Forked Thread: The Best D&D edition for me.

[MrFood!]

Forked from: The Best D&D edition for me.

thanks so much for responding. I am actually DMing because i need to get all my other friends interested because they barely understand the concept of D&D. The thing about the older editions is that they are very hard to find. even if i download them as pdfs i would think it would take away from the game-play because you have your laptop in front of you the whole time. if you have used a computer, has it taken away from your game sessions?

Do you forbid computers and other electronics at your table because they can be distractions?

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

Yes. No one uses laptops and such at any game I run. I find them to be distractions and so do not allow there use.

 

[CleverNickName]

"Forbid" is a rather strong word for it...but I try to discourage them. I'd rather make multiple copies of stuff and hand them out to the players, or use an overhead projector when one is available, than have everyones' noses buried in their laptops. I like a captive audience.

Cell phones, on the other hand, drive me crazy. Texting when I'm trying to talk, interrupting the game with phone calls, those oh-so-clever ringtones...I hate them.

I really do.

 

[Agamon]

I used a laptop as a DM in 3e, and one of my players turned DM now uses a laptop to run 4e (I've gone back to old school pen and paper myself). A player used a laptop to keep track of his extensive spelllist for his 3.5e cleric from L16 through L20. I could hardly blame him...still took him 20 minutes to pick his spells....

So no it's not been a problem. I think it'd be cool if everyone had a laptop, one could play a hybrid tabletop/online game with the best of both worlds.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

No laptops at the table, for me.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I plan on bringing my laptop to my game-sessions, since I will be DMing. I can look over my notes on the computer, easily record things (I type faster then I write), use all my Dragon and Dungeon articles, the Compendium, and all the other DDI tools.

Obviously it won't be right infront of me, it'll be on the side with the DM-screen infront of me.

Edit: Also can show images (so don't waste ink on big pictures), and also play music for the game.

 

[Crothian]

no laptops for us. It is not a rule, and so far no one has really wanted to bring their lap top with them

 

[Masquerade]

I haven't DMed without one for over a year, and I don't discourage players from bringing them because I trust it won't be a distraction.

As a player, I prefer to have nothing but my character sheet and dice in front of me.

 

[Shades of Green]

I have very bad experience with allowing a computer to be turned on near the gaming table - with casual gamers, the temptation to play FIFA (or whatever game they like to play on the computer) is sometimes as strong as the lure of the tabletop RPG. They have a tendency get tempted by the computer even when they do enjoy the RPG at hand.

Even with players who are more interested in the game, computers, cellphones and other technological items are, in my experience, distractions. Also, tabletop RPGs are one thing I do that doesn't involve a computer, a TV, or any other technological device functioning - which is an advantage all by itself (people need a break from computers sometimes).

 

[RFisher]

One player in my group usually keeps copious notes on the session. If she has her laptop, she’ll use it. It is not a distraction for her.

We’ve used iPhone dice apps. I’ve used my iPhone to reference PDF or online rules. Phones really haven’t been a distraction.

When we gamed here at my place, with the eMac in the room, Wikipedia would occasionally be a distraction. I also used some ad hoc programs I wrote when running classic Traveller.

Of course, we have a pretty casual attitude towards distractions. For us, the game is primarily an excuse to hang out with friends.