GM resources?

[cold_breaker]

Hey guys, I'm a newbie GM and I'm trying to figure out some GM resources for myself. Let me explain.

While writing my first campaign, I have plenty of ideas, but one criticism I have of the books is it doesn't exactly give you the best resources for organizing those ideas. I've tried emulating the formats of the pre-made stuff, but I find in my experience that for most non-canned adventures, that's actually a terrible format. In an open world (e.g. anything you make in the fate system) it's almost better to just generate the facts, and fill in the details during game play.

So, my thoughts are thus: I'll make several forms: one for NPCs (basically a compact character sheet that I can fill out as much of or as little of as I see fit) a location form and possibly an event / scene form.

The NPC form will be a one page sheet where you can fill in name, concept, aspects, powers, stunts, etc. Basically a charactor sheet compressed down to 2/3rds of a page, and leave a space for a paragraph summary so you can make notes about someones attitudes or personality, or for short term npcs just write out their basic actions during a conflict.

The location sheet will need a name and have a fairly big box to sketch the layout of a location (like a floorplan of an apartment, or a map of a park) - bigger areas can always be drawn out seperate and attached instead. It'll have a place for a concept and 2-3 aspects and a large area for points of interest - I imagine using this for things like natural obstacles someone might use in a fight or clues that the scene might have... I'll probably also leave a small box for about a paragraph of notes. I think my tactic for large buildings will be to break them into smaller locations and improvise for the ones that don't have anything of note in them.

Finally, I will have an event / scene form. This will be for the events that I'm fairly sure will happen in some form (the players can theoretically derail anything, but if the NPCs are planning something, this is where I plan out the details.) This sheet I'm having the hardest time with though: I'll probably give it a name or something for my use, and as always a few slots for aspects (probably more than locations get since NPCs might have made some preperations) - I'm thinking I'm going to give an area to list possible locations that could 'host' said event (e.g. this could happen in the park, 8th street warehouse, etc. depending on what's appropriate) and another for involved NPCs (which can always be tweaked depending on how appropriate things are) and obviously a fairly large area to describe what exactly is supposed to go on...

So, any thoughts? I'd love some feedback from experienced GMs and scenario writers - anything I should add to these forms that I haven't listed? Another type of form I should create that I haven't already thought of maybe?

[S1C0]

try random encounter flash cards flip a card get an encounter anything from a drive by shooting to a small white bunny that incites you to follow it, and a bit of the old cheap dry erase boards for the aspects/floor-plan if you do not like paper and remember in any rpg the pcs are prone to over-thinking way too much so, do not go to crazy defining stuff half the fun is in seeing if the look for the treasure you spent hours stating and hiding in a very specific way and , further remember they can make declarations based on the available variables. that's about all i got without knowing the Campaign type you were after
ie: hack and slash , adventure into realms unknown , day to day grind , post apocalyptic wasteland.   

[cold_breaker]

I'm not looking for random encounter style posts or a campaign made for me. I'm looking for an appropriate way to organize my own (personally made) campaign. Ideally, it would provide me with a way of remembering to generate the little details I might not think of when I'm just brainstorming the story (such as additional clues and such)

Basically, my understanding of GMing DFRPG is you need to create the environment and a problem, and let your players sort it out (making sure you have some default ways to do so). An example of this is building a haunted house with clues and angry ghosts in it, and then throwing your players into it and seeing what happens. I want a way to remember the parts that are actually required (the environments, the npcs, and theoretically any larger events I would like to happen)

[S1C0]

opps sorry still new at this posting bit try one of those multifold portfolio folder with the tabs marked clearly on the key word or however you remember the specific setting, and your earlier idea does seem pretty sound ,also try a rule of three format like Encounter Environment Enemy  it could help keep your paper trail down to just 3 pages if you hand write thus making it easier to keep accounting for stuff

[Haru]

Well, I think you'll need to find your own way. For myself, I would find sheets of paper like you suggest far to large and clunky. I prefer index cards for that.

You don't have to write down every detail in advance. More often than not, your players will throw you a curveball, and you'll be much more flexible, if you keep an open mind. Flesh out your main NPCs just like the PCs are. If you know how they are going to act and what their goals are, you can react to how the PCs foil those plans.
Keep any other NPCs a bit broader, so the players can declare around on them a bit. A guard who suddenly (as in has always had, but it is suddenly revealed) has a "gambling addiction" is only possible, if you make it so.

[S1C0]

[quote/] A guard who suddenly (as in has always had, but it is suddenly revealed) has a "gambling addiction" is only possible, if you make it so.
[/quote]


i agree and say +1 to Haru good advice and example

[Sanctaphrax]

Dunno if this is exactly what you're looking for, but I've got a character sheet I'm very fond of. Use it if you like.

