What do you NOT want to use tech for in you TTRPG?

[schneeland]

Due to a recent game I was reminded: while I have more or less completely switched to digital for both RPG reading and gaming in general, one thing where I still prefer analog to digital is dice rolling. The feeling of rolling the clattering solids and watching - with joy or frustration - as they come to a halt and show numbers is still unmatched by digital options. 3D dice (like Dice So Nice for Foundry) reach an acceptable level, but they are still a clear second to physical dice.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Due to a recent game I was reminded: while I have more or less completely switched to digital for both RPG reading and gaming in general, one thing where I still prefer analog to digital is dice rolling. The feeling of rolling the clattering solids and watching, with joy or frustration, as they come to a halt and show numbers is still unmatched by digital options. 3D dice (like Dice So Nice for Foundry) reach an acceptable level, but they are still a clear second to physical dice.

Oddly, I don't miss rolling dice, but I do miss having dice.

 

[aramis erak]

I've been thinking of getting a Kindle Scribe, so I can take notes in books, which would be great for gaming, but I worry that the display of highly graphic and formatted books will not display well. Also, the Kindle interface isn't very smooth for jumping around PDFs. Usually when I play I have the PDF open on my laptop in Acrobat reader to make it easy to jump around (if the publisher bothered to book mark), annotate, and search.

Unless you're deeply into the Kindle ecosphere, you're far better off getting one of the others running a more normal Android versions - faster CPU, usually standard wacom pens, access to the Play Store for standard apps, can add access to the Kindle Store and use the Android Kindle Reader. My current is a Boyue Likebook Alita; the newer versions are much faster - both screen redraw and calculation. good e-reader has a lot of reviews...
Or, for about 50% more, you can get a color eInk. - Watch the reviews first, tho'.

There are some 12" ones out there, but they're pricy. (14" diagonal would be able to show a full size letter sheet... letter is 13.9" diagonal) I've yet to see a color 12" reviewed.

 

[schneeland]

14" diagonal would be able to show a full size letter sheet... letter is 13.9" diagonal

It's a bit tangential to the topic of this thread, but this is something I also really would love to see. My eyes are not getting any better and some PDFs are really hard to read even on a 12.9" iPad Pro (I'm looking at you, TOR 2e). Actually, I would even like a 16" tablet because it would make sketching maps in Procreate easier.

 

[MNblockhead]

Unless you're deeply into the Kindle ecosphere, you're far better off getting one of the others running a more normal Android versions - faster CPU, usually standard wacom pens, access to the Play Store for standard apps, can add access to the Kindle Store and use the Android Kindle Reader. My current is a Boyue Likebook Alita; the newer versions are much faster - both screen redraw and calculation. good e-reader has a lot of reviews...
Or, for about 50% more, you can get a color eInk. - Watch the reviews first, tho'.

There are some 12" ones out there, but they're pricy. (14" diagonal would be able to show a full size letter sheet... letter is 13.9" diagonal) I've yet to see a color 12" reviewed.

I'm pretty deep into the Kindle ecosystem for better or worse. But I also love the Oasis form factor. I can read for hours and not feel it is too heavy. I also love the paperwhite screen which is comfortable to read in all kinds of lighting.

If I get another reader it will be a second device, primarily for gaming PDFs. I'm probably better off just getting an affordable tablet. But I'll check out the Boyue.

 

[Scottius]

We switched my gaming groups to VTT temporarily at the start of the pandemic as I assume most groups did. Always viewed it as a necessary evil and definitely not an improvement. It makes the upkeep of prepping games way more cumbersome and less fun.

Switched back to in person games as soon as it was feasible and haven't looked back. I would use a VTT to run something if I had to due to circumstances (such as wanting to play with a friend who moved away) but in person gaming is so much more engaging, dynamic, & fun. We do a no screens policy at my table so no phones, tablets, or laptops as they invariably cause distractions and draw attention away from the events at the table.

The only place I do use some tech is in the away from table/prep & planning stages of the game. At my computer I'll make use of PDFs, websites, and OneNote. When I bring it all to the table I'm taking my physical books, notebooks, and printed pages if something I am planning to use I only have via PDF or another digital source.

 

[aramis erak]

It's a bit tangential to the topic of this thread, but this is something I also really would love to see. My eyes are not getting any better and some PDFs are really hard to read even on a 12.9" iPad Pro (I'm looking at you, TOR 2e). Actually, I would even like a 16" tablet because it would make sketching maps in Procreate easier.

There are some 13.3" readers aimed at musicians... but they get pricy. The Gvido (gwee-doh) is a dual 13.3" screen with wacom aimed squarely at classical musicians. $1600 list. If I were a music major now, I'd want a Gvido...

There are also now some E-ink displays for computers...
And some laptop computers with an eInk second screen... color modern LCD screen on one side of the screen, eInk on the other... run Windows.