Laptops and PDA's at the table... what do you use?

[TwinBahamut]

I use a mix of a laptop and paper notes when I DM. Basically, I have all of my long-term campaign notes loaded onto my computer, and all of my short-term adventure notes on paper in a large binder. I keep my laptop open and turned on while playing so I can quickly reference my notes, but I don't run the whole adventure from the thing.

One of the characters in the campaign I am running is a Barbarian, so until the PHB2 is released I pretty much need to have internet access at the game table in case some question comes up.

 

[catsclaw227]

I've been using my laptop for the past few years, first in 3.x with DM Genie, now with 4e and the compendium and DDI.

And, with all editions, I would use it to view PDFs for the game, and take a few notes here and there.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

As a DM my aging iBook with a monitor attached to point towards the players is a great device. I can put up initiative, maps, pictures, and anything else I need. And I can turn the monitor off if I need to check stats.

As a player, a laptop is a distraction as I've found with most players. Even when doing stuff directly related to the game, I get absorbed in it and lose track of the game (helped me survive a very bad game at one point though).

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

Wow, I must be old school then... I'm still using sheets of paper, pens and dice. No fancy laptops or iPhones here... Which now that I think about it, is kind of odd since I am very technically advanced as far as having very state of the art computer equipment... I just must be stuck in the 1980's mode of role playing.

D.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm a bit of a luddite, in a way.

The only hi-tech I use at the gaming table is my Palm PDA. Right now, it contains about 100+ PC concepts partially statted out for 3.0 and 3.5, as well as a couple that have been fully statted out, all in my "notebook" program.

IOW, I'm using my PDA like an electronic notepad, nothing special. It works because I carry my PDA everywhere and will jot down campaign ideas or PC concepts while I'm eating or riding along on the train without drawing undue attention to myself.

Everything else about gaming, though? Pencils, paper (for adventure notes), die and maps are all 100% physical.

 

[dogoftheunderworld]

I wanted to try using my (under-utilized) Pocket PC for gaming, so I created an Excel character sheet formated for small screens (available in the Downloads section of ENWorld). Unfortunately, my game disolved before I got to use it, but I just started a new group, so I am going to give it another go. I also have on my PDA one of the html SRDs and a dice roller (but I don't plan on using the electronic dice).

(Interestingly, my pocket-sized Paper char sheet has been downloaded more than twice as much as the electronic version .)

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I like to use my Palm TX... especially as a Player. Not so much as a DM.

I use a dice roller program where I can pre-define the dice rolls I need to make. Initiative, Attack, Damage, Saving Throw, and Skills can all be pre-defined. With a single click I can get a result and I don't have to bring my bag-o-dice with me. Gamer's Die Roller

Back in 3E days someone posted the Monster Manual, Feats, and Spells in Tomeraider format which was REALLY nice for me as I like to play Wizards and could pull up stats for whatever Monster Summoning spell I just used in an instant. I could also use something like this for my character sheet: PCGenView - PalmGear.com: Download Palm Software for your Treo, Centro, Tungsten, LifeDrive or other Palm OS Device

The Palm TX was also nice to use for it's wireless web browsing. I could hit The Hypertext d20 SRD (v3.5 d20 System Reference Document) :: d20srd.org for the Hypertext SRD at any location where I could get a wireless signal. I wouldn't use the built in Blazer browser but would upgrade to the free Opera Lite browser. With that and everything I listed above I really only needed my Palm TX to go to a game.

 

[IanArgent]

I have a spare 4-year-old desktop-replacement-class laptop (15" 1920x1600 panel) that sits on a tray table to my right when I'm gaming. On it is excel running a quick and dirty combat tracker (sort by initiative column, track HP) which replace DMs familiar when I went 4e and all the rulebooks as searchable PDF (thanks for that WotC). What I *don't* have is an internet connection at the table (the WiFi flaked and I'm too far from my router for cable), otherwise I'd get a LOT more use out of the compendium than I do.

I thought about getting a netbook, but I'm spoiled by the screen large enough to show the books at 2-up and be readable.

The easiest way not to be distracted? Don't open anything not DIRECTLY related to gaming. When I'm running a game, I have excel (see above) and acrobat open. If I happen to be able to pick up my WiFi, I have a browser pointed at the compendium opne; and that's IT. When I'm playing and using my laptop, it's my character notes and character sheets, the relevant books, and that's it. I don't need the compendium open as a player, so I don't even hook it up to the network.

 

[starwed]

I have an ASUS 901 and it is pretty perfect for me. Running Ubuntu, it gets about 5-6 hrs battery life, and never gets in the way. (It's easy to have both a pad of paper and the netbook in front of me, which is good for both gaming and work.) I actually use it as my primary computer now.

The 1000H model is a little bigger, but from what I've seen also very good (better if you have trouble typing on the small keyboard of the 900/901.)

 

[kmdietri]

Does anyone here regularly use a laptop, PDA, or similar device at the table?

I've tried my laptop, but it takes up almost the entire space available to me behind the screen, and I need something more compact. I figured someone here might have had a similar experience.

When I first tried to add laptops to the mix I found they took up too much space too, To get over that we went completely electronic.

There are no dice, no books, no papers, no pencils at our table.

Only minis, the battlemat, and 5 laptops running Fantasy Grounds 2.

All the books are on PDF, plus the DDI compendium.

Our games have never run better.