How to Keep Track of Player Options in Games : Best Techniques
What does “How to Keep Track of Player Options in Games” even mean?
“How to Keep Track of Player Options in Games” refers to remembering and organizing the different choices your player makes while playing the game. This can include the outfits or skin they chose, the league they select to play in, the skills and capabilities they grab along the way with each level. All game developers keep track of these choices made by each player for future reference.
Methods on “How to Keep Track of Player Options in Games”
Tracking player options is the key to maintaining a smooth gameplay. There are various methods you can use in order to keep track of player options in various games. Each of these listed below are capable of ensuring that the player has a good experience:
- Manual Tracking Techniques
- Digital Tools for Game Masters
- In Game Tracking for Video Games
- Automated Management Systems for Complex Campaigns
Manual Tracking Techniques
Manual Tracking is the simple and traditional technique to keep track of player options. A few examples are:
- Using notebooks or notepads to manually write down each player’s choice, the items they pick, the league they chose to play in, etc.
- Draw a timeline of the main choices made as the game processes.
- Use tokens or markers for extra lives obtained, or power ups.
Digital Tools for Game Masters
Certain digital tools can help game masters as well as game developers. Following are some digital tools you can use to keep track of player options and details:
- Spreadsheets (google or excel)
- Game Master Apps can help you track player stats.
- Note Taking Apps like Evernote and OneNote
- Digital Character Sheets like D&D Beyond
- Virtual Tabletop Tools (VTTs)
In-Game Tracking for Video Games
In-Game Tracking is done to remember players’ choices and stats in video games. Following are simple ways to do so:
- Save Systems for tracking player progress and to pick up where they left off.
- Data Structures
- Quest Logs to keep track of mission progress
- Dialogue trees to keep track of conversations made in the story
- Achievements and Trophies to let the player know what they have unlocked and how far they have come.
- Autosave Features in games.
Automated Management Systems for Complex Campaigns
Some games are big and complex and you cannot keep track of player choices manually or with the help of digital tools. That is when these automated management systems come into play. These systems help manage campaigns by tracking player options and game progress. Following are some examples of Automated Management Systems:
- Roll20
- Fantasy Grounds
- D&D Beyond
- Foundry Virtual Tabletop
- Kobold Fight Club
- Tabletop Simulator (main focus is board games but can be used for role playing games as well)
All of the above options are excellent choices for game masters to focus on storytelling and keep track of player interactions that affect the story.
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Organizational Techniques to Keep track of Player Options in Different Game Types
Different types of games require different techniques for organization and management. It is important to choose the appropriate technique for each type to let the games run smoothly. Following are some simple ways laid down for each type of game:
- Board Games and Tabletop RBGs
- Video Games and RPGs
- Live Action Role Playing (LARP Games)
Board Games and Tabletop RBGs
Board Games are games played on a flat surface, for example, monopoly and chess. Tabletop RPGs are role playing games that have characters for players, stories and dialogues for the game and are guided by the game masters. An example of a Tabletop Role Playing Game is Dungeons and Dragons. You can use the following techniques for Board Games and Tabletop RBGs:
- Character Sheets for RPGs
- Game Tokens or markers
- Quest Logs i.e. keep notes of missions and progress.
Video Games and RPGs
Role-playing video games are played on computers and mobile devices. The players control the characters and the storyline is played out in a virtual world. Some examples of these games are Fortnite, Super Mario, Skyrim and Final Fantasy. Following are the ways to keep track of player options in these games:
- Save Files
- Quest Logs
- Inventory Systems for weapons, equipments and other items
- Character Stats
- Achievements and Trophy System
- Maps
Live Action Role Playing (LARP)
Live Action Role Playing Games combine role playing with the real time world. It contains personalized outfits, dialogues, different plots and adventures. Following are some organizational techniques for LARP:
- Props and Costumes can help with tracking player options when it comes to LARP. Allot unique weapons, outfits and props to each character in order to differentiate between them easily.
- Character Sheets for personal story and choices of each player.
- Story Notes
- Maps and designated areas
- Draw timelines and note down important progress of each timeline and each character as the game proceeds.
Conclusion: The Importance of Tracking Player Options for Enhanced Gameplay
In conclusion, keeping track of player options in games is possible as well as crucial in order to provide an engaging experience to the players and smooth gameplay. There are various tools and methods such as manual, digital, software etc. Each game master can pick a tool or a combination of them according to the requirement of the game and their preferences
