DMs, how do you organize yourselves?

[Titanium Fox]

Just a curiosity question for my fellow DMs. I've personally tried a lot of things, from just keeping it all in my head (great for outlines, bad for details), to keeping typed up notes on my netbook (kept losing files, got all OCD on my notes); and now I have a little green composition notebook (afraid to write in it because if I need to add something in the middle I won't be able to).

How do you do it?

[flumphy]

If it is not kept digitally, I will lose it. Paper and I don't mix. I basically have an entire hard drive devoted to gaming stuff, from sourcebooks to tokens to DM notes, and since it's not taking up space on my real life desktop I manage to keep it organized.

[Hel65]

I keep everything I produce for sessions I DM (or play in) that needs to last digitally in a Dropbox. Can't lose it that, all notes autosynchronise between all my computers when they connect to the net, it's very neat.

However, finding everything I need during a session is sometimes annoying. Don't know how to deal with that, I've designed a program to help with it, but haven't had the time to write it. Also, not sure if the designed interface would help all that much...

[Jjeinn-tae]

I've used three different methods, and still use two of them.

The first is to keep it all in my head, works awesome for me since I remember random tidbits and such for years... That doesn't help you much though, and it doesn't work well as the only thing that you use.

I used to have an accordian-folder that I'd separate materials based on faction (I tend to run intrigue) on loose-sheets of paper. It works well and you can re-organize as much as you want. I don't use it any-more since I can only play PbP at the moment...

So, I've gone to creating a folder directly on my desktop and making elaborate documents of all sorts of random things... You never lose it because it's right there on your screen every time you boot up, but probably inconvenient if you work with a normal group.

...Still, I mainly keep it in my head though, I type enough with my work, school and PbP posts, writing things up when I don't need it is inconvenient.

[Eldan]

I tend to keep stuff in my head, really. I guess it helps that normally, I start with a published adventure, make a few changes, and then use it as a rough outline. I tend to improvise a lot, especially if the PCs move away from the main plot. If they want to investigate something weird, I usually try to make up a side quest around it.

[Bearpunch]

I tend to map out theadventure ahead on notebook paper, but it doesn't allow a lot of room for added stuff. I have the same problem you have, OP.

[B!shop]

I've found Google Documents a life saver for my stuff, both as player and DM.
I have most of my stuff uploaded in PDFs, or copied in documents.
I've also all my character sheets, and eve some maps (in png format).
I started using spreadsheets as simple database for hooks, NPCs and similar.
Very useful and everytime reachable, even from my smartphone.

[mint]

I have a notebook for ideas and drawing in math class.
When I am about to run a game I create an outline document and write down the ideas I want to use from the notebook/my head.
Like what books to use, NPCs I find interesting, plot twists I might use, rough drafts of enemies and encounters, locations.
I start knitting them together in a way that might work in a campaign.
As the outline fills in I create a second reference document where I keep statblocks, feats, obscure rules and magic items.
Save it to dropbox to keep the files synced.
My netbook reads pdfs so slowly it hootz though, I really want a shiny new slate.

I find writing things down works better for me. Lets me examine ideas as I write and reiterate a lot. I couldn't do that in my head easily. Let us say I'm using the three clue rule to make sure my players catch on. Well its easier to examine how the clues are laid out critically in text. Problems become more obvious.
Another example might be schemes. Say someone has a plan to outsmart or scam the PCs. Well, genre savvy players can handily see through the first twist or trap and counter it. Where it gets fun is when you plan the con longer to account for that. Any good scheme should have like three contingencies for when the target sees through them. Like have a plan for turning initial failure into subsequent success.
I really can't do that in my head :3 At all.

[Shpadoinkle]

I far, FAR prefer to have a laptop (I have to borrow one because I don't own one myself, but I do have a thumb drive and an external HD) because I know exactly where everything is and how it's organized (and how it's going to stay organized,) and if I don't know where something is I can look it up in a few seconds.

Barring that, I've got a three-ring binder full of papers, and includes stuff like NPC stat blocks and a couple pages of ideas to throw at the players when things are going badly/too well/slowly/whatever.

