In S9E70 of Wyrm Lyfe, Doug, Jason & Owen breakdown the latest GM Screen accessories. Class of the Month: wyrmwoodgaming... 🤜 Wyrm Lyfe Shields: bit.ly/WyrmLyf... 🪓 Find Us, Nerds: bit.ly/Wyrmwoo... #gmscreen #dmscreen #wyrmwoodgaming
In a previous video they said 4th of july, but in a way where you can't really tell if they were kidding? But it sounded like they were definitely targeting a launch at some point in july.
here is one idea: Make one DOUBLESIDED panel. So i can have a map up for my players to see, or clues for the murder mistery or the contracts on a tavern blackboard. DOUBLESIDED Panel! Give it to meeee. This is a GOOD idea! Jason can take credit, i dont care. go for it!
Yes! Commented the same on this video and others. I need to be able to show players stuff. Especially now that the rotating piece won't exist, we need double sided-Ness!
I think the old Wyrmwood GM Screen had a panel you could flip around on a hinge, so you could keep a map or notes or whatever on your side until you were ready for the players to see it. That's what I would want.
I keep saying, lose the kitchen cabinet exterior, and give me a flat magnetic surface. It'll still look sick with the wood grain, and I can pin maps, shop prices, reminders, etc. for the party to see.
You should add a divet in the center of the tablet tray to accommodate the spine of hard-back books. Nothing like having a convenient spot for a rulebook. Especially when you can be somewhat covert with it. :)
Requests: 1)Can we see a 3 vs 4 panels set up? 2)Can we see how things stuck up on a panel? Ex. Metal, acrylic, map or something behind the acrylic and then the table holder?
These screens are really becoming something special and I'm so very hyped to back this Kickstarter! 💜🖤 So far, by far the best accessories are the tablet troughs. They're so perfect!
I'm 100% on board with everything here. Still an advocate for double-sided flip-around panels and different wood options for the borders and central panel pieces, but I like where things are going so far.
You 100% don't need 16 separate monster tracking things, creatures with the same stat block are grouped: in theory 3/4/5/6/8 or whatever the DM thinks is less than a "mob" at the same initiative, HP is where it can get spicy but frankly you could group that too quite easily or track it adjacent to the stats...
@@matt-lang a lot of now DM misunderstand the rules for initiative and make their games unmanageable, if there are 20/30 creatures with identical stat blocks in the initiative with separate initiatives etc you're doing it wrong and doing yourself a disservice - it's nowhere near that unmanageable. DM tools should fit with efficient organised play, an interface/HUD shouldn't be jarring - DM screens shouldn't add complexity... 🤔
I prefer to not use a shared initiative unless the enemies are very obviously generic. Players shouldn't know which ones are special in some way and the balance works better if they're spread out through initiative. On the other hand, I rarely have many more enemies than there are PCs.
@@vincentwinqvist4023 that is a preference, but I will say that the default is to group monster's initiative, and for most folks that's recommended for obvious reasons. It's a spicy take for some folks, but if you're going to develop a product it's probably good to default to what the rules say...
@@vincentwinqvist4023 i only use separate initiatives for different creatures, if I have 6 goblins and 2 hobgoblins the all the goblins will go on one initiative and the hobgoblins will go in a different one. so ill have my 5 players trackers and then 1-3 monster initiatives.
Many great ideas and improvements. What is missing is a way to pin printed a4 sheets to the player-showing side. I often put maps, pictures of NPCs, etc on there.
Mentioned this elsewhere, but a magnet rail that can fit into the top slot of a panel would allow us to hang pages in front of a panel without overcomplicating things. Call it the Display Mount.
I suggest cutting the int tracker in half so its easier to plop on the next person. It looks nice but I can see getting tired of being so precise to move it about 2 beers in :) Also, a Masterclass DM screen with inlays would be what I would like to invest in. BIFL!
