The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Ever had your flimsy cardstock GM screen tip over because someone sneezed? Ever wanted just one more reference on the screen, because your campaign uses that one extensively? Or maybe you're playing a game that has no published GM screen, and you're the kind of person who wants one. Citizen Games' MasterScreen solves these problems.

The MasterScreen is three vinyl panels over heavy chipboard, with clear pockets on both sides. This gives the GM three panels for important rules, charts, etc., and the players three panels for the same thing. For systems that don't need all that information, the pockets can be filled with artwork (a great way to give faces to NPCs) or just left empty.

The clear plastic pockets are non-stick, so that your self-made inserts won't leave print behind. At least that's what Citizen Games claims. I haven't left any pages in it long enough to test that. I will say the "product page" insert that came with the MasterScreen didn't stick at all.

The pockets are also (minor) problem number one. They're pretty tight. Standard-weight paper sometimes crumples when you try to insert it. Slow and patient is the way to go.

As for sturdiness, it's nice. The MasterScreen stands and stays up pretty well. A good hit will still knock it over, but the air conditioning won't, a problem I've had with some of the smaller cardstock screens. It also doesn't bend easily. This is frustrating, because mine apparently got warped in shipping, as though a heavier package sat on it for a while. It's difficult to bend it straight again.

The up-front cost of US $19.95 is only a little higher than a typical commercial screen, and definitely less than the cost of two. The pockets mean you can effectively make a new screen for a few cents more. If you GM more than one system, it's a good investment.

(Note: I bought directly from Citizen Games. They refunded my PayPal account $5 when I sent them an old GM screen. They were also giving free shipping at the time, so it was an even better deal.)

The product insert and website both name 26 companies that offer MasterScreen downloads. Sadly, that's not yet true. The website is a bit more honest, listing "participating companies" in one column, and the nine actually offering downloads in another. Worse, the link for Driftwood Publishing goes to an online shopping site instead of a game company. Driftwood seems to have gone offline entirely, though, so Citizen Games can't be faulted for that.

Then again, the whole point of buying a customizable GM screen is to make it your own. Using someone else's idea of what belongs goes against the grain. Bottom line: MasterScreen is a great product. It's the most flexible GM screen available.

MasterScreen
MasterScreen Capsule Review by Patrick Clark on 09/10/02 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) A nifty tri-fold screen that takes 8.5x11 pages for endless customization. Product: MasterScreen Author: n/a Category: Customizable GM screen Company/Publisher: Citizen Games Line: Cost: 19.95 Page count: n/a Year published: 2002 ISBN: 1-929474-46-6 SKU: CIT2000 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Patrick Clark on 09/10/02 Genre tags: Other	Ever had your flimsy cardstock GM screen tip over because someone sneezed? Ever wanted just one more reference on the screen, because your campaign uses that one extensively? Or maybe you're playing a game that has no published GM screen, and you're the kind of person who wants one. Citizen Games' MasterScreen solves these problems. The MasterScreen is three vinyl panels over heavy chipboard, with clear pockets on both sides. This gives the GM three panels for important rules, charts, etc., and the players three panels for the same thing. For systems that don't need all that information, the pockets can be filled with artwork (a great way to give faces to NPCs) or just left empty. The clear plastic pockets are non-stick, so that your self-made inserts won't leave print behind. At least that's what Citizen Games claims. I haven't left any pages in it long enough to test that. I will say the "product page" insert that came with the MasterScreen didn't stick at all. The pockets are also (minor) problem number one. They're pretty tight. Standard-weight paper sometimes crumples when you try to insert it. Slow and patient is the way to go. As for sturdiness, it's nice. The MasterScreen stands and stays up pretty well. A good hit will still knock it over, but the air conditioning won't, a problem I've had with some of the smaller cardstock screens. It also doesn't bend easily. This is frustrating, because mine apparently got warped in shipping, as though a heavier package sat on it for a while. It's difficult to bend it straight again. The up-front cost of US $19.95 is only a little higher than a typical commercial screen, and definitely less than the cost of two. The pockets mean you can effectively make a new screen for a few cents more. If you GM more than one system, it's a good investment. (Note: I bought directly from Citizen Games. They refunded my PayPal account $5 when I sent them an old GM screen. They were also giving free shipping at the time, so it was an even better deal.) The product insert and website both name 26 companies that offer MasterScreen downloads. Sadly, that's not yet true. The website is a bit more honest, listing "participating companies" in one column, and the nine actually offering downloads in another. Worse, the link for Driftwood Publishing goes to an online shopping site instead of a game company. Driftwood seems to have gone offline entirely, though, so Citizen Games can't be faulted for that. Then again, the whole point of buying a customizable GM screen is to make it your own. Using someone else's idea of what belongs goes against the grain. Bottom line: MasterScreen is a great product. It's the most flexible GM screen available.