[Tyndmyr]

Mostly poorly.

[Roak Star]

Well, for my latest campaign, I wrote a lot of general information about the setting in a 3x5 memo book. Anything else that i think of for the setting I right down in whatever notebook i have with me at the time, and I make sure to have a couple of pages written about what i think will happen during each session. The memo book is good because it has the outline for almost everything in my setting, so even if the party decides to go somewhere i wasn't expecting, i can still whip up more details about that area more quickly.

[sdream]

Another vote for google docs.

Flexible, portable, reliable.

I share some stuff with players directly from there, and print my notes in a tiny font for easy reference, but protection from player glances.

[Tusalu]

I always end up having a lot less notes than I'd wish and having to improvise a lot. This is mostly due to large periods of no-ideas or procrastinating my planning. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I always have an ideal of the perfectly planned game, but I'm content whenever a game runs the way I had intended. I usually have a few keyword notes, and stats for as many fights I have time to prepare for.

I know it's a bit unnecessary but I always try to maintain the illusion that I'm better prepare and more in control towards my players. Somewhat like a conjurer I try to hide the tricks and the improv I'm doing, to give the image of a coherent and consistent world. For example I never tell the players when I'm improvising until after the game to avoid breaking immersion.

[Kaun]

yeah i have a series of documents on a thumb drive, i generally make fresh folders and docs for key npc's or factions or places or what ever.

I make folders for the PC's and keep records of things they have done in there as a ref.

I often make audio recordings of the sessions and store copies of them r on the drive also.

[Mastikator]

This is my general method:
Think a lot about the encounters of the next session, possible actions the players will make. I write notes about things that can occur based on their various choices. I make sure that it's loose enough that I can improvise, but detailed enough that they can't de-rail me.
Then they throw a monkey wrench when one of them doesn't show up, a guest player instead shows up and all my calculations based on the personalities of the PCs are useless, so I throw my now useless notes on the goddamn flood.
Improvise the whole thing, focus on pre-made NPCs that I "magic" in somehow.
I'm not very good at describing the environment, but I do NPCs well.

When things go according to my plan the players usually are very happy about the game, because each element is well thought out and my plan doesn't involve rails.
When they don't, well... they seem ok.

Usually only stuff like pre-drawn maps and NPCs tend to always be useful.

[Dr.Epic]

Well, I'm fairly good at improving stuff, so I can easily pull an adventure, city, location, quest, or NPC out of myy bum at any time. Just make it semi-random and quirky but with still a serious tone to it and people will think you planned it out.

[TheThan]

I used to just keep things in word documents and print out what’s necessary. But that’s expensive, but since I don’t do a lot of face to face gaming, I started using Google doc s (don’t own a lap top either), and have just started using Map tools to keep track of maps, tokens (as opposed to hauling around a ton of minis), etc. I plan on running a campaign with it in the future so this is mostly just prep work.

[Knaight]

Well, I'm fairly good at improving stuff, so I can easily pull an adventure, city, location, quest, or NPC out of myy bum at any time. Just make it semi-random and quirky but with still a serious tone to it and people will think you planned it out.

Likewise, though it has more to do with improvising stuff than improving it. Then one merely memorizes.

[Umberhulk]

I write put everything by hand to brainstorm. Then I either rewrite or type it depending on my needs. It all goes in an accordion style folder with lots if pockets so I can find a page when I need it. I also keep a notebook to track what happened in the session.

[Dsurion]

I prefer to start by brainstorming with no medium in front of me, just thinking. When I find I like certain ideas I like, I'll start typing them out in a word document, as it's easier to reorder lines and edit and such. Then I'll start weeding out concepts and expanding others. Once I feel I have enough information to start making separate documents, I'll start organizing them by folders and make sure to put everything on a flash drive or upload to my SkyDrive. Or both.

Once I'm content with that, I'll start writing out on paper, but usually only abbreviated versions and in outline format, so I have just enough to work with, but the gist is in my head for when things ultimately change from what I had expected. I have a fairly sizable binder for this sort of thing, with dividers for things like maps, NPC's, plots, monsters, etc. all organized by campaign and all with different dividers/folders.

