I've been playing Dungeons & Dragons since I was in grade school, and I've been using Apple computers at least as long. Twenty-five years later, both D&D and Apple computers are part of my life, only now I'm use Macs in every aspect of my game, from writing the adventure to tracking combat to maintaining my Web site.
This feature chronicles the use of Macs in RPGs, including write-ups about Mac-specific and generic RPG software, Web sites about Mac gaming, an overview of my Macs, and some thoughts on producing games using a Mac.
I'm always looking for Web sites to add to this page, so if you have a suggestion please send it to me using this form.
Mac RPG Utilities
Town Generator
Cetuscript Systems developed this simple tool for quickly creating out a town's demographics and statistics. Based on the town creation rules from the DMG, tt creates the town's power centers as well as breakdowns of the town's population by race, PC classes, and NPC classes. It tells you the the number of full time guards and militia acailable in the town, the amount of ready cash available, and what the town's gold piece limit is. Results can be exported as HTML or text. It's useful for anyone looking to quickly create a town (or village or metropolis) for their campaign.
D&D Manager
As its name says, this is a character and combat management tool designed for Dungeons and Dragons. As a player, it allows you to manage characters on the fly. As a game master, you can use it to track and fight combats; the tool will actually conduct the attack, and track the resulting hit point damage. The character manager allows you to create a character and then -- in true min/maxing fashion -- run a series of tests to see how it performs in various attribute, save, and skill checks.
GURPS Character Sheet
The GURPS Character Sheet is a Java-based tool for creating characters under GURPS 4th Edition rules. It has all the skills and spells you'll need to create characters, and does most of the heavy number crunching for you. It's written in Java and will run equally well on Windows, Mac or Unix operating systems.
CrystalBall
|
|
CrystalBall is, hands-down, the single best RPG tool available for the Macintosh. It includes an excellent dice roller that allows you to pre-program just about any dice combination you can imagine (for example: 3d6, 3d6+3d4+3, etc.) It's so good that I actually use it regularly during monster and NPC creation.
There's a character creator that's more of an assistant than a full-fledged generator. It simplifies the character creation process by automating the addition of skill points, selection of feats, and purchase of equipment. Unfortunately, it can't do any of this automatically (like PC Gen) and there's no level-based auditing (but it's planned for the 3.5 version). One very cool feature is the ability to generate stat blocks from characters created using the program, which is helpful when you're writing an adventure.
The monster creator should really be called a "custom monster creator" -- it allows players to create wholely new monsters as described in one of the first Dragon Magazine articles supporting D&D 3.0. Its useful if you need to build a monster from scratch, but it won't allow you to "advance" existing monsters.
Those who register the program get a copy of the data files for all of the SRD (System Resource Document) monsters for d20. Users can then import that data into the character creator, and generate monster stat blocks -- again, very useful when you're writing adventures.
Other CrystalBall tools include a combat manager, treasure generator, name generator and experience calculator. There's in a nice little tool that allows you to input a certain experience number and then get both the corresponding level, and the amount of wealth a character at that level should have.
The program's not perfect -- I'd like to see a more robust spell manager for the program (right now its basically just a text file) as well as a tool for "advancing" monsters, something that I always struggle with. I'd also love some sort of searchable access to the SRD data driving the program. That said, the tool is constantly being revised and expanded, often based on feedback from users, so it's possible these features may appear in a later version.
Overall, CrystalBall is an excellent tool for any DM working on the Mac and well worth registering.
Dunjinni
The Dunjinni mapping program debuted on the Windows platform, but the designers plan to bring the Java-based utility to the Mac platform. The latest estimates had the Mac version appearing in October 2004. The Dunjinni forums have an ongoing discussion about the Mac version; check there for the latest news.
GUTS: Gaming Utility Toolset
GUTS is an archaic, OS 9-based gaming tool that never got passed alpha. Development of the program is permanently stalled, and I'm including it here mostly for completeness' sake.
The tool is designed for use for war games, play-by-e-mail games, table-top miniature games, and traditional RPGs. It should theoretically run under OS X's Classic mode.
Miniaturizer
Designed on a Mac, but runable under OS X or Windows, Miniaturizer is a tool for tracking miniatures and warbands for the Dungeons & Dargon minaitures game. It includes inventories with have/want/willing to trade/pending trade flags, tools for tracking spells and special abilities during combat, the ability to add notes for each mini, and the capability to track damage and healing in-game.
