Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Dungeons and Dragons and iPad

R

rattleurhead

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 13, 2007
1
0
I recently moved and have been trying to find a dnd game to join in on. I haven't played in years, but in my effort to get back in, I just realized the iPad could be an amazing device for the various books one needs at a dungeons and dragons game.

If you need to find a rule, you just search for related terms to find pages.
You'd have full color to take advantage of the awesome artwork.
You could save and modify character sheets

I'm sure if you're a fan of the game you see the possibilities.

So my question is:

  • Has anyone heard of anything about incorporation of dnd onto the iPad?
  • Are there any other functionalities that fans of the game can imagine up when they think about the possibilities the iPad opens up for dnd?

I'm wowed by the idea of MS Surface and DND, but that's almost an entire game change in how one interacts with dnd...iPad simply facilitates a better use of the current game as it is...
 
There was a thread about board games some weeks ago, and a few of us brought this up. There are a lot of ways an iPad could be used to assist a traditional D&D game... from keeping track of characters to dungeon mapping, rolling dice, and more. I think the neat thing about D&D is that it is a social game - it includes a lot of interactions between real people. In my mind, this is where the iPad really shines - as a device to enhance traditional social situations. It's something you can move around a group and share. In that way, it's very different than say bringing a laptop to a D&D game.

What I'm trying to say is that there might be a tendency for someone to write ro want an app that "does it all for you", but what you'll wind up with is something like everquest or WoW. But with that, you lose the need to be in the same physical space with other people, and the magic of the original game is lost. I think there's a huge potential for the iPad to be something very different. With this, you keep track of your hit points, abilities, spells... if you or the DM wants to "break the rules" or invent some situation not covered by the standard rules, you'd be able to do that. The iPad would be there just to facilitate the mundane tasks of writing things down, and looking things up. That's the kind of thing that's not really possible with fully-featured fantasy games (at least those that I've seen).

I could envision a situation where each player has an iPad running a D&D app... plus a DM has one. The app would include a personal space for stuff you can only see, and a public space for things you want to share. It would also include a tab for "reference" to look up any monster/spell/race/etc... So, you encounter a monster, and go to the public space to roll some dice where everyone can see it. Or, just use regular dice on a table. Take a hit, and go to your character sheet to mark it down. The DM could have some kind of "monster generator / manager" tab that would help him keep track of his end. Another tab could be a free-form drawing space where you map-out where you are, and have little icons you can move around like figures. You could pass secret notes to individual players and plan things...

Sure, that's a lot of iPads... but considering you can use the iPad for other things aside from D&D, it's more a worthwhile investment.

Anyway, to answer your question - I have no idea if anything is in the works. But, I hope so... Even though I don't play D&D anymore (been 20+ years), it still has a place in my heart, and I like to think that people would enjoy the D&D&iPad experience.
 
I think the iPad has the potential to make face-to-face, tabletop D&D MORE social in that less time can be spent "pausing" the game while books are searched for important rules, or while two players pass a book back and forth because both have key powers in the same suppliment.

In an ideal situation, each player would have an iPad or similar tablet device with an interactive character sheet and internet access to get a hold of the rules they need (for 3.5 there are online SRDs, for 4e D&Di's Compendium works great on the iPad).

I think the worst part about electronically enhanced D&D is virtual dice rollers, but part of the allure of these is that a fake die on a phone is often more convenient than a real roll when the table is so full of books and papers that you can hardly fit the miniatures, let alone enough space to roll a d20. But, if the table were suddenly free of books and sheets, rolling real dice would be much less of a hassle.


[just kidding]Maybe I can make an interactive DM screen out of a bunch of iPads...[/just kidding]
 
I also haven't played in probably 20+ years either, but I'd love to see an AD&D app that, for the PCs (Player Characters) could use as a character sheet, and just touch/drag to change stats, hit points, etc. as necessary.

