I will admit that I was a slow adapter to the use of
computers at the game table. In high school, I was the primary owner of “The
Library”—our group’s collection of gaming books. Each time we got together for
game, I brought the bulk of them to each game. Once I moved out and had my own
place, I could host the games there and the library could grow beyond what
would be feasible for me to pack up and carry on a weekly basis.
The most frustrating part of a physical book was trying to
track down specific rules. You could guarantee the game would come to a
screeching halt, as players were trying to remember which book the rule came
from. Admittedly, if you are only using the core books for any particular game,
this might be easy enough. Still, there is nothing worse than stopping the game
to find a specific rule.
The thing that really changed gaming for me was the laptop
and my external hard drive. Between the two of them, I have been able to
radically cut down on the number of books that are cluttering the table (or
that I need to carry with me). I have invested a pretty good chunk of money changing
out my hard copy game books for digital versions, thanks to sites like
DriveThruRPG. Most companies make their PDFs searchable, which means a simple
CTRL+F and you can search the whole document and have it in no time.
Beyond the digital library, I also like the laptop for a
number of other reasons. I can keep all of my game notes in one place. I
usually have my digital notes set up through OneNote, with individual “notebooks”
for each game and sections for each player/character. This lets me quickly make
notes of how they are reacting to individual storylines, short-term and
long-term goals, enemies they acquire, as well as any other little tidbits that
might be usable in future chapters.
Another useful tool I use is a simple Excel
spreadsheet. I usually have one tab set
up to handle combat, keeping track of initiative and quick reference
information for NPCs, and a running tabulation of XP earned for the session.
When I do my initial prep work for the campaign, I will also set up a tab t
I also use instant messaging with my players. This has
eliminated note passing and allows me to copy and paste their notes and ideas
directly to their notebook pages. Between game sessions, I also use instant
messaging to conduct one-on-one sessions with my players and plan for any
activities they might be interested in doing if they will be absent from a
game. I can keep annotated transcripts of these with the rest of their
character information as well and try to weave pieces of these side stories
into the main narrative when the opportunity arises.
With sites like Roll20, we have also been able to use the
computer to connect with players that would otherwise be unable to join.
Additionally, we have also made use of Roll20 even with all of the players in
the same room, using a projector to put the game map up on a wall, instead of
drawing it on a map pad. The one drawback I found with Roll20 is making sure
that all of the players are familiar with how to use the built in character
sheets and the various macros the system supports for dice rolling and use of
special powers. I imagine, however, once everyone is comfortable with the
controls, this platform will meet many needs for groups.
I will be the first to admit, though, that the game can
suffer with so much tech at the table. With access to instant messenger, you
might lose a player to social media. Or another might disappear into a book. I
know I have been guilty during sessions as a player of doing my homework during
the game if I am not getting engaged by what is happening. Even if you limit
access to computers, the ubiquitous cellphone presents many of the same problems.
Like most of my recommendations, I would talk it over with
your players to see how much, or how little, tech you really need to have to
make the game work for everyone. While it can be great to be able to have some
ambiance-enhancing music playing from your machine, there is nothing more
distracting than hearing the constant PING
of an instant messaging program going off. And as wonderful as it is to have a
library of hundreds of books accessible at any time, it can also lead to player
disconnect. Plus, there is the making sure you have enough space for any maps,
minis, props, food and drink, etc. on the table.
If you have enough space, I would recommend the GM have a
computer. There are generally more Pros to this decision than Cons. From there,
I would really consider what do your players need to have access to in order to
facilitate easy game play? Now that most folks have smartphones, instant
messaging apps are easy enough to come by, as are a number of apps for various
games. This can help eliminate the clutter and help your players stay engaged
in the game.
I have also been in period games where GMs have banned
players from having anything other than their dice, character sheet, and a
pencil with them. Having been a player in this style set up, make sure that you
are watching your players for signs of boredom. I know that I was emoting pretty
heavily, by repeatedly building towers with my dice, and my GM was oblivious of
it. The benefit to not having any tech in front of your players is that it
should make it very easy to watch their body language. In order for this to be
a benefit, though, you have to be willing to look up from your screen and
engage with your players.
What type of tech set up do you use in your home games? Have
you run into any disasters in game because of too much, or too little, tech
available? Share your experiences in the comments below.
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