How do you highlight / mark up scenarios?

[Paz]

I've GMed a fair bit of PFS now, but I just tend print the scenarios out and leave them, without any highlighting or notes in the margins. However, I went on a training course through work last week (hopefully leading to a qualification), and the trainer was very keen to pass on advice about highlighting key sections of the main guidebook. It did come in useful too, and I want to take that advice over to PFS, to see if it helps me access the necessary information more quickly at the table.

I intend to try highlighting the scenarios I'm going to run next, but I want to avoid turning them into an incomprehensible rainbow mess, or highlighting the wrong things. So, what works for you? What have you tried in the past that didn't help?

[Purple Fluffy CatBunnyGnome]

What I generally do is read through it once ... then attack it with the highlighters

Red/coral -- important plot points I want to try to incorporate
Green -- DC
Blue - Dialogue that is buried in text
Purple - factions -- just the name of the faction not the whole thing

[Kristen Gipson]

I highlight very similarly to Fluffy.

Pink-Roleplaying aspects
Blue-Skill checks
Green-faction missions (name only)
Yellow-treasure
Orange-information important to combat. This just doesn't include things in the star blocks. It also includes things like lighting, room height, or info important to movement.

Before I used to just highlight with one color, but after I started using multiple it made preparing and running scenarios ALOT easier. Especially when I go to rerun a scenario that has already been properly highlighted.

[graypark]

I, too, use multiple colors to highlight scenarios. The specific colors don't really matter, but I tend to highlight and differentiate the following by color:

Anything unusual about the area that's readily apparent and clearly visible upon first entering and that could affect the PCs' strategy and tactics.

Traps. Where they are and when/how they trigger. DCs

Creatures. Where they are and when/how they engage. Tactics.

Treasure (and this could include information). What and where it is. How to find it.

Usually, I start by looking for all the DCs and determining to what they relate, then highlighting appropriately. Next, I look for "plot points" that are necessary to either carry the story forward or complete a mission and highlighting appropriately.

Of course, none of the highlighting begins until I've read through the entire scenario at least twice, understand the story and can see how each encounter flows into the next and is related to the others.

[Don Walker]

I like these ideas. When I've highlighted adventures before, I've only used one color (usually yellow) and only to indicate names of NPCs or important text buried in the middle of an encounter.

[Christopher Woldridge]

I also highlight after my first read through.

Orange=Plot points and Faction Missions (name only)
Blue=DC in text
Green=Narritive outside of a text box
Yellow=Combat stats

[Jason S]

Paz wrote:

I intend to try highlighting the scenarios I'm going to run next, but I want to avoid turning them into an incomprehensible rainbow mess, or highlighting the wrong things. So, what works for you? What have you tried in the past that didn't help?

I modify the monster stats to include power attack as an option and I write notes reminding my of their other buffs and/or spells and how they work.

Other than that I underline important details. However, the only reason I do that is because when I read the scenario the second time, I make a "cheat sheet", which is basically a 1 page, 2 column summary of the entire scenario. It's basically shorthand that would allow me to run the entire scenario if I had that single sheet. It's especially useful for skill checks, faction missions, and loot; so I don't forget.

I find that scenarios read well, but they're a jumbled mess of disorganized thoughts, so even if you mark the scenario up, information is still not clear and concise (like shorthand). With my cheat sheet, I rarely make mistakes. Without it, I always make some kind of error or oversight or forget something.

[Sammy T]

Color One: Box Text and Descriptive Text

Color Two: Dialogue or Descriptive Text dependent on PC action

Color Three: GM stuff. KEYWORD(s) in margin next to highlighted line/section so I can scan page quickly for it (e.g. "Andoran", "Haunt", "Diplo DC20", etc).

I also, sadly, sometimes have to circle sections and draw an arrow to where the information should be used--sometimes info is buried at the bottom of a section when it needs to near the top.

[BigNorseWolf]

1) If a scene has a faction mission in it, note "Faction mission alert"

2) Break the badguy down into AC/HP , CMD, Attack and damage. Its what you'll need 90% of the time.

3) If the character uses something you don' know off the top if your head (a poison a magic item, spell) make crib notes

[Gwen Smith]

There's a thread and a folder for GMs to share prepping materials and handouts:
GM Shared Prep
Google Docs Folder

[Eric Clingenpeel]

I will highlight anything with a DC whether skill check or save (yellow)

I highlight faction name in their missions (pink or purple)

I highlight treasure (pink)

I highlight certain things in stat blocks, usually those things I need to see right away when numbers are being called out at the table. (Yellow)
Perception bonus
AC
Saves
Attacks
BAB
Caster Level & concentration
Any feats I want to remember
healing abilities/potions

If there is a special mechanic for the scenario (time for the Disappeared, awareness for Bloodcove Disguise, etc) I highlight that in a different color than I usually use. (blue or green)

Some of my earlier scenarios either aren't highlighted or I just used whatever I had handy, but I've been trying to keep my colors consistent lately.

