🔥 DM LAIR PATREON | Get loads of 5e and PF2e adventures, traps, puzzles, monsters, and Foundry VTT modules to help you reduce your prep time and run amazing games! www.patreon.com/thedmlair
"Listen to understand, not respond" is a great life tip for everyone. Not taking notes can end a campaign. It's very disrespectful to the DM. "Why are we in this dungeon?" is a terrible thing to ask at the start of a session.
Because my old group had seven players we used to have a big roll of butcher paper and we'd put that on the table underneath all our stuff. Like during our session zero while I was walking them through everything, most of them were drawing their characters so everyone can see what they looked like and they draw the mazes and the riddles I'd give them or even draw out the keys that I would give just in case say can look at the lock and match it later
I'm one of these people. ASD (level 1)/ ADHD (inattentive and hyperactive) I have been tested and have documentation showing that I have severely impaired fine motor skills with my hands. Furthermore, my daughter has ADHD as well (and is most likely autistic, but We haven't gotten a diagnosis yet). When she was tested, the neurologist Indicated that one component of ADHD is impaired auditory processing. In other words, if someone like the DM is spewing A ton of words, we literally cannot process it well, and I Literally cannot keep up with any note taking. If we see it written down, then we instantly master the information I understand the importance of notes but if the attitude Is that a person who doesn't take notes doesn't care about the game then we cannot play the game. And If it gets to that point then the DM cannot claim to run an inclusive table, as by design neruodivergent players will be excluded
I didn't realize this was a thing. Literally every game I am either running or playing in has someone compiling a recap. Been that way for the decades I have been playing. Sometimes it's me, most of the time it's a player. Some are better than others, but in each game someone has notes. I prefer the players doing it, because something is always lost in translation, and this leads to some interesting follow-on sessions. (I pull most of it out of my butt, for sure.) Excellent video, thanks.
If I'm taking notes, I can't actively listen to what is being said, by other players or the DM, my brain can't focus on both, so for me the first point of this video negates the rest of it. On the other hand, because I'm paying attention, I can actively participate in the conversation and have no trouble to remember the overall events happening. For me, worrying too much about notes is a mistake as well...
Try to take notes in the after session. It will cement what you remembered by writing it down, and you can ask the DM for anything you were unsure on. That way you’re enjoying the session, and are still note taking incredibly close to the time an event happens.
@@luizandrade6900 I would love to do that, but our days are mostly 3-5 sessions long. Not really a viable strategy to write a diary about something that happened a month ago
My notes are very cryptic. They are just scribbles and ugly drawings, but I still am able to recap what happened on my last session to my friends in a non-cryptic manner.
Active listener here... or maybe just a pedant ? Typically people *_spout_* drivel rather than *_sprout_* it... 🤓 Although I must admit to often being guilty of both 😉
I have found that a bound notebook works against proper notetaking. Instead, what I like to do is get many 3x5 cards or unbound paper to take the notes on. This way, as I discover that things need to change all I need to do is alter the position of the papers. In addition, each campaign will be placed into its own binder which contains those notes plus gm handouts and other additional information. Yes, a 3-session campaign can get ALOT of information in there.
I have adhd and in my first d&d group I asked everyone if I could voice record every session so I can take detailed notes. I told them I would do it if unanimous. I shared the Google docs and spreadsheets with my group.
Notes are good but can take different forms. Personally, as a player I write journals and detail what my character has seen in the previous game. As a GM, I give small rewards for those that journal in my game and post them on our gaming discord. I really like journals. As a player, it helps me keep in mind what we have done and what the important things are to do and remember what happened along the way. As a GM, it gives me insight as to where my players are, how they feel, how their characters feel, and where I may need to tweak things going forward.
Taking notes during a session can be hard for DM’s so I suggest recording each session. I just use the voice memos app on my phone. Then I can relisten later. Being the DM is distracting and it helps to catch comments that I may have missed and remember things that I made up on the fly that I didn’t have time to write down while they were happening.
I'm the notetaker of my group, and the only problem i have is that when it's my turn to engage actively, i can't write and think of what to say/ do at the same time. Everyone else i write down detailed accounts of their conversations, but for mine it's bullet points cause I'm hastily writing it after the interaction is finished
Not remembering what happened last time is a bigger issue when you meant less than weekly. My group is every other week (if we're lucky). Most of the time, half of them don't remember what happened last time. We're playing Deadlands, so I offer a Benny for whoever wants to do the recap. And it's almost always one of the same two who does it. The other two come to the session and literally have no idea what happened 2 or 3 weeks ago, whenever we last played. It's super frustrating to me as a GM, because they ignore tons of clues for simply not remembering them. At this point, we've been playing Deadlands 18 months and played D&D for almost 3 years before this, if they're going to forget clues, it's on them. But yes it is super frustrating.