GM screens are looking great! The logo on the acrylic pieces actually worked out as a better touch than I expected because it made it feel much more like a Wyrmwood product vs potentially just some other screen when looking at it from the GM's side. In terms of the patterned plywood GM screens, I agree with Jason when he says that it's very different from Wyrmwood, but I like it. It feels like it could be an craftsman collaboration piece and that is not outside of the scope of Wyrmwood considering the company has done this with artwork for tarot cards, dice holders, and dice trays. Edit: One thing to note for using metal plates as dry erase. Since the plate doesn't have a lip/ border of some sort, if the user wipes the plate directly on the gm screen, the dry erase might leave a stain on the wood over time.
Still want to see the rotating section brought back. Or as someone else mentioned, a double-sided panel where I can put a map on the back would do the job I guess, though less attractive.
Imagine telling Dale he's got a one week review by the customers and not bringing him in for this video. Did they let him go without telling us? Suspicious
Was Jonesing for a Wyrm Lyfe episode, so I was just going to binge previous episodes, and literally the moment I come to the channel, you guys dropped a new one. Great minds think alike.
as added bonus why not release the cad file for the insert (under an open source license) so people could completely fab their own from metal, stone, 3d print it, etc. and make it completely theirs.
With the release of the inserts, can you release the template size on your site? it would make it much easier for us to crop a design into the insert format and print/draw within it.
Or even have them be available for ever on the site, with customization. Would be very nice. Let's say you have a campaign and a symbol for it, and that one ends and want to use a new symbol but this Kickstart and preorders are over with.
the tablet dock is a great idea but charging for long play sessions looks to be interesting. Some kind of pass through for a small charging cable to the stand would be excellent.
what kind of tablet are you using that you cant get a 4 hour use out of? I use an ipad and i can run my 4-5 hour sessions and still have a quarter of the battery or more
I'm so glad that Jason is back to wearing the Commander vests from Historical Emporium! I've missed them. Also, this DM screen update somehow managed to get me *even more* excited for it! These accessories are exactly the perfect cherry on top.
Gotta say, this has got to be the absolutely best designed product youve ever made. It has incredible form and function, and just so many "why didnt i think of that" tid bits. Master class.
There’s so much good design happening here. I still feel there’s a lot of function and it’s missing the Wyrmwood feel. Still don’t like the cabinet door look. Not sold on the insert hole. Wish this had some compatibility with the hex tiles. That said, the tray was impressive. I agree it’s the best accessory developed. If we’re going to put a little window in the center screen, wouldn’t it make sense to just make it a bigger window so you could put an actual map or something in it? I still look back at the original GM screen Kickstarter and think they should start there and use some of these fancy tricks (magnets) and make something that feels more Wyrmwood. Don’t worry, though, I’m likely in the minority and this is getting to the point where it will sell well.
I don't think you're in the minority, they just do a good job of selling their designs and getting people hyped. And I guess there's a sense that it's going on the direction it's going -- people just start accepting it and try to steer the ship in more minor ways.
Yeah, I completely agree. I really hope they're reading the comments and design a display frame or a bigger window. Heck people even mentioned a double sided panel, so magnets on both sides. But yeah, I'm still in a camp where it's not a super high quality wyrmwood item yet. I feel like they are focusing a bit too much on production speed to cut costs when most people are willing to pay premium for wyrmwood. Hell even the fact that they aren't automatically putting gem and metal inserts is kinda disheartening. For me the little things add up and make or break wether I'll back this.
(I am a woodworker) There is no easy way to make panels without using the "cabinet door" (it is called frames and panels btw) technique. Just gluing boards together will have them warp and nothing will be flat, which is an issue for the magnet alignment. They could solve this by doing plywood panels but the aesthetic isnt the same, could cost more and it would not look "craft man quality" for people not familiar with custom plywood. Keep in mind they need a production setup where they can make 1000s of these reliably. Everything changes when you are working at these scales!
