This is was the GM screen I was using. A few games back I realized that no one (including myself) could read any of the tables on it and it blocked my view of the players. I guess kinda sorda that's what it is supposed to do. GM screens are default equipment that no one (as far as I know) has questioned in a while.
What I wanted is something that would 1) hide my notes and 2) not block my view of the players. So, I got an old pizza box and made this Marquette to try out a new configuration.
The main thing I was trying to figure out is if the players sitting right on either side of me could get their eyeballs on my super secret game mastering notes. This design showed they could not any more than if I were using my old traditional GM screen.
I took one of cardboard side panels and used it as a template to make this out of MDF. I have used it a few times already and all I can say is that it's AWESOME.
Here it is in action. I made it wide enough for looking at two sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. I am thinking that if I need more than this at any one time, then I need to rethink my notes. Notice it allows for a great view of the players. I think it's very important to see what they are saying, doing, their expressions, etcetera. Roleplaying is a Social activity.
Here you can see the side to great advantage and how high it is in comparison to an 8 1/2 x 11 inch book. Notice too, the top rail serves as a place to put all those pesky die. Since the front is angled, it also acts as a stand on which to put various visual aids. Unlike a traditional GM screen, the angle allows the players to actually see the information.
Another view from my side. The rail on top is a piece of clear plastic that has had both ends bent to give it strength. Additionally it holds a lot of loose junk and because it's clear it lets some light in. (If anyone has any interest in one of these marvels, let me know and I can post some simple plans to construct).
For fun I have included some pictures of historical note. When I first started playing I used double album covers from LP's as a GM screen. (The above are not the exact one's I used, I used my parents copy of Sgt. Peppers for the longest time, but that's another story).
This screen, however, is an actual artifact from my distant youth, I cut two sections of plywood and duct taped them together and embellished it with an eye catching motif. (Yes, Freud would have much to say about that sword). Not much survived my childhood, for some reason this thing did. There you have it, time to go draw some creeps for the new version of the core rule book!
Another view from my side. The rail on top is a piece of clear plastic that has had both ends bent to give it strength. Additionally it holds a lot of loose junk and because it's clear it lets some light in. (If anyone has any interest in one of these marvels, let me know and I can post some simple plans to construct).
For fun I have included some pictures of historical note. When I first started playing I used double album covers from LP's as a GM screen. (The above are not the exact one's I used, I used my parents copy of Sgt. Peppers for the longest time, but that's another story).
This screen, however, is an actual artifact from my distant youth, I cut two sections of plywood and duct taped them together and embellished it with an eye catching motif. (Yes, Freud would have much to say about that sword). Not much survived my childhood, for some reason this thing did. There you have it, time to go draw some creeps for the new version of the core rule book!
Here is a link to PDF of above:
I am adding this shot showing the side detail construction. Hope this is useful!
POST PLANS FOR THAT AWESOME SCREEN! Seriously, that's incredibly cool!
ReplyDeleteI shall. Tomorrow. I promise.
ReplyDelete