The Inside Scoop on Gaming

GM Screens have been vilified by some gamers over the years (usually the ones that toss around terms like 'free-form' and 'storytelling game'), but I have fond memories of breaking out the old orange monster as part of my weekly game setup ritual. Monster is also a good term for the new HackMaster GameMaster's Shield. This monster of a GM screen packs 32 panels of art and information into the space of a regular screen.

The GameMaster's Shield is priced at $19.99 (US). The Shield consists of four main cardboard sections with four additional cardboard sections that flip over vertically as needed. There is also a stapled section of eight other pages that fold out horizontally. The entire shield is fully laminated (so you can write on it with dry erase markers) and different sections are color-coded.

The Shield's main claim to fame is that it can be set up in one of several different modes. There is standard combat mode with to-hit tables, saving throw tables, etc. There is dungeon mode with tables for random dungeon generation. There is City/Town/NPCs mode with city/town encounter tables, random NPC generation tables and of course the bartender generator tables. There is also a post game mode with the EP values for all 1,600 monsters from the Hacklopedia of Beasts, alignment graph, etc. In addition to these modes are other panels with information for honor awards, wilderness travel/encounters and general in-game information. You set up the different modes by flipping various panels until you achieve the desired configuration. The color-coded panels make this a fairly easy process.

I won't begin to try and list all the tables on the Shield, but it is remarkably comprehensive. I tried hard, but I couldn't find a vital table that was missing. This is HackMaster and so there are a couple of silly inclusions like the Pizza Matrix and The HackMaster Smartass Smackdown Table, but they don't detract from the overall utility of the product. The Shield is constructed from heavy cardboard and so it stays 'open' well and won't fold up or fall over if you breath on it hard.

If you are a HackMaster GM, you need the GameMaster's Shield. Even if you play 1st or 2nd Edition AD&D, you should give it a look. Many of the tables can be used in your game with little or no modification. My only advice for potential owners is to purchase four small binder clips to hold the panels in the desired configuration. You can use paperclips in a pinch, but they are harder to get on and off and I fear they might damage the edge of the screen or cause the lamination to peel with repeated use.

NOTE: If you want to have a look at the GameMaster's Shield before you buy, Kenzer and Company has posted a Clickable Web Tour of it that will give you a good idea of what to expect.

HackMaster GameMaster's Shield
HackMaster GameMaster's Shield Capsule Review by Anthony Roberson on 14/04/02 Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) The ultimate GameMaster's screen. All others pale in comparison. Product: HackMaster GameMaster's Shield Author: David S. Kenzer Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Kenzer and Company Line: HackMaster Cost: $19.99 Page count: N/A Year published: 2002 ISBN: 1-889182-46-X SKU: K&C2102 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Anthony Roberson on 14/04/02 Genre tags: Fantasy	GM Screens have been vilified by some gamers over the years (usually the ones that toss around terms like 'free-form' and 'storytelling game'), but I have fond memories of breaking out the old orange monster as part of my weekly game setup ritual. Monster is also a good term for the new HackMaster GameMaster's Shield. This monster of a GM screen packs 32 panels of art and information into the space of a regular screen. The GameMaster's Shield is priced at $19.99 (US). The Shield consists of four main cardboard sections with four additional cardboard sections that flip over vertically as needed. There is also a stapled section of eight other pages that fold out horizontally. The entire shield is fully laminated (so you can write on it with dry erase markers) and different sections are color-coded. The Shield's main claim to fame is that it can be set up in one of several different modes. There is standard combat mode with to-hit tables, saving throw tables, etc. There is dungeon mode with tables for random dungeon generation. There is City/Town/NPCs mode with city/town encounter tables, random NPC generation tables and of course the bartender generator tables. There is also a post game mode with the EP values for all 1,600 monsters from the Hacklopedia of Beasts, alignment graph, etc. In addition to these modes are other panels with information for honor awards, wilderness travel/encounters and general in-game information. You set up the different modes by flipping various panels until you achieve the desired configuration. The color-coded panels make this a fairly easy process. I won't begin to try and list all the tables on the Shield, but it is remarkably comprehensive. I tried hard, but I couldn't find a vital table that was missing. This is HackMaster and so there are a couple of silly inclusions like the Pizza Matrix and The HackMaster Smartass Smackdown Table, but they don't detract from the overall utility of the product. The Shield is constructed from heavy cardboard and so it stays 'open' well and won't fold up or fall over if you breath on it hard. If you are a HackMaster GM, you need the GameMaster's Shield. Even if you play 1st or 2nd Edition AD&D, you should give it a look. Many of the tables can be used in your game with little or no modification. My only advice for potential owners is to purchase four small binder clips to hold the panels in the desired configuration. You can use paperclips in a pinch, but they are harder to get on and off and I fear they might damage the edge of the screen or cause the lamination to peel with repeated use. NOTE: If you want to have a look at the GameMaster's Shield before you buy, Kenzer and Company has posted a Clickable Web Tour of it that will give you a good idea of what to expect.