The Notebook and Gaming Supremacy

Some gamers have found that they need to keep track of a wide variety of notes during a game. Video game players need to keep track of clues, passwords, and location notes; they also try to keep track of information gleaned from gaming sites and videos. Table-top gamers need to track most of the same, but also monster and trap locations as well as notes on local politics. Some even track star charts and tides. Even game masters like keeping track of monsters killed, NPCs encountered, and even times when actions are done to enforce continuity later.

For all of these, the common notebook is all you need.

Paper for Consoles and PCs?

While some games keep track of any relevant information (giving players a task manager that keeps track of requirements for current quests, passwords acquired, and other information), not all games provide that function. It doesn't help that sometimes you want a reminder of where to find an ammunition store or other resource dump for later access. It also helps to have some way to track information gleaned from videos and other sites; if you've been having problems with a particular trap or monster, you're going to want to write down the tips & tricks you find.

The notebook thus becomes your best friend, as it gives you a great way to write down all of those notes so you can refer back to it when you're middle of the game, and flipping between web pages may not be an optimal solution. On the other hand, the notebook can be organized as desired and it's very easy to flip between the pages, making it great even for speed runs.

The Natural Fit: The Gaming Table

Table-top players are always taking notes. Some of them are strictly bureaucratic, such as recording which monsters they kill and what treasure was collected, but they also track NPCs, when activities take place (such as changing of the guard), and some even note minor details like where favorite stores are or spells that were used for later research. Some even track a lot of information so they can write accurate journal entries later on for bonus experience.

Game masters love notebooks for pretty much the same reasons, but it also helps them keep track of continuity issues. The reality is that GMs tend to improv a lot of details; they either legitimately forgot to come up with details or the players did something "unexpected" that forced the creation of the NPC, monster, or even treasure. There are even situations where the GM notices that there is continuity in his original notes that needs to be adjusted; he needs to track the changes as much as possible.

This means that while the players are taking notes, the GM is furiously taking notes behind his screen. Nonetheless, it can be useful to look at the players' notes after the game, making the notebooks invaluable as records of the game and/or campaign.

The Perfect Notebook

First, make sure you have a pencil with a great eraser and a sharpener if necessary. It doesn't matter if it's a standard wooden pencil or a mechanical pencil; you'll find that, over time, you will be making enough changes that erasing things will be a relatively common occurrence. Ink is something you'll end up swea4ring at more often than not if you decide to go that route, so just don't go down it in the first place.

The notebook itself doesn't need to be an expensive one; a simple notebook with metal coils is all you need; in fact, the coil notebook is ideal as it is easier to flip between the pages and you can keep it open to that page without having to figure out ways to keep the notebook open. Also, while it is pretty cheap (which is a bonus in and of itself considering how many of these you'll be going through), they also tend to endure constant erasures better. For gamers, this makes most cheap notebooks worth the investment compared to more expensive notebooks that aren't usually as tough or smear easily when erased.

A simple notebook is well worth the investment to make your gaming experience that much easier and more organized. Get your hands on one today and see if it doesn't make your life a lot easier.