GAMERS AND COMPUTERS

Are you a role-player who has a computer ? Looking for some ideas about using the computer to help you with your hobby ? Here are some suggestions:

• produce your own character sheets, campaign diaries, price-lists, equipment sheets, etc, using a word processor or desk-top publishing package.
• word-process your notes. They'll be more legible, and it'll mean that you have a copy of them stored for future us.
• draw maps using graphics packages (or scan in maps from books and 'adapt' them to suit your needs).
• cross-reference your notes using the bookmark and hyperlink features provided by Microsoft Internet Assistant for Word, for example. IA allows you to keep your notes in .DOC format, or you can go the whole hog and write them in HTML.
• scan in some hex-marked paper and print your own star charts.
• word-process your house rules so that everyone is working to the same set of rules (it also saves skint players from having to buy the rules).
• write a program to assist with PC/NPC generation (I've written two using macros in Excel, they may be big programs, but they work).

I'm sure you can think of a few more (without even considering the Internet). So pass on your good ideas, somebody else may not have thought of it yet.

Sources of software

• Paint Shop Pro is a shareware graphics package and is included on most computer magazines cover-CDs. (Version 4 continues working after the trial period ends).
• Microsoft Internet Assistant for Word can be downloaded from their web-site if you can't find it on a cover-CD.
• Desk-top publishing packages can be picked up cheaply, again, look at the magazines for cover-CDs. The Microsoft Student deal enables students and teachers to buy MS Publisher for around £30.
• For the hard-cases, Borland C++ version 4.5 was being given away on a cover-CD by PC Plus, so check other magazines for similar language offers.

Internet Resources

• Keep in touch with your games companies official web site - most of them will be online by now. If not, search for online gaming shops for current product listings.
• There's some interesting software out there, like programs which allows you to access your files by clicking on a map picture.
• Use your favourite search engine to locate the sites of other game players. I got a font of RuneQuest runes from one.
• Write your own web site, and put on stuff that you think others will find useful.