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

[gamerprinter]

While I use PDFs and online SRDs for game prep as the DM. For 20 years now, we've banned cell phones, laptops or any electronic device (aside from a calculator) from the game table. Everybody drops their phones onto a shelf in the room outside the gaming room. One player operates a small business pizza and he needs access to his phone in case a call from an employee occurs - he's the acception, but not allowed to use the phone for any other purpose while in game. When I tried using a laptop, everybody complained about the heat blowing out the back, so no electronics at all, has been our creedo for 20+ years now. Because I play at a live table, I have no needs for virtual tabletop either.

 

[Blue]

I run online with Google Draw & Zoom/Discord. Roll your own dice, we're friends. I use a word processor (now Google Docs) for my notes or a character sheet regardless if online or in-person - I just print them out if live.

For the RPGs that offer both, I prefer physical books to learn the system and PDFs for reference and for scenario creation.

When playing I avoid character builders as building them by hand helps me remember and use all of my character's various mechanical abilities.

 

[Baron Opal II]

First, sincere thanks to @Jd Smith1 and @Snarf Zagyg for their points of view. They mention some things I hadn't considered.

The only electronics I use are the spreadsheets for NPCs and docs for the rule set. Those are in the background, and aren't an influence during play.

I have to have dice! The tactile and auditory feedback builds and releases tension in a way that nothing electronic could.

Character sheets? Those are pretty much the only relics of times gone by, and can recall interesting memories. They tend to be either on a sheet of paper rather than a designed form, but both are available.

Rules? Some players like to reference them on their phones, others prefer a book. I prefer a book, but have made the rules accessible online.

I discovered while gaming over Zoom I didn't get the same charge, the same energy that I did when we were together. Being performer and audience in equal measure, all of us discovering what happens with the dice being the final director of the production. Didn't care for it; it must be the actor in me.

 

[MNblockhead]

I relentlessly hunt free maps on Reddit and Pinterist, and have for the last decade, as well as buy most of Oones product line.

Oones puts out some great stuff. My first 5e campaign was in a homebrew world and I used a lot of Oones items, even for printed in-person games.

 

[Bedrockgames]

In a number of areas in my life I've given up technological conveniences, either because I've found them too intrusive, because of enjoyment of older analog ways of doing things, or because I felt certain mental abilities were atrophying. For example for the most important telephone numbers I generally "dial them" rather than using speed-dial or voice shortcuts to ensure they remain committed to memory in case I lose access to my devices. I started trying to rely on my GPS a bit less when when I found I wasn't remembering directions to places I've been to multiple times. Things like that.

Since starting a new job and then COVID, I've found myself running all my games online and it just isn't practical to lug bunch of books around, so my TTRPGs have become VTTRPGs. This has me thinking about where I think I'm using tech too much and where I would draw a line or dial things back.

1. Physical Books. I don't mind reading novels, etc. on a good e-reader. I love my Kindle Oasis. For running games, I like D&D Beyond and I've accepted PDFs. But still buy physical copies of many of the books. I enjoy browsing through physical books for inspiration or to get an overall sense of the content in a way that digital version can't capture. I also prefer looking at the artwork in print much more than on a screen. For quickly searching for something; for sorting monsters, magic items, spells, etc. digital is superior. For reading linearly, it is mostly a draw. But for browsing I much prefer physical books. I don't see myself going back to 100% analog when it comes to books, but physical books still have place in how I enjoy the hobby.

I play online and we use a combination of physical books and PDFs. The PDFs are mainly an issue for me while running a game because it is on the monitor I am using to interact with the players. So when I can, I use the physical book. PDFs do have the bonus of advanced search features though and being able to cut text out and put into a note so I have multiple sections in front of me. I agree though, for browsing, nothing beats a physical book.

I feel like with linear reading, I retain more information when I read a physical book.

2. Dice. This is what I miss most when running VTTs. Yeah, we could roll and call our rolls, but when playing virtually, it is nice for everyone to see the roll, and without getting complicated with web cams, rolling the VTTs is the best way to do it. When I'm able to run games in person again, the dice will come out. The one thing, however, that I really like about playing on a VTT is that it is much easier to tract status effects and resolve area of effect damage. I could see using a VTT for in person play for larger and more complex combat.

I play on discord and we don't use dice rollers (at least when I am running sessions we don't). We also don't make people roll dice on camera. It is the honor system. If people are going to cheat, they will cheat. But on the whole, I don't notice any difference in pattern of outcome using this method (possible people are cheating, I can't say, but we still have character deaths and even TPKs).

