I do not need to write this shit.

At the moment’s subject is taking good recreation notes It’s one thing a lot of you’ve got requested me to put in writing and one thing I refused to put in writing for years. Nicely, I’m simply determined sufficient to get this 12 months over with and get again on monitor and I’m sick of claiming no, so right here it’s.

Why don’t I need to write on such a seemingly innocuous subject as this?

First, as a result of note-taking’s a extremely private factor. It’s about studying how you can work with your self. To work with your individual mind. And that ain’t one thing I may help you do.

Second — and I admit that is completely at odds with what I simply stated — second, there are literally objectively, provably good methods to take notes and objectively, provably dangerous methods to do it. And there’s an enormous physique of analysis on the topic. Individuals don’t like once I quote analysis and inform them issues ain’t subjective and private. Particularly once I’m telling them they’re mistaken in the identical breath.

Third, I kinda suck at note-taking. I barely do it. I’ve a extremely good reminiscence for gaming shit. And I are inclined to depend on that greater than notes. So I don’t really feel like I’m certified to inform you how you can take good notes.

So why am I penning this now? As a result of I had this complete note-taking factor mistaken. And so do you. The truth that I’ve a wonderful reminiscence and take few good notes is exactly due to how I take notes. Which I found by researching the topic intimately. And the private half — the way you format your notes — is definitely the least necessary a part of the entire course of.

So, this ain’t actually an unwritable article and I’m completely certified to put in writing it. However I’m nonetheless in for some fights. Oh properly.

“Indignant,” you retain whining, even after I punch you, “how can I, as a Recreation Grasp, take higher recreation notes.” In the end — the explanations for the delay are outlined within the Lengthy, Rambling Introduction™ — in the end, I’m gonna reply. However you ain’t gonna be pleased.

See, I’m not going to inform you how you can set up your notes and whether or not to make use of charts or outlines or the… uh… some bullshit known as the Cornell Methodology or something like that. I don’t care the way you lay your notes out. There are many assets about note-taking strategies and codecs on-line and discovering the proper one for you is a matter of purchasing round. That shit’s your downside. And it doesn’t a lot matter.

It seems, your precise note-taking system — the way you format and prepare your notes — issues approach lower than why and the way you’re taking them. And that’s what I’m gonna cowl in the present day. As a result of most Recreation Masters don’t actually know why they’re taking notes. And, consequently, they deal with the mistaken facets of note-taking, they usually find yourself wrecking their very own brains.

Critically. As a result of how you’re taking notes determines whether or not or not that you must take notes in any respect. And for those who take notes the proper approach, you don’t want the notes. And that is the true objective.

The Greatest Notes are the Ones You By no means Want

Most Recreation Masters say they should take notes as a result of there’s an excessive amount of shit to recollect. They’ve received to put in writing all the pieces down to allow them to reference it later. Is that the way you suppose Observe-Taking works? Nicely, you’re mistaken.

The purpose of taking notes is that can assist you bear in mind shit. If you happen to do it correctly, you not often — if ever — need to refer again to the notes themselves. And the notes themselves function little greater than fast reminders to jog your reminiscence. Within the language of the analysis, the objective of note-taking isn’t recording, it’s retention. Taking good notes helps you bear in mind issues.

Why is that this necessary? It’s necessary as a result of for those who suppose the purpose of note-taking is to construct a properly organized reference pocket book whereby you’ll be able to all the time discover what you’re searching for, you’ll burn huge wodges of time and vitality worrying about the way you set up and format that shit. Furthermore, in case your mind thinks the notes are there to maintain you from having to recollect shit, it received’t attempt to bear in mind something. And that’s dangerous as a result of there’s simply an excessive amount of shit to put in writing down. Your reminiscence is definitely approach higher at recalling particulars than you might be at writing them down for later reference.

Did you get that? Reminiscence is extra dependable than notes. So you’re taking notes to help your reminiscence. Everybody thinks it’s the opposite approach round. And that’s how they fuck this up.

So, primarily, note-taking is about bettering retention. It’s about serving to your mind bear in mind shit without having the notes.

Secondarily, note-taking is about having little reminders that assist your mind bear in mind issues it thinks it has forgotten.