I usually take note that matter to MY CHARACTER so if I'm playing a barely literate one with nature Druid, and we find high tech plans for a rocket launcher... well, I didn't bother writing those plans down. The Wizard or Artificier who was interested in that stuff should have taken notes about it. I've had DMs get upset with me for this, but "taking notes" isn't just a single player's job. I'm not a stenographer! I care to remember what my character would find important, not every single data point that may/may not have happened. I remember playing where making maps of dungeons were something that us players would be responsible for. I always jot stuff down, and I understand that I've been playing much longer than a lot of the people I play with, but even if you take notes that are barely legible, it is showing that you are an invested player.
I have two problems: First, i have a terrible memory. so naturally i would highly benefit from taking notes. BUT... Second, i just cant do multitasking, If i am listening to my DM then i am listening to him, if i write a note then I'm writing a note. IF i try to do both then i lose the thread entirely. there are times when i wrote something down and the moment i look up i have absolutely no idea what happened, not what the DM or Players said but also what they did, or if they rolled some dice. I wish i could do both because i love the Campaign, every one of my party members and DM. But i just have to rely on my poor memory and the notes that one of our party member writes. Our sessions usually last roughly 9 hours (with breaks of course), so there is a lot happening every session but it is this way because we play not regularly. it is not uncommon that one or two moths pass between sessions. (we are playing this campaign for over 3 years now i think)
Back when I played in an actual group that didn't turn into an online mess I took notes and even wrote up what happened in a session until that particular game ended and didn't go any further making it all a waste of time. Weird part it allowed me to explain the route back to where my character was teleported from because that was how much detail I put into my notes. Why is it when I made a mistake as a dm I could perfectly remember what gear the party had so could mention they were carrying a magical weapon they knew about during a 5e game where I didn't realise were rats were immune to normal weapons instead of just resiistant which would have made more sense! I try to learn from my mistakes I wish the other dm did, but all he did was demonstrated he couldn't even run his own game properly which was annoying. I think I pissed him off by repeatedly telling them whilst I was running my game to ask any question they needed and made every effort to listen when they did and then he basically shat himself figuratively. Its a weird world and yes I have been told I've bene taking this too seriously, but when he can't even keep his own game straight only to jump settings when he's bored despite that not being possible if he actually paid attention to what had happened in his own game and how my game started. Maybe one day I'll be able to return to gaming, but it won't be with him I'm not sure what I do if we ended up playing at the same table and dming is not going to happen as I won't tolerate that crap any more. Apologies still trying to work that mess out of my system.
Honestly, there aren't many overarching plots going on in the game I play but I still bring a notebook and write down names and places and rewards at the very least.
What about the player whose every single character "somehow" just has really bad memory? How does that rank against the player whose every character is a "lone wolf" and is constantly running off to do their own thing?
Some people are just not good at taking notes. I was an honor roll student all through grade school yet even to this day still a terrible note taker. If I stop to take notes, I can't fully grasp what's being said to me. Best I can do is try to remember and write down notes after
>upset people put "cliff notes" of your points in comments >refuses to actually outdo them Now that a proper anti dnd grafter 😂 Wants all the money but none of tbe grafting. 😮
Unfortunately some of us have neurodivirgant brains that make taking notes really difficult while also participating. In my case when I take notes, if you then take away the paper and ask me what I wrote I have no memory of it. None. I can either pay full attention or take notes. Not both. My lack of note taking has always seemed to annoy neurotypical people, especially past bosses, to the point a therapist suggested I just pretend to take them to put others at ease. It is disheartening how well that seemed to "fix" my issues, at least as perceived by those around me.
And sometimes deliberately ruin their campaign out of spite towards that player whose done nothing to merit that reaction, but that DM needs to feel better about themselves despite that action showing them up to be an inept unimaginative moron whose malignant nature will eventually lead to alienating whatever friends they do have. And those who thought they were friends until the above behaviour makes it abundantly clear they're not.
#1 being THAT GUY #2 splitting the party #3 not knowing spells and skills #4 not knowing what to do when their turns comes #5 casting one die at a time
DM here. I actually enjoy when the party splits up because it allows for situations and character dynamics that otherwise would not occur. Additionally, you can play moments off of each other and create mini cliffhangers as you cut from one group to the other. With that said, it doesn't not work for every DM or player. Avoid this unless you have proper buy in from the group.
