Do you use any computer Programs?

**upidstay** · 02-09-2008, 07:56 AM

I've been looking for many years at the various character and campaign manager programs out there. Which do you folks use, and why?
I used the Code Monkey program for a while, and like it for the most part. There seem to be so many out there, hate to drop $50 on a piece of otyugh feed.
I need:
Character generation and management, easily modified for house rules.
Magic item management, database, etc.
Critter management with a good database, that can be modified.
Some sort of a dungeon generator/manager.

Any ideas? Is there one program that will do all of this, WELL, and not crash my system every 3.7 seconds?

**Skunkape** · 02-09-2008, 11:28 AM

I use DM Genie and like it quite a bit. Granted, it has more features than I use, but it seems to be very accurate and it is easy to use.

**nijineko** · 02-09-2008, 11:43 AM

crystalball is my favored all-in-one toolkit. however the current version is mac-only. the new version will be cross platform compatible.

**tesral** · 02-09-2008, 12:16 PM

Well if they ever give me one I might. So far I haven't gotten one. Linux user and I don't do windows.

My main progrma has been the good old word processor. I can put an encounter together in little time. I know the rules that well.

**cplmac** · 02-09-2008, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by tesral

Well if they ever give me one I might. So far I haven't gotten one. Linux user and I don't do windows.

My main progrma has been the good old word processor. I can put an encounter together in little time. I know the rules that well.

I use the Word Perfect program on my computer, just like Tesral uses a word processor. (Actually, I didn't know anyone still had one of those.) I find it helps keeps my notes neat and clean.

**Mulsiphix** · 02-10-2008, 12:14 AM

I think DM Genie is what your looking for. It can handle everything except the dungeon generation. There are several web based dungeon generators and a handful of quality dungeon creation software. If you post more info on what your looking for in a dungeon program I think I can help point you in the right direction. As far as your other needs, DM Genie does it all and VERY well

**tesral** · 02-10-2008, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by cplmac

I use the Word Perfect program on my computer, just like Tesral uses a word processor. (Actually, I didn't know anyone still had one of those.) I find it helps keeps my notes neat and clean.

Word Perfect is a word processor program. I use Open Office, but it's the same differecne.

**MortonStromgal** · 02-10-2008, 12:59 AM

Personally I like Excel Sheets and then throw them all into an Access Database so I can cross-reference different ones with pivot tables. However that can be tons of work to set up. If your not into the Microsoft thing Open Office has equivalents.

**nijineko** · 02-10-2008, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by Mulsiphix

I think DM Genie is what your looking for.

pc-only programs irk me. or at least they do until i get the emulator up and running reliably. ^^ which i may have managed. i've never checked it out in the past due to the fact that it was pc-only. and my pc is low end and doesn't have much in the way of space left from the games on it for rpg stuff. i will see if the emulator can run it. eventually. ^^

but i'm pretty happy with crystalball and crystalball lite, for now.

**Mulsiphix** · 02-10-2008, 10:11 AM

DM Genie is definitely handy for a DM who wants to speed things up. It practically removes all manual calculation on the DM's part. If you already have a program nijineko that your content with, I see no reason to look into alternatives. If it ain't broke, don't fix it

**Riftwalker** · 02-10-2008, 12:05 PM

Probably a "lite" version of what MortonStromgal does, I use excel spreadsheets with lots of formulas to calculate everything. It speeds up the book-keeping. For example, if a character picks up an item, I'll write the item in a blank spot for the inventory along with its weight. If its weight happened to push it over the limit of light encumbrance to medium encumbrance, then that raises the armor check penalty which then is used to adjust all the skill modifiers affected by that. All that is crunched automatically.

**Mulsiphix** · 02-10-2008, 09:21 PM

For those considering using spreadsheets for such calculation, the internet is full of websites with ready to go spreadsheets that cover a variety of functions. If anybody wants links just let me know. I have some good ones around here somewhere

**tesral** · 02-10-2008, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by MortonStromgal

Personally I like Excel Sheets and then throw them all into an Access Database so I can cross-reference different ones with pivot tables. However that can be tons of work to set up. If your not into the Microsoft thing Open Office has equivalents.

I'm not into spredsheets. I'm a hands on blue collar worker. I never did learn them-there fancy spread sheet things.

Then, I really have to wonder at a game in which one can find a spreadsheet handy. I still play it, but I do wonder.

**MortonStromgal** · 02-10-2008, 10:50 PM

Well specifically I'm using heroforge http://www.nzcomputers.net/heroforge/ for this latest Forgotten Realms game. Normally I'm running White Wolf and thats alot more Visio files (whew power structures). Its been ages since I did any D&D and a year since I GMed anything so all my nifty stuff is being built. I just export the heroforge files along with any notes that I write up in Excel out into separate tables then build keys etc. From there I can build my own Excel pivot table to say pull out saving throws across a range of PCs, NPCs, and Monsters. Print out what I want before game and I'm good to go. I'm not saying its the best way I just already have all the tools and I do similar things at work with server logs on a semi-regular basis. So I'm pretty quick with parts of it. Right now for this game I just have my PCs and Monsters in separate spreadsheets hopefully between game 2 and 3 I will get the time to start throwing them into the database.

**cplmac** · 02-11-2008, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by tesral

Word Perfect is a word processor program. I use Open Office, but it's the same differecne.

Sorry about the misunderstanding. I thought you meant that you were using a word processor machine and not a word processing program. Back when I sold computers and other office equipment, we had one word processor to sell. It was discontinued about 6 months after I started, mostly because almost everyone wanted a pc that could give more flexibility. Then again, the word processor is what put a big dent in the typewritter market.