I only play around a table (no online play, in my case), and I strongly prefer no electronic devices/screens, either. I experimented with using a laptop or tablet as the GM, but found that it was more trouble than it was worth. Phones at the table is just inviting interruption, in my opinion.

Okay,....OKAY, - I have thought of ONE exception I would make to my rule and I have in the past.

IF one of my players is half a couple and they are worried about their non player spouse or their spouse might call me house wondering when the game session will be over.

Years ago, one of my players was interrupted by her husband calling her. I said I could wrap up the game situation if he gave me 20 to 30 more minutes. He thought that was fair and so did his wife (the player). Those days we usually ended things around 9 :00 pm, but things got overly interested - so  needed 20 to 30 more minutes for a resolution or cliffhanger moment.

- Ed C.

Quote from: Fheredin on August 19, 2022, 07:04:18 PM
As to screens at the game table; I don't always ban smartphones because I use them as a feedback mechanism. Checking your phone means the game isn't engrossing, so there's something to be learned on my end. But no screens is, in fact, the ideal.

I think this would depend on the players. I know for myself checking screens are more of a barrier to getting into the game than a symptom of not getting into it.

Quote from: Koltar on August 19, 2022, 10:26:44 PM
Okay,....OKAY, - I have thought of ONE exception I would make to my rule and I have in the past.

IF one of my players is half a couple and they are worried about their non player spouse or their spouse might call me house wondering when the game session will be over.

Years ago, one of my players was interrupted by her husband calling her. I said I could wrap up the game situation if he gave me 20 to 30 more minutes. He thought that was fair and so did his wife (the player). Those days we usually ended things around 9 :00 pm, but things got overly interested - so  needed 20 to 30 more minutes for a resolution or cliffhanger moment.

- Ed C.

I can't say I have too much patience for needy spouses disrupting the game.

RE: Screens at the table or electronic/online play.

Seriously, as long as people are using them strictly as play aids, I don't give a fuck. My issue is when people are constantly distracted, but I'm not a Luddite and have worked around computers so long (including some technical writing work) I type faster and I'm more used to and comfortable keeping written documents on an electronic format than paper. I've DMed with an open laptop with zero problems and more efficiently than shifting through a bunch of paper notes.

I played a game as a player recently and basically had my character written down in a note app in my phone. I also had a printed character sheet provided by the guy who's house we were playing at, but the notes in my phone where more complete and included a bunch of details that wouldn't even fit in my character sheet. So I constantly referenced my phone, specially when looking up my spells, which I had written in a concise format for quick access during play. Our DM also used their phone to make secret rolls for enemies using an app, with zero problems.

I'll also take what I can get, if online play is the only thing available. My main issue with the move to electronic formats is the trend for some (usually larger) companies gating access behind a subscription model, which is really a trick to scam people into paying forever to rent a product they will never own rather than let them purchase it outright. Then make them dependent on continued "service" that's really not a service, but a withheld product.

Well, I think with the Covid shutting us in and people still trying to get their game on many had to resort to online gaming.  And with advances in conference technology (Zoom, Discord, insert your favorite here) it has all been enabled.  Plus, the nostalgia of seeing it on Stranger Things probably got more than a few "to get the band back together" only now they're all in different time zones. 

Enter Roll20 (and a slew of other online resources I can't name because I'm not interested) and that's how a lot of people game. 

Now mix in that they were clearly ruining their latest incarnation of D&D (5e) with additional books that make the "I want something shiny at every level because I got participation trophies" crowd and it was obvious something had to give.

So here comes a new version, only we're really not calling it that so a new "Pathfinder" can't kick our ass again, only it will exclusively be online assets, and we'll streamline it with Roll20, or someone, because we still have people on staff dreaming of what might have been with 4th edition, and everything we generate thenceforth will be fully online compatible with our official partners who also pay us for the privilege of hosting our game.

It's a shrewd marketing ploy and you can 100% control the Wokeometer by just magically disappearing whatever is the next thing people find offensive as it's merely a PDF edit.  The subscription services is where the money is at, no denying it, so they'll make full exploit of it.

I'll just be over here with my 1st edition books and Castles & Crusades.  The kids that don't mind any of that can play their game and I'll play mine.

Quote from: Brooding Paladin on August 20, 2022, 02:10:21 PM
Well, I think with the Covid shutting us in and people still trying to get their game on many had to resort to online gaming.  And with advances in conference technology (Zoom, Discord, insert your favorite here) it has all been enabled.  Plus, the nostalgia of seeing it on Stranger Things probably got more than a few "to get the band back together" only now they're all in different time zones. 

Enter Roll20 (and a slew of other online resources I can't name because I'm not interested) and that's how a lot of people game. 

Now mix in that they were clearly ruining their latest incarnation of D&D (5e) with additional books that make the "I want something shiny at every level because I got participation trophies" crowd and it was obvious something had to give.

So here comes a new version, only we're really not calling it that so a new "Pathfinder" can't kick our ass again, only it will exclusively be online assets, and we'll streamline it with Roll20, or someone, because we still have people on staff dreaming of what might have been with 4th edition, and everything we generate thenceforth will be fully online compatible with our official partners who also pay us for the privilege of hosting our game.

It's a shrewd marketing ploy and you can 100% control the Wokeometer by just magically disappearing whatever is the next thing people find offensive as it's merely a PDF edit.  The subscription services is where the money is at, no denying it, so they'll make full exploit of it.

I'll just be over here with my 1st edition books and Castles & Crusades.  The kids that don't mind any of that can play their game and I'll play mine.

When I jumped back into the hobby nearly 6 years ago; I knew that I wanted hardcovers of various editions, to build a little library.  While hardcovers were still available, that is.  I had a hunch I would see the day when hardcovers weren't as easy to get.  Time will tell.