Use of Technology at the Tabletop [closed]

There is a much higher potential distraction factor from electronic devices (laptops, tablets, etc) than dice & paper.

• Devices have glowing screens and animation that tends to capture and retrain one's attention far more than traditional materials.
• Devices can do many other things, and may pop up distractions like an email notification
• People often huddle behind a laptop screen, effectively blocking out outside stimuli (that is, the other players) while they use the device.

It's very easy for devices to become an unintended social barrier at the table. I've seen these factors play out repeatedly over years of tabletop gaming and observation of many different people. It gets disheartening when I've made time to enjoy a face-to-face activity with people, and someone spends it hiding behind a laptop or fiddling with a smartphone game whenever their character isn't directly engaged.

That's not to say devices lack redeeming use, or can't be used responsibly. As a GM, I'll load my core rulebook onto my phone, because using the electronic index on it faster for quick lookups and it's much easier than lugging a fancy, 450pg book around. Some people find dice-rolls apps or PDF character sheets to be convenient enough to justify their use.

When using devices at the table, it's important to view them as secondary to the interpersonal interactions and having a role that's limited to their tabletop gaming functions. When I GM, I do not set a firm policy about device use, but I do discourage too much of it. I always remind myself when I pick up my own device to only look up the rule, then stop and put my attention back on the players.

If you are considering using a device-based tool for your entire table, it is worth having a short talk with your players about avoiding that distraction trap and treating the device a replacement for paper, rather than just getting sucked into all the cool stuff your tablet does. This talk isn't about policing players, but acknowledging everyone's human foibles and pledging to work together cooperatively. I'm just as susceptible to distraction as my players, after all.