Note Taking Help: NO electronics

[blackjack50]

Just as the title says. I’m looking for a way to take notes that is efficient. We are not allowing computers in this game. We don’t want to deal with certain things this time around (space and so on). So I am figuring out my own note taking process. I would like some recommendations on how to make it easier on myself.

I will have notecards for spells for me (plus character sheet). But I am looking more for actual game play notes. Please help me out here :) This is 5e as well.

[kyoryu]

Rocketbooks are awesome.

They're just regular notebooks, but then they have software to OCR/scan and upload to multiple places. Best of both worlds!

[Kaptin Keen]

Or .... pen and paper?

I find myself puzzled - is the concept known to you? =D

If not, I'll gladly explain.

[LibraryOgre]

Are you the player or the DM?

For me, as a DM, I would go with dividing my page up in columns, likely with a bar at the top.

The top bar would be Character information and calendar; Character name, player name, Class(es) and Level(s), Passive Perception and related stats, saving throws, HP. I'd also make note of the current date up there.

Column A would be general "Events of the session" notes.
Column B would "NPC notes"; their basic stats and characterization notes. Did I do a Bruce Willis voice for this guard? I need to remember that for next time.
Column C would be treasure notes... things the players have that they aren't keeping 100% track of... wands and their charges, unidentified items, identified items that have specific things I need to know ("Stolen from King Gwyndyl's Treasury"), or the like.

That covers the bulk of what I need to keep notes about, and organizes it for easy reference.

[blackjack50]

Are you the player or the DM?

For me, as a DM, I would go with dividing my page up in columns, likely with a bar at the top.

The top bar would be Character information and calendar; Character name, player name, Class(es) and Level(s), Passive Perception and related stats, saving throws, HP. I'd also make note of the current date up there.

Column A would be general "Events of the session" notes.
Column B would "NPC notes"; their basic stats and characterization notes. Did I do a Bruce Willis voice for this guard? I need to remember that for next time.
Column C would be treasure notes... things the players have that they aren't keeping 100% track of... wands and their charges, unidentified items, identified items that have specific things I need to know ("Stolen from King Gwyndyl's Treasury"), or the like.

That covers the bulk of what I need to keep notes about, and organizes it for easy reference.

Player and the idea is to keep GOOD track of what is happening in the notes. I could just write everything in a notebook. But that would get disorganized after a while lol

[kyoryu]

Player and the idea is to keep GOOD track of what is happening in the notes. I could just write everything in a notebook. But that would get disorganized after a while lol

That's why I like the Rocketbook. It gives both the immediacy of pen and paper with the long term organization potential of electronics-based.

[Rynjin]

Player and the idea is to keep GOOD track of what is happening in the notes. I could just write everything in a notebook. But that would get disorganized after a while lol

Just toss pages as they become irrelevant. Or store them in an "old plot points" folder just in case.

[LibraryOgre]

Player and the idea is to keep GOOD track of what is happening in the notes. I could just write everything in a notebook. But that would get disorganized after a while lol

Basic outline stays the same; Top of the page is for the current date and the rest of your party. You don't need to keep statistical track of them, but knowing who is playing whom, and what their class/function is can be handy. Some of YOUR statistics can be handy, here; sure, they're on your character sheet, but this is a good place for HP calculations, your Passive numbers, and the like.

Column A is session notes... Things that Happened.
Column B is NPC notes: Who you know, why they're important, what you've agreed to.
Column C is Treasure notes: Who has what and what you know about it.

[The Random NPC]

I know you said no electronics, but a cheap voice recorder doesn't take up much space and is hugely helpful for note taking.

[Jay R]

Here are a couple of useful tools.