For the DM (Dungeon Master), he could have the books all loaded into one app (DM Guide, Monster Manuals, etc.) to quickly find whatever is necessary. There could also be a dice rolling area - tap a die once to roll one, double tap on a d10 to get a range from 1-100 :D

Very cool...I'd consider getting back into it if an app like that came out :)
 
Indeed

GoKyu said:
For the DM (Dungeon Master), he could have the books all loaded into one app (DM Guide, Monster Manuals, etc.) to quickly find whatever is necessary. There could also be a dice rolling area - tap a die once to roll one, double tap on a d10 to get a range from 1-100 :D

Very cool...I'd consider getting back into it if an app like that came out :)
Click to expand...

Actually, there are three such apps:

PFR (Pathfinder Reference Document)
Price: $4.99
http://itunes.com/apps/pfr


d20 Rules (Core, divine, psionic, epic and variant rules)
Price: $0.99
http://itunes.com/apps/d20

d20 Modern (Modern, future, arcana and menaces)
Price: $0.99
http://itunes.com/apps/d20modern

All three apps run nicely on the iPhone, but really shine on the iPad :)
 
I play in a Live Action Vampire rpg, and I'm planning on using my new iPad, if nothing else as a way to have convenient access to any of the game books, once I decided what PDF reader i like best for it. :p
 
Depends on what edition you are playing. If it's the latest (4e), then here's some info on using an iPad:

How the iPad Changes D&D

A GM's Guide to the iPad Part 1

A GM's Guide to the iPad Part 2

I think those are from the early days right after iPad release. I'm sure there's more recent info out there, especially as more apps are created. Also, I know some sites are moving towards iPad and mobile friendly reference documents. For 4e, there's the D&D Compendium (need subscription for full benefit, but it is worth it if you find a regular group), and for Pathfinder (the only real active version of 3.x D&D) there's the Pathfinder Reference Document (or also in the dedicated app linked to by thomax). I haven't tried these out on an iPad, but I think they would be alright.

Also, here's a regularly updated messageboard thread on apps available for iPhone/iPod, iPad, and Android.

Not sure about earlier editions, but if nothing else there is that CD set of all the Dragon magazines in PDF format that you might be able to find on eBay or something.
 
I'm almost positive I ran across the full AD&D rule books available as PDF's not too long ago on a random google search for an ePUB book.

I wonder if the iPad screen is Cheese-puff-proof?
 
I thought I'd take a few mins to reply... normally I wouldn't but I'm really excited, I am currently working on a Pathfinder character sheet. hope to release by summer. you can keep up to date at http:// aegisgames.com. I update it about once a month.
 
Dungeons and Dragons with iPad

Who's with me!?!?!? That's how we roll.. all geeked out.

Seriously though. Rolling dice.. just shake the pad which prompts the dice to roll, or flick and bounce an on-screen dice till it hits the edge of the screens, rolls around and stops.

DM could make maps and pan around them, pressing hotspots to pull up more info.

Players could have their char sheets on their pads with a note taking feature.

It's on like a chimera rolling a +10 save to fire!!
 
I'm in- I haven't played since high school, but I'm sure I have my character sheets in my old stuff. I'll have to let my Paladin out of the dark corner he's been hiding in for the last 16 years.
 
Random House books come to Apple's iBookstore for iPad, iPhone

I could care less for that awful bestseller and Tom Hanks film, but Random House is coming to the iBookstore. Yes, the same Random House that distributes D&D books.

Days after publisher Random House announced it would adopt the agency model for e-book sales, content from the world's largest consumer trade publisher -- including "The Da Vinci Code" -- began appearing on Apple's iBookstore.
Click to expand...

I imagine if WOTC decides it is worthwhile, they would have to spend upwards of a year to get this going (unless they working on this all along), but the biggest obvious obstacle is gone.
 
