Laptops at the Gaming Table

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power_word_wedgie
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Re: Laptops at the Gaming Table

Post by power_word_wedgie »

Some players prefer books. There's nothing wrong with that. However, along the same line, some players prefer laptops and there's nothing wrong with that.

After all, except for the booting of the laptop, many of the same things could be said about books. Just like someone could be engrossed with their computer during a gaming session, and player could be reading a rulebook and be completely oblivious to the session. Just like someone could be reading something completely unrelated to D&D on a laptop, a person could be reading a comic book during a gaming session.

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with a laptop - just the behavior some could take part in on the laptop. And, yes, as a DM they should put their foot down when that behavior occurs. However, you could have very similar behavior with rule books as well.
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Josh_Kablack
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Re: Laptops at the Gaming Table

Post by Josh_Kablack »

Some players prefer books. There's nothing wrong with that. However, along the same line, some players prefer laptops and there's nothing wrong with that.


The preference, no.

As per the actual use, there tend to be more issues involving, fragility to value ratio, multiple people in close spaces, limited table space, power cords, and drink/snacks spillage with laptops than with books.
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power_word_wedgie
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Re: Laptops at the Gaming Table

Post by power_word_wedgie »

Josh_Kablack at [unixtime wrote:1173079400[/unixtime]]
As per the actual use, there tend to be more issues involving, fragility to value ratio,


Yes, that is true. However, as an owner, after owning something as a while you become more relaxed about that, especially concerning a laptop. The best analogy is earthquakes in California. During my senior year, I lived in San Diego. We had some friends come visit from New Mexico. A tremor occured and our guests freaked out. Meanwhile the rest of the family (including myself) was eating dinner like nothing happened. And everyone knows about, "The Big One." Yeah, something bad can happen, but you couldn't live your life in fear for something you have little control over. I think that somewhat describes laptop ownership and fragility.

multiple people in close spaces, limited table space, power cords,


Well, I guess that I can see that, but it sounds like someone is trying to game in a Starbuck's booth. In all seriousness, this is really an advantage toward laptops in a way. If I bring my book, I'm usually bringing it to aid in helping trying to find some rule during the session. When reading through the books, the more heads trying to find the material the better. For a laptop, you've got a Search command. IMX, as long as the guy (or two) brings his laptop, I'm less inclined to bring my books. Thus, you come up with a hybrid of sorts, with two people with their laptops and the rest with their character reference sheets. Thus, you end up having more room. And then we haven't even touched PDAs ...

and drink/snacks spillage with laptops than with books.


Actually, in my book, this one is a draw. Yes, electronics don't like fluid. However, neither do the books. Furthermore, with greasy or wet hands, my experience has been that the book pages smear if somebody greasy or moist hand (either from oils used for snacks or condensation from drinks) touches it. After a while, with a few smeared pages, I usually break down and buy a new book. And now laptops are more resistant to spillage. Let's put it this way: I'd be more concerned eating around my gamebooks than a laptop or any other computer.

And then we haven't even touched on the advantages of the laptop: you can have reference to material from a variety of books without the weight (I hate hauling around my book to the point that I don't bring many to my gaming sessions) and it is a lot easier to use the Search function in Acrobat to find exactly what you're looking for in a book.

Don't get me wrong: I like rule books to sit back and read the rules in my spare time. To me, a display or print-out can't touch that. However IMX, in a gaming situation, computers are usually a little better since computers are great for reference applications.
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