[godsDMit]

Kristen Gipson wrote:

I highlight very similarly to Fluffy.

Pink-Roleplaying aspects
Blue-Skill checks
Green-faction missions (name only)
Yellow-treasure
Orange-information important to combat. This just doesn't include things in the star blocks. It also includes things like lighting, room height, or info important to movement.

Before I used to just highlight with one color, but after I started using multiple it made preparing and running scenarios ALOT easier. Especially when I go to rerun a scenario that has already been properly highlighted.

Holy cow, that's the exact same color scheme my wife uses! Did you pick that up from her? She's really smart and organized like that. =D

[Fromper]

Don Walker wrote:

I like these ideas. When I've highlighted adventures before, I've only used one color (usually yellow) and only to indicate names of NPCs or important text buried in the middle of an encounter.

That's pretty much me. I only highlight important details if I think they might get lost in a wall of text.

For notes, I tend to write notes to remind myself of the specifics of how powers and stuff work in monster/NPC stat blocks. For instance, if they've got a bunch of spells or domain powers or stuff, I'll look them up and make notes during my prep.

[Mike Lindner]

I have started to make notes on the numbers of enemies in the combat stat blocks highlighting which ones to modify since the adjustments for 4 players in season 4 scenarios are always listed after the combat from what I have seen. *grumble grumble* I should have known to do this already though since the notes on which combats are optional tend to be after the combat (sometimes multiple pages after).

[ThreeEyedSloth]

I almost always run off of my iPad, so I don't highlight anything. I used to print out the scenarios and mark them up a long time ago, but I don't find it necessary to do. I've been running lots of Adventure Paths and Modules, and I don't mark up my books, so I'm just used to it now.

[Netopalis]

How do you highlight scenarios? Easy!

Step 1: Remove cap from highlighter!
Step 2: Apply highlighter to scenario! [It's recommended that you skip this step if running the sceanrio off of an electronic device]
Step 3: Replace the cap!

That was easy, wasn't it?

[Anthony Adam]

I don't know if it counts highlighting per se, but I use my pdf copies to print certain pages.

What I do is set it to the 4 sheets to a page mode.

In the first sheet I then use the page selection when printing so that I print for example

panel 1 the encounter map, panel 2 the encounter description - flowwing to panel 3 if needed, panel 4 any relevant flavor/setting page I think is needed.

Then I pull up the bestiaries and print similar for each unique creature in the encounter that I am to run as GM.

Then collating those, I highlight my printed sheets - the special attacks, defenses, traps and areas of interest - the encounter area on the map too!

This saves me so much wear and tear on my hard copy :)

[Tony Lindman]

I'm somewhat crazy and obsessive about my scenario prep.

I read through the scenario and create a new document (currently using MSFT Publisher) with a single page for each major scene or room (and putting several smaller scenes/rooms on one) with the idea being not to have to turn pages while playing a single scene. Minor NPCs get their stat blocks on that page, major ones get their own page. All skill checks are printed in red, faction notes in purple, and special effects in blue. I break out paragraphs for different things the PCs might do or ask to make it easy to find when they don't do it in the order the author wrote. I also often create a tracking sheet that I put in a page protector to be written on in erasable marker to note things that happen to PCs that they may not be aware of.

I also print maps and handouts wherever possible. I end up with thick folders for each scenario, making my "GM Prep" take up a ton of space. On the other hand, once I've done this, I can rerun the scenario (and so can anyone else who borrows my prep) with little advance notice, since everything I need is ready to go.

[Cpt_kirstov]

I read through once, on the second read through I prepare with

1)Blue Pen - used for things that could come up for knowledge checks or background information that is relevant later.. also to underline things to look up on the wiki/print.