From a Recreation Mastering perspective, although — which is, after all, the one perspective I’m ever providing — from a Recreation Mastering perspective, there’s a tertiary level to note-taking. And that’s to construct a listing of issues that you must act on later. If the celebration offends a shopkeeper or in the event that they unwittingly give a spy info, that you must have that info saved away in a vault for later use.

That’s it. That’s the purpose of taking recreation notes. It’s to construct your retention, present reminders to help your retention, and to maintain a to-do listing of future recreation occasions. If you happen to’re making an attempt to do any greater than that, you’re doing it mistaken. And also you’re most likely frying your self. Hell, for those who’re even making an attempt to do it proper too laborious, you’re additionally most likely frying your self.

Down the Reminiscence Gap

You’re going to neglect shit. And no quantity of note-taking can forestall that. As a result of notes are much less excellent and fewer dependable than your reminiscence and your reminiscence ain’t very dependable to start it. It occurs. It’s not a giant deal. Recreation Masters have these ridiculous expectations of excellent recall or excellent note-taking. They suppose they’ve received to recollect or file all the pieces. That ain’t doable and chasing that best solely burns you out and wrecks your reminiscence.

It’s okay to neglect the celebration offended a shopkeeper. It’s okay to neglect you named a shopkeeper and gave them a persona trait. Most gamers don’t bear in mind most of this crap anyway, so it doesn’t a lot matter. And if a participant does matter, you’ll be able to say, “Oh, that’s proper, I forgot. His title is Dabner. Sorry.”

Downside solved.

Don’t fry your self making an attempt to take the best-damned notes doable and bear in mind all the pieces in excellent element. Sure, I understand how necessary consistency is, however it’s much less necessary than bogging down your recreation and frying your mind. Belief me.

What Issues and What Doesn’t

Observe-taking is about retention and recall. It ain’t about constructing a reference ebook, it’s about conserving info in your head. However what info do that you must maintain? What’s truly necessary to retain? And what’s subsequently necessary sufficient to be note-worthy? Nicely, I’m going to inform you. And the listing might be approach shorter than you suppose it’s.

First, you’ve received to retain the sport’s plot. You must bear in mind what truly occurred in your recreation. At the very least, it’s important to bear in mind the main occasions. The occasions that have an effect on the sport’s ongoing narrative.

Now, too many Recreation Masters take this shit too far. They will’t inform main occasions from non-events. They usually recap approach an excessive amount of too. It doesn’t matter that the celebration fought first 5 kobold guards, then three kobold skirmishers, after which a kobold kennel grasp and his pet drakes; what issues is that the celebration fought their approach by way of the kobold guards to get to the dragon. At most recreation periods, there are not often multiple or two occasions value truly retaining. And recapping.

Second, it’s essential to retain the gamers’ present targets and their plans for attaining these targets. You’ve received to know what the celebration’s making an attempt to perform and what route they’re going. And also you’ll most likely discover that this, too, is one thing I’ve advised you to recap in the beginning of each session. That ain’t an accident. Recapping doesn’t simply assist the gamers retain issues, it helps you too. Thus the vast majority of your note-taking efforts are nearly ensuring you can begin every session with recap.

Third, it’s essential to retain the names of characters and areas the celebration has interacted with whether it is seemingly the celebration will work together with them once more.

Observe two key sides of that assertion. First, word that I stated it’s essential to retain the names of characters and areas. That ain’t a mistake or an omission. Too many Recreation Masters fill pages and pages with particulars about each non-player character and site that’s ever appeared on display screen. However these Recreation Masters don’t understand how a lot their brains do recall about their non-player characters and likewise how little it issues how completely constant non-player characters truly are. Second, word that it’s solely value recording the names of characters and areas if the celebration could be very prone to work together with them once more.

If you happen to attempt to transcend recording the identities of main characters and areas, you’re losing your effort and also you’re diminishing your skill to retain and recall info.

Fourth, it’s essential to bear in mind the potential future penalties of the player-character’s actions. If the celebration let an NPC or failed to perform a objective or offended somebody or received cursed or let info slip to an enemy, it’s essential to recall that shit later so you’ll be able to act on it when it’s acceptable. And, in the identical vein…

Fifth, it’s essential to bear in mind your individual future plans. If you happen to dropped a location title or journey hook you plan the celebration to observe up on in just a few weeks, you’ve received to keep in mind that.

