Laptops - What programs or resources do you use to help you run or play your games?

[Blackbrrd]

Excel and a pdf reader

 

[MythosaAkira]

I use the following when I'm DMing:

* TableSmith: Random names, treasure, encounters, etc.
* OneNote: Campaign tracking, journal, notes, adventure info, etc.
* Excel: For tracking things OneNote can't, mainly stuff involving calculations (initiative/combat tracker, treasure tracker, etc.)
* Firefox: Mainly to access the DDI compendium when needed.
* Acrobat Reader: For reading gaming PDFs.
* Winamp: Background music

I've starting playing around with Masterplan and it's pretty impressive. Not quite perfect for what I want but most of the way there.

I was looking forward to the HP Slate as well (and the Microsoft Courier, which was also scrapped). I'm going to see what pans out in the tablet market later in the year (probably going with something Android-based).

Edit: Almost forgot - I've started using an external monitor as well (picked up a cheap, smaller LCD) to display pictures and info to the players. Masterplan lets you send screens to a second monitor, though so far I've just used FastStone Image Viewer to display monster pics downloaded from the WotC website. I have plans to use it for other player-oriented info as well, when I get time to set it up.

 

[sev]

I don't use my laptop at the gaming table. I don't like the barrier between me and the players (I don't use a GM screen, either), and we spill our drinks too often, and this way I don't feel like a hypocrite when I tell my players I don't want them fiddling around with their email while I'm trying to run a game.

Out-of-game, though... I'm a bit of an overplanner. I love building my sandbox, even the parts the players barely see. I use:

Masterplan for encounter building and keeping track of which bits have to happen before which other bits, as well as keeping track of a zillion other things

Notepad because I always have something to jot down that I don't know where to put

Multiple spreadsheets because I'm a compulsive list-maker

a web browser with tabs open to D&DI and often Wikipedia

a PDF reader with various issues of Dungeon and Dragon or third-party PDFs I've picked up

a filesystem folder where I drop random files I think I'll need but aren't sure where I'll use yet

Photoshop for making player handouts

Word processor for making printouts I'll use at the table (right now it's going to mail-merge some 2.5"x3" cards I've currently got in a spreadsheet for handing out to players at appropriate moments)

DDI Adventure Tools for when I re-fluff monsters

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

II'm generally thinking of programs, tools or resources that are actually used during the session, but something used outside the sessions is probably equally useful and relevant to this thread.

I don't use a computer when running the game. I do use a computer when before and after the game, though:

• Emacs - text editor. Pretty much everything I write is done in plain text or in a markup language (e.g. XML) that gets converted to HTML or PDF.
• Prince XML - a program that converts XML and XHTML markup into PDF using CSS. Very handy.
• Firefox - Used to reference gaming-related web sites and forums
• Adobe Reader - Used to reference PDFs
• iTunes - used to play stuff like Baroness, Mastodon, Tool, The Sword, Yes, Rush, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath while working on gaming material.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

Alas, we're ento playing at the moment due ot RL stuff, sigh
But I suggest getting a 3D app, you don't need a fancy one, to make great illustrations/layouts of dungeons etc

it really helps when you can see layouts with heights, where vison is blocked etc

http://www.silverblades-suitcase.com/erynavar/htm/adventures1.htm

[sblock="3D illustrations form years ago"]

More recent

[/sblock]

 

[Nebulorum]

Virtual Combat Cards (Virtual Combat Cards D&D 4th Edition Initiative and Combat Tracker | Ex Nebula) - I find this really helps combat move along fluidly. Although I do wish you could store a list of effects and conditions in it.

I created VCC, can you explain what exactly you need? VCC will keep the last 2 or 3 effect you specified for each combatant. For conditions we are currently using only text, but if you can share what you need we may be able to implement it.

 

[rjdafoe]

I am currently looking at Masterplan, but not sure where to go with it as my gametable has Maptool integrated into it. With no updates and it possibly being dead, I am not sure I will use it at all.

As a DM-

Laptop:
Maptools server

Gametable computer:
Maptools client for the projector (rear projection on to the table)

iPhone:
Logitech TouchMouse to control the gametable mouse/KB if needed
Compendium (for searches)

As a player-

Printed Character sheet through Character Builder
Iphone - i4e


Currently looking for something on the iPhone to do initiative easier.

 

[Plane Sailing]

* Microsoft Word, which has the adventure I'm running in some cases
* Microsoft Excel, which I use to track combat HP and initiative

This is what I'd use too.

 

[Wolf1066]

Winamp for music
MS Word for notes, storylines, character info etc
MS Excel for comparison tables, weapon stats etc
Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDFs
Irfanview for displaying and scrolling through pictures in full screen mode

Have on occasions used MS Access to create forms to keep track of character and gear info (imported from Excel)

Since hanging about on this forum and reading people's suggestions, I'm going to be adding MS OneNote to keep my game notes in order.

Had been wanting a decent sound effects program that was a) free and b) simple to use. After reading this thread I downloaded Scene Sound and, after 5 minutes' playing around with it, will be adding that to my laptop as well.

Sadly, my laptop's support for two screens is limited to cloning as I would love to have one screen for stuff I want the players to see - permanently angled around so they can view it - and the other for things that only I should see.

In addition to the laptop, I usually have copious printed notes, pictures, printouts of information that the players are likely to discover in any location, and my gaming books, including printouts of all my house rules - as it's quicker to flip through them than locate a particular page in a file.

 

[Wolf1066]

I need a new laptop.

One capable of running at least Windows XP as OneNote will not run on Win98, nor will .NET Framework 3.5 (which is required to run Scene Sound).

And getting a new laptop will also allow proper dual screen use so I can show the players what I want them to see and still keep my notes etc to myself.

Now that the need has been established, I've just got to work out how to afford a new laptop...

EDIT:
Well, it's not new - and it has its share of quirks and foibles such as losing CMOS despite a new battery, main battery nearly at the end of its life, DVD drive doesn't open properly and it had some funny moments with the screen acting screwy (whaddya expect from a free computer?) - but it does run WinXP SP2 and therefore .NET Framework 3.5 and therefore Scene Sound.

And yes, its dual screen support is far better so I can have the game notes and tables, Scene Sound etc up on the laptop screen and the external screen dedicated to displaying stuff for the players.

Have Winamp, Scene Sound, Irfanview, VLC Media player (don't think I'll need it but you never know) and Acroread and will have the MS Office Suite including OneNote on it soon.

Methinks this is going to save me a fortune in paper and toner, not having to print everything out - I'll be able to limit the "Dead Tree" stuff to gaming books, house rules and possibly a few handouts.