MonsterMash
First Post
Once again I find myself agreeing with Diaglo, no PDA or Laptops allowed at the table when I GM.
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PDAs at the game table
- Thread starter Eternalknight
- Start date
Breakdaddy
First Post
diaglo said:my hat of electronics at the table knows no limits.
diaglo "once had an electronic D&D board game back in the early 80's" Ooi
More on that later, though.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
MonsterMash said:
Out of interest, is it the possibility of distraction (they are fiddling around on the computer rather than listening to the game) or something else? I know the distraction effect can be a problem.
Cheers
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
As a DM, I am using a Newton as an Initiative counter/combat tracker and I'm not convinced it's working out. I think I spend more time looking at the little screen than I do looking at my players, and that's bad.
So I think I'll go back to scratch paper and scribbled notes.
So I think I'll go back to scratch paper and scribbled notes.
d20fool
First Post
What programs to use
After some work, I have to agree. I'm way to active at the table to use a palm for something like combat, further, I think role-playing should be personally interactive, not done via computer.
Having said that, there are some programs and uses that I can see a Palm valuable for. Some exist, some I wish exisited.
Hypertext SRD- Got it, love it. Very handy. Would like one of OGC content.
XP calculator- The ACE XP calculator has sped up time at my table considerably.
Random Dungeon generator- Like Jamis', it makes a map and a description, good for when players go awry or that "pick-up" session. pulldown menus for type of dungeon, such as typical, cave, building, etc. would be way cool.
Encounter tables. Pull down menus for CR and terrain and viola!, encounter.
Eberron/Forgotten Realms/Greyhawk Calender. Allows you to check dates, moon phases, sunrise/set times, even constellations
Name generator- This exists in limited form, but I want a program with big buttons for "human" "dwarf" that I can tap and get a name on the spot.
Mobile DB databases for skills (one for tables, the other for uses), feats, spells, monsters, and magic items.
NPC generator, pull downs for race, class, level, any of which may be left random.
I COULD see an initiative program that had a large screen up top that showed whose turn it was, along with a list below showing current order, hit points, spell durations, and a pull-down menu for condition. Tap the upper screen and it shows the next in order. would need a delay function too for those who delay their action.
Just a few ideas. I downloaded PDAtoolbox but it's ANOTHER $30 program. Why is it everybody wants $30?
I am also using some mundane programs at the table. I've download an insult generator, a spin-the-bottle program for determing where grenades and stray arrows go, and a simple counter program.
There are a couple of tomeraider files in the downloads. Are they current 3.5? I'm not sure if I want to install Tomeraider yet.
John McCarty
After some work, I have to agree. I'm way to active at the table to use a palm for something like combat, further, I think role-playing should be personally interactive, not done via computer.
Having said that, there are some programs and uses that I can see a Palm valuable for. Some exist, some I wish exisited.
Hypertext SRD- Got it, love it. Very handy. Would like one of OGC content.
XP calculator- The ACE XP calculator has sped up time at my table considerably.
Random Dungeon generator- Like Jamis', it makes a map and a description, good for when players go awry or that "pick-up" session. pulldown menus for type of dungeon, such as typical, cave, building, etc. would be way cool.
Encounter tables. Pull down menus for CR and terrain and viola!, encounter.
Eberron/Forgotten Realms/Greyhawk Calender. Allows you to check dates, moon phases, sunrise/set times, even constellations
Name generator- This exists in limited form, but I want a program with big buttons for "human" "dwarf" that I can tap and get a name on the spot.
Mobile DB databases for skills (one for tables, the other for uses), feats, spells, monsters, and magic items.
NPC generator, pull downs for race, class, level, any of which may be left random.
I COULD see an initiative program that had a large screen up top that showed whose turn it was, along with a list below showing current order, hit points, spell durations, and a pull-down menu for condition. Tap the upper screen and it shows the next in order. would need a delay function too for those who delay their action.
Just a few ideas. I downloaded PDAtoolbox but it's ANOTHER $30 program. Why is it everybody wants $30?
I am also using some mundane programs at the table. I've download an insult generator, a spin-the-bottle program for determing where grenades and stray arrows go, and a simple counter program.
There are a couple of tomeraider files in the downloads. Are they current 3.5? I'm not sure if I want to install Tomeraider yet.
John McCarty
d20fool
First Post
Last session
OK, it's been two sessions now. I now swear by my hyperlinked SRD and the ACE XP calculator. I can look up something so easily now and experience takes all of a minute to calculate. I've eliminated all dice roller other than dice pro, which I haven't used yet but could easily see using at higher levels with massive dice rolls. My new campaigns are just babies at 1st level right now.
I am definately interested in writing some freeware programs. Anybody have an idea where I can start?