Here's a blank sheet:

(click to show/hide)

Name (Level)

Backstory

High Concept:
Trouble Aspect:
Other Aspects:
Skills:
Superb:
Great:
Good:
Fair:
Average:
Stunts:
Powers:
Total Refresh Cost:
Refresh Total:

Head over to the Generic NPC thread on the resource board if you want to see this sheet in action.

(You'll notice that sometimes the sheet is altered somewhat to accommodate information about spellcasting and other such things. But the basic template doesn't change.)

[Lavecki121]

Not sure if this is the best thread for it but I didn't feel like making a new thread, I was making a single challenging opponent for my group of PC and the rules say to spend 1&1/2 of total refresh on powers on your NPC, that would make the refresh to spend 30 though. Is that right or am I reading the rules wrong. There are five PC s and they have all don't four refresh on powers

[Haru]

Sounds about right. Though keep in mind, that the fight will probably still be over quite quickly. Either because you oneshot everything (20 points of refresh anyone?) or because your characters just have the bad guy outactioned 5:1. You could go with some zone attack powers or even scene attack powers (aura of despair or something similar). Or you could split those 30 refresh up into multiple characters. 20+5+5 for example, and it will be a much different fight.

[Lavecki121]

True, thanks. Just wanted to make sure I did it right.

[fantazero]

Example Thug
High Concept: Gang Member
Skills All +2
Stress
Mental ( ) ( )
Physical ( ) ( )
Social ( )

Example Mini Boss Bad guy
High Concept
Trouble
Aspect
+4 everything
Stress ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Mental( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Physical ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Social
Mild
Mild
Mod

But most details can be filled in during play, it's not like you want to write out a book. Because
1. You're characters won't ever do what you expect
2. No one wants to play in your novel

Honestly you can just "wing it" as you go
Never understood why people spent so much time planning

[Sanctaphrax]

Not sure if this is the best thread for it but I didn't feel like making a new thread, I was making a single challenging opponent for my group of PC and the rules say to spend 1&1/2 of total refresh on powers on your NPC, that would make the refresh to spend 30 though. Is that right or am I reading the rules wrong. There are five PC s and they have all don't four refresh on powers

Don't take those rules too seriously. They don't work especially well as anything more than a loose guideline.

[Taran]

I'm a bit of a scatter brain and so I usually organize my notes by scene.  I can usually squeeze 2 or three scenes on a regular sheet of lined paper.
***
Like this:

Scene 1:  Wendyll Sacks' House:
     NPC's :  Wendyll Sacks; John Black; Paula Sammuel

Aspects: Warm and comfy seats; Crackling fire
  - Wendyll tells Sindy about the boats coming in
                 People have gone missing
                 One of the boats have disappeared
    -Compel on Sindy's aspect "loyalty to family"?
  - Blah blah.

Scene 2:  The Docks

***
It's easier for me to break it down like that and have Short version of each NPC (like the ones presented in this thread on a peice of paper organized by scene.  (so one sheet of paper for the 3 NPC's in that scene.)  Otherwise I forget stuff that I wanted to mention...mostly info I need to advance the plot.  And I jot down a few compels that might be relevant for the scene and may come up....in case I can't think of any on the fly.

Edit: 
also, as things get added to the city, I compile it on Obsidian Portal.  It's been super helpful.  Especially with PbP games and Skype games where everyone can access and modify the their info/characters and city stuff.

I've printed out the cheat sheet from the book that includes the Ladder and the difficulties, which is super helpful and I have a sheet of paper with every aspect in the campaign organized by category (city level; character level; NPC's; Locations) So I have a quick reference for compels.

[fantazero]

I've never felt the need to "plan" what scenes will be in a game.
it feels like rail roading to me (a pet peeve)

GM You find out people are missing at the docks?
Character I'll roll my Contacts see if I know anyone at the docks,  (+8) I do, I'll just call them.

or
GM you find out people are missing at the docks
Character "Why would we care about that? Right now we have to blah blah blah"

or
GM you find out people are missing at the docks
Character "I think I know someone at the docks (Rolls a -4) Nope.

Or during play the GM causes two character to get mad at each other
Character 1. There is time for the docks later, but first a duel at the park in an hour, my honor will be satsified
Character 2. Deal
I guess what i'm saying is, the next scene doesn't have to be at the docks. 

[Taran]

Yeah, hence the outline instead of a detailed run-down.  The players usually tell me where they want to go BEFORE the game session.  They say,

"we need to talk to Wendyll Sacks", "we want to investigate the Docks" etc..

I then do an outline for each of those places so I'm prepared.  While I like doing things with rolls, my players tend role-play things out instead of just do a contacts roll - and besides not everything can be done with a roll...for instance:

GM you find out people are missing at the docks
Character "I think I know someone at the docks (Rolls a -4) Nope.

Character: huh...maybe we should go down and talk to people.

*****

I don't like rail-roading either.  I'm happy we agree.

EDIT:  also, just because I wrote #2 beside the docs it doesn't mean that's going to be the second place they'll go...It's just a list...