What software do you use for managing your games?

[infojunky]

What software do you use for managing your games?

Pondering some new game ideas, and the question came up what are people using for their games.

Please this is just a general question about and and all of what y'all are using, i.e. Mapping, management, art, etc. etc...

 

[kilemall]

3x5 index cards.

 

[coliver988]

3x5 index cards.

Oddly doing that for another game I am running, and even have color-coded cards: pink NPCs, blue locations, etc. but then I misplace my cards before the game so despite wanting to be organized I still lack organizational skills!

edit: but as to software, plain text files, my blog, Publisher if going to make handouts, Google Draw, etc. Sadly nothing all encompassing.

 

[infojunky]

3x5 index cards.

See that where I am at too...

 

[Hemdian]

Aside from using various physical aids (Referee's Screens, equipment cards, a book of example tasks, and a physical notebook for temporary notes made at the game table), for my main notes I use OneNote ('cos I already had it, so why not?).

I have a dedicated OneNote workbook for gaming, which is organised at the top level using the PARA method (google it). So, for example, within Projects I have chapters for various games (including one for my current T5 campaign), while in Resources I have chapters for different game systems (including Traveller, obviously), and so on. (And within any chapter, OneNote allows you to have pages, sub-pages, and sub-sub-pages ... allowing for a degree of ad-hoc organising at the lower levels.)

I should also add that that OneNote workbook is on OneDrive (again, 'cos I already had it), which means I can access it both on my home PC, tablet PC *and* even from my cellphone if necessary. One of my players can't leave her home (reasons), so we play at her house ... hence the need for mobility (though I try to avoid screen use as much as possible during actual play).

There are other programs that offer similar features ... the key thing is how you organise your notes so you don't lose control and get swamped. (I speak from experience.)

 

[Bartleby]

Obsidian

 

[Rupert]

Obsidian

I've recently started using Obsidian, too. It automates enough formatting to handle my writing without all the crap that comes with using a full wordprocessor, and the built-in organisation tools are very useful - much better than my previous method of folders full of random text and word files. Also it's vastly lighter and faster than a wordprocessor.

 

[Ildefonse]

I use on-line subsector generators/editors for starting areas, on-line character generators (for both PCs and NPCs), and the various ship designs posted all over. PDF form-fillable character sheets (mostly from the Polyhedral Nonsense blog), and regular desktop tools for house rules, ideas, etc. During the game I only use a notebook to actually write things down, otherwise my memory usually fails later.

 

[aramis]

I use a word processor; I alternate between Pages and Libre Office.
I use paper forms to a certain point.