I tend to get lost and confused quickly when trying to run a published adventure. I've tried index cards, Roll20 (bought RoTRL on Roll 20), and several methods. The game play slows down as I try to look up various facts and info during gameplay.
What tips does everyone have to help organize running a published adventure? When I make my own, it's mostly sandbox with a few key events and locations prepped ahead of time.
Biggest challenges I have are:
1. NPC Info - Keeping it straight
2. Pre-Planned Events - Finding info when needed.
3. Large Locations - Keeping track of what's relevant and what's available.
The only thing I haven't done is create my own wiki for my game, which would be a pain to do and I'd like to avoid.
Thanks!
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There are a few things I do when I prep for an adventure. First, I read the adventure through all the way. During my read-thru, I like to highlight skill check DCs in yellow and sometimes I mark the NPCs to meet, maps needed and items to be found with a simple checkmark.
Yes, this means being a barbarian and marking up one's books, but the resell market is usually not kind to anything that's been used and become ragged anyway.
When I finish going through the adventure in this fashion, I go back and follow my marks to pull images (or pawns) for NPCs, items cards for loot and maps for maps. If the adventure has an accompanying sourcebook, I try to read the relevant histories and areas, but if it is a sprawling setting, it is impossible to be prepared for everything. Just keep the book nearby during play, so you can flip it open as needed.
I've also found keeping an adventure notebook/planner is a BIG help with keeping setting details straight. I start a new three ring binder for every adventure I run as well as for every one in which I play. Pages for random encounter tables, inns, taverns, timelines, major NPCs, rumors, rare treasures, holidays, and even currency names help immensely. The process of reading over and then writing or typing into my notes helps my retension quite a bit.
Once I get to the point where it's time to run the adventure later in the week, I re-read the section through which I believe the PCs will advance and refamiliarize myself with details. If there are small details, such as an NPC quirk or important info or an environmental rule that may come into play, I like to take a sticky note and make a simple reminder for myself and just stick it on the page.
I have learned in the past that obsessively reading the adventure too far in advance really doesn't help me, as I will still forget things when the time comes. I've found that these quick reviews help refresh my mind rather than going over it too much. I find a few well-placed bookmarks and some simple notes go a long way.
If you're running a sandbox adventure, there are times when you will literally have no idea which way your players might go next, so I like to have a few obvious options, which may in fact during the course of play become suggestions.
I try to close sandbox sessions with the players stating their planned course of action, such as, "we'll go back to that area in the dungeon next time", or "we'll travel into the Cairnlands to find X at the start of the next session."
This allows me to properly prep two to four planned encounters and interactions for the next session.
Sometimes details just slip out of your head no matter what you do. If you find this happening, just tell your players you need a second to read over a page or two to refamiliarize yourself with the details. This is a good time to call for a bathroom or snack break.
That's all for now. I'm sure plenty more folks will show up with good ideas.
/end thread
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I tend to get lost and confused quickly when trying to run a published adventure. I've tried index cards, Roll20 (bought RoTRL on Roll 20), and several methods. The game play slows down as I try to look up various facts and info during gameplay.
What tips does everyone have to help organize running a published adventure? When I make my own, it's mostly sandbox with a few key events and locations prepped ahead of time.
Biggest challenges I have are:
1. NPC Info - Keeping it straight
2. Pre-Planned Events - Finding info when needed.
3. Large Locations - Keeping track of what's relevant and what's available.The only thing I haven't done is create my own wiki for my game, which would be a pain to do and I'd like to avoid.
Thanks!
I like to use ONENOTE with my adventures. Each Adventure has its own NOTEBOOK. A few of the tabs that are in every one of these Adventure Notebooks (be it Published or Homebrew):
1) Key NPC Notes. A complete list of Key NPCS including some notes on how they are a part of the story and what their role is. I also put the ADVENTURE BOOK and PAGE # if I am using a published adventure for any details I need.
2) Common NPC notes. One part of an adventure that a DM always runs into is party members interacting with common NPC's. Merchants, Inn Keepers, and such that are often not part of the ADVENTURE but you need to be prepared with Names and what they do. I typically put together a list and add to it as the party starts to interact with the world you are creating around them.
3) Contacts notes. These are people that the party interacts with that provides them with information and resources (be it for a favor, money, or just because they are old friends).
4) A time line of events. I break this up into the MAIN PLOT and SUB PLOTS as well. This is my time line of things going around the party that they are aware of, might be aware of, and have no idea is going on. This helps me put the story together around them. This is often where I build subplots for the individual characters and put together things that the party could run into. I not TIME/PLACE/What is happening/Who it effects (PC/NPC). As we work through the time line I make notes. I add to the time line as needed based on the parties actions.
5) Published Adventures - I make notes on each room/location to remind of key things. What I want to add to the commentary any additional notes (from the timeline).
6) Images of Key NPCs, pictures of locations, PC MAPS, pawns, and any other images I might need for the adventure.
I agree with PFRPGrognard in that I read the adventure through once make notes but I focus on the sections that the PC's are currently involved in and are getting ready to touch into. Otherwise I don't delve to far into it until needed.