It all sounds incredibly organized now that I write it. But it's probably the only thing about me that is

[Lord Loss]

The computer is your friend for this. Save word files, and start them all with the same word. That way if you want to browse your campaign files, you just type the word (like DnD, Paranormal Investigations, Anadivine Campaign, as examples from my previous and current campaigns) and scroll down to look through them all. Otherwise you start forgetting the names of your files and folders.

Also, keep your player's character sheets in one place. Before I implemented this system, myself (or them) would forget or even lose the sheets.

[LibraryOgre]

A few ways I do it.

1) I keep a spreadsheet for notes. Upper left corner has character information (in C&C, that's name, player, race, primes, AC and HP). Below that is relevant equipment (i.e. magic items), along with who is carrying them. Upper right corner is important NPCs... just a few notes about characterization and place... level and the like, if necessary.

2) For monsters and antagonistic NPCs, I keep note cards. I do this, especially, with common monsters I'm likely to need again and again, and happily repurpose monsters I have cards made up for. I keep these in a plastic bag, along with blank notecards, spare pencils, and the like.

For more general organization, I can't help you. I tend to have a good idea of where the bad guys are going, but I'm also prone to sketching out maps as we need them, rather than doing them all in advance.

[TheEmerged]

In the past I've used a combination of Word, Excel, and creative file structure. Since I suck at map making, I generally do this shorthand on a battle mat or use those cardboard grids you can mix/match.

However, I have recently discovered that OneNote (also a MS product) does everything I need from Word and about half of what I need from Excel. My current campaign (the "homebrew superhero world using the Gamma World system" mentioned in my sig) is running about 80% from OneNote. If I can figure out how to get certain things to work in the OneNote tables instead of doing them in Excel and then copy\pasting into the table, I'd be 100% OneNote.

OneNote is essentially a tabbed interface for Word. Sounds simple in concept, but I swear a DM built this to run his campaign with

Take the 4D&D campaign that just ended. We were running in the Underdark, and there were nearly two dozen "players" in the scenario (it's the Underdark, you should expect intrigue). This included the 8 Houses running the campaign city, the Derro, the Myconids, the draconians, a good dragon, a neutral dragon, a cult, and so forth.

Running out of Word\Excel I had something like 15 different documents I was working out of, including the Excel spreadsheet with a page for every encounter (I preroll initiative to save time at the table).

The last couple of sessions, using OneNote, I just had OneNote opened. I could tab between the various pages/subpages etc and keep the battle statistics in the one application. Now granted most of the tables had to be created in Excel and then copy\pasted in, but that's probably more operator flaw than program.

The biggest kicker, at least for me? When I say I only had OneNote open, that includes the character sheets. Character sheets printed directly from the online character generation software, appearing as pages in the notebook. I may be geeking out a bit but I found this very handy.

[king.com]

What do you mean organize?

[suhkkaet]

Another vote for OneNote from here.

Spoiler

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Also because it lets you tag your notes, so you can search on tags. You can also search on text in the notes (similar to "find" in almost any text-editor), if that's needed.
The only downside is that it doesn't have the functionality of Excel with regards to tabels etc. (That is, I can't auto-update charsheets by updating a simple table, I have to do it all by hand - which can be tedious, but meh).
If someone desides to create an addin for OneNote which incorporates even the basic functionality of Excel (such as "=D3+D4"), then I'd never look at Excel again (well, probably, anyways :P).

I've been working on making an online-based version of notes which are heavily influenced by OneNote - but also includes Excel stuff. If I ever get this done, I'll throw a link somewhere. (This also eliminates the possibility of losing notes due to HD crashes etc., but for now, I compensate by keeping my notes in my Dropbox and do occasional USB-key backups)

OneNote also lets you export as .pdf and such, which makes it ideal for writing things to your players, as well as printing things to keep on hand (to add written notes on it, or to have index cards etc for quick reference).
If you can find a tablet (or similar), you can even do hand-written notes directly from that (and OneNote had handwriting-recognition stuff which lets you search handwritten notes too! I also believe this works for scanned notes)

If I don't have access to OneNote (for whatever reason), I keep my notes on papers which are subsequently put into a folder. This lets me arrange things, but can be cumbersome. Alternatively, I use Google Docs. Or something as simple as notepad.