I am using the iPad here for Pathfinder and it works great. The whole having not to have too much clutter during a game is quite handy. We still use books. The iPad is used to show maps and monster images. I am looking into software for drawing over my town maps and country maps kinda like on Monday Night Football but more like Tuesday Night Pathfinder… The orcs are here and you are here…. It will be interesting to see how the iPad type of technology plays out over the next few years.:cool:
 
Imagine if they could include a dating app, although I am not sure how what knock on effect that would have for the kitchen role industry.
 
rattleurhead said:
I recently moved and have been trying to find a dnd game to join in on. I haven't played in years, but in my effort to get back in, I just realized the iPad could be an amazing device for the various books one needs at a dungeons and dragons game.
Click to expand...

You can use Kindle app on iPad and buy D&D reference books off Amazon as kindle books, or Kobo ebooks, or B&N ebooks - that would be a great reference tool for a tabletop session.

I think nobody can create a true D&D reference app unless Wizards give permission or sell a license to a 3rd party developer. They are known to be hard to deal with, only big game developers (like Gameloft or EA) can get licenses from them...
 
rattleurhead said:
I recently moved and have been trying to find a dnd game to join in on. I haven't played in years, but in my effort to get back in, I just realized the iPad could be an amazing device for the various books one needs at a dungeons and dragons game.

If you need to find a rule, you just search for related terms to find pages.
You'd have full color to take advantage of the awesome artwork.
You could save and modify character sheets

I'm sure if you're a fan of the game you see the possibilities.

So my question is:

  • Has anyone heard of anything about incorporation of dnd onto the iPad?
  • Are there any other functionalities that fans of the game can imagine up when they think about the possibilities the iPad opens up for dnd?

I'm wowed by the idea of MS Surface and DND, but that's almost an entire game change in how one interacts with dnd...iPad simply facilitates a better use of the current game as it is...
Click to expand...

There's a neat dice rolling program called Dicenomnicon that lets you set a PDF as a "Dynamic Background". In other words you could use a character sheet or a copy of the PHB as a background.
 
Great 4e D&D experience

Though it would be great to have even further integration into the social aspects of the game, I've had a great experience with the i4e app (Universal):

http://cordax.net/i4e

It allows you to update multiple characters, keep track of powers (used/unused) and equipment and allows you to track skills and conditions. It's quite customizable and looks great on the iPad (in fact, I've got one fellow adventurer who may buy an iPad simply because he's been so impressed with this app...)

The books are available in pdf format via torrent sites, but they're completely unlicensed, of course.
 
If you're not afraid of learning a little XML and using a graphics editor, check out EveryGame. It is a framework for creating board games. It could be used for some manual "housekeeping", charts, etc.
 
Character Folio

We've got a recently released app for Dungeons and Dragons 3.75 aka Pathfinder you may like as well. Character Folio is a full featured character sheet with built in referenced source. Currently has the d20 3.75 sheet and we will have Savage Worlds out there soon.

http://www.darktheatre.net or Darktheatre LLC on Facebook

01ssMainPort.png
 
Dungeon Mapp

Hi Guys,

I'm the creator of Dungeon Mapp, a mapping and battle tracking solution for the iPad. You can find out all about it here:

http://ambitioussoftware.com/

There is both a paid and free version out there, so please try them out and let me know what you think.

It's in it's second iteration, and development is ongoing. I'm keen for advice on how I can make it better, so please leave advice below or post your vote on the forum here:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/312666-dungeon-mapp-1-2-a.html

All the best,

Derek
 
This takes me back. ;)

This also reminds me of Zork for the iPad, running under the Frotz app.

Nostalgia is fun. :)
 
App in the works

I recently started playing D&D about 3 months ago and I play at least once a week with a couple of friends. I have so much fun playing but it gets a little confusing having a character sheet that's multiple pages (character sheet, inventory, spells, magical items lists, etc.). So being a programmer by trade I've decided to take up the mantle of writing a D&D app for iPad and laptop. Now a lot of people have called me crazy for writing an app for both Mac and pc but it's actually pretty easy. For PC it's just regular visual basic coding but for the iPad I've created a dynamic interactive PDF file that includes everything. I'm also looking into building the reference books into the app. Here's a pic of what the character sheet looks like.

OAY8QzP6
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back