ipad

[grymm]

I've been toying with the idea of buying an Ipad. I know it can view spreadsheets using iWork and the Numbers app but can it handle TOS?

Any Ipad users there out try out using TOS on their Ipads?

[Duniagdra]

Not that I don't hope it works, but the iPad is a MAC creation. This means it's 99.99999% likely that it won't.

[admin]

The Mac Excel 2008 implementation does not contain the VBA necessary to run the Sheet.... So the Sheet does not work on Macs, until Microsoft fixes this - I *think* their next version of Mac office will re-add VBA, but I can't test any of this (no Macs here)

admin

[grymm]

Guess it'll be a tablet pc for me then. Thanks for the info!

[admin]

Guess it'll be a tablet pc for me then. Thanks for the info!

I think a Laptop is better (faster CPU + Larger Screen)... !

admin

[JeffK88]

I use the alienware 11" netbook...it rocks for this purpose..

[grymm]

Guess it'll be a tablet pc for me then. Thanks for the info!

I think a Laptop is better (faster CPU + Larger Screen)... !

admin

The laptop I got is a beast with a 17.1 screen and weighs 12lbs. Lol

Was just looking for something that won't take up too much of the gaming table.

[admin]

The laptop I got is a beast with a 17.1 screen and weighs 12lbs. Lol
Was just looking for something that won't take up too much of the gaming table.

Excellent - use that !! (who cares about the weight!!)

If you really don't want to take space at the table (I still say you should be allowed your table space in front of you ), use one of these smallish wooden tables (like this) that you set up besides you...!

[larenee]

I have two lenovo thinkpads (a T-42 and a T-61). They are each about 12" by 9.5" and weigh in at 5 or 6 pounds. They take up less space on the table than an open gaming book and barely more space than a closed gaming book. Neither I nor the spouse game without one.

[JeffK88]

Guess it'll be a tablet pc for me then. Thanks for the info!

I think a Laptop is better (faster CPU + Larger Screen)... !

admin

The laptop I got is a beast with a 17.1 screen and weighs 12lbs. Lol

Was just looking for something that won't take up too much of the gaming table.

Trust me, look at the 11" alienware netbook...It even has a high res video card in it, that can be turned off to conserve power, that plays high end games. When the video card is turned off, I can make a 4 or 5 hour game session with a fully charged battery...screen is big enough to see what needs to be seen, and the keyboard, with my big hands is big enough....

Dell sells them, and has some good detail on them.

[admin]

Trust me, look at the 11" alienware netbook...It even has a high res video card in it, that can be turned off to conserve power, that plays high end games. When the video card is turned off, I can make a 4 or 5 hour game session with a fully charged battery...screen is big enough to see what needs to be seen, and the keyboard, with my big hands is big enough....

Dell sells them, and has some good detail on them.

We actually 'plug in' our laptops left and right, using the outlets surrounding us
I'm not sure how long the battery would last on its own...

[The Hunter]

My group all uses laptops as well. But I do also have an iPad and I'm not going to lie...there are several great things about it that I thoroughly enjoy using around the game table. Sadly, TOS+ isn't one of those due to incompatibility. But having a slim, easy to carry around device that will allow me to pull up PDF documents that I use while running modules or opening books for reference is great (cause, I don't know about anyone else as a DM but, I sometimes like to get up and walk around the table, especially when interacting with the Players as a NPC or monster or to add some dramatic flavor to what they see and such.) And being able to take the iPad with me as I do that means not having to rush back behind the DM screen to check on what would happen if the PCs do or say this or that or look up a rule if they want to do something.

There are also great dice apps, most of which are free for $0.99 that allow you to do the same thing without taking your dice everywhere or if you have to take a player into another room due to something he needs to see/do/or be told (such as if he gets separated from the party by something) you can easily pick up and go in there. I've had my iPad for several months now and is mostly a work device but works well for the gaming table for what I need. My workplace is also supposed to be getting one of the new HP tablets today or tomorrow for testing and will also more than likely receive a Galaxy tablet to test as well. As an IT Department fool of geeks like myself it comes in handy so that I can test out some of these devices for some personal use in the event that I want to get one myself lol. I'll be sure to let anyone know what I find out if you're interested.

