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RedNikon
February 7th, 2008, 07:21 AM
We all know that we play or run D&D. But I am more interested in Computing resources that could be used to aid in gaming. Anything from software (prefer linux based software), websites, images, or anyting else that is done on a computer.

I will go ahead and get this started with some resouces I use.

Websites:
Offical WOTCs' errata/character sheets/and other things (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/resources)
d20 SRD - Rules (http://www.d20srd.org/)

RSS Feeds:
Dungeon Mastering (http://www.dungeonmastering.com/)


So does anyone else have any sites or software that the enjoy?

Kasyx
February 7th, 2008, 09:40 AM
I've found Sage's SRD to be very useful. Throw it on a laptop and take it with you to DnD sessions and you'll be the fastest leveller around :P

http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/home.html

I've always wanted to look in to writing a DM Tools program that can be used to roll random characters, compute HP/AC, etc. Unfortunately I don't have the time or the skill required to pull it off.

I would also love to find an online SRD for the Whitewolf universe (Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, etc).

hyper_ch
February 7th, 2008, 10:56 AM
I rather prefer pen & paper but my old buddies from university are now spread accross. We use now fantasy grounds for online "pen & paper" gaming. However that requires me to boot into ******* - which is a pity.

Also we try to organize a RPG week once a year.

Tranquilo
February 7th, 2008, 11:04 AM
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pcgen
Crossplatform charecter creator.
Pretty useful once you get to know it...
http://crystalkeep.com/d20/index.php
Nice site for index files.
http://www.emass-web.com/index.php
Customize your character sheets!

notwen
February 7th, 2008, 05:58 PM
Wyrm Tools (http://wyrmtools.sourceforge.net/) has its uses. I've been looking for stuff like this off and on for 2-3 years w/ very little to show. =]

hyper_ch
February 7th, 2008, 06:16 PM
well, here's fantasy grounds: http://www.fantasygrounds.com/

It at least allows to play pen & paper style over the net. However it's not free and runs on ******* only.

Phasmus
February 7th, 2008, 06:29 PM
I suggest OpenRPG (http://openrpg.com/) for a virtual tabletop. An older version is in the repositories. It is based on WXPython so it also works on Windows.

RedNikon
February 8th, 2008, 02:21 AM
http://www.emass-web.com/index.php
Customize your character sheets!

I love Ema's Character Sheets.


well, here's fantasy grounds: http://www.fantasygrounds.com/

It at least allows to play pen & paper style over the net. However it's not free and runs on ******* only.

I have used Fantasy Grounds. However I am turned off on the fact of having to use Windows. And even though majority of my friends use Windows, not all of them can or are willing pay the price to use this. It is a great tool though, and would recommend it. If you can get over it's reliance on Windows and it's price.

Okay, how about mapping software. Does anyone know of anything I have heard about Campaign Cartographer 3 (http://www.profantasy.com/products/cc3.asp), and Dundjinni (http://www.dundjinni.com/). But again both are only available on windows, which I am sure could work with wine or a similar program, and the programs are at a cost.

RedNikon
February 11th, 2008, 06:55 AM
Here are some podcasts that you guys might be interested in.

- Dragons Landing (http://www.dragonslanding.com/)
- The WOTC D&D podcast (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4arch/pod)
- Shakespeare and Dragons (http://www.imaginaryworlds.net/)

Also, Dragonlance's CGI Movie is now out: Dragons of Autumn Twilight DVD (http://www.amazon.com/Dragonlance-Dragons-Twilight-Lucy-Lawless/dp/B000Y7U996?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1202003066&sr=1-1)

RedNikon
February 13th, 2008, 05:09 PM
I just found AutoREALM (http://autorealm.sourceforge.net/index.php) I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with it?

smkaplan
October 10th, 2008, 03:47 AM
I have become a fan of Klooge Werks recently (no it's not free) as a very polished virtual tabletop. You can download it from http://www.kloogeinc.comand try the demo if you like. It is java based and runs comfortably on linux or either of the major commercial oses.

Lateforgym
October 10th, 2008, 07:58 AM
I strongly recommend using Basic Rules and pen and paper. A good DM ads fun to the story telling as you mysteriously listen to the rattle of a couple 4 sided die on the other side of a propped up Horror on the Hill Module. Shorty after the DM pulls his head up raising one eye at you, leaving you wonder what is going to happen next as you walk down a corridor not used for 1,000 years....

D&D was supposed to be about the basic classes: Cleric, magic user, fighter and thief. Through these simple classes, non-multiple, no "professions" or other rediculous skill sets, cause you to work strictly as a team. No computers were needed to calulate the 15 event occuring at the same time. Simplicity and good story telling. Requiring a team of people who were strongly dependant on each other created an environment that sucked in more players and had them coming back which in the long run created a strong game industry. Not to mention the value of learning how to respect others skills, work as a team and most of all creative DMing. This made for excitement well beyond the later introduced multi-classed jack of all trades charictars, which created less social buzz as certain players were simply not needed to round out the party.

Basic D&D is still the best by far. If there are things that dont work a good DM can change the rules to a certain formula that keep people interested as opposed to the 27 ethic races and 59,000 professions and class on can have. Most DMs used to drop timed spell casing to move the story line along and not get bogged down with bickering over timing. D&D is about fun, it died the second they were bought out and some non-D&D player decided to create corporate revenues by "improving things" and thus requiring a school bag full of reference material, as opposed to the original $5 boxed set which, throwing away the box you could practically put in you coat pocket. It shouldnt take more then 5 minutes to create a charictar. Simply chose your class, role to 18, your THACO is 20 and start off as a broke beggar. Musty old D&D tomes and relyance on non-20 sided die adds to the atmosphere. There is no atmosphere created by the clicking of computer keys, unless office cubicle life is appealing.

Forget all you know about D&D and go back to 1975 , I cant believe how turgid play has gotten, just to sell a few more books as get some royalties. I really wish I could convince my old DM to sneak away from his wife to show people what its like to have a Terry Brooks, Isac Azimov or Steven R Donelson as a DM. Its all about keeping it simple, needing to work as a team, and having a good story teller who know who to move things along, keep everyone attention and not get caught up in the turgid nuances for today rules. Through simplicity and needing all team members to play constantly no one is left out or is over whelmed by "Im going to try and hold on to his left arm and apply the Showlin finger hold and time it with the the clerics spell, then Bob, you cat the MU spell, then wait, uh, Sara cast the hold spell, then the barbarian can come over and tickle his foot, then someone quickly drink a potion, damn too bad this wasnt Wow we could just make a macro..."...please. This is what kills the fun in most computer games today. Fighters who can carry 27,000 healing potions and in the middle of battle, "excuse me sir while I drink this healing potion, then this magic-up potion, ah! much better, now where were we, oh yes.". Fighters and thrieves should be helpless without the magic classes and only, with extreme cost, should one obtain these replenishment potions.