Edit:
But as most people, I do a lot of things in my head. When I get a good idea, I jot it down. My problem is that my memory is bugged, so when I make up NPC's on the fly, I tend to forget their names. Which is a problem, since I have a player who writes down all their names (and other details), so it puts me in a bad light, when he asks "I go look for X", and I have no idea who X is. :P
But ideas for adventures, characters (both PC and NPC), etc. I put into OneNote (or something else, then put it into OneNote later). I tend to focus on one thing at a time, though, so it's very helpful in the times where my focus is somewhere else.

[LansXero]

Mostly poorly.

Second that. I mean, I make tons of stuff and print out tons of things, I fill up folders with things I may need... then either forget to read it, or bring it on game day or end up winging most of it. Maps I trace by memory or on a whim, stats I do on little sheets or the online monster advancer or straight from the manuals, or I make them on the spot... same with NPCs. So I tend to carry a lot of stuff Ive used before, tweak it and use it. Im really trying to get better, but whenever I wanna organize I undertake too much and get overwhelmed :(

[INDYSTAR188]

I like to use my laptop for sourcebooks, game ideas, adventures, evil DM tricks I thought up, homemade solo's, ect ect.

For in game stuff I take some time when I'm bored at school or on the john or whatever and write down my general idea's. Then when its time to flesh them out a use my sourcebooks and computer materials to map out the session in a notebook. I write down each planned encounter including stat blocks, xp, magic items, traps, and draw a map. This way when I'm actually in game I can refer to my notebook for everything I need! It's a lot of prep time but it's worth it for the game to run smooth.

Also, if they get off track (which is fine) I try to either help them improvise or use a already created encounter in a refluffed way. Maybe those orc's become human guards or whatever the case may be.

[shadow_archmagi]

Just a curiosity question for my fellow DMs. I've personally tried a lot of things, from just keeping it all in my head (great for outlines, bad for details), to keeping typed up notes on my netbook (kept losing files, got all OCD on my notes); and now I have a little green composition notebook (afraid to write in it because if I need to add something in the middle I won't be able to).

How do you do it?

I spend a lot of time thinking about it, and then I tell it to a friend. That gets me thinking about all the things I've left out, or things I could change. Sometimes they themselves give good feedback, but the main point is to run it through a rehearsal or six. I repeat the process whenever I see one of the people on my list, up until the game starts.

[peacenlove]

Paper notebooks filled with a skeleton of a story and completely detailed statblocks for NPC's (I tend to play rules heavy hack'n'slash games, if they want some RP, I usually improvise something, but knowing my players it ends in either the NPC thoroughly scanned with a mixture of divination and enchantment spells, or some poorly disguised excuse for said NPC's inclusion in an orgy or taken as a slave. Or both. Luckily they are antisocial most of the times.)

Used Word once but since I mostly edit old stuff rather than produce new ones, I found it not suitable to my tastes.

Printed pictures and maps, and the pathfinder SRD for rules greatly help speeding up play.

Lastly my players do the map making and notes for combat writing (Initiative, damage and HP) for me.

[Orran]

Some good stuff for designing a game here, but when it comes to actually playing some useful things are:

Index cards for NPC's and monsters, then when in combat put them in initative order, with their AC, Attacks, spells on their for easy reference. Add in ones for your players and use them like a deck each round.

A big squared whiteboard, or assetate if you feel like printing something onto them for instance. Then a marker of some kind. Makes battles so much easier when you can just draw the terrain features right onto the table.

Rules cheat sheets. Similar to the index cards, but keep them around on the table, or on a DM screen if thats your kind of thing.

All pretty simple stuff, but great for keeping a game flowing.