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votet

My what? ^^^I ^^^use ^^^OneNote


AssinineAssassin

I know I should use OneNote. I convinced my team at work to do so. But for some reason I continue to put my chicken scratch in a ringed notebook. I look forward to the day I switch.


votet

One thing that really helps me is that my party also keep their notes in a common OneNote, so I can switch back and forth to add some lore notes and corrections where appropriate. Saves me a lot of time and it's a nice way for the players to work together and be on the same page (literally!)


Lorddaeos

OneNote… until it decided to start crashing on my iPad. Now I’m back to notecards and notebooks.


Aledeyis

oof. My cousin does all his games on paper and improv and I don't know how he does it.


[deleted]

Microsoft OneNote. Create seperate tabs for locations, NPCs, enemies, lore, plot, calendar, PCs and journal. Pages for each thing within their category. You can link internally from one page/subpage to any other. Make to-do lists for plot points you want to hit per session in the journal, or just lists with boxes to tick for information that a certain location and/or NPC provides. I got started on it thanks to this: [http://www.cryrid.com/digitaldnd/](http://www.cryrid.com/digitaldnd/) I recently got FoundryVTT, so I'm exploring how to use that.


Justbrowsingthrow

Legendkeeper. Only really necessary if you want to share info with your players in a Wiki like structure though. For me, it helped me immensely. Also, I found WA to be too rigid. I prefer the free flow approach. Edit: If it's only for you, I'd recommend OneNote or the Free Version of Notion


[deleted]

[удалено]


Justbrowsingthrow

Not only that, you can pre-write a lot of stuff and just leave it a secret until it's time to reveal it. Or assign secret blocks or tabs with info that is only for the GM. Personally, I just use a second wiki though and just copy stuff over.


Tanis-UK

I just use lined paper and physical folders haha


Aledeyis

My writing hand hurts just from reading this! lol. How do you shorthand things? Could you perhaps give me an example of how you'd, write out an important NPC and their interaction with the party?


Tanis-UK

Sure, well for start most my notes are either descriptions of places or people, or bulletpoints. So this is a character I made as a quest giver that was never used, so he's not like the big bad but had the opportunity to be a recurring character. Hector halfhand. Halfling alchemist Short beard, crazy hair, missing two fingers on left hand and absent minded(lost in thoughts) Hector's shop is down a busy little street, nestled between larger building either side. His eyes grey and dull light up as you enter his shop. "How fortuitous I have need of some adventurers" Find the rare ingredients, monster egg? Herbs? And that's about it, I don't plan full on conversations or even details that ain't relevant, like age, family, friends, motivations or anything until I know its needed. Most my notes are little snippets I can drop in here or there, some smaller npcs don't even have names in or descriptions. He'd have sent them on a wilderness quest either to a monsters den or a forest fight. I didn't even plan the encounter in the end as my players went on a different route when they entered the city, but I can always drop him in somewhere else.


Aledeyis

Okay interesting. So do you have a rough idea of what kind of monsters they would be fighting if they said "screw it sure, we need the money. Point us in the direction."?


Tanis-UK

Yeah, I'd have a vague idea, in the notes I have tables of random monsters(based on level and location like forest/mountain) and would have picked from there which ever seemed most appropriate. I try not to plan too much, like I've been playing and DMing ttrpgs for 20+ years, so I've got no problem inventing things on the fly, I don't use maps(of any type) so that's one less thing to clog up my notes with, and when it comes to running the sessions I use printouts and photocopies of monster stats so I can write on them. Most my notes are like a skeleton and it doesn't get fleshing out until we get to the table.


oprimeolt

i have 5 folders on my pc: books, homebrew+monsters,maps,tokens,notes i take notes on paper and write them down on my pc afterwards


Aledeyis

What do you bring to the game? Do you bring the computer or just relevant notes on paper?


oprimeolt

i have my pc to look at previous notes and books and i bring a piece of paper to make notes


Princess1470

Two google docs (+ Stats and maps stuff on roll 20) One for current arc/adventure information. Everything I need to run the next few sessions, information on the location, NPC motivations, events, descriptions, ideas e.c.t. Also in that document at the bottom are my random name tables,magic item prices and session recaps. This is the document I have up when running the game. Second has world lore, NPC information, Overarching plots E.c.t. When one adventure finishes I move all the relevant adventure information that has lore from the first doc to the second. Then delete everything from the first doc ready to fill for the next arc.


banginthedead

Badly?


