Add Here - Time Saver tips for New RPG players

[Nefaro]

My only use for PDFs has been to print off tables, lists, or maps easily.  So I don't need to squeeze the physical book into the scanner, nor try searching the web to see if someone uploaded the specific stuff I wanted.

Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but I try to completely avoid using a notebook pc or tablet at the table, in group play.  It may be faster using a Ctrl+F search, but I'm too worried it will detract or distract from the raw pen & paper or cardboard environment.  Using such, playing over the 'net, obviously doesn't break anything since it's already a digital experience.

thats a great argument for having both PDF and HardBack, we should include paperback for when you travel :) it is a good tip though to use a book then print out certain parts from pdf

Definitely a good reason to also have a PDF.

Especially since I finally splurged on the Customizable GM Screen that's all the rage. 

All this isn't a big deal for the systems we may be solo'ing with, but I like to have as much of the essentials right in front of me in a group setting.  I have a group starting a fantasy campaign this week, so it finally pushed me to get that.  Instead of having loose or paper-clipped reference sheets floating around.  The NPC & monster info will be doing the floating, on index cards, so more room for that.

If the game in question has a GM Screen PDF, that can be the more cost effective way to go.  Those are a fraction of the cost of the full book, in PDF, and you don't have to copy & paste all the separate tables/lists into your own layout.  Saves some work, if it has most of the tables you want.

[gameleaper]

gameleaper, check out NBOS Software for character sheets. It's free! It's fairly easy to create custom sheets. I use their software The Keep 2.0 to manage my RPGs right now. It's not free but worth checking out.


You just cost me $75 USD :) that's how impressed I was , I did not get the space addon, and I was disappointed the char sheet addon could not be downloaded from rpgnow with the main keep software, I paid an extra $5 because I wanted a safe site I trusted to download, but all is well now, and about to get screenmonkey so I have the current version that matches what I got. bb I have to thank you my gameing just got a whole lot better , thx bb

and the software is standalone no phone home crud, I use software on PCs not connected to the net, so this was great fore me

[gameleaper]

My only use for PDFs has been to print off tables, lists, or maps easily.  So I don't need to squeeze the physical book into the scanner, nor try searching the web to see if someone uploaded the specific stuff I wanted.

Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but I try to completely avoid using a notebook pc or tablet at the table, in group play.  It may be faster using a Ctrl+F search, but I'm too worried it will detract or distract from the raw pen & paper or cardboard environment.  Using such, playing over the 'net, obviously doesn't break anything since it's already a digital experience.

thats a great argument for having both PDF and HardBack, we should include paperback for when you travel :) it is a good tip though to use a book then print out certain parts from pdf

Definitely a good reason to also have a PDF.

Especially since I finally splurged on the Customizable GM Screen that's all the rage. 

All this isn't a big deal for the systems we may be solo'ing with, but I like to have as much of the essentials right in front of me in a group setting.  I have a group starting a fantasy campaign this week, so it finally pushed me to get that.  Instead of having loose or paper-clipped reference sheets floating around.  The NPC & monster info will be doing the floating, on index cards, so more room for that.

If the game in question has a GM Screen PDF, that can be the more cost effective way to go.  Those are a fraction of the cost of the full book, in PDF, and you don't have to copy & paste all the separate tables/lists into your own layout.  Saves some work, if it has most of the tables you want.

That's a nice addon, I like hardback books, but when I travel to the shop they have limited books in stock, and I don't like waiting for deliveries, PDFs are easy for me.

[Dammit Carl!]

If I may:

Why trouble yourself over every little detail?  Let online random generators be your savior!

http://donjon.bin.sh/, and http://www.freelancetraveller.com/infocenter/swlist/others.html have been in my bookmark list for a while now, for example.  I'm certain there are a zillion others out there too, so explore and utilize!

