What level of technology WON'T you go beyond with your tabletop gaming?
- Thread starter joethelawyer
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Olaf the Stout
Legend
At this point in time the only thing taboo for me is electronic dice rollers. I'd like that if I play D&D over a tabletop I'll always use real dice. If I was playing online I could understand electronic dice, but not when I'm playing face-to-face.
Having said that my games are pretty low tech at the moment. No-one uses a laptop or anything like that at the table. I make use of PDF's and Excel spreadsheets before and after the game but very rarely during.
Olaf the Stout
Having said that my games are pretty low tech at the moment. No-one uses a laptop or anything like that at the table. I make use of PDF's and Excel spreadsheets before and after the game but very rarely during.
Olaf the Stout
Last edited:
Jack Colby
First Post
I don't use any of those things when we're actually playing. I am not opposed to PDFs and the like for preparation though (but I do print off anything I want to use in the game.)
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Preparation: it's easier to write and edit in Word than with pen and paper. It's also easier to read afterwards. But maps etc. are still hand-done.
I have blank templates for character sheets and experience-point recording that people can (and often do) use.
In-game: the computer provides background music (Internet Radio Is Your Friend) and sometimes has a thematic picture on screen. We also often plug in and print out the treasury list during the division process, to organize it and make it readable. And if a player is absent sometimes someone will send him-her a text message if something dramatic happens.
Post-game: game updates and logs are online. Stats, logs, notes, etc. are all kept electronically. And I get ideas etc. from places like this.
Otherwise, that's it. No electronic dice rollers, no online play or virtual tabletops, no laptops at the table.
About the only technology I could see myself leaping to adopt if it was done well enough (and didn't cost *too* many limbs to buy) would be something that would replace the minis with little custom-designable 3-D opaque holograms projected onto the still-low-tech chalkboard in my dining room. That way, the players could design their mini to look exactly how they want their character to look, and I could get rid of a few thousand minis and free up lots and lots of shelf space.
Lan-"oh, no - it's an illusion of an illusion"-efan
I have blank templates for character sheets and experience-point recording that people can (and often do) use.
In-game: the computer provides background music (Internet Radio Is Your Friend) and sometimes has a thematic picture on screen. We also often plug in and print out the treasury list during the division process, to organize it and make it readable. And if a player is absent sometimes someone will send him-her a text message if something dramatic happens.
Post-game: game updates and logs are online. Stats, logs, notes, etc. are all kept electronically. And I get ideas etc. from places like this.
Otherwise, that's it. No electronic dice rollers, no online play or virtual tabletops, no laptops at the table.
About the only technology I could see myself leaping to adopt if it was done well enough (and didn't cost *too* many limbs to buy) would be something that would replace the minis with little custom-designable 3-D opaque holograms projected onto the still-low-tech chalkboard in my dining room. That way, the players could design their mini to look exactly how they want their character to look, and I could get rid of a few thousand minis and free up lots and lots of shelf space.
Lan-"oh, no - it's an illusion of an illusion"-efan
(un)reason
Legend
As much as won't restrict my imagination, or prevent me from changing and fudging the rules when needed. As long as the technology is serving you, and not the other way around, it's all good.
P
PaulofCthulhu
Guest
No computers at the table in our games.
If there were electronic devices allowed it would be for the GM only - for group map display or NPC portrait display, otherwise it's too easy to get distracted (even the GM as they fumble around on the computer to do something).
The GM's usually always fielding questions or describing scenes so not much time to deflect attention to access the computer.
A friend recently played in a game where everyone had a laptop at the table. Over the session everyone became quiet as they all focused on their machines instead - using the laptops as "little shields" to group interactivity.
One electronic device I would possibly be interested in (for the GM only) is the use of something like an iPod Touch with a soundcart program for playing spot sound effects during the game (sounds of a tavern, the clash of steel, monster roars etc) - touch the button, play the sound. That's it.
The issue I've seen is essentially, when computers are at the table, that's where the focus tends to shift to.
If there were electronic devices allowed it would be for the GM only - for group map display or NPC portrait display, otherwise it's too easy to get distracted (even the GM as they fumble around on the computer to do something).
The GM's usually always fielding questions or describing scenes so not much time to deflect attention to access the computer.
A friend recently played in a game where everyone had a laptop at the table. Over the session everyone became quiet as they all focused on their machines instead - using the laptops as "little shields" to group interactivity.
One electronic device I would possibly be interested in (for the GM only) is the use of something like an iPod Touch with a soundcart program for playing spot sound effects during the game (sounds of a tavern, the clash of steel, monster roars etc) - touch the button, play the sound. That's it.
The issue I've seen is essentially, when computers are at the table, that's where the focus tends to shift to.
resistor
First Post
I have no problem with technology at the table per se. I don't object to something that enhances the play experience, but I do object to is distractions/time sinks. IME, most attempts at using laptops/PDAs at the table end up being the latter, even if the goal is for them to be the former. But I don't think that's an inherent problem, just an indication that we have yet to develop the kind of streamlined tools for tech-enhanced gaming to really be worthwhile.
I dream of one day having a multi-touch electronic battlemat that I can move things around on with a touch, for instance.
I dream of one day having a multi-touch electronic battlemat that I can move things around on with a touch, for instance.
Derulbaskul
Adventurer
I prepare all my games on one of my computers. I have all my files on a portable hard drive so I just take them with me so sometimes I will work on my adventures etc... while I am on a plane (Emirates has power in every seat now... and my EEE PC is good for four or more hours anyway).
My preference is to use my desktop so I do my preparations in my house in Australia and my house in Singapore on the desktops I have there but working from the same portable hard drive that I travel with.
If I DM at home I use books and hard copies of everything (although I might break out the laptop to show pictures) together with miniatures, counters and a battle mat.
If I DM away from home then I use my laptop extensively taking only a minimum number of books (and relying on PDFs for everything else) but I still prefer to use "character sheets", as in printed stat blocks, for my monsters. Sometimes I use real dice and sometimes I use something on my PC to do that. Typically I use the PC if I am "cheating" (always in the party's favour).
I am contemplating playing online soon in which case I will go the "whole hog" and use Skype and some sort of virtual table (but I suspect if this happens my players will continue to use real dice). However, my players are fairly henpecked by their wives so the chances of them being allowed to game online uninterrupted are too low for this idea to really work (so I need to find other players!).
My preference is to use my desktop so I do my preparations in my house in Australia and my house in Singapore on the desktops I have there but working from the same portable hard drive that I travel with.
If I DM at home I use books and hard copies of everything (although I might break out the laptop to show pictures) together with miniatures, counters and a battle mat.
If I DM away from home then I use my laptop extensively taking only a minimum number of books (and relying on PDFs for everything else) but I still prefer to use "character sheets", as in printed stat blocks, for my monsters. Sometimes I use real dice and sometimes I use something on my PC to do that. Typically I use the PC if I am "cheating" (always in the party's favour).
I am contemplating playing online soon in which case I will go the "whole hog" and use Skype and some sort of virtual table (but I suspect if this happens my players will continue to use real dice). However, my players are fairly henpecked by their wives so the chances of them being allowed to game online uninterrupted are too low for this idea to really work (so I need to find other players!).
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