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Being technologically advanced
Greetings,
So as I browse through the postings in the forums here, I keep running across ways that GM's and players are using technology to better their games. Using software to create maps, sending them to players. Ive read about using software where the players are shown on the map, and the GM places the monsters on there. I assume everyone in the group is using a laptop to do this. Ive read about people using maps and an overhead projector, beaming the map onto the table from above and then placing the real figures down onto the image.
I was just wondering --- what are your favourite techniques and methods to increase the enjoyment and efficiency of your games?
I for one, have terrible math skills. I was thinking about making a sliding scale thing to calculate THAC0's. Yes, I use the dreaded THAC0 systems from 2nd edition D&D, LOL! That way, I do not have to use my head fingers and toes each roll I make to see if a creature hits a player!
-Anthony
So as I browse through the postings in the forums here, I keep running across ways that GM's and players are using technology to better their games. Using software to create maps, sending them to players. Ive read about using software where the players are shown on the map, and the GM places the monsters on there. I assume everyone in the group is using a laptop to do this. Ive read about people using maps and an overhead projector, beaming the map onto the table from above and then placing the real figures down onto the image.
I was just wondering --- what are your favourite techniques and methods to increase the enjoyment and efficiency of your games?
I for one, have terrible math skills. I was thinking about making a sliding scale thing to calculate THAC0's. Yes, I use the dreaded THAC0 systems from 2nd edition D&D, LOL! That way, I do not have to use my head fingers and toes each roll I make to see if a creature hits a player!
-Anthony
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Cheers,
-Arsheesh
"I met a traveller from an antique land....."
CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.
Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign
Inner Council Member
All of my adventures are read at the table from my laptop as pdfs, designed in photoshop and written in Word. I create hyperlinks to various encounters, npcs, monsters etc. so that it makes things easier. To calculate combat, a run something called Familiar, which is essentially a 4th edition combat encounter assistant that does all the math for me. On the table I use custom made counters which I designed in illustrator and printed at Staples. They fight on boards which I drew by hand and touched up in photoshop. To store these counters (thousands and thousands of them) I keep them in a nail/screw storage case and assign numbers to the various monsters, which I database using even more software. I create these sort of audio hyperlinks which cue music on my speakers, attached to my receiver, which is connected to my laptop. This music sets the mood for combat encounters or other events of thematic importance. Additionally, I create dreams for my players using photoshop and windows movie maker. Finally, my players and I use this site to record our adventures and catch-up on missed encounters.
- Clock
"Govaga":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/govaga
We're relatively low-tech at our table (although i suppose I am now also running a campaign that exists entirely on the Portal, so there's that). I do have a laptop out, to keep placenames, maps, and other effluvia of my free time handy, but otherwise it's all books, dice, markers on a draw-erase grid, legos (yes, Legos!), and making it up as I go. I guess we also use a lot of computer print-outs, and a large dry-erase board on the wall, so maybe we're in the mid-90s?
Occasionally a player (like myself as a good example) around the table will pull out their own laptop for a reference or something (maybe an image to show people to clarify something) but we don't really have a lot of room for everyone to have their laptops out the whole game...plus it takes away from the togetherness that gaming provides with your friends if you're all just staring at computer screens the whole time, I think.
During a call of cthulu session I ran a couple months back I had some cool images from the 1920s-- fashions, vehicles, police equipment (did you know cops used to use garrotes instead of handcuffs back then? yep, kind of crazy but definitely adds flair), and also some images of the locale where the adventure was going to take place -- shots of downtown chicago, the chicago river, etc.
"Star Trek Late Night":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/star-trek-late-night
However, the game itself is done the old fashioned way. I use pen & paper to track xp and damage, and the players & I talk like we are across the table, not 100's or 1000's of miles away.
So technology is essential to keep us connected, but table top gaming to me is still about dice and people, mostly people.
killervp
"A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
Just trying to help out.
Other games I am a little less computer and more paper.
I tend to do a lot on the computer between sessions for all games. I work behind a laptop screen so it is easy/natural for me to do so.
It is how we play every 2 weeks- my game stretches from Florida to Vancouver, from NJ to California, with some Utah & Midwest included.
Send me a PM if you want to know the ins & outs, otherwise just check out my campaign.
killervp
"A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
Just trying to help out.
What I do... Is use my ipod to create playlists for the game. For random battles, I have another playlist. For certain NPCs I have certain songs for a theme. I also use my computer to record my own original music to create tracks. For those, I make them so that they loop without a pause so the song can play for however long I want. Of course, those songs are 8-12 minutes long to avoid repeatition.
Never used... not an insult, just want to know more.
killervp
"A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
Just trying to help out.
Just trying to help out.
First of all I bring my laptop to the table. This is nothing new, Most of the players bring theirs too, and not having to print out or write down sheets, notes and adventure details is a great time saver.
But now I also began using my laptop to run encounters and keep track of stats and such. For this I use the *excellent* software "Masterplan":http://www.habitualindolence.net/masterplan
This thing is absolutely awesome in every way. It comes with an extremely handy "Player View" window that I project onto an LCD monitor I bring with me, where I display combat encounters, handouts, long texts such as riddles or poems, overview maps and anything else I can think of.
Now bringing a laptop, and an LCD screen may sound like an overkill, but I've found it really saves me time, and it's no more or less of a hassle than having to bring miniatures and tiles, and spend the time between encounters setting them up. It frees time, and doesn't sacrifice a whole lot of immersion either when you can use gorgeous artwork for handouts, nice digital battlemaps and custom tokens for the PC's and monsters.
The next thing I would like to try out, and have already started working on, is trying to introduce auditory stimulus to the game.
Many of you have probably experimented with game music and all kinds of manners to bringing it to the table.
Putting up a CD in a boombox of course needs constant attention for the DM due to changing tracks and such. MP3 players, Ipods and such are much better, capacity and tuning wise, but still require some attention if you want more control over the environment. And then there's the fatigue factor of having to contantly come in with new tunes or run the risk of the players becoming bored with the same songs over and over again.
In my opinion, these methods require far to much attention from the DM, especially during a session, which is a much more valuable time than during preparations.
So recently I've become very tickled by the idea of using ambient sounds rather than straight up music to set the tone during sessions.
The idea is to have some sort of a soundboard that you can customize before hand, to play ambient sounds, fitting the current scene, with light background noises. A very good (but by no means perfect) program I found is this thing called "Syrinscape":http://www.syrinscape.com which, best of all, is totally free and comes with a wide selection of sound sets you can pick.
It also makes it very easy for you, with a little elbow grease, to customize, letting you import and manage your own ambient sounds at leisure.
It features two audio tracks for ambient sounds, and four tracks that will play random sounds from a customizeable selection at intervals and volume of your choosing. Lastly it allows you create a loadout of ten sound effects for immediate use.
Running this on a laptop should be rather easy, provided you can be bothered with it and have a good enough sound-system. I've yet to take it to the field, but I've been having a lot of fun fiddling with it and trying out the settings.
killervp
"A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
Just trying to help out.
This semester I am gonna be using a more tech heavy approach as I will try and have quest details and such posted on OP at all times and try to get my players to get more involved here. I hope that OP will become our away from the table home for the campaign.
When we are at the table I expect things to be pretty low tech still save for the occasional laptop or two.