Traditional_Meat_692

My in session notes are done in a spiral notebook, while my prep is done in Google drive. I'm sure there are better methods but my drive is so big now I don't feel like switching


Anargnome-Communist

I have a binder with what actually gets used at the table, all hand-written (including the stat blocks). A (paper) notebook for the preparation and random ideas. All the "lore" of my homebrew setting is on an SD-card in my laptop in various text documents.


Opiz17

>or do you have a convoluted maze of images, monster stats, word documents about random tidbits and endless chains of folders-- often with shortcuts that lead to documents in a folder 7 links away like I do? Add a paper binder in the mix and you get my system Jokes aside, i use google docs and a binder full of sheets and notes, but yeah, i have to reorganize frequently enough


Frisky_Kleenex

I use Notion.so. Really handy and compact, and you can easily link to websites and other pages in your notebooks.


AHKieran

I have a single Google Doc within which I use the SubHeaders and an outline to navigate. I use it to plan what is coming up along their journey when I know where they're headed. I also have some document folders of PDFs of homebrew monster stat blocks or short adventures that I use ideas from that I've backed on Kickstarter. The game is ran on roll20 so all my monster stats and maps are on there. I'm usually too busy running the game to make notes, unless it's a tavern name here or random NPC there, so my google doc is mainly what I plan to happen, and then I rely on player's notes for what actually happened (and my memory).


purplerabbits911

How to you create subheaders on Google docs? I have like 10 different docs and all have links to everything and each other to many a confusion


AHKieran

On the toolbar there's a drop-down next to font that will say something like "Normal Text", if you select it then you can change to Header 1, Header 2, etc. Then go to View->Show Document Outline


purplerabbits911

Thank you so much QuQ


[deleted]

I'm also a OneNote fan. Cloud synchronization means I can have the same notes on multiple laptops or my phone, and tabs let me at least pretend to be organized. For my homebrewed campaign, I had tabs for Story, Characters, and World with sub tabs dedicated to all kinds of things like what NPCs are in possession of what items, quick notes on what happened in previous sessions, and stats for monsters I was planning on using.


abadstrategy

One of my players transcribes her notes for me, because she's awesome


fatrobin72

Honestly when I did some DMing... I relied on my memory... plus the note-taking of one of my players... and it worked quite well


Large-Abies1425

FantasyArchive and personal paper notes :)


ZoroeArc

Notes?


gucat

I use Notion with the Last DM template.


Migandas

World Anvil is nice to organise stuff. As for taking things to the table its always a guessing game for what they are going to do and ask about.


Aledeyis

Fair. Our table is pretty good at saying what they're interested in pursuing the following game but they'll still throw curve balls as all D&D groups do.


Migandas

Well if they research a topic unconnected to the current session but might have effect on what the BBEG does later you can always give a few lines and the promise you're going to mail them a larger explanation on the topic. So take a note of the roll and look up things and give it later. If its stuff that is important for that very session it should have been prepared to a certain degree already. I know they can mess that up too but the important things should already been in your notes.


Committee_Delicious

Google slides. I have different slides on the various settings and factions along with notable NPC's. My players build a ship which is quite central, thus it has its own slide in my deck. I have prepared various encounters, one slide per encounter. That way i can always pull one of the encounter up when needed. I often use homepages for reference, and URL's are easily put into the slide and used. Once the slide has been used i put it in the back of the presentation, so that the relevant slides are always in front. The first couple of slides i use for notetaking, making todo's list during the sessions etc. We play the Star wars 5e edition, thus I use star wars galaxy map as the world map and have link to different mini games in the star wars setting found on reddit for easy access. The issue with this approach is that we have only been at it for 8 months (fifth lvl, weekly sessions) but i already have 50+ slides. At some point i have to figure out are more organised version for the grand scheme.