[gameleaper]

If I may:

Why trouble yourself over every little detail?  Let online random generators be your savior!

http://donjon.bin.sh/, and http://www.freelancetraveller.com/infocenter/swlist/others.html have been in my bookmark list for a while now, for example.  I'm certain there are a zillion others out there too, so explore and utilize!

I shall look at these links, but The NSOB software is an RPG gamers Personal Imformation Manager, and graphics Mapper, and Char sheet designer, and generator.

I'm going to look into kingdom creator I seen on RPGNow.com, it seems to create Maps from your settings , kings armies inns roads etc. there is an addon to it too

[gameleaper]

If I may:

Why trouble yourself over every little detail?  Let online random generators be your savior!

http://donjon.bin.sh/, and http://www.freelancetraveller.com/infocenter/swlist/others.html have been in my bookmark list for a while now, for example.  I'm certain there are a zillion others out there too, so explore and utilize!

I liked those links, the first has an incredible list of generators

[Double Deuce]

Especially since I finally splurged on the Customizable GM Screen that's all the rage.

Nice, that's the first I have seen of that.

[bbmike]

and the software is standalone no phone home crud, I use software on PCs not connected to the net, so this was great fore me

That's the best part. I carry a tiny keychain USB drive with me (Super Talent 32GB Pico) that has everything I need for my current RPGs.

Here's some more links for (mostly) solo RPGing.  :)

[gameleaper]

and the software is standalone no phone home crud, I use software on PCs not connected to the net, so this was great fore me

That's the best part. I carry a tiny keychain USB drive with me (Super Talent 32GB Pico) that has everything I need for my current RPGs.

Here's some more links for (mostly) solo RPGing.  :)

I absolutely find these solo links a treasure, thx bb

[Dammit Carl!]

-stuff-

Whoa.  Serious good link...and saved!

(Dungeon World things there -  :D)

[gameleaper]

and the software is standalone no phone home crud, I use software on PCs not connected to the net, so this was great fore me

That's the best part. I carry a tiny keychain USB drive with me (Super Talent 32GB Pico) that has everything I need for my current RPGs.

Here's some more links for (mostly) solo RPGing.  :)

After you mentioned you can put it on a Flash drive, I remembered the install message about it, I didn't read it to well, so Ive gone back and reconfigured it to run on a USB Flash Drive woopie :)

[gameleaper]

http://rpgvirtualtabletop.wikidot.com/mapping-software

a good link for mapping software

[Nefaro]

http://rpgvirtualtabletop.wikidot.com/mapping-software

a good link for mapping software

Cool stuff.  8)




I also recently discovered a site with lots of free "Paper Minis":


http://www.seven-wonders.co.uk/paperfriendsindex.html



From Fantasy to superheroes to sci-fi stuff.  A wide assortment of character types, monsters, aliens, etc.  Comes in PNGs, containing around 9 double-sided standees each, for download from zippyshare.

Print 'em off and use in place of minis. 

[gameleaper]

http://rpgvirtualtabletop.wikidot.com/mapping-software

a good link for mapping software

Cool stuff.  8)




I also recently discovered a site with lots of free "Paper Minis":


http://www.seven-wonders.co.uk/paperfriendsindex.html



From Fantasy to superheroes to sci-fi stuff.  A wide assortment of character types, monsters, aliens, etc.  Comes in PNGs, containing around 9 double-sided standees each, for download from zippyshare.

Print 'em off and use in place of minis.

That's great too thx. I like them , I think www.juniorgeneral.org is good for war stuff aswell

I just bought a dice roller $3 , http://www.rpgnow.com/product/61507/PrecisRoller-2-Windows-Version 
the keep has a dice roller, but I wanted this one , I set preferences in the keep and intergrated it into the Keeps files so it runs under the keep.

[gameleaper]

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/101129/Chimerapedia-Core

buy Chimerapedia-Core for $6 before you buy the Keep, you get a 15% discount , so you in effect get Chimerapedia-Core for free more or less