I just realized that this isnt a F&P construction and just a CNCed board! And they are using exotic wood! I strongly doubt these will stay flat in non environmentally controlled environment. The thickness variations will make the wood move at different speed/amount.
So, here's the thing... I've been following you guys for years. I never purchased any of the dice holders, because I have a bag of dice holding that fits like 20 dice sets (yeah, I'm a DM and dice hoarder... Thank Laura Bailey...) so I've never had that need. I do eventually want to buy one of the Coffin Vaults, in Ebony, really more for the aesthetic factor though... I live in a 1Br apartment, so no room for MGT, and I don't make enough money to be able to afford that anyway. However, I fell in absolute LOVE with Matthew Mercer's DM screen that you guys made for him years ago. I looked at making a wood one myself, but don't have a shop or the tools to do so. But I did Back the Corrupted Tarot (and they turned out B E A utiful, btw). So, when you guys announced you were going full steam ahead in designing a DM screen for public purchase, I was over the moon! I cannot WAIT to back this project!
I don't know why you haven't thought about doing resin shields for the centre of the GM Screens, a bit like resin dice, a matching shield and dice combo would probably look pretty cool, and people like to colour match on things. Would certainly make for an interesting add on/up grade and the possibilities for resin shields and wood combos add to uniqueness.
OK, bit of negative criticism on the init trackers... please drop the black plastic. Having to buy & use special pens in order to make use of those is a deal killer. I would suggest simply going with a red or yellow instead... plain dark-colored markers will still show on it while retaining the color coding. To be really clear... I LOVE the color coding, I just don't like the 1 choice in color that requires special equipment. Positive feedback: You've done really well on not making the screen locked into 5e, & I appreciate that. The worst is the player trackers, & even with them they're still usable for other d20 systems. Looking forward to pledging once the KS is up :).
I would actually go the other way, drop the white/grey colour and have only black and coloured acrylics to use only a white marker on. White markers cost about the same amount but will be much more readable than black text from a distance when using other colours. In the same vein, you can have multiple colours for the acrylics to simulate different party affiliations when you have more complex encounters
I won't ever DM, but this is so cool I have to have it anyway. I would totally use it as a desk accessory for study notes, to do lists, maybe throw my tablet and phone up to have a few extra screens by the laptop and and and.... I'd make it work.
There are a lot of other uses, as a recipe holder when you’re cooking, you can use the acrylic to protect any printed recipes and the tablet rest to look up online recipes, really you’d only need two panels for that
Loving the functionality of the GMs space and the ability to laminate your own graphics for the crest! Loving watching the development process! But It's hard to get past the kitchen cabinet front. Had a look at your 1st GM Screen kickstarter campaign and the ability to share info with the players is brilliant. This front is lacking the gravitas of the 1st design. There has to be a clever solution!
Was a bit hesitant about backing this as I was team frame-and-panel, but the double paned acrylic center panel is just *chef's kiss*. Cannot wait to get some custom art commissioned to fill the space! Kickstarter when???
@@codysoo2 I have another comment about that rosewood. It is a protected and endangered wood specie. I am a bit pissed that wyrmwood is using it has it is near impossible to ensure that the raw material is coming from a legit source. These are mostly cut illegally then resold a few times until the origin cant be tracked and then exported as a legitimate product.
I love the tablet holder, such a minimalist design that just works perfectly. On the initiative trackers, maybe have more options than black and white. Like Blue/red/green for example. That way we can use black pen for all of them, and having a third color to track NPCs or maybe traps or special features would be cool (imagine that a trap will launch a bomb at 10 initiative, having it at a different color would make it clearer to know it's an special event and not a monster). Maybe just pile them into single color trackers, and let everyone pick the color or colors they want.
Optional initiative trackers: little circular holders that the base of miniatures can pop into and slot into the top of the GM screen. If you do it this way you can use the condition rings, and it's a lot cleaner way of tracking.
