Who uses PS/GIMP/etc at the gaming table

[ravells]

For me, having computers at the gaming table are real atmosphere killers. Best of all to use the imagination and perhaps some printed maps as player aids or similar. Particularly with battlemats and combat, what I prefer is an urgency of narrative flow from the GM rather than a ponderous. 'You move ten feet to the west, hang on let me just move your counter.' type of situation....but that's just me!

[Gamerprinter]

Since my evening job is printing RPG maps (see sig below) - of course I use printed battlemaps and one of our players has tons of figs, so battlemaps and miniatures all the way. As discussed on RP's poll - I don't use grids on them though, at least the maps I game with.

Since I print maps, it would be stupid not to have printed maps for gaming. I agree with Rav's statement - computer at the gaming table, no thanks!

I have seen a game using a projector screen, it was interesting and worked as a game, but I won't invest that much into a game - table, people, dice, map, figs and character sheets, and books for rules lawyering, that's all I need!

[Midgardsormr]

At most, I'll sketch a layout of an area. I almost never use a proper battlemat, and I don't think I've ever used minis at a game that I GM'd. I'll certainly spend a lot of time on my overland maps, and I am learning some appreciation for interior mapping thanks to the challenges.

I am solidly a narrativist game master, favoring social interaction and cool cinematic action. Projecting a battlemat or VTT surface wouldn't really help me do my job. I could see using a computer for a variety of other tasks, but I really don't like losing eye contact with the players, and a computer screen would be sure to draw my eye away too much.

Heck, I don't even use a GM screen, usually.