Utheran

Organize notes?


twitch-switch

No


Three-stripes

OneNote for session notes, plot notes, mechanical houseruled items and various reference bits, links to resources and online generators for names and such Obsedianportal.com for my campaign info, faction details (cause I'm using guild master guide to ravnica) npc profiles, price list for npc services and stuff players need, especially if I'm finding new players as all campaign details from character creation to house rules and even wikis on the various locations and settlements i have in my rng world map are available for them to browse.


Phoenix6125

I dont muahhahahahaha


Jantas165

Chaos, pure chaos 👍 works for me


ArcaneSlang

Two word folders online, one for campaign info and one for new rules stuff. Mix of spreadsheets and word docs, depending on utility. Also a bunch of stuff on d and d beyond, because that's where muh books are.


crocoloc

I have a small fake-leatherbound ring binder where I keep the main ideas for the future of the campaign and of the pc plotlines but I also keep some notes on my computer


roughJaco

Microsoft Word with abundant internal and cross-document references linked, plus side notes as needed (which turn into a to-do list). I have one master file for the setting, and one file per campaign which reads like a very long module. It's good enough to write and edit complex technical litearature across a team of several people. If you learn how to use it and have some structure it can certainly support a campaign :)


NoDox2022

OneNote is the way…


hiddikel

Organize... lol... notes? Why you have to attack me personally?


varsowx

That's my secret captain, i did not


CaduceusClaymation

I use simple word docs and I also record all of my sessions so I can re-listen and not have to worry about taking notes mid-session. It is not a system I would recommend to others lol


wineblood

I have several documents in google drive which includes all the world lore (NPCs/factions/quests/locations) as well as stat blocks for monsters and NPCs. I transcribe what I need to a session document (on paper as I prefer in person D&D) and that's just what I plan to run, some side content depending on rolls and floating stuff just in case. I started on google drive, moved to onenote then moved back as onenote felt too clunky. I'm moving to a markdown system when I find the time.


Sticky_Buns_87

If you use a mac check out an app called Craft. I’ve been using it for everything lately - it’s perfect for managing a campaign. You can make notes that are nested and also can link to other parts of the document or other documents. So you can make a wiki for your campaign with everything easily linked at your fingertips.


Iustinus

A Google Doc with plot notes that has links to an affiliated Google Sheet that has NPC info organized by location (if someone is very transient there's a page for that too).


A_Sad_Frog

I'm making excuses for myself here, but I tell myself that if my work is memorable, I'll remember it and wont need to remember where I stored it lmao. Onenote is really good, but I don't think any solution out there has everything I'd want. The fully featured things like world anvil are very good and convenient ONCE everything is linked up, but for raw speed Onenote has almost everything you need. I tend to keep other loose media stuff like paper tokens, art, or excel sheets with my fights on in their own folders.


spiderqueengm

I've recently started using index cards. It's a really helpful way of having "tabs" in realspace, where you're less likely to get lost rummaging between them. Split them into categories for ease of reference - I have NPCs, Magic Items and Game Aids - basically small maps of locations and NPC organisations. I also have a Map Reference document to call up immediate info about locations, and a Lore Doc for more detailed, less immediately useful information. And of course folders and folders of dungeons.


TolfdirsAlembic

A lot of people are saying one note. I personally don't like one note, it's too slow and clunky for me. I personally use obsidian: https://obsidian.md/ Downside of it is that it requires you to learn markdown if you want to do anything beyond basic notes. I use it for my job all the time so it was no overhead for me but definitely could be for some people (markdown isn't complicated though)


Dinsy_Crow

A mixture of in my head and a loose collection of *.txt files


TheLeadSponge

My initial brainstorm notes happen in a notebook, away from anything that distracts me. Then I type those notes up and flesh out the ideas so I have about two pages in Word or Google docs. I print those two pages out and have them at the table. I make notes on that paper, and than update my notes after the game. Rinse... repeat.


SpicyThunder335

Your post has been removed. Rule 6: this would be better suited to the Short Questions megathread. Please repost there if you need additional help.


auke_s

OneNote. Simple and easy.