1. I have a specific list of all my PC's items with charges or one-time uses, with circles to strike through when I use them, like this:

Staff of Thunder
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O O O O O O O O O O

Wand of Magic Missiles
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O O O O O O O O O O

Arrows +2 (4) O O O O

Potions: Healing (6) O O O O O O
Potion: Heroism (2) O O
Potion: Neutralize Poison (1) O
Scroll: Confusion (1) O
Scroll: Comprehend Languages (1) O
Scroll: Clairaudience (2) O O
Scroll: Clairvoyance (2) O O

When I use one, I strike it off. This is a typed list, which I update and re-print between sessions.

2. I also maintain a separate list of every item the party picks up, even if it's an old bucket. There is another player who does the same thing, and we compare notes after the game. I learned long ago that without this list, you forget about, and therefore lose, things that didn't seem important at the time. [The bucket is a real example, and we needed it to haul water after a shipwreck.]

At the start of the next game, or during a game at a good resting point, I make sure we are all agreed who is carrying each item we've picked up.

[LibraryOgre]

2. I also maintain a separate list of every item the party picks up, even if it's an old bucket. There is another player who does the same thing, and we compare notes after the game. I learned long ago that without this list, you forget about, and therefore lose, things that didn't seem important at the time. [The bucket is a real example, and we needed it to haul water after a shipwreck.]

At the start of the next game, or during a game at a good resting point, I make sure we are all agreed who is carrying each item we've picked up.

A party once defeated a vampire because the paladin was carrying bagpipes, and the monk could run.

[Kaptin Keen]

Player and the idea is to keep GOOD track of what is happening in the notes. I could just write everything in a notebook. But that would get disorganized after a while lol

In that case what you really need is a filing system. That could be as simple as a binder with those divider things, and then you look under M for anything related to Magical Lore and Obscura, and under B for Information Pertaining to the BBEG.

[Eldan]

As a player, I usually pre-divide my notebook into sections. One page for every other player character and what I know about them. (Backstories and often also powers and classes are usually not shared OOC at our table, you find that out through play.) Then, a general "plot overview" page or two. Then a section for NPC notes, usually half a page is sufficient for most NPCs, so leave maybe 5-10 pages open for that. Then, notes on important ingame things like organisations, geographical locations, etc. At the back of the notebook, I usually leave a page for "connections", any event or thing that connects more than one thing. Just short notes like "The Murder plot: Conspirators are X,Y,Z, Victim B, takes place in Q", with cross-references in the sections for X,Y,Z,B,Q that they are all involves in the murder plot.

[Man_Over_Game]

I'd also recommend a binder.

This allows you to write notes as needed, then retroactively place them where they'd most fit. A notebook couldn't do the same.

What you'd do afterwards is tag on things to indicate other elements of note on that topic (such as a colored line on the edge, one of those mini colored sticky notes, etc).


For example, Player 1 might have to do with a particular kingdom. The Kingdom is written somewhere else, but the indicator on the player shows that he is relevant towards that kingdom, and a note on the kingdom shows it is relevant to that player.

That way, if you need to review all of the information on a kingdom, whether it's an artifact, a player, a faction, or whatever, it all can be quickly found by looking for that single indicator across the entire binder.

[Jay R]

I also recommend that you type out your notes within 24 hours of the game. You’ll find that you add many details from memory when you do, and those details will be forgotten within a week otherwise.

Then send your notes to the group and ask for additions. You’ll find that very few people will bother to add anything, but when they do, it’s usually something you’re glad to have. Then add it to your notes. Occasionally, they will also correct something you got wrong.

Finally, bring a copy to the next game. I often add one or two items to my notes on the last game, based on things that come out in our ordinary discussion about the last session.

[Deaxsa]

Dude, just take notes. Then, after session, organize notes (give yourself 30 minutes or so - maybe make yourself some tea as well to enjoy it a little more, you could even perch yourself by a window). Then next session (or whenever necessary) refer to organized notes. Repeat ad nauseam.

Not sure what you're looking for if that's not the only answer you need. It feels to me that you are over-complicating it. Like most situations where that is the case, the cure is to just freakin do it, without thinking about all the potential ramifications involved. I think you'll that strategy is quite effective.