2)red pen - used for spells/abilities I want to have printed from PDFs/PRD for easy reference

3)Yellow highlighter DCs and skill checks

4)blue highlighter - Faction names for faction missions

5)orange or red highlighter - situational occurrences "if they decide to do X this happens, otherwise Y happens" As these are the parts I usually have to reread the first 1-2 times running

[ThreeEyedSloth]

For the GMs with smartphones or tablets at their tables-

Do you use the PFRPG app? It's cut back on prep time on researching spells, feats, special abilities, conditions, etc. significantly since I started using it a long while ago. I just bookmark every entry that pertains to what I'm going to run, and it makes it really simple to just jump to that page instead of rifling through printed pages. And I can sort them all in chronological order based on when they appear in the adventure.

[Netopalis]

Josh McIllwain wrote:

For the GMs with smartphones or tablets at their tables-

Do you use the PFRPG app? It's cut back on prep time on researching spells, feats, special abilities, conditions, etc. significantly since I started using it a long while ago. I just bookmark every entry that pertains to what I'm going to run, and it makes it really simple to just jump to that page instead of rifling through printed pages. And I can sort them all in chronological order based on when they appear in the adventure.

The PFRPG app is amazing and I highly advocate its use.

[roysier]

I wish more GM's would use the wonder of a highligther. I've been in a a few games recently where the GM complained about not being able to find something in a long multi-paragrah desctiption. And in both games we ran out of time and things had to be cut from the scenario to fit it in to hard stop we had due to store hours.

[Tony Lindman]

Josh McIllwain wrote:

For the GMs with smartphones or tablets at their tables-

Do you use the PFRPG app? It's cut back on prep time on researching spells, feats, special abilities, conditions, etc. significantly since I started using it a long while ago. I just bookmark every entry that pertains to what I'm going to run, and it makes it really simple to just jump to that page instead of rifling through printed pages. And I can sort them all in chronological order based on when they appear in the adventure.

What app is this? I have the d20 Spellcards app, but searching "PFRPG" in the windows app store doesn't find anything. Is this an Android or iOS thing?

[Netopalis]

Tony Lindman wrote:

Josh McIllwain wrote:

For the GMs with smartphones or tablets at their tables-

Do you use the PFRPG app? It's cut back on prep time on researching spells, feats, special abilities, conditions, etc. significantly since I started using it a long while ago. I just bookmark every entry that pertains to what I'm going to run, and it makes it really simple to just jump to that page instead of rifling through printed pages. And I can sort them all in chronological order based on when they appear in the adventure.

What app is this? I have the d20 Spellcards app, but searching "PFRPG" in the windows app store doesn't find anything. Is this an Android or iOS thing?

Android and iOS both, I think, but not Windows. Sorry about that...

[Mike Lindner]

Somewhat related to this topic. Does anyone know of an android PDF reader that supports opening multiple files at once, in a tabbed interface or something? Currently I have to have 3-4 different PDF readers open if I need to flip between the scenario, CRB, Bestiary, etc.

[Pirate Rob]

Mike while I am unfamiliar with any tabbed pdf browers for android I use the PFRPG RD app that others mentioned fro the bestiary/crb etc. since it deals with both searching and tabs really nicely.

[Lady Ophelia]

Josh McIllwain wrote:

For the GMs with smartphones or tablets at their tables-

Do you use the PFRPG app? It's cut back on prep time on researching spells, feats, special abilities, conditions, etc. significantly since I started using it a long while ago. I just bookmark every entry that pertains to what I'm going to run, and it makes it really simple to just jump to that page instead of rifling through printed pages. And I can sort them all in chronological order based on when they appear in the adventure.

To Master Josh--YES! YES! YES! I think it's the best thing that came with my Kindle. Along with emailing adventures to it..

I am a mix of both printed/Kindle though. At conventions, I would rather have the printed copy of the adventure, and the resources be on my Kindle as many times I do not get internet at my game location. As of late though, I have been utilizing our very own GM Shared Prep--See I have a Google Drive App, and I've been able to download most of the additional stat blocks/information I need through it.

When it comes to highlighting--Which was the original point of this thread.. I only use one color, cause too many colors is just too much for me. I highlight only the following:

-Flavor text
-Faction Missions
-Creatures + Combat stats if they have it. If they don't I do highlight any additional tactics that may be there.
-Traps or any special DC's that are important to an adventure.

I am going to attempt to highlight my PDF's in PDF form.. Will let you know how that goes at a later date.

To Master Pirate Rob, that's the same AP on Kindle/Android as well as Apple.

To Master Mike Linder.. I wish that there was a way.. Although there are a few people who are making a legitimate case to have two Android/Apple Products of choice so that I can have the adventure on one, and the resources on the other.

[ThreeEyedSloth]

Mike,

On iOS, there is an app called "GoodReader" I believe that does tabbed PDFs. It's what I use and it's incredible.