I DM for some causals and filthy casuals. I told them this time in session zero to take notes during the game and pay attention to game notes I post. The filthy casuals have not taken notes, this has so far nibbled them on the but tocks. But in a few sessions it will be a nice bite.
Why write down notes if you're not going to review them? Because writing things down helps you remember. I'm one of those weird people who can actually remember what happened in previous sessions the next session and don't take notes. I can even remember things that have happened in sessions a long time ago.
"Preferably legible to yourself at least" I feel personally attacked. My current PC has some sort of jar that neither the DM or myself can identify. Google and spellcheck have no idea either.
🔥 DM LAIR PATREON | Get loads of 5e and PF2e adventures, traps, puzzles, monsters, and Foundry VTT modules to help you reduce your prep time and run amazing games! www.patreon.com/thedmlair
I just had to pause this @2:38 to let you know that I totally was *not* thinking up this comment.
"Listen to understand, not respond" is a great life tip for everyone.
Not taking notes can end a campaign. It's very disrespectful to the DM. "Why are we in this dungeon?" is a terrible thing to ask at the start of a session.
We had someone take very good notes, he was not able to play while taking notes.
Because my old group had seven players we used to have a big roll of butcher paper and we'd put that on the table underneath all our stuff. Like during our session zero while I was walking them through everything, most of them were drawing their characters so everyone can see what they looked like and they draw the mazes and the riddles I'd give them or even draw out the keys that I would give just in case say can look at the lock and match it later
I have a bad memory and I am a horrible not taker, I remember we battles fish men and pirates' in the last session..
Players with ADHD can struggle to actively listen, especially for long periods of time. Ginny Di did a video a while ago on playing with ADHD.
I'm one of these people.
ASD (level 1)/ ADHD (inattentive and hyperactive)
I have been tested and have documentation showing that I have severely impaired fine motor skills with my hands. Furthermore, my daughter has ADHD as well (and is most likely autistic, but We haven't gotten a diagnosis yet).
When she was tested, the neurologist Indicated that one component of ADHD is impaired auditory processing. In other words, if someone like the DM is spewing A ton of words, we literally cannot process it well, and I Literally cannot keep up with any note taking. If we see it written down, then we instantly master the information
I understand the importance of notes but if the attitude Is that a person who doesn't take notes doesn't care about the game then we cannot play the game.
And If it gets to that point then the DM cannot claim to run an inclusive table, as by design neruodivergent players will be excluded
I didn't realize this was a thing. Literally every game I am either running or playing in has someone compiling a recap. Been that way for the decades I have been playing. Sometimes it's me, most of the time it's a player. Some are better than others, but in each game someone has notes. I prefer the players doing it, because something is always lost in translation, and this leads to some interesting follow-on sessions. (I pull most of it out of my butt, for sure.) Excellent video, thanks.
If I'm taking notes, I can't actively listen to what is being said, by other players or the DM, my brain can't focus on both, so for me the first point of this video negates the rest of it. On the other hand, because I'm paying attention, I can actively participate in the conversation and have no trouble to remember the overall events happening. For me, worrying too much about notes is a mistake as well...
Try to take notes in the after session. It will cement what you remembered by writing it down, and you can ask the DM for anything you were unsure on. That way you’re enjoying the session, and are still note taking incredibly close to the time an event happens.
@@ShadowDreamer100 It could even be some in character journal after a day of adventuring, depending on the context.
@@luizandrade6900 I would love to do that, but our days are mostly 3-5 sessions long. Not really a viable strategy to write a diary about something that happened a month ago
"I assure you, our butts are filled with _endless_ crap we are happy to present to the world"
Thanks for a good laugh this morning XD
Someone in Luke's in person game needs to see this video, and it's not to learn how to take notes.
My notes are very cryptic. They are just scribbles and ugly drawings, but I still am able to recap what happened on my last session to my friends in a non-cryptic manner.
Active listener here... or maybe just a pedant ?
Typically people *_spout_* drivel rather than *_sprout_* it... 🤓
Although I must admit to often being guilty of both 😉
I have found that a bound notebook works against proper notetaking. Instead, what I like to do is get many 3x5 cards or unbound paper to take the notes on. This way, as I discover that things need to change all I need to do is alter the position of the papers. In addition, each campaign will be placed into its own binder which contains those notes plus gm handouts and other additional information. Yes, a 3-session campaign can get ALOT of information in there.
I have adhd and in my first d&d group I asked everyone if I could voice record every session so I can take detailed notes. I told them I would do it if unanimous. I shared the Google docs and spreadsheets with my group.