RPG MapMaker
|
|
Mac game masters who need a program to detail the lands and dungeons of their campaign world should check out RPG MapMaker, a Mac-only, OS X-native mapping program. I haven't done much with it yet -- I have Campaign Cartographer 2 Pro running on my Windows box -- but it looks more than capable of generating basic maps.
Among the program's many features are:
- Various kinds of grids
- Random maze generator
- Random terrain generato
- Multiple levels of Undo
- Predefined terrains tiles
- Terrain editor
Generic RPG Utilities
En World's Electronic Gaming Aids
En World is home to dozens of gaming aids, many of which are Excel-based spreadsheets that should run fine if you have the Mac version of Office.
The are also links to numerous Web-based applications that will run on any computer with Internet access and a Web browser. Tools include includes town, NPC, monster, treasure and generators, a variety of specialized spreadsheets.
Jamis Buck's Generators
Jamis once ran an excellent site dedicated to electronic gaming tools and headlined by four of his own creations. He gave up the site a while back, but his extremely useful generators -- all of which run in a Web browser -- are still available online:
PC Gen
 PC Gen screen shot. View the full-size image. |
PC Gen is a Java-based, open-source character generator that incorporates the D&D 3.5 core rules, as well as numerous d20 game systems and supplements. Because it is Java-based, it can be run on Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems.
The user interface takes a while to get used to, but that's aided by a "themes" preference that lets you choose from the OS X "Aqua" interface, Windows interface, or Java interface. In my testing I found that the Java interface worked best -- the program wasn't customized for Mac OS X, and as a result, parts of the Aqua interface are often hidden or overlapped by other parts of the program. The program tends to run slow on my iBook, but worked just fine when I tested it on my Power Mac.
It's useful for creating PCs, but cumbersome for NPC generation (two
examples: 1) if you're creating a 16th level character, you have to
spend skill points for each freaking level individually -- you can't
just spend it from a pool of points and 2) its geared towards players
using it as an in-game tool. As a result, if you have a character with
multiple weapons, it will only display the stats and modifiers for the
weapon currently equipped -- very annoying when you're creating a
16th level orc barbarian/fighter with quick draw and lots of
weapons)
The relatively new "GM Gen" section offers a smattering of Game Master tools,
but it strikes me as being geared more towards proof-of-concept
than it does something that you'd actually use on a regular basis.
Most of the tools have a rough around the edges feel to them.
The home page for the project contains updates as well as the source files, which can be a bit tricky to install. Those looking for a quick and easy installer should check out MacUpdate.com's PC Gen Page.
RPG Patsy
 RPG Patsy screen shot. View the full-size image. |
RPG Patsy is a Java-based program designed to replace your pen-and-paper Dungeons & Dragons 3.0/3.5 character sheet. It's not a character generator, or even a character creation assistant -- it's literally a digital replacement for your dead tree character sheet.
Because of this, it probably requires as much time to set-up as your normal character sheet, but once done it has a number of sweet extras. First, you can roll attribute checks, saving throws, and damage by tabbing to the appropriate page in the "character sheet".
If you're a spell caster, you can click on a spell and instantly get an overview of the spell with all the necessary attributes (range, damage, etc.) as well as a note indicating what page it can be found on. That's sweet.
I would like to see the character creation process expanded -- I'd love to see the program attempt to throw together an character based on some starting criteria (i.e. 4th level fighter), but then again, I tend to approach things from a DM view point -- I'd use a program like this primarily for NPC generation. I'd also like to see the program generate a stat block.
Slacker Entertainment, the company behind RPG Patsy, has made rumblings about creating a DM tool. That would be excellent, especially if they incorporated the spell, skill and feat databases into an easy to browse and search tool.
VASSAL Game Engine
I haven't played with this one yet, but it looks interesting. It's a Java-based (and there for platform agnostic) tool for playing board and card games online. One of its fans is working on an RPG Mapper tool to extend it into miniatures play; it already has an "RPG Skirmishes" module for playing the D&D Miniatures game.
Mac Gaming Web Sites
A site dedicated to gaming on the Mac. Includes current Mac-related reviews and news, but unfortunately its "orders" section is woefully out of date (last updated circa 2000).
An RPG utility designed exclusively for the Mac. Includes a character creation tool, name and treasure generators, an XP calculator, combat tracker and dice roller. Very useful.
News and previews about games and gaming-related hardware for the Macintosh. There are also online forums, desktop themes, and a files section where you can download the latest Mac demos.
Proof that Apple fans are as addicted to gaming as their Windows counterparts.
