Laptops At The Gaming Table

Technology has become so invasive in our lives that even a “pencil and paper” game has become touched by laptops, PDAs and smart phones. I gamed with a group for a while that used a laptop, custom software and a projector to track all basic combat stats for the party. It was really slick and I liked it quite a bit. I was using Wizard’s D&D character creator at the time and found a mistake on my character right as the game started. I fired up my laptop and fixed the character, dropped it to a PDF and used the PDF on my screen for the rest of the night. It was pretty slick. However, as a player, I prefer to lose all of the distractions that a laptop provides and concentrate on the game. As a GM, I have so many notes, maps, wikis and digital references on my laptop that I can scarcely live without it. I try not to let it become my main focus, though.

Book of Dead Characters to Celebrate Your Gaming

I wish I had thought of this back when I was 10 years old and my first character death occurred. I would love to have a binder with all of my dead in it. Damn good idea. Too bad I didn’t do it. I’m sure there are lots of memories that I have lost from my head that I would recall just by glancing at my roll of the dead. Ah well…

Why Everyone Should Have 3d6 For Stats

When a player meets a keystone NPC, I usually have them prepped before hand and know all of their vital details. If they meet a transient and unimportant NPC that suddenly becomes important somehow, I roll a few dice to determine their basics and run with what the dice tell me unless the dice go against what I’ve already determined in my head the character is. If I know the innkeeper is slow-witted, and I roll high for his intelligence, then I’ll ignore the roll and go with a lower amount. By knowing (and recording for later use) the basic stats of people that are encountered, it makes for a richer gaming experience.

GM’s Guide To Adventure Writing

Every GM, at some point, should step away from the pre-built modules that are published for use and run with their own module. It really heightens the attachment to the world and the sense of adventure for the players and the GM alike. Not sure where to start or how to do it? Follow the link and read some more at Role Playing Tips.

First Time GM: Job Description

Along the same lines of the previous link, if a person has never run a game before (and I still assert that all true gamers should run at least one campaign) then Gnome Stew has some hints and tips for a first-timer in the guise of a job description for GMs. If you’re an experienced GM, head on over to Gnome Stew and see what you agree with and what you don’t.