For many years, we played in the “lounge around the living room” format where the GM has enough physical separation from the players that a screen isn’t needed for privacy.

For Feng Shui, I made my own screen by overlapping and stapling two file folders together into a tri-fold screen. I copied tables and images out of the rulebook and pasted the tables inside the screen and pasted the images on the outside as a collage. It was fun and useful. But then, Feng Shui has so few mechanics to reference that just about everything that you could need can be included in a screen.

Recently, I have been running d20 Modern, and although I have a screen, I rarely use it. The information in it is difficult to reference and of limited usefulness. Generally with d20, we go to the books. Were I to run d20 M again, I might make a screen with key rules for grappling, autofire, action points (my amended list of uses), and skills where the DC descriptions are needed.

To keep my notes private, I generally cover them with a blank sheet of notepaper or the sheet where I track initiative and NPC damage.

Many times, the screen just gets in the way, obscuring my view of the battlemap and/or taking up valuable table space.

I’ve seen this approach before, but my gaming area has never been set up in such a way that I could give it a try. Most of my gaming tables have been long and narrow — although I suppose a small card table would do the trick.

Thanks for reminding me about this one, mcv!

And the screen usually just screens off a corner of the table with all the secret but easily recognised stuff, and the GM himself isn’t hiding behind it. As soon as there are no secrets to hide (a stack of written notes, a book without spoilers on the cover), there’s no need for a hiding place.

A more important use for GM screens is their nice summary of important rules and tables, but those could just as well be on a sheet of paper or in a booklet (depending on the complexity of the game system).

In the current game I am playing, the DM is using an interesting “half-height” screen I might acquire. Its just tall enough to hide a map, notes, or rolls, but doesnt create the “Iron Curtain” effect.

I do have my area set up so the players aren’t too close to my seat and that probably helps.

At one point in my first Arcana Unearthed campaign, we had so many players that one player was sitting right next to my cart – and could easily see over the screen.

I’ll often put something over maps which are the easiest thing to get information from a sneak peek.

Way back in the days, I once had to contend with a player who had his own copy of the module. I think I ended up teleporting them into the middle of one of my own dungeons when I discovered that (and realized how much he had been using it).

I have taken up Robin Laws suggestion that the campaign setting be shared with the players, but I’m not quite ready to share the module prep with the players.

Of course there is a factor with the way I ran Cold Iron and Rune Quest where I didn’t use large dungeons. In those games, my prep material was pretty minimal and easy to keep hidden.

I also set up my room so the players don’t have to walk by my seat (which does leave me climbing over players sometimes).

Frank

I don’t think this is always a question of maturity, although a lot of times it is. For example, as a player I find the area behind the screen to be a place of compelling mystery, and even though I take precautions not to see anything behind it, my eyes are drawn there — and if something slips out, I’ll notice it.

(Scott) Martin, the reason you don’t use a screen in DiTV is twofold.

Chalk this up as two more reasons why I really need to play DitV — that sounds like a lot of fun!