How do you keep track of your realm?

[zoobob9]

I'm starting on my first large realm, one which I plan on working on and playing with for years. But I'm not sure how to keep track of everything.

How do you normally organize your realm information? Do you keep everything in file systems in Word or Google Docs? Is pen and paper the best way to do it? What about the maps specifically?

[MonochromeTiger]

personally I use a notepad document as well as google docs (the redundancy is in case one or the other somehow gets corrupted). the fact that both can be easily altered without having to rewrite the entire thing makes hindsight influenced changes far easier and the fact that google docs allows you to put up hyperlinks to later parts of the document means you can go to a specific section from the index faster than just scrolling or looking for it.

[sktarq]

I find excel + word works well for me (or the open office versions these days)
I use a lot of charts for population, imagery guides, using a group of charts on a single spreadsheet for a single subject/nation/city. Then when I want a full write up I do it in a text doc. I also use a folder in my main folder for older versions of pages if I didn't overwrite it. That way If I do want to revive something it is available but I won't accidentally wander into it if I'm trying to look something up. Also a folder for ideas and I like a bookmark folder for reference websites (livestock breed lists, geographic distance finders, heraldry sites, map building aid sites, time period appropriate economic study sites that kind of thing)

[Tovec]

I originally started with a good ol' notebook and pen. Eventually I started having enough information in there that I started losing track where all the bits were. At that point I migrated over to word documents (google docs weren't really a thing at the time). When I started getting enough word documents I needed a handy index, bullet notes to sort everything out and organize it instead of just in my head.

Then I realized at some point that the current edition of my setting was too cramped, too many conflicting goals and bits to fit into scattered word docs. Even my index file got large too, with bullet notes I was having to redo the way sorted the points to keep everything coherent and it started to get out of hand. So, I decided to scrap and restart. I started new documents (this time mostly in notepad) and collected the most pertinent bits of the previous version - names of people, places, things I cared most about. (Around this time I also dabbled with using MS onenote - which I absolutely hated, but I've heard works well for others.)

However, I also started to realize that no documents of any kind were going to work for me. I needed something I could easily referenced and shared with friends. So I started migrating everything onto a forum I've had since highschool. Over the course of working on that it was suggested I register a free wiki, and I did. Once I started adding things there, saw the options for formatting and the way to crosslink everything, I just started writing and writing. I've never looked back and I am amazed that it took me so long to realize a wiki is perfect for what I need. Though I'm sure at some point something newer and better will come along, I'm happy with what I have right now and can't think of how to improve it, what a wiki lacks and how it could be made to work better for my needs.

Anyway, I recommend a wiki. Nice and clean way as far as electronic formats. I don't see the benefit for google docs except that they can be shared. And yet, so can a wiki.

I still use word and notepad, as well as a regular pen and paper, to record littler bits - things that I'm playing around with or working on in my head before I'm ready to upload to the wiki. I also try to spend some time when I can writing on the wiki as well, even new stuff or expanding upon old. It is such an easy way to organize thoughts and crosslink for easy reference instead of hunting down a different link/document.

But honestly, if you are just starting out? Do whatever works best for you. Worry about wikis, google docs, or whatever when you need them. I wouldn't have had enough info for a wiki when I started and I probably still have less than most RPG wikis (those with multiple authors). So, for now if you want a PnP book go for it, or use google docs, write indexes, I don't know everyone is different and follows different paths. Work with what works for you. Maybe you want help and want to post your stuff here for us to help with, plenty do. *shrugs* I hope my ramblings on my experiences help.