This is the episode that hooked me on the screen. I’ve been unsure of it fitting the Wyrmwood brand with any need for an upgrade. The accessories plus more to come, the shmexy finishing! Winning 🏆
I'm excited to have an episode release on my birthday! I've been watching the series since Season 2 and haven't missed an episode sense then. This is my favorite series by far on the internet. Looking forward to backing this kickstarter :)
This makes me really wish I could play or be a GM because these accessories are wicked cool! I love the metal dry erase attachments, I like the tablet tray holders with the pen holder and all that, the top trackers are awesome and the color of the GM screen are gorgeous, I love the insert in that dark window. I really wish I could do like a GM/DM beginner bundle or something as a package like what is a good starting kit with something like this.
Big agreement with Jason's thoughts on the Paladin trackers, make them the same form factor as the player tiles. It would also give us the option of using the tracker keeper from the last kickstarter to hold some if we didn't want to use space on the screen for them, or wanted to supplement.
For the stat trackers, I think you should keep some kind of interlock even if it's not the shield. You're right that it's easy to press things against straight edges, but magnets tend to shift up and down as they're touched. Having some kind of built in registration will make the screen look just a lot neater and gives that really satisfying fit when you see it lined up.
For the Turn Frame over the Initiative Trackers, I'd be happy to see that made of wood. The simplicity of one pen for the trackers is valuable to me. I've made mine of laminated cards stock - generic "bad guy" symbol with red frame for opponents, and each party member having their character's image in a blue frame. That distinction is more elegant, but eye-catching enough for easy distinction at a glance.
I don’t play DnD anymore but still kinda want this… it’s looking really nice! Hopefully the dice tower has an indentation on the sides so it can be clipped on either side of the GM screen using the hidden magnets.
And here I thought the GM screen couldn't get much better without losing the classy feel. *starts allocating more budget* well Mr. GM Screen, you win this one! Let's see if we can get to double digit episodes on this development series! Side note: I don't think the loot tower/dice towers will be very popular, but as a person who is thrilled to see their return, I would definitely be pleased to at least see what Jason, Benette and/or Crazy Ed comes up with on that topic.
Status Trackers : Make the initiative trackers some time of waterjet-cut metal and then simple painted or silicon-coated magnets that stick on them. Like a fancier version of those fridge magnet words packs..
I really wasn’t following this too much because I know it’s something I’m probably not gonna be able to afford anytime soon, but after seeing this video, I’m *very* intrigued
I was on the side of "If you're gonna do a DM screen. DO a DM screen." because I would be willing to spend more on a DM screen than even the chair i was sitting on. I can have an epic boss fight sitting on a couple of milk crates, but slapping down an awesome screen sets tone and immersion more than a couple of 3 ringed binders. The DM screen is their secret space, that holds your rewards or your death, so i don't want it half assed.. But after seeing this stuff, my mind has been changed. I should have listened to the people that know what they are talking about. Love it.
Try leaving the dry erase on for a week, see if it stains. Initiative trackers are too big. Also what about overhang trackers? like '7 nub goes in the top and the tracker hangs over the front. Why not wood trackers instead of acrylic?
Wood trackers would require a different finishing process than the use on any other product. Depending on the wood, they would be somewhat to very much less legible. They are more fragile. They would cost a lot more. I tend to agree with you about the size, but then again, you could continue them onto the 2nd or 3rd panel and should have plenty of space.
To ensure players across the table can read the initiative trackers, I don’t think I’d make them any smaller. And I don’t know how you would write and erase on a wooden initiative tracker. Also, would your concept of an overhang tracker be visible only to the players? Or were the GM able to see the player order as well?