Notes are good but can take different forms. Personally, as a player I write journals and detail what my character has seen in the previous game. As a GM, I give small rewards for those that journal in my game and post them on our gaming discord. I really like journals. As a player, it helps me keep in mind what we have done and what the important things are to do and remember what happened along the way. As a GM, it gives me insight as to where my players are, how they feel, how their characters feel, and where I may need to tweak things going forward.
Taking notes during a session can be hard for DM’s so I suggest recording each session. I just use the voice memos app on my phone. Then I can relisten later. Being the DM is distracting and it helps to catch comments that I may have missed and remember things that I made up on the fly that I didn’t have time to write down while they were happening.
Thank you! This was a great video for my players to watch.
If you won't go to the effort of reading your notes, you don't really want to play.
I'm the notetaker of my group, and the only problem i have is that when it's my turn to engage actively, i can't write and think of what to say/ do at the same time. Everyone else i write down detailed accounts of their conversations, but for mine it's bullet points cause I'm hastily writing it after the interaction is finished
Not remembering what happened last time is a bigger issue when you meant less than weekly. My group is every other week (if we're lucky). Most of the time, half of them don't remember what happened last time. We're playing Deadlands, so I offer a Benny for whoever wants to do the recap. And it's almost always one of the same two who does it. The other two come to the session and literally have no idea what happened 2 or 3 weeks ago, whenever we last played. It's super frustrating to me as a GM, because they ignore tons of clues for simply not remembering them. At this point, we've been playing Deadlands 18 months and played D&D for almost 3 years before this, if they're going to forget clues, it's on them. But yes it is super frustrating.
I'd be interested in seeing how you use a specific method (like Cornell) with TTRPGs! Yes please
I usually take note that matter to MY CHARACTER so if I'm playing a barely literate one with nature Druid, and we find high tech plans for a rocket launcher... well, I didn't bother writing those plans down. The Wizard or Artificier who was interested in that stuff should have taken notes about it. I've had DMs get upset with me for this, but "taking notes" isn't just a single player's job. I'm not a stenographer! I care to remember what my character would find important, not every single data point that may/may not have happened. I remember playing where making maps of dungeons were something that us players would be responsible for. I always jot stuff down, and I understand that I've been playing much longer than a lot of the people I play with, but even if you take notes that are barely legible, it is showing that you are an invested player.
I could imagine a perk to the discord would be curated resource lists.
Notes are good for players and DMs
I love good note takers
I try to take notes myself while I’m running the game to remember something for later
Going meta by telling us to take notes on the video. Bravo!
I have two problems:
First, i have a terrible memory. so naturally i would highly benefit from taking notes. BUT...
Second, i just cant do multitasking, If i am listening to my DM then i am listening to him, if i write a note then I'm writing a note.
IF i try to do both then i lose the thread entirely. there are times when i wrote something down and the moment i look up i have absolutely no idea what happened, not what the DM or Players said but also what they did, or if they rolled some dice.
I wish i could do both because i love the Campaign, every one of my party members and DM.
But i just have to rely on my poor memory and the notes that one of our party member writes.
Our sessions usually last roughly 9 hours (with breaks of course), so there is a lot happening every session but it is this way because we play not regularly. it is not uncommon that one or two moths pass between sessions. (we are playing this campaign for over 3 years now i think)
Back when I played in an actual group that didn't turn into an online mess I took notes and even wrote up what happened in a session until that particular game ended and didn't go any further making it all a waste of time.
Weird part it allowed me to explain the route back to where my character was teleported from because that was how much detail I put into my notes.
Why is it when I made a mistake as a dm I could perfectly remember what gear the party had so could mention they were carrying a magical weapon they knew about during a 5e game where I didn't realise were rats were immune to normal weapons instead of just resiistant which would have made more sense!
I try to learn from my mistakes I wish the other dm did, but all he did was demonstrated he couldn't even run his own game properly which was annoying.
I think I pissed him off by repeatedly telling them whilst I was running my game to ask any question they needed and made every effort to listen when they did and then he basically shat himself figuratively.
Its a weird world and yes I have been told I've bene taking this too seriously, but when he can't even keep his own game straight only to jump settings when he's bored despite that not being possible if he actually paid attention to what had happened in his own game and how my game started.
Maybe one day I'll be able to return to gaming, but it won't be with him I'm not sure what I do if we ended up playing at the same table and dming is not going to happen as I won't tolerate that crap any more.
Apologies still trying to work that mess out of my system.
5:18 our butts indeed are filled with endless crap 😂
Watching videos like this one that offer advice that is an asked for an unwanted lol
Honestly, there aren't many overarching plots going on in the game I play but I still bring a notebook and write down names and places and rewards at the very least.
Solution is to give inspiration to the player who does recap and also checks notes to remind players of important stuff.