John "d20fool" McCarty
OK, it's been two sessions now. I now swear by my hyperlinked SRD and the ACE XP calculator. I can look up something so easily now and experience takes all of a minute to calculate. I've eliminated all dice roller other than dice pro, which I haven't used yet but could easily see using at higher levels with massive dice rolls. My new campaigns are just babies at 1st level right now.
I am definately interested in writing some freeware programs. Anybody have an idea where I can start?
John "d20fool" McCarty
d20fool
First Post
New program
I came across this program yesterday. Very interesting.
http://www.geocities.com/iz_software/dungeondelver.html
It has a suite of programs for recording adventure and character details, like treasure, equipment (with location!), spells, monsters killed, etc. Coolest is a message sender, which is something I could really see happening if I had any players that used a palm! Silly me, I sold my old ones.
I am terrible at taking notes about my sessions, so I might end up using these. Even if they are aimed mainly at players.
I came across this program yesterday. Very interesting.
http://www.geocities.com/iz_software/dungeondelver.html
It has a suite of programs for recording adventure and character details, like treasure, equipment (with location!), spells, monsters killed, etc. Coolest is a message sender, which is something I could really see happening if I had any players that used a palm! Silly me, I sold my old ones.
I am terrible at taking notes about my sessions, so I might end up using these. Even if they are aimed mainly at players.
d20fool
First Post
Woo-hoo! Two more!
I found two more cool programs.
Dice pro is very cool, but this program may top it. I might actually use it at my table!
Check out DiceMan at
http://www.pundak.co.il/resource/tools.html
Cooler is the name generator at:
http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/workshop/
which has a simple pull-down menu then gives you a choice of names. Very cool.
Rich day for the Palm Pilot!
I found two more cool programs.
Dice pro is very cool, but this program may top it. I might actually use it at my table!
Check out DiceMan at
http://www.pundak.co.il/resource/tools.html
Cooler is the name generator at:
http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/workshop/
which has a simple pull-down menu then gives you a choice of names. Very cool.
Rich day for the Palm Pilot!
Hey d20fool!
I just wanted to toss out a personal thanks for all your "review" footwork here. I too am looking to make more use of my PDA at the table, but so much of the software either seems too simple (as in, I'd rather just roll dice or use init cards) or too useless (how much money does the baker make? I'd only care of the PCs were robbing him!).
So, thanks for trailblazing.
-Reddist
I just wanted to toss out a personal thanks for all your "review" footwork here. I too am looking to make more use of my PDA at the table, but so much of the software either seems too simple (as in, I'd rather just roll dice or use init cards) or too useless (how much money does the baker make? I'd only care of the PCs were robbing him!).
So, thanks for trailblazing.
-Reddist
d20fool
First Post
reddist said:
You are very welcome. Here's some more I turned up while web crawling
http://www.palmgamingworld.com/rpg/pdawarrior.shtml
Demo of a program that works as a character database, player and DM friendly. It even allows you to sketch the character (in color!) They want money in 30 days though. Nice little program however.
http://www.palmgamingworld.com/rpg/pdacombat.shtml
The sequel to PDA Warrior, PDA Combat let's you fight with the character you've entered into PDA Warrior. Haven't had a chance to use it, but I must admit to liking programs that build on each other.
http://rumkin.com/software/dnd_helper/
A program that runs lots of tables, including critical hits, names, and various languages to produce words. All that and freeware too. Definate addition to the table.
http://www.mythosa.net/Utils.html
Several palm applications. A tablesmith express/namemanager pair that lets you have two tables each unless you fork over $5, but many tables available and I like how they work. I'll be buying as soon as I'm sure I've $5 to spare. An almanac showing dates, weather, moon cycle, etc. for a homebrew world he mentions wanting to expand. I would love to have one for Eberron, it's a cool little program. There is a character manager that lists attributes, AC (various), saves, hit points and XP. Not bad, and it's free. I would like a place for skills though, then I could look up rolls I need to roll of PCs easy. There's an XP track for Unearthed Arcana style XP that goes hand in hand with the character manager, also free.
http://pda.iconet.com.br/palm/preview/274475.html
RPG Shell 3E is another character database that's very clean and usable. Gives nice, simple run-down for character, and includes a messenger you can write in directly (very nice, especially if someone else at the table had a palm!) along with databases for a spellbook, skills and feats. You must enter in the spells into the spellbook, and the skills and feats are 3.0 but easily customized and updatable. Of this and PDA Warrior, I would probably choose this one.
http://www.geocities.com/lmolls/dnd.html
At the bottom of this page are four txt files that can be compiled for PalmReader. To do so, you need a program called DropBook, which I found at http://ebooks.palmone.com/search?keywords=dropbook&x=32&y=10
You drag the txt. file onto the window in dropbook and viola, instant e-book. There are four for different parts of the rules. Although I have this material with my Plucker program, it's useful to have them seperated out like this.
Well, I think that's all for now.
John "d20fool" McCarty
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