Wow. A 40cent journal turned out to be the best DM tool I ever had...

[Pika...]

I have tried DM organizing program, I have tried various other things, but in the end I just end up in a complicated mess. However, on a whim at Walmart a last week I bought a 40 cent journal, and amazingly a lot of the organization strategies I have tried in the past just merged perfectly into a easy, yet super effective notes, prepping, and map drawing system all in one. I am shocked I did not just go low-tech sooner.

Heck, I am starting to go low-tech with my character sheets after two years of fancy programs, which actually just made things harder on me.

So, is old-fashioned Pen-and-Paper the best after all?


Thoughts on this?

What DM organization system to you use?

[NNescio]

I have tried DM organizing program, I have tried various other things, but in the end I just end up in a complicated mess. However, on a whim at Walmart a last week I bought a 40 cent journal, and amazingly a lot of the organization strategies I have tried in the past just merged perfectly into a easy, yet super effective notes, prepping, and map drawing system all in one. I am shocked I did not just go low-tech sooner.

Heck, I am starting to go low-tech with my character sheets after two years of fancy programs, which actually just made things harder on me.

So, is old-fashioned Pen-and-Paper the best after all?


Thoughts on this?

What DM organization system to you use?

Maptool. On a laptop. No, it's not just for online campaigns.

[Occasional Sage]

Mostly, my brain and its inefficient filing system. Some rough notes scrawled on cocktail napkins and the backs of paid bills to supplement. Some of those are book and page numbers without an explanation. Rarely maps.

[TwylyghT]

I picked up a few dozen graphed rule composition books on sale a few years back. Only thing I have used since unless I want to print up hand outs for something.

[BobVosh]

Brain, and notepad on the PC for encounters.

[Greenish]

Paper is not very efficient way to store information, but to (literally) handle it it works. Probably better for some people than others.

There was an article on it somewhere…


[Edit]: Here (http://www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_03_25_a_paper.htm).

[Bhaakon]

I prefer to do it on paper. Not just because I think it's easier to handle in-game and more flexible in formatting, but because I've always found that I remember things much better when I hand write them than when I type them.

That being said, I prefer to have my books on my laptop so that I can word search, and I'm trying to wean myself off hand-drawn maps.

[Morph Bark]

Paper to make notes and put on ideas, MS Word to work them out. Using a 12 inch laptop during games.

[Karoht]

laminated grid paper, dry erase markers for quick and easy maps, and it's reusable, plus I can take it home and prep the night before with decent ease.
Notes which are typed out (a big font really helps here I find, bold or highlight some key words and book/page numbers), I sometimes make use of cards, and I write down tidbits on a notepad during session to help me keep track of character development to help tailor things to the players later, both encounters and roleplay opportunities.

[Groverfield]

Yeah, all of those high tech DM tools on computers and .pdf sourcebooks don't compare to having the actual printouts and a nice campaign notebook. Personally I go for the full $1.20 ones with the folders for PC character sheets.

[Yorrin]

All of my prep and character sheets and so forth is done in spreadsheets and/or my brain. But at the actual gaming table I've found a whiteboard/chalkboard to be extremely useful.

[Big Fau]

I have a projector hooked up to my desktop, so I just use maps from that and use my laptop for notes.


Yes, I use two computers in order to run a session. My players don't like bringing their laptops with them (for the two who actually have laptops).

[Zylle]

Personally, I like using 3x5 notecards in place of character sheets. Use one for each aspect of the character (feats, spells, skills, etc.), organized depending on the build, and then keep them all together with a paperclip. Makes it much easier to find what I need than reading through 4+ pages of a printed out character sheet (which often has lots of empty sections that aren't used for a given character/build). For planning out future levels, I like to make spreadsheets for reference of what feats, skills, classes etc., to take at a given level.

When DM-ing, I use Maptools. It works for me because I don't have to invest money in miniatures and dice, or use up paper and ink in printing maps out. Plus, it allows me to make notes on as many NPCs, objects, and terrain features as I need.

[Claudius Maximus]

We mostly use low tech at the table itself, with character sheets, minis, etc.

As for my own preparations, I hate having real paper with my embarrassingly terrible plans and plots on them just lying around, so I prefer to do it in an easily deletable word document, which I keep hidden in some obscure place on my hard drive. That way, nobody can ever know until I see the frowns on the payers' faces myself.

[Pika...]

We mostly use low tech at the table itself, with character sheets, minis, etc.

As for my own preparations, I hate having real paper with my embarrassingly terrible plans and plots on them just lying around, so I prefer to do it in an easily deletable word document, which I keep hidden in some obscure place on my hard drive. That way, nobody can ever know until I see the frowns on the payers' faces myself.

I sense nosy players? O.o

[Otacon17]

For descriptions of major NPCs, Factions, and important bits about the setting, a Word Document (which is saved in at least two places. And maybe written out somewhere, too. I'm a bit paranoid about losing things). For maps, I use paper that's graph paper on one side, notebook paper on the other; that way, I can map out and label all the rooms on the graph paper side, and write what's in them on the notebook paper side. Then, when it comes time to actually game, I translate what's on the paper to a big dry-erase grid. For keeping notes during the game, I use a 3-ring binder filled with looseleaf paper, then transcribe the notes into a Word document after the session. The binder also has pockets to hold character sheets and my pre-drawn maps.

[Claudius Maximus]

I sense nosy players? O.o

Nope, just profound shame.


For maps, I use paper that's graph paper on one side, notebook paper on the other; that way, I can map out and label all the rooms on the graph paper side, and write what's in them on the notebook paper side.

That's pretty slick. I wouldn't know where to find paper like that though - I have trouble enough finding regular graph paper.

I forgot to mention that I have a wet-eraseable vinyl battlegrid, which we can do all kinds of fun stuff with by marking areas and stuff. Very useful, and I'd recommend it for anyone who likes to use a grid and doesn't have something like a dry-erase board already. Just make sure the markers are compatible...

[Godskook]

Personally, I use 3x5s for NPCs and anything simple I want written down, and I'm so-far able to keep the more grandiose stuff in my head. Maps vary between graph and minis, but I find that its a toss-up preference. Mini's offer better visibility, but graph-paper is easier to denote and track various minutiae on.


That's pretty slick. I wouldn't know where to find paper like that though - I have trouble enough finding regular graph paper.

I too would like access to this paper

[AugustNights]

In order from least needed to most needed.


Open page to Hypertext d20 Srd (http://www.d20srd.org/) (When Internet is available)
Netbook (On occasion)
Word Documents (Printed or on Netbook)
Laminated Battle Grid from DMG
Laminate Markers + Erase stuff
"Scratch Paper" (Blank paper on one side)
Writing Utensils
Dice
Snacks
Players
Mountain Dew*


*Coca-cola made with actual sugar may substitute this item.

[Otacon17]

From what I can tell, the 'grid on the front, notebook on the back' pads are called Planning Pads. Office supplies stores like Staples are probably your best bet for finding them (although I stumbled across mine at a ShopKo).

[Psyren]

So, is old-fashioned Pen-and-Paper the best after all?


For you, yes.

[Zaq]

Learning to use initiative cards (with or without monster stats on 'em . . . depends on the encounter) has perhaps sped up things when I'm behind the metaphorical screen more than any single other advancement. Oh, and rolling monster initiative ahead of time.