I have a few conventions in the running of my games, regarding player attention to their character's details, that I consider house rules that help to keep them paying attention and focused.

First, if you the player doesn't remember something (unless you have eidetic memory or some other "power" related to that), your character doesn't remember either. If you want your character to remember a certain detail, name, date or person, you'd better write it down.

Second, and more importantly, if you don't have an item written down on your character sheet, you don't have that item.

I don't care if you "were meaning to buy it" or if you are "pretty sure you'd found one somewhere", if you didn't bother writing it on your sheet, its not there.

Those two rules are something I use in pretty well all my games.

Does anyone else use those rules or other ones on a similar vein?

RPGPundit

Well my games aren't really about resource management so that type of stuff isn't much fun.  If the players could, as adventurers, reasonably have something on them then they can have it.

It depends on the game style we're using.  

I sometimes refresh my players' memory (or they refresh mine).  Their characters are living through life and death situations, the players are hanging out once a week - the characters can be expected to have better memories than the players.

For hardcore count every spike dungeoneering, it has to be on the sheet and under your encumbrance.  But most of the time, we make assumptions or require a roll to determine if you remembered.  Detailing every damn item can be tedious and distracting.

But you don't have any powers if they haven't been purchased/created in chargen/advancement.  None of this "my character's father was an engineer so I should be able to repair the fighter jet" crap.

For the most part, it needs to be on the character sheet. Misc crap like torches, soap, flint and tinder I'll let slide. It's not D20, The Micromanaging.

Retro-ing back to town to say "Oh, while I was in town last I bought this handy item that will help with this particular encounter..." is going to do nothing but send me into loud hysterical laughter.

I have on the other hand retroed back to a particular time to add something to their inventory that I may have forgotten to mention.

If the game is one of resource management, then one's resources need to be catalogued.  If the character didn't come with whatever item they need, then that lack has to be dealt with in the context of the game.

Otherwise, I'm pretty lenient about matters as that sort of book-keeping isn't really in the spirit of other sorts of games.  This can go up to and include what skills/knowledge the character has, if it's in the spirit of the game.  Dramatic editing and all that sort of thing.

As far as the players writing things down to remember, I appreciate when they do so, but I'm not going to penalize them if they happen to forget the name of a NPC or some detail.  Such an approach just wouldn't be...well, enjoyable for either my players or myself.

As far as focusing their attention goes, I've found that a polite request for them to focus works much better than anything else.

Characters with abilities such as Domain (Weapons): 4 in Nobilis or Matter 4 in Mage can conjure bazookas out of thin air, so keeping track of every tiny piece of equipment in those games can be a little pointless. On the other hand, if they don't have those abilities, then they can try to pull a gun out of a hat all they want, and it still won't happen.

Meh, I'm tempted to usually just let players have routine items sans writing them down to save time and effort. I mena, you should have your car and house keys without having to write them down somewhere.

Most other stuff, especially ammo, yeah I like to see some written record.

As far as resource management, that would depend on the game or situation I'm running or the pcs find themselves in. If equipment is important  - a specific mission for instance - than yeah, the pcs had better make sure they get what they need and list it down somewhere.

If we are playing in a setting where resouces are limited, than of course, I want a pretty detailed inventory of what the pcs have.

But, normally I just let it be. I assume depending on what kind of characters they are playing, that they have access to certain eqipment or resources, and time and/or finances permitting they should be able to get it.

Regards,
David R

I make a habit of taking all the player characters' stuff on a frequent basis. It simplifies things.

To be honest, I rarely keep track of kit lists and enclumberance.  As long as the players don't push it then I let them have it.  It's too much of a pain.  It has got my players into bad habits though.  I just can't get them to keep track of ammunition expendature while playtesting YotZ and I think they're losing an important part of the genre

Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalWell my games aren't really about resource management so that type of stuff isn't much fun.  If the players could, as adventurers, reasonably have something on them then they can have it.

Yeah, I pretty much run my games the same way. Then again, if I think that not having a certain item might add to the fun, I'll deny it to them.

If my players aren't kosher I don't care, because I don't keep a kosher kitchen!




I'm pretty laid back, If I make it about worrying about "stuff" they're going to worry about "stuff" and "stuff" like that "stuff" bores me to tears I'm not running a mule caravan of "stuff", I'm playing an exciting adventure game!.

Oh sure sometimes they can't have something--desert island, no food supply, that kind thing, but if its reasonable for them to have it then they can.

Quote from: SilverlionIf my players aren't kosher I don't care, because I don't keep a kosher kitchen!

  Plus I'm not sure that gamer meat is allowed under kashrut regulations.  If you want to eat for players you have to get a rabbi in to slit their throats in the proper fashion... you can't just shoot them or stab them with corn holders.

I'm just like you Pundit, if the player wants the character to have it, or remember it, they need to write it down. All the other DMs in my group are just the same. Contrary to what seems to be the belief of many, I don't do this to screw the players, or because I believe micro-managing is fun (although it doesn't bother me either). I do it because it can occasionally create really great rp situations, as well as motivating the players/characters to get really creative with solutions to problems that are aggravated by missing tools/gear. As always, I know this might not appeal to everyone, just saying we like it in our group.

In previous editions of DnD, I was notorious for making MUs keep detailed account of their spell components. I know many DMs didn't do this, but IMO components were intended to be a balancing mechansim for MUs and they also created both an economic drain for the MUs (motivating them to adventure, or hire PCs to do it), as well as adventures themselves when the MU needed special components.

Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalPlus I'm not sure that gamer meat is allowed under kashrut regulations.  If you want to eat for players you have to get a rabbi in to slit their throats in the proper fashion... you can't just shoot them or stab them with corn holders.

Well that settles it then, I'm not converting to Judaism. If I can't stab my players with corn holders then the religion's not for me.