D&D 5E Running a game from a tablet.
NaturalZero
Hero
I'm on an Android, btw.
I don't think multiple tablets is a feasible strategy for me right now but maybe down the road. If Fight Club is an app that lets you keep track of multiple things at once, I might give that a shot. Right now, I'm considering lugging around the monster books for easy access since i can't seem to find database like 4e to copy and paste from.
I don't think multiple tablets is a feasible strategy for me right now but maybe down the road. If Fight Club is an app that lets you keep track of multiple things at once, I might give that a shot. Right now, I'm considering lugging around the monster books for easy access since i can't seem to find database like 4e to copy and paste from.
I've been using OneNote to organize my campaign, and once we got the format down, it's worked very well. I have a passworded DM tab and a Player tab. I use the DM tab to organize my notes, outlines, put in photos, art clips, maps, etc. My players use the Player tab to collectively take notes, track treasure, quests, etc. Because everyone can work in the document at the same time, it's a great resource for collaboration. I can run it off my iPhone, ipad, or laptop.
One downside that was mentioned above is having to switch windows. At first it was indeed a little slow, but now it's just switching windows. It's no different than shuffling papers or flipping through a notebook, looking for the one page you need. A little faster in fact, because my tabs are named.
One thing I've also done is plug my laptop into a large TV or video monitor (we play in an office conference room), which allows me to share art and maps with my players. By "extending my desktop" onto the TV, I can drag over maps or pictures of NPCs, scenery, treasure items, etc for everyone to reference. I only started doing it a few months ago, and it's been universally thumbs-upped by my players.
One downside that was mentioned above is having to switch windows. At first it was indeed a little slow, but now it's just switching windows. It's no different than shuffling papers or flipping through a notebook, looking for the one page you need. A little faster in fact, because my tabs are named.
One thing I've also done is plug my laptop into a large TV or video monitor (we play in an office conference room), which allows me to share art and maps with my players. By "extending my desktop" onto the TV, I can drag over maps or pictures of NPCs, scenery, treasure items, etc for everyone to reference. I only started doing it a few months ago, and it's been universally thumbs-upped by my players.
Tony Vargas
Legend
...or Cuneiform?
Bitbrain
Lost in Dark Sun
The two guys in our group who play as the Lore Bard/Eldritch Knight Fighter and the War Cleric use computers (War Cleric uses his iPhone, the Bard/Fighter uses a Windows laptop.
Now that he's also DMing, the Bard/Fighter uses his laptop for that too.
The main DM of our group uses a combination of paper and iPad.
Now that he's also DMing, the Bard/Fighter uses his laptop for that too.
The main DM of our group uses a combination of paper and iPad.
kbrakke
First Post
My current set up is a Surface Pro + Battle Mat + Tool Box of minis + 2d20. The Surface Pro has been a godsend with One Note. Someone posted a free One Note notebook with most of the free 5e stuff in it and from there I added stuff for whatever adventure I am running. If the adventure is in PDF form I make a notebook with that adventure and separate out the maps from the content. On each page with content I can link to monsters that appear there. If combat breaks out I can write initiative right there on the screen and keep track of monster HP on their stat page. Once it's all over I can erase it.
Because one note syncs across all devices I have, I can use my desktop to write up an adventure, fetch pics from the web and insert them for maps/monster images/etc. then pull them up on the tablet when relevant. Recently for reasons audio has become a part of my prep so I can record on the desktop, insert it with the appropriate monster or encounter and then play it when the party gets there.
Even more recently I have started to put a few settings books in to their own notebook so that I can refer to it from multiple campaign notebooks. So for my Eberron campaigns I can quickly pull up a map of the region they are in and remind myself of NPCs and Places (Who also have their own pages linked in the text).
If you're willing to put in some extra prep time having a well constructed One Note notebook makes so many things easier. That combined with using average damage for every monster have drastically decreased downtime in game for me.
Because one note syncs across all devices I have, I can use my desktop to write up an adventure, fetch pics from the web and insert them for maps/monster images/etc. then pull them up on the tablet when relevant. Recently for reasons audio has become a part of my prep so I can record on the desktop, insert it with the appropriate monster or encounter and then play it when the party gets there.
Even more recently I have started to put a few settings books in to their own notebook so that I can refer to it from multiple campaign notebooks. So for my Eberron campaigns I can quickly pull up a map of the region they are in and remind myself of NPCs and Places (Who also have their own pages linked in the text).
If you're willing to put in some extra prep time having a well constructed One Note notebook makes so many things easier. That combined with using average damage for every monster have drastically decreased downtime in game for me.
NaturalZero
Hero
One Note is sounding pretty good. Downloading it now.
I'm big on being able to construct stuff on the PC and have it seamless move to the tablet. I'll play around with art apps on the tablet though since I'd like to sit somewhere and sketch maps directly on the thing
I'm big on being able to construct stuff on the PC and have it seamless move to the tablet. I'll play around with art apps on the tablet though since I'd like to sit somewhere and sketch maps directly on the thing
orderofthings
First Post
I use Dropbox for document control, and love it.
I run 3D Virtual Tabletop on a Nabi Bigtab (my daughter's) for maps and a battle mat (we put the minis right on the screen). I like the physical book for reference, and loads of hand-written notes. I do also have my phone (Galaxy note 6) to pull up random statblocks and spell descriptions, most having been previously saved to dropbox, others simply googled.
I wanted to get high-tech for a while but beyond the Nabi Bigtab and phone, I can't drop the P&P
I run 3D Virtual Tabletop on a Nabi Bigtab (my daughter's) for maps and a battle mat (we put the minis right on the screen). I like the physical book for reference, and loads of hand-written notes. I do also have my phone (Galaxy note 6) to pull up random statblocks and spell descriptions, most having been previously saved to dropbox, others simply googled.
I wanted to get high-tech for a while but beyond the Nabi Bigtab and phone, I can't drop the P&P
Satyrn
First Post
I shouldn't have really said this.
I use infinite Painter and Infinite Design on my Android tablets. I find them to be very good. I just don't use them for drawing dungeons, but the Painter would work for drawing them "freehand".
