen keeps the Players from seeing it. The Player's monitor is on a ledge just above that. This way I'm sitting at the table, with a low dm screen, and the computer keyboard and monitor are to my left, and a tv tray table is to my left holding more books and such.

I use DM's Familiar primarily, with etools, photoshop, musicmatch jukebox, and just recently am trying tablesmith.

DM's Familiar is the primary tool I use. I use it during all combat as well as looking up info on rules, feats, spells, monsters, NPCs, etc.

Musicmatch jukebox plays the background music.

Photoshop allows me to put up maps for the players. I use the layers to show areas as they enter them. It takes a little time to setup the map, but works nicely.

The tabletop has a 3x4 foot sheet of plexiglass with a 1 inch grid on it and a nice parchment looking poster board under it that we use with wet erase markers for our battlemat.

I often have photos which depict the scene on the Players monitor as well (last session was a picture of a almost mideval looking town in the hills). Lately I tried putting up the monster picture (from those I got with e-tools, or I scan my own) and it stays up until the monster is killed/bypassed. They players really enjoy asking me to remove the picture of the defeated foe.

I used etools, and some NPC tables I created (from the GM Mastery NPC Essentials book) last session to very quickly generate some npc's the group ran into. Within about 15 seconds I had the NPC defined. And as it turned out, one of the players asked the NPC to serve as a mentor as the PC wants to start multiclassing.

But even with all the PC tools I use, I still lookup things in the books now and then. And the adventure I'm running I prefer on paper in front of me (even though it can be all in DM's Familiar).

As for your question about showing maps. I use photoshop, as I said. I've seen others who use printshop pro. There are also some programs that allow you to use it as a battlemap as well. I know I tried a demo of ScreenMonkey (by nbos, the makers of fractal mapper) that would work. You could have the DM screen on the DM monitor and a web browser window on the PC's monitor. It would let you use the DM view to cover/uncover areas on the fly and then let them show on the PC's monitor. (Hey, I'll have to try that and see if it's easier than photoshop!)

 

[Zorkion]

HOLY CRAP!

That program (see above link) is F'ING AWESOME! I wish it wasn't 40 bucks though.

i agree with Raistlin, its a very cool program, but i really wish it wasnt soo expensive

 

[Luke]

Hi. Our DM has been using eTools on a laptop to handle all encounters and that has been working out very well. Combat is much faster for him since he rolls all dice on his PC and the creature's stats are all at his fingertips.
...
Can anybody recommend some software that can be used to display generated/scanned maps and then place moveable icons representing all combatants on the screen?
Anything currently available or should I break out my copy of VB 6.0 and get busy?

I can recommend RolePlayingMaster as follows:
- Import your ETools characters/creatures.
- Instantly gnerate any extra required encounters, including proper template handling and full calculation incorporating all race, template, class, equipment and current conditions considerations.
- Play on a map which is built via the built-in tilemapper, or use any other image.
- Position and move the all characters and creatures on the map as required, using automated distance calculation to move, and keep track of steps and movements, as well as mouse clicks to execute actions (attacks, skill checks etc) with targeting.
- Optionally make use of full encounter management with initiative, round, and conditions (eg stunned, or spell effects). Time tracking automatically expires spells, conditions and their effects. Dying/stabilizing automatically handled.
- Option to override computer dice rolls for anything at any point.
- Subsequent XP calcalation.
- Further options to have your entire adventure entered into the system for instant retrieval of location/room descriptions.

The general RPM picture is that of a bunch of RPG utilities integrated in such a way that you can access anything needed on the spur of the moment.

RPM is more focussed on game mechanics calculations than lots of effort spent in visual prettiness. The philosophy is one of saving you time and focussing on accuracy, rather than visual maps and icons that attempt to transform your "visual mind's picture" from your own imagination to a computer screen.

Admittedly I don't yet have the "map reveal" working. My current focus is to get network voice working, which isn't relevant to you.
There's also some play with instant dungeon generation, which is "tile-based" and hence reasonably suited to simple "map reveal".

Regards,

 

[SJ]

Wow, Dagda. I would really like to hear other war stories about using a computer at the game table. I've thought several times about doing this, and d/l'ed DMFamiliar, DMGenie, RPM, ScreenMonkey, etc. But I never put them to the test in a real game.

What are other GM's (and players!) likes and dislikes on these tools? Not so much comparing the features of the tools, but during the game, does it make the experience better or worse?

BTW, I use CampaignSuite (and love it) for preparing my games and campaigns. But I haven't tried a combat manager plus handy reference tool as I sit behind the hallowed screen.

Larcen, ScreenMonkey is the only thing I know of that "reveals" the map. This might be your only choice since I'm not sure how multi-monitor support would work from a laptop, since that functionality usually requires 2 video cards. It sounds like your DM is using 2 pc's anyway, so 2 copies of the maps with tokens and a "reveal" feature on the one the PC's are viewing might work. (again, no software I know of designed for that purpose)

I'm thinking building maps with the many dungeon tiles out there and then using a large monitor (or projector!) to do the battlemap instead of the chessex mat could be *very* cool.

But, then, where would all the miniatures go?

SJ

 

[Larcen]

Oh my gosh. You guys are awesome. I leave this thread unattended for a day and now I have this HUGE list of software to look at!

Ok, let me see if I can organize all this so I can check them out systematically.

Software mentioned:

eTools
kLoOge.Werks
DM's Familiar
DMGenie
Roleplaying Master
Photoshop
musicmatch jukebox
tablesmith
printshop pro
ScreenMonkey
fractal mapper
CampaignSuite

Did I miss anything?

It was great hearing about how some of you guys are set up. It sounds like it will be worth the research, evaluate, and setup time!

Now to get started....must get busy with Google...

 

[DMFTodd]

As long as we're mentioning at-the-gaming-table software in general now:

Tablesmith: Love it. Get it. Use it. It's far and away the best random table tool out there (and DM's Familiar exports to it ).

A company called ToxicBag makes CDs of sound effects. Their Fantasy and Monster CDs have some cool sound effects.