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<blockquote data-quote="darkbard" data-source="post: 8225996" data-attributes="member: 1282">Years ago, when I mostly ran bog-standard D&amp;D (Basic, AD&amp;D, 3E, and early 4E), I viewed preplay notes mainly as constraints on the GM and a facilitator for keeping the PCs within the bounds of the story (be it module, AP, or home design).These days, as I've come to realize the disconnect between (a) evinced PC interests and GM-curated plot and (b) the kind of gaming I was really interested in: Story Now--and subsequently revised my 4E agendas and principles and explored PBtA/FitD games--I've moved to a minimum of preplay notetaking, both as GM and player.I prefer terse but evocative bullet points with flexible application ... and rather, as a GM prior to and during a session, to make minimum use of even these, preferring improvisational creativity.During play, either as GM or player, I take relatively sparse notes, generally of new elements introduced into the shared fiction. Postgame, I keep a log of major locations, personalities, events but those notes are themselves open to revision and reinterpretation as the consensus fiction evolves rather than as an attempt to establish canonicity.My wife takes extensive notes as a player, which she uses to write fan fiction-esque journals in character, often with the objective of establishing not-yet-introduced PC thoughts, rationales, or even world details post hoc. Often, these become part of the shared fiction. At other times, they are merely the skewed understanding of one participant in the scene.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="darkbard, post: 8225996, member: 1282"] Years ago, when I mostly ran bog-standard D&D (Basic, AD&D, 3E, and early 4E), I viewed preplay notes mainly as constraints on the GM and a facilitator for keeping the PCs within the bounds of the story (be it module, AP, or home design). These days, as I've come to realize the disconnect between (a) evinced PC interests and GM-curated plot and (b) the kind of gaming I was really interested in: Story Now--and subsequently revised my 4E agendas and principles and explored PBtA/FitD games--I've moved to a minimum of preplay notetaking, both as GM and player. I prefer terse but evocative bullet points with flexible application ... and rather, as a GM prior to and during a session, to make minimum use of even these, preferring improvisational creativity. During play, either as GM or player, I take relatively sparse notes, generally of new elements introduced into the shared fiction. Postgame, I keep a log of major locations, personalities, events but those notes are themselves open to revision and reinterpretation as the consensus fiction evolves rather than as an attempt to establish canonicity. My wife takes extensive notes as a player, which she uses to write fan fiction-esque journals in character, often with the objective of establishing not-yet-introduced PC thoughts, rationales, or even world details post hoc. Often, these become part of the shared fiction. At other times, they are merely the skewed understanding of one participant in the scene. [/QUOTE]

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