Does Anyone record their game sessions

[Utrecht]

I am curious to find out if any ones records thier sessions - and what they get out of them.

While not actively considering this, I am looking for a way of

1) retroactively evaluating my performance as a DM

2) picking up plot hooks that I simply missed - the PCs always supply the best ones

3) Record keeping

and tape recording the sessions seems the best way of doing this........

 

[Amrynn Moonshadow]

if you are going to go with recording, you can't go wrong with multiple cameras, state of the art editing technology and IMAX film . . . failing that tape recording is fine, or if you have the HD space . . . a computer (laptop?) with a webcam works. then after the session you can burn that to a CD for later viewing. if you are reall nerdy you can burn several sessions onto a dvd to watch later on, with bookmarks and so forth (chapters).

 

[Ed Cha]

I am curious to find out if any ones records thier sessions - and what they get out of them.

While not actively considering this, I am looking for a way of

1) retroactively evaluating my performance as a DM

2) picking up plot hooks that I simply missed - the PCs always supply the best ones

3) Record keeping

and tape recording the sessions seems the best way of doing this........

I think it's great that you're thinking about these things! Kudos to you for trying to be a better DM and at the same time keep a record of things to look back later. It's always fun to read what you did for an adventure years later!

You may want to issue a newsletter or ask if any of your players would like to and then e-mail it after each game session. This is a good way to keep players involved in the game, and it also serves as a way to keep track of what has been happening in the world you have created. As a historical record-keeping tool, it is quite useful, too.

However, keep in mind that maintaining a newsletter can be a lot of extra work and only you can determine if this is necessary and something you enjoy creating.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I know Piratecat and Sagiro tape their sessions, primarily for the benefit of being able to get details straight for their Story Hours (it's a tough job to stay on top of the Story Hour business), and it seems to work for them.

I've given thought to it in the past but never made the leap. I may try it in my next campaign...

 

[Kichwas]

See my thread on XP awards for session logs:
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?t=61780

Encouraging logs lets you see the game from the player's perspective. That shows you what they find memorable and what they seem to want to pursue. It can also lead you to new subplots by expanding on any personal notes they drop in it.

 

[Wombat]

I tape recorded a couple sessions very early on (about '78 or so) and have subsequently lost these -- no great loss

If you want to do so, go for it, but I find the process a bit artificial; then again I have to play the balance between one player who only uses pencils, does not own a computer (nor wants one), and would live by candelight if she could versus Mr. HiTech who uses no character sheets or dice at all -- every application is on his PalmPilot.

**sigh**

As a sem-Techy-semi-Luddite, I split the difference

 

[d4]

when i ran an IRC game, i kept a record of every game session -- but that was because it was so easy. i simply had my IRC client create a log file whenever i was online.

it does really help get your facts straight after the fact. who did what when? what do they know / not know? it'll remind you of what happened and the players' reactions and comments to the various events.

i found it quite helpful.

 

[Praeco]

If there was a way to filter out all the lame jokes and goofy behavior that occurs, I could see myself being more inclined to do this. As it stands the cringe-inducing thought of reliving those moments puts me off the idea.

I normally write down anything that would be important, however. I am usually capable of writing quickly enough that I can keep major info together in a form that is still decipherable afterwards.

 

[Praeco]

<edit> I apologize for the double post. Alas, the joys of dialup.

 

[Umbran]

Just as a point of etiquette, you might want to ask your players if they mind beign recorded. Some peopel are twitchy about that. Even if they aren't, it's just plain polite to ask before recording another's voice.