How do you organize your Home Brew?

[Turanil]

So I was wondering, how do other DMs organize their information? Do you use a binder, computer, journals, notebooks, a combination?

Binder. Well, for the principle and lack of a better term. I mean, I use a sort of book that has, instead of paper pages, pages that are transparent plastic sheets where you put inside a sheet of paper.

So, I do almost everything on computer. But then, I need the info. So I print it and put it into that sort of binder decribed above.

 

[robberbaron]

Started writing everything down but it took so long that I decided to leave it all where it was - in my head.
Not exactly organised but it means I have the improtant stuff closer to hand than in a folder.

 

[monboesen]

Settings - How do you organize your Home Brew?

In two words: Not enough.

 

[Gez]

Binder. Well, for the principle and lack of a better term. I mean, I use a sort of book that has, instead of paper pages, pages that are transparent plastic sheets where you put inside a sheet of paper.

Ditto.

 

[deltadave]

I write everything down in hardbound notebooks, journal style, as I'm creating it and then everything gets put onto the computer and fleshed out. The binders are organized by tabs with labels like NPC's, Locales, Hooks and etc. Maps are with the locales in general.

BTW - CC2 is a great mapping program once you get used to the interface. I can translate a rough hand drawn map into something pretty decent on the computer in about 20 min. The trick is to have a couple of templates and stick with those. Dungeon maps take a bit longer, but not much.

Thus, when all is done, there is a rough version in my notebooks, and the fleshed out one in electronic form and also in a binder.

 

[iwatt]

Settings - How do you organize your Home Brew?

Short answer: I don't.



Actually, I used to have a nice and ordered notebook for my 2e campaigns. Now I work so my free time is greatly curtailed. Now my campaign setting is spread out in loose sheets, players notes, excel and word files, etc... Most of the stuff is in one house (regular place we play) but some of it is in my office and some of it in my house.

I seriously want to have a more organized aproach, but right now (for my current campaign) it just seems like tto much work. My enxt campaign I'm really going to have binders and physical printouts of my computer notes. And I'm really going to try out this new-fangled concept of using an Indexing concept instead of just storing stuff randomly .

 

[Philip]

If you want to get maps and notes onto your computer, take up your digital camera and make some snapshots of your notes. It a lot quicker than scanning, and considering that they are notes and sketches, legibility is much more important than beauty IMO.

 

[Mercule]

I've got a combination of papers/folders and computer files.

BTW - CC2 is a great mapping program once you get used to the interface. I can translate a rough hand drawn map into something pretty decent on the computer in about 20 min. The trick is to have a couple of templates and stick with those. Dungeon maps take a bit longer, but not much.

Hijack: Have you got some quick tips, for a brand-new user, on how to do this? I scanned in my old paper map and have been trying to add it into CC2. I can get it to come up as a background, etc. Where I'm having trouble is in getting the coastlines to match. I've been using the fractal coastline tool to "de-smooth" it, but I get exaggerated zig-zags and the curvature seems to intentionally arc the wrong way.

Also, the continents run off the edge of the map, and I'm not having a good time trying to simulate this. It wants to do some really funky joins.

 

[primarchone]

I've often wondered about the feasability of speech-to-text programs like Dragon Dictate and the like. I have hundreds and hundreds of pages of handwritten and memorized Homebrew stuff I'd like to get into the computer in as easy a fashion as possible.

Has anyone had any experience with these?

Hi!

A'koss, I use Dragon Naturally Speaking at work (I'm a surgical pathologist and I use it to dictate diagnoses). This type of software has come a long way from those sold 3-4 years ago. The voice recognition is VERY good and I have used it to surf the net and enter large quantities of text into the computer. I am currently using it in conjuction with DM Genie to enter the adventures instead of typing.

The software is pricey, and of course I would not recommend buying it solely for gaming, but if you have it, or otherwise can try it out you can see for yourself if it is good.

Primarchone

 

[fanboy2000]

I have 2 folders with the three tabs in the middle, and pockets on either sides. One has my campaign world info, the other has all the information I need to run my current adventure. I call them Core Books IV and V.