PDAs/SmartPhones and Gaming...

[Flynn]

Good Afternoon, All:

I am looking at getting my first SmartPhone with this year's tax return, and I was curious if anyone used either a PDA or SmartPhone for gaming purposes. If you do, how do you use it? Does it help? I'm looking for ways to use the new power I shall soon have in my hands, and if it can be used for the forces of good gaming, then I'm all for it.

With Regards,
Flynn

BTW, this isn't a thread about specific applications, but rather how using this tool has affected your gaming. That's why I've posted under General RPG Discussion.

 

[sckeener]

I have not seen them to be useful.

I've kept NPC stats on them, rolled dice with them, and referenced the SRD with them...but laptops or tablets are much more useful.

I have seen them to be a distraction though. I've seen lots of players surfing the web or playing other games with them...

It is nice though to be able to whip out gaming material any where. Still a laptop trumps it.

 

[xnosipjpqmhd]

I was curious if anyone used either a PDA or SmartPhone for gaming purposes...

Does browsing ENworld on it count?

 

[Kristian Serrano]

Good Afternoon, All:

I am looking at getting my first SmartPhone with this year's tax return, and I was curious if anyone used either a PDA or SmartPhone for gaming purposes. If you do, how do you use it? Does it help? I'm looking for ways to use the new power I shall soon have in my hands, and if it can be used for the forces of good gaming, then I'm all for it.

With Regards,
Flynn

BTW, this isn't a thread about specific applications, but rather how using this tool has affected your gaming. That's why I've posted under General RPG Discussion.

I have. I've stored images to show to players (saves on ink), statblocks for NPCs and monsters, and used it to search d20srd.org during a game. I do not recommend trying to read PDFs on it. The screen is usually too small; you'll need a laptop or an EEE PC for that.

 

[Clueless]

If it's able to go online where you're at - look into Google maps - very handy for a modern game. It lets me keep up with where the players are in Seattle when they take to the road on me - they're unpredictable at times.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Texting the DM secret notes at the table? Secretly arranging a plot within the party to subvert the other half of the party? Looking up monster stats in the SRD while fighting them?

 

[Kristian Serrano]

If it's able to go online where you're at - look into Google maps - very handy for a modern game. It lets me keep up with where the players are in Seattle when they take to the road on me - they're unpredictable at times.

If you do this, I strongly recommend using the Google Maps download application rather than the web version. The download has a much faster response time.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I use DieRoller on my Treo now.

 

[Castellan]

I'm answering this on my iPhone right now. It's been very helpful for looking up more obscure info when I don't have access to my laptop, and d20srd.org renders great on it, but I don't use it too often.

It can be distracting and it's not nearly as simple to use as my laptop is. I'd recommend springing for something that'll be more useful for doing all of your prep work and storing previous game data as well as a PDF or two (if you have any).

 

[jdrakeh]

I just bought a slightly older PDA and loaded it up with a dice roller, treasure generator, Pocket Excel d20 character sheet, and (for travel) NetHack.

Much of the native software is no longer supported but it will run enough third-party software that I can carry around a stack of my own PCs and NPCs for multiple systems, a multi-function dice roller, and (when near a wireless hotspot) look up verious online SRD material and/or wiki pages on the fly.

It sucks for PDF reading (given that precious few PDF games are formatted for palmtop or PDA viewing) but it is far better than a laptop for instant access to online material, IME.

[Edit: One other advantage -- it lets me carry around a library of character sheets for my entire game collection. While a laptop lets me do that too, from a aportability/printing standpoint, the PDA makes much, much, more sense in this regard.]