3. Paper character sheets. Here again, I think I prefer a mixed approach. Manage your character sheet digitally, but print it out your character sheet before each session. I feel having a digital device in front of players at the table detracts from player engagement. Tablets with notifications and alerts shut off okay but I feel that there is something distracting about using a physical device. As a GM, I feel this is a bit hypocritical as I'll generally use a laptop at the table. But as a GM I have no choice but to be constantly engaged during the game. I don't know that I would be 100% comfortable asking players to only use paper character sheets for a 5e game, but I would at least suggest it and discuss it.

I don't mind digital sheets and character generators but once in a while I just want to write out characters by hand.

4. In person play. This is what I miss the most. Having everyone physically in the same room, sharing food, and hanging out together. Remote play is out of necessity, not preference.

I actually shifted to online play a few years before Covid and have gotten so used to it, I don't notice the difference. This might just be my personality, and I also have health issue with can make in person gaming inconvenient for me, but I found there was a period of time where online gaming felt disconnected, but then I stopped noticing all the things that make it different from live at the table play. I play mostly without miniatures, mats, or handouts, so that probably helps in this case.

Also one big advantage of online play is it is so easy to get a group together. If you suddenly want to play a random RPG, you can go online and likely find players who can hop on discord and give it a shot. It helped me tremendously with play testing (I was able to run multiple scenarios and mechanic tests each week with small groups of players online----this probably wouldn't have been easy to pull off in person). And you can game with anyone across the globe. On Friday two of my players live in England, one in New Hampshire and me and the other player live in Boston. On my Saturday bi-weekly game, one player is in Canada while the rest are mostly in Massachusetts. I designed a game with someone who was living in China then who moved to California. Time zones are a factor for sure. But one good thing about being able to play with folks from different places is it really gives you a different perspective on things that come up in play.

Where would I not go back? Even for in-person play I would stay digital for:

• All prep work. Writing session notes, writing adventures, planning campaigns, creating maps.
• Battlemaps. I generally don't find physical tiles and battlemaps worth the hassle and expense. For in person play, I would continue using a horizontal display with digital maps. But I would use it with physical miniatures and/or tokens.
• Occasionally for complex combats with many actors. I really don't like manually rolling saves and damage for large numbers of enemies when the wizard drops a fireball on them. Tracking all of that on paper feels like a chore.

 

[Mars Hall]

In a number of areas in my life I've given up technological conveniences, either because I've found them too intrusive, because of enjoyment of older analog ways of doing things, or because I felt certain mental abilities were atrophying. For example for the most important telephone numbers I generally "dial them" rather than using speed-dial or voice shortcuts to ensure they remain committed to memory in case I lose access to my devices. I started trying to rely on my GPS a bit less when when I found I wasn't remembering directions to places I've been to multiple times. Things like that.

Since starting a new job and then COVID, I've found myself running all my games online and it just isn't practical to lug bunch of books around, so my TTRPGs have become VTTRPGs. This has me thinking about where I think I'm using tech too much and where I would draw a line or dial things back.

1. Physical Books. I don't mind reading novels, etc. on a good e-reader. I love my Kindle Oasis. For running games, I like D&D Beyond and I've accepted PDFs. But still buy physical copies of many of the books. I enjoy browsing through physical books for inspiration or to get an overall sense of the content in a way that digital version can't capture. I also prefer looking at the artwork in print much more than on a screen. For quickly searching for something; for sorting monsters, magic items, spells, etc. digital is superior. For reading linearly, it is mostly a draw. But for browsing I much prefer physical books. I don't see myself going back to 100% analog when it comes to books, but physical books still have place in how I enjoy the hobby.

2. Dice. This is what I miss most when running VTTs. Yeah, we could roll and call our rolls, but when playing virtually, it is nice for everyone to see the roll, and without getting complicated with web cams, rolling the VTTs is the best way to do it. When I'm able to run games in person again, the dice will come out. The one thing, however, that I really like about playing on a VTT is that it is much easier to tract status effects and resolve area of effect damage. I could see using a VTT for in person play for larger and more complex combat.

