I trust my GMs not to cheat, so I actually like GM screens because they give me a pretty picture to look at instead of a pile of scrap papers and some dude's hands.

Quote from: TristramEvans;709671I trust my GMs not to cheat, so I actually like GM screens because they give me a pretty picture to look at instead of a pile of scrap papers and some dude's hands.

I find GM screens create a barrier between the PCs and the NPCs. A PC might have a hand movement they do when they are nervouse or something as I inhabit each PC I want the players to pick up on that stuff. In any social situation the effective distance betweent eh participants is key so I really want to erode that and remove all barriers.
On the other hnad I like the table. I hate playing on a couch or whatever as I need the table to focus the players and frame the game.

I don't like a GM who sits behind his screen rollign dice muttering and looking stuff up all the time anymore than I would like that if I was at a dinner party or whatever.

Most of the players in my regular group basically regard it as part of the GM's job to handle "mechanical" stuff so that they are not burdened with it. They enjoy tossing dice, but their motto is, "Just tell me what I need to roll."

The limited-information aspect of the game is even more widely and highly valued in my neck of the woods. I know there are people out there who consider it the height of the experience (maybe even their definition of RP) to make in-character decisions despite having an omniscient narrator's perspective, but for most people I know this spoils the "game" aspect. It's like "playing Poker" by following a script for a show: Does that really properly constitute playing Poker? In any case, they just don't find it as much fun!

Quote from: Phillip;709694Most of the players in my regular group basically regard it as part of the GM's job to handle "mechanical" stuff so that they are not burdened with it. They enjoy tossing dice, but their motto is, "Just tell me what I need to roll."

The limited-information aspect of the game is even more widely and highly valued in my neck of the woods. I know there are people out there who consider it the height of the experience (maybe even their definition of RP) to make in-character decisions despite having an omniscient narrator's perspective, but for most people I know this spoils the "game" aspect. It's like "playing Poker" by following a script for a show: Does that really properly constitute playing Poker? In any case, they just don't find it as much fun!

Yeah, that's how my groups like to play

Quote from: TristramEvans;709671I trust my GMs not to cheat, so I actually like GM screens because they give me a pretty picture to look at instead of a pile of scrap papers and some dude's hands.

So I cant act out the NPCs with sock puppets??? :cheerleader:

Quote from: Omega;709720So I cant act out the NPCs with sock puppets??? :cheerleader:

How does a GM screen stop your punch & judy show?

I'm thinking of running my own in my medieval French food fantasia game. It would be a truly medieval, and comical, touch. I might have to start small with finger puppets... that and I don't know the French name for a punch & judy show.

I'll be the belle of the FLGS, as long as I don't scare away the customers. :cool:

Quote from: TristramEvans;709701Yeah, that's how my groups like to play

Me too. I don't see the alternative as very appealing either.

*player points at the gm's notes and says "No bandits can attack us here because it does not say bandits might attack with a specific percentage in the notes"

wtf!?

Quote from: Opaopajr;709739How does a GM screen stop your punch & judy show?

I'm thinking of running my own in my medieval French food fantasia game. It would be a truly medieval, and comical, touch. I might have to start small with finger puppets... that and I don't know the French name for a punch & judy show.

I'll be the belle of the FLGS, as long as I don't scare away the customers. :cool:

The talking hawk hand puppet makes a great stand in mini for a roc. :eek:

I've used shadow puppets too. (Unless I am being transparent. In which case the light shines through me and it doesnt work...) :cool:

My GM screen is my skull, and the secrets I keep inside. I make all my rolls in front of my players, because a truly sim setting has the rules apply equally to NPCs and PCs, when I run sim games. Also, it engenders trust.

Quote from: Kaiu Keiichi;709855My GM screen is my skull, and the secrets I keep inside. I make all my rolls in front of my players, because a truly sim setting has the rules apply equally to NPCs and PCs, when I run sim games. Also, it engenders trust.

I never give meta info when not needed.  It spoils the RPG immersion experience.

Quote from: Arduin;709872I never give meta info when not needed.  It spoils the RPG immersion experience.

I find that's not the case, as long as it relates to stuff the PCs can know. Eg I might say "if I roll over 7 on 2d6 the goblins fail morale and run..." before rolling. The PCs might well logically have cues to how shaky the goblins are, so the knowledge around the dice roll relates to stuff in-game.

What I would avoid doing is revealing stuff like "You missed the magic sword behind the secret door" - because the PCs could not know that.

Quote from: S'mon;709873I find that's not the case, as long as it relates to stuff the PCs can know.

'Meta' means what the PC would NOT know...

Quote from: Arduin;709877'Meta' means what the PC would NOT know...

That would be 'secret' or 'cryptic'

Meta means 'about itself', eg metadata is data about data - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta

Metagame stuff like creature morale scores is not itself knowable by PCs - the PCs cannot in-game know "goblins have morale 7" - but may relate to in-game stuff knowable by PCs - "goblins have shaky morale".

Quote from: S'mon;709884That would be 'secret' or 'cryptic'

Meta means 'about itself', eg metadata is data about data - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta

Umm, yes. I know what it means.  I knew even before "wiki" existed

Hence my original statement.  

Quote from: Arduin;709887Umm, yes. I know what it means.

Could have fooled me.