Flat on the table. I don't like a thing separating me from the table, it just makes it harder to see and takes up real estate. If I need to conceal a map or something I put a piece of paper over it.
I've used both. I have one of each with replaceable pages. My usual preference is the horizontal so I can see the battle-mat.
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Currently use vertical because they are fill-in/replaceable screens and I also need it for a d100 chart (easier to format than horizontal panels). I am beta testing a game right now and the rules change frequently and I am not 100% in my memory.
Side note: best part of making your own game is when you read a rule and say "who wrote this crap"?
Our GM uses three clear plastic clipboards taped together. The clips are on the outside. He tapes the needed tables on the inside and clips important info for us on the outside. Most of the time he keeps the middle one open.
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Our GM uses three clear plastic clipboards taped together. The clips are on the outside. He tapes the needed tables on the inside and clips important info for us on the outside. Most of the time he keeps the middle one open.
So ... can we assume they are vertical (since that was actually the question :)
Horizontal is my preference by a significant margin. (I'd be happy to lose some material to retain a landscape design if formatting required it - I believe that was part of the reason Paizo went with vertical GM screens).
I have a vertical screen, which I but up against my laptop to form a complete wall, and if I need to see the mat, I just pull the screen over horizontal on top of my stuff.
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Diagonal. Otherwise I run from behind a potted plant.
I use the traditional GM screen and a laptop. They conceal the maps, notes, and dice rolls from the players. The latter is important, because I tend to view the numbers on the dice more as guidelines to tell a compelling story than letting chance decide everything.
Plus, I tend to GM while standing up and pacing around, so seeing over the screen isn't a problem for me.
I too prefer to use a screen to hide the dice rolls as it allows me to fudge if I need to. But I don't think I have more than once or twice. I let the chips fall where they may.
I did not even realize there are two different types of GM screen...can somebody explain or show me the differences?
Consider the rectangular panels making up the screen - vertical means the short side is at the bottom (so they stick up more but use less table space) horizontal means the long side is on the table (so they're lower but use up more table).
It's basically portrait vs landscape in page layout-speak.
John, scroll to the bottom of this list of products.
Diagonal. Otherwise I run from behind a potted plant.laptopFunny! Not helpful in the slightest, but funny!
Maybe we can stick to the actual question? Maybe? I'll give everyone a shiny copper piece ... :)
Fine. I prefer playing live so I used to use cardboard screens. I mainly used them though for the data tables or random generators on the inside though. Now I just have books and my own homebrew tables out in the open.
Also, I'm hilarious.
I prefer horizontal.
But since everyone is adding its two cents, 3 panels horizontal would be my ideal, 4 panels make it sooooooo long...
silverhair2008 wrote:
I too prefer to use a screen to hide the dice rolls as it allows me to fudge if I need to. But I don't think I have more than once or twice. I let the chips fall where they may.
So ... do you prefer horizontal (landscape orientation) or vertical (portrait orientation) GM screens?
Marc go up about 14 posts from what I just quoted.
I don't use one. If I have data or whatnot that I want handy, I have it on a notebook.
I do own a couple screens, but I tend to use them as makeshift folders for character sheets instead.
I prefer vertical screens, although currently I use vertical charts and have them posted on the wall next to me. The charts are those necessary for combat. My players sit a several feet away in the comfort of their own chairs and table, giving me the privacy for running the game...one of the advantages of having a gaming room in the house.
Okay I prefer vertical screens....I like having more cover.
I don't rock screens because I hate that separation from the Players. I just use handy reference sheets instead for the data that would've been on one.