3. Paper character sheets. Here again, I think I prefer a mixed approach. Manage your character sheet digitally, but print it out your character sheet before each session. I feel having a digital device in front of players at the table detracts from player engagement. Tablets with notifications and alerts shut off okay but I feel that there is something distracting about using a physical device. As a GM, I feel this is a bit hypocritical as I'll generally use a laptop at the table. But as a GM I have no choice but to be constantly engaged during the game. I don't know that I would be 100% comfortable asking players to only use paper character sheets for a 5e game, but I would at least suggest it and discuss it.

4. In person play. This is what I miss the most. Having everyone physically in the same room, sharing food, and hanging out together. Remote play is out of necessity, not preference.

Where would I not go back? Even for in-person play I would stay digital for:

• All prep work. Writing session notes, writing adventures, planning campaigns, creating maps.
• Battlemaps. I generally don't find physical tiles and battlemaps worth the hassle and expense. For in person play, I would continue using a horizontal display with digital maps. But I would use it with physical miniatures and/or tokens.
• Occasionally for complex combats with many actors. I really don't like manually rolling saves and damage for large numbers of enemies when the wizard drops a fireball on them. Tracking all of that on paper feels like a chore.

I will mix digital and physical sheets, books, and dice.

By which I mean that I own some physical books, but they stay at home. I generally head to my weekly game with my tablet, some real dice (w/tray), and my phone.

What I won't do, though, is online. I enjoy in-person gaming way too much and it's a lot easier to focus.

 

[DammitVictor]

Physical books and in-person play. Don't care about digital dice or digital character sheets, and I don't normally use minis and maps-- if I did, I'd be okay with replacing them with digital tools.

But I need to have physical books and I need to play face to face to face around a real table.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

My answer?

I do not want to use tech for anything in my games. Nothing. Nada. Zero.

Not because I am a luddite - far from it. Instead, I would view using tech for my games as a "Busman's Holiday," in the sense that there are occasions when I need a break from technology. Sitting down with friends, chatting, rolling dice, no screens- it isn't a labor, it's a respite.

I think that we often forget about the value of ritual. I don't discount the ease and convenience of technology, nor that it makes gaming better (or even "doable") for many people. But just like there are reasons to take extra time and make a nice meal for yourself, there are reasons to game with physical objects, using papers, and pencils, and books, rolling dice across a table, and looking at faces instead of phones.

I eschew technology in gaming, not because I dislike technology or think it makes things worse, but because I value this time without it and the pleasure it gives me.

Yeah, I totally get this. I am not as hardcore as you as I use a pad for enemy stats for D&D, but other than that it is analogical. In person, paper maps, physical dice, character sheets with coffee stains on them. That's just all part of the experience.

I find them too distracting and restrictive. They pull focus, causing the players to fixate on a flickering torch or an artist's mark on the wall and miss other clues that I'm actually describing. They eat badwidth and CPU. Etc.

Besides. If we wanted to play an MMO, we would play ESO.

Right. Computer games are fun, but when I play a tabletop RPG I want a game of imagination. This is why I use rather schematic hand draw maps and abstract tokens instead of representative miniatures. I don't want people's imagination to be influenced by art assets or what miniatures I might have at hand, as those are unlikely exactly match what I am trying to describe.

 

[aramis erak]

I love my Kindle Oasis, but a game tool it is not. Great for reading a novel, but way to slow and clunky to be alternating among several books, searching, and jumping around a book.

my previous answer to this missed a key element...
I had a kindle oasis as well - agreed, ideal for novels, naughty word for game PDFs. I don't miss it - it died.
My 10.5" table is faster, and perfect for digest sized, and at least 72% for letter, larger if the margins allow.

That said, recent upgrades make the newer tablets much faster than my Oasis was, or even my Boyue 10.5"

Moreover, my Boyue handles epub just fine, and on top of that, allows writing marginal notes, too... and running android aps. Most new ones do better.

Aint perfect yet... but well inside my utility threshold.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Right. Computer games are fun, but when I play a tabletop RPG I want a game of imagination. This is why I use rather schematic hand draw maps and abstract tokens instead of representative miniatures. I don't want people's imagination to be influenced by art assets or what miniatures I might have at hand, as those are unlikely exactly match what I am trying to describe.

The thing about online games, is that you have access to free maps of intense detail, including tile sets so you can build your own, limitless furnishings to further add detail, and countless tokens of either portrait or top-down orientation.

So the players can literally see at a glance exactly what is going on, rather than sitting there building dice towers while the GM drones on, or trying to remember which blob is the party healer.

Better still, they can see it with dynamic lighting (not the best map, but we delete the screen shots after each session):