[JeffK88]

There are also great dice apps, most of which are free for $0.99 that allow you to do the same thing without taking your dice everywhere or if you have to take a player into another room due to something he needs to see/do/or be told (such.

Don't know about you and most other gamers out there..but I detest dice apps. I want to ROLL real dice...it just eats away to much of the magic of the game using a computer to roll.

[admin]

Don't know about you and most other gamers out there..but I detest dice apps. I want to ROLL real dice...it just eats away to much of the magic of the game using a computer to roll.

I concur - Unless it's for a PbP, then I want to roll my OWN 1's ! (er... well, 20's are better, but they don't show up as often on my dice.. I am still analyzing why! )

admin

[Duniagdra]

Absolutely! Rolling my own dice gives me a real feel of being in the game, when playing TT. Otherwise, with PbP, I use Invisible Castle. Dice apps on the phone, not in my game buddy.

[The Hunter]

The only problem we find with that is that we don't always have a lot of time to play so when some of our groups get together we want to try and get as much done as possible and you wouldn't believe how much faster high level combat can go by when you're not rolling ever single dice. Low levels isn't a problem but; when you have spellcasters who deal 15d6 damage with the casting of a spell and they have to attempt to gather up 15 6 sided die to roll all at once or roll 5 6's 3 times or whatever and then add each of those up, or a fighter who gets 4 to 5 attacks in a round (that's if he isn't a two-weapon fighter) and has to roll each of those and then add his bonuses then roll his damage dice which at that level could easily consist of 3 to 4 dice plus his modifier, or a rogue who get's 3 to 4 attacks (again if not dual wielding) and can have an ungodly amount of sneak attack damage dice it can really speed up the gameplay and combat at higher levels.

Don't get me wrong, I love to roll the dice as well, but I also like to optimize gameplay and in a high level campaign with a group of players that can only play once every month or two, I want to accomplish as much as possible.

[Hartygan]

Just so you know, there are a number of aps and programs for ipad whereby you can remote access your PC.
So you could have your PC in another room and remote access from the game table on your ipad and do all the stuff you would normally do on your PC.

But then for about half the price of an ipad, you can buy a Win7 ultimate Tablet PC with 2G ram, 320G hard drive, camera, USB, HDMI and 3G.

[admin]

The only problem we find with that is that we don't always have a lot of time to play so when some of our groups get together we want to try and get as much done as possible and you wouldn't believe how much faster high level combat can go by when you're not rolling ever single dice. Low levels isn't a problem but; when you have spellcasters who deal 15d6 damage with the casting of a spell and they have to attempt to gather up 15 6 sided die to roll all at once or roll 5 6's 3 times or whatever and then add each of those up, or a fighter who gets 4 to 5 attacks in a round (that's if he isn't a two-weapon fighter) and has to roll each of those and then add his bonuses then roll his damage dice which at that level could easily consist of 3 to 4 dice plus his modifier, or a rogue who get's 3 to 4 attacks (again if not dual wielding) and can have an ungodly amount of sneak attack damage dice it can really speed up the gameplay and combat at higher levels.

Don't get me wrong, I love to roll the dice as well, but I also like to optimize gameplay and in a high level campaign with a group of players that can only play once every month or two, I want to accomplish as much as possible.

Ya know, rolling dice *is* part of the fun we are having, even if it 'take away' some time from the other aspects of the session!!
I can say the same about the general conversations we always have at the start of the game witch, in many instances, takes us an hour! lol I guess we're not in any hurry to 'finish off' the current module! EHHE

admin

[Curben]

an hour, you guys have short conversations

[kabkal]

I just purchased a Toshiba Thrive and installed PocketCloud on my computer and the tablet and TOS+ works great in it. You remote in and it is very quick. Best of all the set up is off a gmail account so you do not have to do any setup. The mouse is a bit weird though. It will just take practice, or a real mouse.

[admin]

Check this out!

admin

[admin]

Check the HOW to use TOS+ on iPad / Android Tablet! thread...

admin