5:18 I agree 1000%
great tips
What about the player whose every single character "somehow" just has really bad memory? How does that rank against the player whose every character is a "lone wolf" and is constantly running off to do their own thing?
Some people are just not good at taking notes. I was an honor roll student all through grade school yet even to this day still a terrible note taker. If I stop to take notes, I can't fully grasp what's being said to me. Best I can do is try to remember and write down notes after
Am I just childish that I laughed at "our butts are filled with endless crap that we are happy to present to the world to marvel at" ?
>upset people put "cliff notes" of your points in comments
>refuses to actually outdo them
Now that a proper anti dnd grafter 😂
Wants all the money but none of tbe grafting. 😮
We have a shared Google doc for player notes.
#1 player mistake: Not bringing snacks to the session and expecting the GM or other players to provide them.
Anyone know where he gets his shirts? They are so nice.
Unfortunately some of us have neurodivirgant brains that make taking notes really difficult while also participating.
In my case when I take notes, if you then take away the paper and ask me what I wrote I have no memory of it. None. I can either pay full attention or take notes. Not both.
My lack of note taking has always seemed to annoy neurotypical people, especially past bosses, to the point a therapist suggested I just pretend to take them to put others at ease.
It is disheartening how well that seemed to "fix" my issues, at least as perceived by those around me.
Someone is going to eat the last piece of pizza.
When players dont take notes, its so tough. Too much time spent going over past events.
Anyone ever have success with a note sharing system?
Can you google the Cornell note-taking system for me?
Well I mean, someone does have to get the last slice of pizza 😀🍕.
And sometimes deliberately ruin their campaign out of spite towards that player whose done nothing to merit that reaction, but that DM needs to feel better about themselves despite that action showing them up to be an inept unimaginative moron whose malignant nature will eventually lead to alienating whatever friends they do have.
And those who thought they were friends until the above behaviour makes it abundantly clear they're not.
#1 being THAT GUY
#2 splitting the party
#3 not knowing spells and skills
#4 not knowing what to do when their turns comes
#5 casting one die at a time
What about when the GM doesn’t remember what happened last session?
You fire him! 🤣
@@theDMLair Then I might have to take over the campaign, I don’t have time. 😃
Though now you could feed the game session audio to AI and ask it to take notes 😂
Mmmmm, Bacon! 🤤
Dang it, anyone got notes I can copy?
Perhaps we sent the video to players to grow your channel? :)
I say nah
Stinky people need a reminder every now and then that the rest of us appreciate it when people bathe and smell pleasant.
my dm said that we derailed the campaign so hard that now is a completely new original and interesting story
how does that fare?
The #1 player mistake? SPLITTING THE PARTY!
DM here. I actually enjoy when the party splits up because it allows for situations and character dynamics that otherwise would not occur. Additionally, you can play moments off of each other and create mini cliffhangers as you cut from one group to the other.
With that said, it doesn't not work for every DM or player. Avoid this unless you have proper buy in from the group.
Been a long time since High School, Luke now needs glasses. Just saying.
I DM for some causals and filthy casuals. I told them this time in session zero to take notes during the game and pay attention to game notes I post. The filthy casuals have not taken notes, this has so far nibbled them on the but tocks. But in a few sessions it will be a nice bite.
Someone mustve smelled AWFUL in his recent session.
Well theres your problem right there why your notes stink. You said to write down crap...
He is really stuck on the BO thing. 😅
Hollywood aims for two hours for entertaining and has a crew of hundreds to do it.
Fine, you don't suck.
Under 1 hour gang
Why write down notes if you're not going to review them? Because writing things down helps you remember. I'm one of those weird people who can actually remember what happened in previous sessions the next session and don't take notes. I can even remember things that have happened in sessions a long time ago.
I run all my games online, so be as stinky as you want in my games 🤣
I should send a request to Weird Al to see if he will do a D&D version of 2 Live Crew's "Nasty as they Wanna Be"
Yesss...drag Disney...
As a DM, I take lots of notes. Even as a player. I know the importance
"Preferably legible to yourself at least"
I feel personally attacked. My current PC has some sort of jar that neither the DM or myself can identify. Google and spellcheck have no idea either.
Thumbs up for the accurate Disney jab 😂
Why do people not shower? Uh it's depression my guy...
No excuse not to shower
@@tater7105 you seem like somebody who really struggles with context comprehension.
@@tater7105 you probably would walk up to someone and say your depression is no excuse 🤣 meanwhile you use the name tater 🤣🤣
Maybe they are French.
Nobody would have a hard time remembering what happened if the game wasn't boring.
That’s not always the reason
You seem too arogant