Loving the initiative tracker and tablet stand (I think a book stand attachment to it would be nice). As a DM that loves combat 16 is way to many that would be a nightmare to track. 8-10 including players should be IMO the max. All in all looks like an amazing product, would love to see a 4 screen set up though
A couple suggestions for extra accessories: a measuring tape for measuring movement that can clip to the screen. A digital calculator also might be also be useful, but I guess most people would just use a tablet or a phone.
These look awesome! I’m tempted already, even though I only run online at the moment (A) Those moster trackers are too much fussing around with for me. Monsters have too short of a lifespan to warrant setting up like this. I also don’t adjust monster HP after every hit. I write down the damage and continue going. Adjusting HP sliders slows down combat, and combat is slow enough as it is.
The alternative horde rules in D&D 5e (and this applies to non-horde where you have monsters with similar/same stats) makes it so that you only need to track the stats of the horde on one tracker. 16 different monster stats on one board is not only cluttered (and terrible for the ADHD mind), that many monster stats likely means you want to TPK your party.
Screens look great! Also, I hope they are still looking into doing the tarot card (sleeved) deck box... Mine are sitting in a nasty little cardboard box and I'd like something a little nicer... 💜
I highly doubt they read this but here's a shot in the mass of youtube comments, on the acrylic plates (3:26), put little pull tabs so DMs can pull a tab down to progress to the next section fully setup. Leave them blank but maybe with a back ground (totally optional) so they can write what ever note they need on that tab. Alphabetical, numbers, sections, chapters... w/e it's the DM's choice right? Too poor to buy your wonderful products but I love to see the quality and *care* for the craft and craftsmanship. Cheers and wish you all the best.
Now we're talking. One question though: how big of a tablet can that tray accommodate? I have the tab s8 ultra and...it big. I'm worried it will hang over the edges of the center panel and prevent me from closing the side panels. But with a screen this nice I may just have to get a new tablet 😅
Idea for a GM tool that isn't a screen, so kinda adjacent to this project: on a past WL episode (can't find it now), they asked the workers to show off some of their personal side projects. One woman had a tool with a thumb hole that would hold open a book to the right page; if that simple device could be combined with a small rolling/writing surface, it'd be a great for taking notes from sourcebooks or rolling on random tables when the GM doesn't have another flat surface available (i.e., reading while not seated at a table). Anyone here recall which episode that was?
Would love to see some of the art leather as panel inserts to display on the outside. Crystal Sully, Deven Rue, Frazetta, or even official & branding could be pretty cool
I think the acrylic and metal screens need thumb shields on both the top and bottom for reversibility. Also the paladin tiles bed to keep the thumb tab both for visual consistency and compatibility with the rest of the paladin system.
oof, I have no money but you are starting to win me over on this. two big critiques I think I need to give though. 1.) the initiative tracker is looking good, but the turn marker... is an extra step I'm going to need to keep track of in combat. It's just a LEEETLE too complicated an action. I'd more likely just slide a gap in initiative markers and have that mark the current turn in the round, just a quick slide every turn. 2.) the paladin trackers. they look great, and I like the paladin stuff.... but the wheels for the hexy time tile are REAL hard to turn smoothly, and while I assume they'll loosen up over time, if they were vertical? like attached to a GM screen? I'm not sure I'd use them, I'd at least need to take them off the screen to manipulate them. I know these are probably minor things, but this is the level of refinement I really need to fold accessories in. it's gotta be really smooth otherwise my poor silly brain can't handle it. Anyway, it's looking great guys, keep up the awesome design work!
Only suggestion on those tablet trays. If you take the sides out of the front "pocket" it can be used as another angle to hold a tablet. I personally like my tablet laid out a bit flatter than that so it's easier to write a draw on. I'd hesitate to buy that add on as it only has one set angle.
@Wyrmwood You tested dry erase with a quick test, make sure to also do extended test with both dry erase and wet erase. Leave the ink on for a week, then try to remove both. I have seen ink that could be removed right away, but not at the following week's game. While a normal metal plate should be fine, the finish on it might change how the ink reacts over time.