Over at RPGNet, I made an off remark that "who would want to run a game from a pdf?". Naturally enough, a fair number of people got offended and said I'm some kind of luddite and that pdf gaming is the future. I understand economically that many game producers have to go pdf-only, or maybe have a print-on-demand option (I have had only good experiences with Lulu).
But I can't imagine bringing a laptop to the table to run a game. Maybe it would be easier for those who have an iPad, but I don't. And I'd be terrified that someone would spill a soda on my machine. Computers aren't cheap. And trying to look up rules on a computer screen, to me, would take too long. And I'd probably end up with a headache after trying to read too much. Maybe bookmarking helps a bit, but for me, pdfs will never replace real books.
5 comments:
I'm even more of a luddite than you, because I don't even like having books at the table unless it's totally necessary!
I'm on a computer all frickin day at work, the last thing I want is to have a computer on the table during one of my games.
I've run one game with my laptop.
A quick search in a PDF file makes finding a reference or rule on the fly so simple. It's great when you're GMing and juggling six different things at once.
I'd never want to sit down and read a full book in pdf format, but for quick reference, they're very handy.
Hmm. One of my games has a player in a different state, a player who can't come to my house without severe allergic reactions, and two whose gaming would otherwise be cut short by child or dog care. So, a computer is what lets us game at all.
I tried running/playing with a laptop but it was not very convenient. Took up too much space on the game table and acted like a barrier between me and the other players.
The iPad, on the other hand, is fantastic as a gaming tool - it means I can have shelves worth of gaming material in my bag, plus music, pictures, maps, etc. It's small and light and can be set down flat but still be usable.
I have a no laptop rule at my table. They take up too much space and lead to distracting Facebooking. I would be fin with a Kindle, though.
Perhaps using a netbook would work for you. They are far cheaper ($200) than a laptop and take up much less space. I've used a netbook at the gaming table and printed out the maps. All of it can fit behind the dm screen easily.
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