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First off do you use them? Did you make your own or buy a pre-made one.

I haven't use one really. I have used old records to block the players from seeing stuff in sessions before. In the past almost purchased clear menu covers on ebay but didn't. Tonight was looking up GMing tips and stumbled across a youtube video that I thought would be great for a GM screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH1zx1Wqd5g

Let me know what you think. Also if you have a way to build a GM screen feel free to post it.

These days, whenever I do (or did, in the past few years) get the chance to play with actual living people instead of my imaginary friends on the internet, I had no use for GM Screens. Let me explain.

All GM information I need I keep on my laptop. Which I bring with me to gaming sessions. Which I can easily keep out of the way of players, and lock the machine when I need to step away for a rest-room or snack break. I also roll dice in plain sight as I want my players to know that I'm not picking on one person or fudging dice rolls (although I do fudge dice rolls, and always in the favor of the players).

I've found the laptop is much better than the GM screens as I can have multiple applications and documents open at once without having to stack them behind a cardboard sheet that can tip over by someone sneezing in its general direction. Not to mention that the documents I have open can contain only the information I need, instead of a screen having all this crap on it that I don't need that I have to look through anyhow to get to the stuff I do need. And I don't have to move the laptop to read what's on it, whereas I'd have to move the screen to do so.

Severus Snape wrote:These days, whenever I do (or did, in the past few years) get the chance to play with actual living people instead of my imaginary friends on the internet, I had no use for GM Screens. Let me explain.

All GM information I need I keep on my laptop. Which I bring with me to gaming sessions. Which I can easily keep out of the way of players, and lock the machine when I need to step away for a rest-room or snack break. I also roll dice in plain sight as I want my players to know that I'm not picking on one person or fudging dice rolls (although I do fudge dice rolls, and always in the favor of the players).

I've found the laptop is much better than the GM screens as I can have multiple applications and documents open at once without having to stack them behind a cardboard sheet that can tip over by someone sneezing in its general direction. Not to mention that the documents I have open can contain only the information I need, instead of a screen having all this crap on it that I don't need that I have to look through anyhow to get to the stuff I do need. And I don't have to move the laptop to read what's on it, whereas I'd have to move the screen to do so.

Yeah that makes sense. I don't think that I could use my laptop for gaming. It would be too distracting to me I feel. Plus having to sift thru folders to get what I need would be tough I feel on my laptop where as I can lay things out on paper and have 4 papers out at once. Haven't tried using the laptop yet but have considered it though.

Do you take your notes on the laptop or do you write them on paper?

I mostly use GM screens as a way to cover up dice rolls, though with the advent of Map Tool and other RPG utilities it really isn't necessary anymore.

Juce734 wrote:

Severus Snape wrote:These days, whenever I do (or did, in the past few years) get the chance to play with actual living people instead of my imaginary friends on the internet, I had no use for GM Screens. Let me explain.

All GM information I need I keep on my laptop. Which I bring with me to gaming sessions. Which I can easily keep out of the way of players, and lock the machine when I need to step away for a rest-room or snack break. I also roll dice in plain sight as I want my players to know that I'm not picking on one person or fudging dice rolls (although I do fudge dice rolls, and always in the favor of the players).

I've found the laptop is much better than the GM screens as I can have multiple applications and documents open at once without having to stack them behind a cardboard sheet that can tip over by someone sneezing in its general direction. Not to mention that the documents I have open can contain only the information I need, instead of a screen having all this crap on it that I don't need that I have to look through anyhow to get to the stuff I do need. And I don't have to move the laptop to read what's on it, whereas I'd have to move the screen to do so.

Yeah that makes sense. I don't think that I could use my laptop for gaming. It would be too distracting to me I feel. Plus having to sift thru folders to get what I need would be tough I feel on my laptop where as I can lay things out on paper and have 4 papers out at once. Haven't tried using the laptop yet but have considered it though.

Do you take your notes on the laptop or do you write them on paper?

I normally take about 30 minutes of prep time before we sit down and start playing to open all documents I need so I don't have to go sifting through folders during the game. As far as taking notes - I type them out. I've actually had the idea of doing audio recording during the gaming session and then typing them all out later, but I haven't had the chance to do this yet.

Severus Snape wrote:

Juce734 wrote:

Severus Snape wrote:These days, whenever I do (or did, in the past few years) get the chance to play with actual living people instead of my imaginary friends on the internet, I had no use for GM Screens. Let me explain.

All GM information I need I keep on my laptop. Which I bring with me to gaming sessions. Which I can easily keep out of the way of players, and lock the machine when I need to step away for a rest-room or snack break. I also roll dice in plain sight as I want my players to know that I'm not picking on one person or fudging dice rolls (although I do fudge dice rolls, and always in the favor of the players).

I've found the laptop is much better than the GM screens as I can have multiple applications and documents open at once without having to stack them behind a cardboard sheet that can tip over by someone sneezing in its general direction. Not to mention that the documents I have open can contain only the information I need, instead of a screen having all this crap on it that I don't need that I have to look through anyhow to get to the stuff I do need. And I don't have to move the laptop to read what's on it, whereas I'd have to move the screen to do so.

Yeah that makes sense. I don't think that I could use my laptop for gaming. It would be too distracting to me I feel. Plus having to sift thru folders to get what I need would be tough I feel on my laptop where as I can lay things out on paper and have 4 papers out at once. Haven't tried using the laptop yet but have considered it though.

Do you take your notes on the laptop or do you write them on paper?

I normally take about 30 minutes of prep time before we sit down and start playing to open all documents I need so I don't have to go sifting through folders during the game. As far as taking notes - I type them out. I've actually had the idea of doing audio recording during the gaming session and then typing them all out later, but I haven't had the chance to do this yet.

I am thinking of recording our game session on the laptop so I can go back and watch it for that purpose as well as seeing how I can improve to make things go smoother and more fun. Typing notes during play seems distracting to me.