Info Sheets

[DougRed4]

I've realized - especially with some of my players - that when it comes to info dumps and other verbal communications, they sometimes lose focus. Often some piece of information that's already been communicated will be asked again later in the session.

Some people just don't process or learn as well auditorily, which is why it's often wise to engage the other senses. In other words, to give them something to look at and/or touch and feel. In this case, I decided in my next session I'm going to use some simple handouts, rather than just telling them the information.

To make things easier, today I decided to print out some strips of paper with tiered layers of info, depending on how well each player does in their skill roll. The case in point will be how much knowledge they gain about the planet they're arriving at, which is Bandomeer. Those who roll higher - with the skill of Planetary Systems - will greater amounts of info.

Then I'll give them a strip of paper with the info they learned. For instance, if somebody only rolls a 2, they'll get a slip that says:

Very Easy (1-5): One of the first inhabitable worlds in the Outer Rim territories as one travels via the Hydian Way

Players that roll up to a 10 will get one that reads:

Very Easy (1-5): One of the first inhabitable worlds in the Outer Rim territories as one travels via the Hydian Way
Easy (6-10): An undesirable, polluted, and miserable planet reduced to strip mines and industrial wastes, long controlled by mining interests; it is made up of one expansive land mass and the enormous Great Sea (each taking up roughly half of the surface)

and (being as there will only be one sheet with each bit of info) they'll have to pass it to other players at that 'level'.

The entire information block (which a player would get if they get a Heroic result) reads as:

Very Easy (1-5): One of the first inhabitable worlds in the Outer Rim territories as one travels via the Hydian Way
Easy (6-10): An undesirable, polluted, and miserable planet reduced to strip mines and industrial wastes, long controlled by mining interests; it is made up of one expansive land mass and the enormous Great Sea (each taking up roughly half of the surface)
Moderate (11-15): Common society is made up of two main groups: miners and native Meerians, the former far outnumbering the latter
Difficult (16-20): The infamous deepsea mining platforms are spoken of in hushed tones, as they are brutal and more dangerous than the spice mines of Kessel; fewer than one in four survive five year deployments
Very Difficult (21-30): Home to one of the most recognized Ithorian expatriate populations in the Outer Rim; they’ve been the subject of numerous celebrated holodocumentaries about “Meerian Hammerheads”; many unschooled Outer Rim denizens only know of Ithorian culture because of these
Heroic (31+): During the last years of the Republic, the Jedi exposed corruption and murder schemes that plagued Offworld Corporation, dooming their monopolistic hold on the world; 18 years ago the Imperial Army overwhelmed disrespectful Ionite miners who refused to honor their contracts and established control over the planet

What do you think? Seem like a better way of getting the players engaged, so they pay attention to (and grasp) the information?
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[shootingwomprats]

Thanks for sharing that. Quick, easy, informative and something useful!!!
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter