Mike Miller on Grinning Rat

Been in games where I've taken no notes, and games where I annotated almost everything. Depends on the game, I guess. The systems run most have a set of "Ignobles" (Achievements) which must be checked to level up. Players MUST write down their "Fame" and "Personal Growth" Ignobles (especially so I can copy them down and the end of a session). Otherwise, whatever you want to take notes of, take notes of. "Fame" is the important one for me to devise future hooks and encounters. If you take a Fame Ignoble for, say, killing Lord Skinny, I need to note that down because Lord Skinny's allies now have a problem with you. The Fame Ignoble absolutely implies either other people are spreading the tale, or you're bragging about it at taverns between missions. Cuz, FAME! If players later need to know something the players have forgotten everyone can make the system equivalent of an intelligence check for me to remind them... Which is a simple and obvious mechanic for memory... Or, last week, at a con, running a sci-fi armor trooper game none of my players had heard before, I had the squad leader roll on "Event Triggered Orders" (so, data files hidden in a neural implant triggered by a specific situation). If the Sarge made his ETO roll (about 75% chance of success) I'd give them hints about what they should do (skills, which Troopers to activate - half the squad was swapped in and out of cryostorage - etc). OK, nothing to do with note taking, but just stating one can use game mechanics to remind players of what they may have forgotten, or (with new/inexperienced players) provide hints.