That’s it. That’s the listing of shit a Recreation Grasp has to retain about their recreation. Something not on that listing is secure to neglect. Sure, I’m saying you’ll be able to completely neglect a key NPC’s main persona traits so long as you bear in mind their title. Belief me. I do it on a regular basis. Besides I don’t. And also you received’t both. The extra you belief your reminiscence, the higher it will get. Particularly for those who assist it by taking notes correctly and by not overdoing the note-taking factor.

So how do you’re taking good notes? The trick is first to acknowledge that note-taking isn’t about having good notes to refer again to. That’s only a aspect profit. Taking notes is about bettering your retention so that you just not often must look again at your notes. And once you do refer again to them, all it takes is a look to carry a wealth of knowledge flooding again.

If you happen to consider note-taking as a reminiscence software and never a strategy to construct a giant, honkin’ marketing campaign bible, you’ll see {that a} Recreation Grasp is form of like a pupil. Every recreation session is a lecture and also you’re making an attempt to retain as a lot info as doable so you’ll be able to move the subsequent session’s check. Fortuitously, there’s an enormous physique of analysis on note-taking and retention and all that crap. I ain’t gonna quote all of it right here; I’m simply going to quote the 2 greatest and most necessary findings about note-taking.

And also you ain’t gonna like them.

First, retention is vastly, drastically, tremendously larger amongst college students who handwrite their notes. College students who kind their notes neglect all the pieces. Wish to bear in mind one thing? Write it by hand. In handwriting.

Second, retention is vastly, drastically, tremendously larger amongst college students who revise, set up, and rewrite their notes instantly after every lesson. By hand. In handwriting.

Now, I ain’t saying it’s important to use a chunk of paper and pen right here. It ain’t the instruments that matter, it’s the motion of handwriting and the way it engages your mind. If you happen to’ve received a elaborate pill and a stylus, they work positive too. However completely don’t take notes by typing shit on a keyboard. There’s a time for typing and that’s later.

When you’ve revised, rewritten, and arranged your notes by hand in handwriting, you’re welcome to transcribe and retailer them nevertheless you need in no matter medium fits you. Wish to maintain all the pieces in a OneNote or a CherryTree? Go to city. Need crisp, clear PDFs to share along with your gamers. Good for you; have at it. However you construct that shit after the two-step course of that’s taking notes by hand.

Ugly Session Scrawls

Correct note-taking — for Recreation Masters — is a two-step course of. Step one takes place throughout your recreation periods. That’s once you jot down something you realize that you must bear in mind however that you just’re afraid you received’t. This step is straightforward. Simply have a chunk of paper and a pencil useful whilst you run video games and shortly write shit as it’s important to.

At first, you received’t know what notes to take so that you most likely must pay attention to all the pieces. At the very least all the pieces on that Checklist of Issues to Bear in mind I rattled off above. The way you do it’s as much as you, however to get began, do that strategy.

First, maintain a working timeline of recreation occasions down one fringe of your web page. Issues like “met King Wilfenburger of Vulcroft” and “killed purple dragon.” You’ll solely be capable of file just a few phrases for every occasion; simply deal with the plot level. And if instances and dates are necessary in your marketing campaign, jot these down as properly. In time and with apply, you’ll develop a shorthand. However for now, simply get used to recording occasions.

Second, down the other fringe of your web page, file the names of characters and areas that you must bear in mind. Once more, you’ll be able to solely write just a few phrases down for every merchandise, so deal with getting used to recording the important thing concepts. Issues like, “Ardry, Bartender, the Tarnished Ingot” and “Temple of Ulaa and Pelor at Ironwall.”

Third, on the backside of your web page, file the long run plans or motion penalties you will want to behave on later. Once more, you’ve received only a few phrases for every factor so simply grok the important thing concepts. Concepts like, “offended Marshall of Amberall” or “treasure in Ironroot Hills.”

That straightforward scheme’s sufficient to get you began, however it’s not strictly essential to maintain your session notes organized. And, as time goes on, you’ll additionally be taught what that you must file and what you don’t. My ugly session notes are a web page of random phrases and phrases scrawled throughout a web page. And I don’t write down plot occasions as a result of I do know I always remember these. It’s simply shit like, “Brightness Vellus at Hillsfoot City” and “Minstrel wrote the Swordswoman of Redshore”.