Character sheets for 25+ gaming systems, including Dungeons & Dragons, Arcana Unearthed, Spycraft, Gamma World, Call of Cthulhu, and Traveller. All of the sheets are downloadable in Adobe Acrobat format, and were created on a Mac
This page chronicles the use of Macs in RPGs, including write-ups about Mac-specific and generic RPG software, Web sites about Mac gaming, an overview of my Macs, and some thoughts on producing games using a Mac. It's probably the most comprehensive collection of Mac RPG tools on the Web.
Sean Reynolds is a prolific RPG writer who created a bunch of excellent source books for Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms. He has Excel spreadsheets for generating gear, magical staffs and magical weapons. Of particular interest to Mac fans -- especially older ones -- are his HyperCard stacks. They are created for Apple's Hypercard, a database program that used to ship on old Macs, and which is all but extinct now.
A Mac gaming clan focusing primarily on Unreal Tournament and Warcraft III, though members play other games as well.
Yes, there are games on the Mac, and the folks at Gamesome Mac cover all of them (or try to). Expect game news and interviews during their show, which is broadcast via their Web site.
This essential tool for any Mac gamer allows you to take program USB game controllers, mice and trackballs.
About My Macs
- The Laptop: A dual USB 500 Mhz G3 iBook with 384 MB of RAM running Mac OS X. This computer is getting a little long in the tooth, but it still does everything I need it to do (mostly run Word, Excel and Safari). I plan to replace this computer with a 15" PowerBook in about two years.
- The Desktop: A dual 1.42 Ghz G4 PowerMac with 1 GB of RAM running Mac OS X. This is my work horse machine, and one that I do much of my most intense work on. There are few things better than typing away on this machine, a six-pack of RC Cola at one side, a stack of rulebooks on the other, and a few hours of uninterrupted peace before me.
- The iPod: A 10 GB second-generation iPod. I use it for playing the various RPG soundtracks I own (namely the music from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Testimonials from Mac Addicts
The following testimonials were contributed by avid gamers who use their Macs in their games. If you would like to add a testimonial, you can contact us using this form.
Ken Newquist, Nuketown's Editor
- Mac(s): dual 1.42 GHz G4 Power Mac, 500 MHz G3 iBook
How do you use your Mac to prepare for your game?
I split my time writing adventures between the iBook and the PowerMac -- the iBook's best used when I'm watching the baby, or my wife and I want to hang out in the family room and watch TV. The PowerMac's used when I can snag a few hours (or minutes) to work on my projects in my house's 3rd floor office.
My iDisk serves as the glue holding that holds the two machines together.The iDisk is part of Apple's .mac service, and consists of 100 mb of file space that can be mounted as a WebDAV drive on my desktop. I keep a copy of whatever files I'm working on in the iDisk.
My PowerMac stores all of my archived campaign information, which is easily accessible during game sessions thanks to my wireless network and my iBook's Airport card. I'm not using Apple's Airport wireless hub, which was just too expensive -- I went with a Netgear one instead.
I also use the PowerMac as a print station for the iBook -- my iBook can see my network printer via the wireless connection, allowing me to print copies on the third floor while I'm down in the second floor gaming room. I do have a printer setup in the gaming room, but snaking USB cables around a table filled with gamers is a pain. My kingdom for a Bluetooth printer!
I use a registered copy of CrystalBall extensively while I'm writing adventures, particularly the dice roller, name generator, treasure generator and XP calculator. More recently, I've been using it to generate monster stat blocks as well.
For NPC creation, I use an quick-and-dirty Excel spreadsheet to calculate skill points based on attribute scores and class. It's not pretty, but it works.
I use Mac OS X's native PDF creation abilities to build source books for my campaign -- for example, I created a book for my Delta Green d20 campaign that combines rules from Alderac's Spycraft d20 RPG with home-grown rules into one handy source.
How do you use your Mac at the gaming table?
During the actual game I use my iBook for recording notes, tracking combat (Excel) and calculating experience (Excel again). I've experimented with CrystalBall's combat tracker, but it's just too much work for me -- Excel's more than adequate for my needs.
About the only thing I don't use my Macs for is maps. Most of my maps are hand-drawn -- the few I do electronically are done using ProFantasy's Campaign Cartographer 2 Pro. Unfortunately, it's a Windows-only program, and while I suppose I could get Microsoft's Virtual PC to run Windows on my Mac, it's just easier to keep it on my wife's machine and use it as needed.
Of course, most of this is stuff I could have done had I stayed with Windows, so why the move to the Mac? Part of it is because I've always enjoyed using Macs. I stopped using them at home in the early 1990s, but when I got an iMac at work in 1998, my interest was rekindled. The clincher though, and the ultimate reason why I converted all of my home machines to Mac, is Mac OS X.
