Sorry if this thread has already been done. Just curious to see how some of you run your games.
I don't have a fancy gaming table (yet), but I'm all about using maps and minis, so I like having a TV for projection.
I'm also pretty obsessive about making sure my players have the most streamlined experience possible, so I provide lots of pencils, notepads, dry erase boards and markers, a big bowl of dice, dice trays, spell cards, and anything else I can think of that they may need. I also managed to get my hands on two Amazon Fire tablets that I let players use who can't bring a device for D&D Beyond access. I also let the players use my copy of the PHB if they need it, since I can access everything on DDB.
These pictures were taken two weeks apart, and even now, there's been a little bit more of an upgrade since then. I got the new DM Screen, so now I use both (one where it's shown and the other on the smaller tray where my mouse is).
The pictures don't show the bar area behind where I sit, which is where I'll keep most of my readied mini mobs for quick access. The scary bosses and other surprises stay hidden behind my screen.
As far as how I run each session, I use Roll20 to project the map onto the TV. The players are also all in a Google drive that I've shared with them. One player keeps notes saved there (which is very handy when a player has to miss), another player tracks party treasure on a speadsheet, and I also upload visual aids for them to access.
Everyone is on D&D Beyond, so we're almost entirely paperless. Even though the current campaign manager is incomplete, I did go ahead and save several links so jumping to different sections of the adventure takes no time at all.
Soon I plan on building an actual gaming table with the TV built in.
Let me know how you all do it, and maybe we'll help each other with our collective good ideas.
Can't post a snapshot of mine as we game at my players' house - my place is far too small to host 6 players + DM. It's pretty simple - I have my gear consolidated down to two computer bags (the launch of DnDBeyond helped with that immensely). I've got my two physical copies of the PHB for the players to use, a fold-up dry erase mat for quick terrain or non-rectangular dungeon rooms, sets of dungeon tiles I sort before game time for easy set up, a carry tray of minis, a large notebook for scratch paper, smaller pocket notebook for DM notes, a giant bag of dice, dice tray to keep said dice from mixing with the players' die on the table, custom DM screen with game calendar facing the players, and a dry-erase magnetic white board for initiative tracking.
Last but not least I have my laptop. I use DnDBeyond for rule look-ups not covered on my DM screen. Syrinscape for ambient noise, spotify for music, all run through my players' Chromecast speakers. When needed, I use my players' projector - also cast - for maps projected on a living room wall next to the gaming table. Donjon covers all my randomizer needs. Finally, I sometimes use the projector for particularly involved dungeons which tax the resources of my tiles/battle mat for which I use MapTools set to player view so I don't have to do all that futzing about with server/client and dual screens.
Hey DMs!
Sorry if this thread has already been done. Just curious to see how some of you run your games.
I don't have a fancy gaming table (yet), but I'm all about using maps and minis, so I like having a TV for projection.
I'm also pretty obsessive about making sure my players have the most streamlined experience possible, so I provide lots of pencils, notepads, dry erase boards and markers, a big bowl of dice, dice trays, spell cards, and anything else I can think of that they may need. I also managed to get my hands on two Amazon Fire tablets that I let players use who can't bring a device for D&D Beyond access. I also let the players use my copy of the PHB if they need it, since I can access everything on DDB.
Picture #2
These pictures were taken two weeks apart, and even now, there's been a little bit more of an upgrade since then. I got the new DM Screen, so now I use both (one where it's shown and the other on the smaller tray where my mouse is).
The pictures don't show the bar area behind where I sit, which is where I'll keep most of my readied mini mobs for quick access. The scary bosses and other surprises stay hidden behind my screen.
As far as how I run each session, I use Roll20 to project the map onto the TV. The players are also all in a Google drive that I've shared with them. One player keeps notes saved there (which is very handy when a player has to miss), another player tracks party treasure on a speadsheet, and I also upload visual aids for them to access.
Everyone is on D&D Beyond, so we're almost entirely paperless. Even though the current campaign manager is incomplete, I did go ahead and save several links so jumping to different sections of the adventure takes no time at all.
Soon I plan on building an actual gaming table with the TV built in.
Let me know how you all do it, and maybe we'll help each other with our collective good ideas.
This is my game table.
Laptop is connected to the projector and a player facing monitor that's mounted to the ceiling.
Laptop runs the following:
Behind the screen:
Realm Works showing what the players see via the player facing monitor on the left and what i see on the laptop on the right.
Daplunk's YouTube Channel: Realm Works and Hero Lab Videos / Campaign Cartographer 3+ Videos
Realm Works Facebook User Group
Can't post a snapshot of mine as we game at my players' house - my place is far too small to host 6 players + DM. It's pretty simple - I have my gear consolidated down to two computer bags (the launch of DnDBeyond helped with that immensely). I've got my two physical copies of the PHB for the players to use, a fold-up dry erase mat for quick terrain or non-rectangular dungeon rooms, sets of dungeon tiles I sort before game time for easy set up, a carry tray of minis, a large notebook for scratch paper, smaller pocket notebook for DM notes, a giant bag of dice, dice tray to keep said dice from mixing with the players' die on the table, custom DM screen with game calendar facing the players, and a dry-erase magnetic white board for initiative tracking.
Last but not least I have my laptop. I use DnDBeyond for rule look-ups not covered on my DM screen. Syrinscape for ambient noise, spotify for music, all run through my players' Chromecast speakers. When needed, I use my players' projector - also cast - for maps projected on a living room wall next to the gaming table. Donjon covers all my randomizer needs. Finally, I sometimes use the projector for particularly involved dungeons which tax the resources of my tiles/battle mat for which I use MapTools set to player view so I don't have to do all that futzing about with server/client and dual screens.
I've been thinking about investing in Syrinscape