Because, right now, keeping my "design stuff" organized is one of my major problems.

Quote from: Narf the Mouse;390283Because, right now, keeping my "design stuff" organized is one of my major problems.

Everythng goes in the wiki, expecpt for what is in a huge Access database

I use several notebooks. One for quick and dirty notes, one for each campaign, a GM diary, an actual play notebook etc. I also organize my folders on my computer rather than just throw everything in a single folder.

What type of format are you using to keep your notes? Are you writing them down, or typing them on a computer, or using some websites online or... ?

Quote from: Benoist;390310I use several notebooks. One for quick and dirty notes, one for each campaign, a GM diary, an actual play notebook etc. I also organize my folders on my computer rather than just throw everything in a single folder.

What type of format are you using to keep your notes? Are you writing them down, or typing them on a computer, or using some websites online or... ?

Not quite what I meant - RPG design document(s).

Right now, I use Open Office Text (.odt).

Quote from: LordVreeg;390308Everythng goes in the wiki, expecpt for what is in a huge Access database

A Wiki could work...Access database? Tell me more.

Like this.

Again, thanks, but I'm asking about design documents for making RPGs, not campaigns or adventures.

Narf,
  I hope this helps, here it is:
First, I just roll the idea in my head. I come up with a lot of ideas, but, if they don't stick, they are usually flawed.

Second, once the idea is solid in my mind. I write some notes. I try and work out what the game is about, what the players will be doing, etc. This is usually kept in whatever tech I am using for keeping notes. It used to be a single google doc. But, I am contemplating migrating to Evernote for this sort of thing.

Third, I figure out what mechanics to use. This is critical, because I like it when the mechanics back up the proposed setting/theme. This is still done in some sort of digital notepad. Usually, it involves frantic typing, followed by realizations, followed by frantic overtyping.

Forth, Crunch the numbers. I use a spreadsheet for this. I had been using google spreadsheets, but I am migrating to an XLS file in a Dropbox folder.

Fifth, I circle back to the setting. This usually starts with a spreadsheet and migrates to a Word doc after I have everything the way I like it. During this phase, I make a concerted effort to separate math and analysis from creative and authoring tasks. I find that once I get in "math mode" it is hard for me to be creative without being formulaic. And when I am in "creative mode" its hard for me to parse odds and numbers. the good part of this is, by the time I am ready to switch from one to the other, I have gained a fresh perspective.

Finally, I do all the writing in a Word doc in a drop box folder and make character sheets in an xls in a drop box folder.

Really, I would have preferred to stay on Google Docs, but there is not a good Google Docs interface for the Motorola Droid and I like to get stuff done on my phone when I am away from my computer.

Quote from: dindenver;390327Narf,
  I hope this helps, here it is:
First, I just roll the idea in my head. I come up with a lot of ideas, but, if they don't stick, they are usually flawed.

Second, once the idea is solid in my mind. I write some notes. I try and work out what the game is about, what the players will be doing, etc. This is usually kept in whatever tech I am using for keeping notes. It used to be a single google doc. But, I am contemplating migrating to Evernote for this sort of thing.

Third, I figure out what mechanics to use. This is critical, because I like it when the mechanics back up the proposed setting/theme. This is still done in some sort of digital notepad. Usually, it involves frantic typing, followed by realizations, followed by frantic overtyping.

Forth, Crunch the numbers. I use a spreadsheet for this. I had been using google spreadsheets, but I am migrating to an XLS file in a Dropbox folder.

Fifth, I circle back to the setting. This usually starts with a spreadsheet and migrates to a Word doc after I have everything the way I like it. During this phase, I make a concerted effort to separate math and analysis from creative and authoring tasks. I find that once I get in "math mode" it is hard for me to be creative without being formulaic. And when I am in "creative mode" its hard for me to parse odds and numbers. the good part of this is, by the time I am ready to switch from one to the other, I have gained a fresh perspective.

Finally, I do all the writing in a Word doc in a drop box folder and make character sheets in an xls in a drop box folder.

Really, I would have preferred to stay on Google Docs, but there is not a good Google Docs interface for the Motorola Droid and I like to get stuff done on my phone when I am away from my computer.

Thanks, some interesting points there.

Quote from: Narf the Mouse;390321A Wiki could work...Access database? Tell me more.

well, I created my own system for my setting.
And while a Wiki has gigantic advantages in terms of sharing setting data, releasing data, accessing data from anywhere, and in terms of building setting data, campaign rules need a database.