Truthfully, it doesn’t matter simply how ugly your ugly session scrawls are. That’s what cleanup’s for.

Cleansing Up Your Notes

As quickly as doable after your session’s performed, you’ll must revise, rewrite, clear up, flesh out, and set up your ugly session scrawl. I often attempt to do it the day after I run a session, however the key phrase there’s attempt. As a result of I suck at this and sometimes completely neglect this step. These days anyway. However you’re to do as I say, not as I do, till you be taught what you will get away with.

Your objective is to take your ugly session scrawl and get three issues out of it. First, you need a timeline of the session’s in-game occasions. Second, you need a listing of names and locations it’s essential to bear in mind. And third, you need a to-do listing of stuff to behave on sooner or later. And for those who already organized your ugly session scrawl alongside these traces, then issues are most likely fairly well-organized.

That stated, the way you recopy and set up your notes is de facto private. I can’t inform you how greatest to do it. You may desire to make use of an overview format with the sport’s occasions as the details after which the areas and characters as element factors beneath every occasion. Possibly you’ll need three totally different pages or a three-column chart or a flowchart. The bottom line is to interact with, set up, and rewrite your notes. By hand. In handwriting.

I can’t stress sufficient that this rewriting of the notes is a part of the note-taking course of. And a significant half. Even when all you’re doing is copying your ugly session scrawl onto a unique piece of paper with just a few added phrases for readability, it’s nonetheless necessary to do it. And it’s necessary to do it earlier than you do the rest with the data. This isn’t writing a session recap. This isn’t updating a marketing campaign bible. That is simply the second step within the note-taking course of. And solely after it’s performed are you able to do the rest.

Needless to say all I’m educating you is how you can take notes to maximise recall and retention. And how you can take notes which you can refer again to later to remind your self of something you don’t recall. This two-step course of will assist you to bear in mind all of the necessary shit that occurred on the recreation desk. Even the shit you didn’t write down. What you do with what you bear in mind is completely as much as you.

You need to use your notes to put in writing a prose recap of your recreation session both to learn aloud or ship to your gamers between periods. You need to use your notes to replace your ridiculously over-detailed and pointless marketing campaign bible. You need to use your notes to plan your subsequent session. Or as you recap your final session. That’s right down to your wants and the wants of your recreation.

The darkish and soiled secret is that the notes, themselves, don’t matter. If you happen to diligently observe a two-step, by-hand, note-taking course of, you’ll discover all the pieces else you need to do along with your recreation info that a lot simpler. You received’t must do far more than look again at your notes to put in writing your recaps or file character particulars in your marketing campaign bible. Today, I don’t do something with my notes — reminiscent of they’re — and I don’t even hassle writing prose recaps or conserving a marketing campaign bible. By way of apply and by scrawling recreation notes, my retention of recreation shit is so good that I don’t want any of it. I’m not saying that’s the way in which you must go, however it may shock you to find that you just can go that approach even for those who suppose your reminiscence is crappy. Particularly with diligent apply.

Most individuals don’t understand simply how highly effective their recollections are till they’re. They suppose written notes are superior to recollections, however they’re actually not. Your mind doesn’t simply retailer details and bullet factors, it shops associations and connections between concepts. And triggering anybody concept additionally triggers all the pieces linked to it. In my mind, the title Ardry is linked to the thought of tavern keepers and a tavern known as the Tarnished with is in Ironwall Preserve, and likewise the thought of one-armed individuals and injured miners and paternalistic individuals and guilt and all kinds of shit like that. And each time any a type of concepts lights up, each connection to it will get bolstered.

That’s truly why handwriting, rewriting, and organizing are so highly effective. They get loads of totally different components of your mind concerned with the data you’re making an attempt to recollect and affiliate and join up, which strengthens all of the connections. And handwriting is a way more intricate and concerned course of than typing and transcribing. And since you’re making an attempt to get all these connections joined up, it’s necessary to do that shit as quickly as doable. Whereas the recollections are nonetheless recent.

However I ain’t a neurodoctorologist and I ain’t writing a university thesis. I’m simply telling you how you can take good notes about your fake elf video games. Besides I’m not even doing that. What I’m actually doing is answering your actual query. Since you don’t actually care about taking good notes. You simply need to understand how to not neglect the shit that you must bear in mind.

Ideally with as little work as doable.