Mac OS X is extremely stable, it's beautiful to look at and because it's based on Unix, I can delve into the ghostly innards of the machine via the command line whenever I like. And get this -- it actually works.
My computers rarely crashes and the times I have to fight with any of my machines are few and far between. If I do encounter a problem, I can usually fix it quickly, and if I can, there's a wonderful user community that's always eager to lend a Mac addict a hand.
Ultimately, the reason why I switched to the Mac is that is a pleasure to use. It keeps me happy, motived and productive and prevents gaming from turning into a chore. And that in turn, keeps me playing.
Joe Morris
- Mac(s): Flat-panel iMac
How do you use your Mac to prepare for your game?
I use CrystalBall to automatically generate a new, updated character
sheet before each session. That way I don't have to worry about writing
all over it, erasing too many times, having it be a lot of pencil lead
that is going to rub off and be messy, etc. It looks very professional,
has a good layout (one which I was able to customize to my own
preferences), and it's easy to read, which I enjoy. And updating it is
really easy; for many things, if I update a level or change an attribute
score, all of the relevant bonuses are automatically updated so I don't
have to worry about whether I forgot anything. Even special abilities
and such are automatically added.
There are other programs out there for the Mac also, and my brother
prefers to just use an Excel spreadsheet, which also works.
How do you use your Mac at the gaming table?
I don't currently, but when I get a laptop I plan on using Crystalball
at the table, and not even printing out a character sheet. With the
ability to do dice rolls and such, a tabletop isn't really even
necessary if you're trying to fit in a quick roleplaying session on the
go.
Nijineko
- Mac(s): G4 466 MHz digital audio edition tower
I have a g4-466 digital audio edition tower, which I use for everything
to do with role playing. As far as pre-session work goes, I create the maps on my Mac using Painter Classic, Fireworks, and Photoshop.
I frequently use the map-of-the-week pictures from the Wizards site, sometimes modified, sometimes not. i have been experimenting with using an ocr program to
pull the text out of pdf's of books i own, so that i can make a keyword
searchable text or pdf file. and i use appleworks or some other text
program like haxial's textedit to keep session and campaign and
treasure notes.
I have developed my own level by level system for creating characters
which tracks all the essentials stats level by level and is great for
tweaking a character that is being developed above first level.
I use this system on a pc laptop that was handed down to me (for free!)
as there is no dm utility toolkit that is comparable to crystalball for
the pc... so when i'm away from home, i can still jot down ideas and
stuff. That is why i have to use text files, so that i can flop the
files between my old P2 laptop and my Mac. Course once i am able to get
all of the classes and prestiges put into Crystal Ball, I will simply
be able to generate customized character sheets from Crystal Ball's
Print Designer. Looking forward to the new version! I can even switch
between 3.0 and 3.5 for the different campaigns I am running and
playing in! Handy!
I'm so spoiled by crystal ball! =D
When i'm hosting a game in my house, my Mac is my DM's screen,
literally! i can do everything that is done on a tabletop on my Mac,
and much more easily in many cases. In any case i have access to better tools for roleplaying via my mac, so i'm not using a PC any more than i have to!
Procreate your game, macintize it!
Joseph Sharp, Creator of CrystalBall
- Mac(s): iBook G3, iMac G4 15" Flat Panel, 15" PowerBook G4
How do you use your Mac to prepare for your game?
I use CrystalBall to enter monsters that I know I am going to be using during the gaming session. Or generate a new NPC menace to throw at the Players.
How do you use your Mac at the gaming table?
This is where I use CrystalBall heavily. We play a more freeform game so it is hard to come to the gaming table with any preconceived ideas of what the PCs are going to do.
CrystalBall is a boon when I need to quickly generate creatures and bad guys during the game. I just enter the basic information in the Monster Generator or the Character Generator, tweak the characters a little, then load them up in the combat manager.
The combat manager is a life saver, it keeps my combat session moving fast, so the players do not have to wait on any rolls by the DM. Its easy to tell who has gone, and who needs to got next.
I also use the Treasure Generator extensively and find it extremely useful for after battle treasure awards.
At the end of the gaming session I use the Experience Utility to give Experience awards. I then drop the information of what awards I have given the players into the Campaign Manager to make sure I am awarding enough treasure (or too much) and keep track of when characters will be advancing to the next level.
During play I also use the Campaign Manager to jot down notes about NPCs and Places that the characters meet. The names of which I quickly generate on the fly with the Name Generator.
So, I use CrystalBall exclusively at the gaming table to help me DM.