I have my history (with event entries), my weapons, my armors, my spells, my skills, and a few others, all on that access database.  It outputs to word or excel.  I think open office has one called 'base' that works the same way.  
I highly recommend doing this.  A lot of things that you think you will remember will get lost, and in both cases, the wiki and the database, it builds.  

The wiki also builds. This page, Igbar is one of my major player settings, so it is continually added to.  According to the wiki, it has undergone 427 seperate revs.  So as it changes and as I add to it (and subtract, in a wiki, you break down pages when they get too big).

Here is a player's page.  My Online group keeps this for their group.  Not the links to their booty and mapping pages.  It organizes their stuff, as well.  ANd keeps them feeling part of the game/settting.

Since all of our rules, etc, are on the wiki, there are no rulesbooks cluttering the table, though we have 100% laptop compliance in our games, with everyone logged into the wiki.

More later, if you want.

I noticed that I've unconsciously used a different program for almost every game I've played in or run over the last 15 years. The decision to use a certain program was based more in line with whatever major program I was using or learning to use at the time.

Word is the eternal favourite for recording words and then organising them into some sense. In the past I've used Quark Xpress, Publisher, Excel and Access, and more recently OneNote and Evernote. . The driving force behind these was based on my perceived needs as a GM to organise the information overload. My games are fairly open, so I need to have quick access to information.

Quote from: LordVreeg;390339well, I created my own system for my setting.
And while a Wiki has gigantic advantages in terms of sharing setting data, releasing data, accessing data from anywhere, and in terms of building setting data, campaign rules need a database.

I have my history (with event entries), my weapons, my armors, my spells, my skills, and a few others, all on that access database.  It outputs to word or excel.  I think open office has one called 'base' that works the same way.  
I highly recommend doing this.  A lot of things that you think you will remember will get lost, and in both cases, the wiki and the database, it builds.  

The wiki also builds. This page, Igbar is one of my major player settings, so it is continually added to.  According to the wiki, it has undergone 427 seperate revs.  So as it changes and as I add to it (and subtract, in a wiki, you break down pages when they get too big).

Here is a player's page.  My Online group keeps this for their group.  Not the links to their booty and mapping pages.  It organizes their stuff, as well.  ANd keeps them feeling part of the game/settting.

Since all of our rules, etc, are on the wiki, there are no rulesbooks cluttering the table, though we have 100% laptop compliance in our games, with everyone logged into the wiki.

More later, if you want.

Thanks; that helps a lot. I do have a few more questions, though;

For instance, databases - I've no idea how to use them, much less use them to store RPG rules. The most I've done is register them with a content management system. I've got an Open Office one set up now.

Also, what wiki do you use and why?

Most of my design work is done on a legal pad (which the first pages are left blank and then filled in with the date and what was cool about what was done on that date on the pad).  

From there it gets dumped into a word doc (WP file of your choice).  

There is usually a section in the doc where I dump stuff (usually pre-organization) and that the KEY IDEAS and that one paragraph of inspiration are are kept.  

I then format it as I would a game book.  EAch section gets its own header (with a special format).  

Overview of the setting
   eventually subsectioned by the setting, the character, the drama, key parts
Character Creation
    subsections by CoreTrait, Archetypes, lifefocus, gifts/flaw, any expanding peices...)
Specific Rule Sets  (notes on magic, other spec rules)
Setting Specifics - A detailed version of the overview.
Campaigning -
Appendices
   Spec Gear if any
   Example characters...

I sort ideas  from the dump section, into those headings.  I will add more information as it comes to me. I will create sub headings to organize more (Okay, The Church....  Okay, Mind Gems, Gem Minds, Gewworlds... etc etc).

Eventually will create a TOC for it all.. (which becomes the basis of an outline for the project).  I organize most of the material in the other headings as per the outline.  

It all stays in one doc normally, though sometimes sections are done as other documents and merged in (Magic Rules for example).  

Sometimes the document gets too conveluted and the order gets screwed up.  So I make a new doc.  Start with the TOC and the key points.  Then I begin to write that document out, (using stuff, but not all of it, from the original document).

Quote from: Narf the Mouse;390325Again, thanks, but I'm asking about design documents for making RPGs, not campaigns or adventures.

I apologize; I was being a donkey and, not thinking about settings.