Action Dice Tracking Technique

[Psion]

Thought I'd share my new technique.

Don't know if any of you other GCs out there have a problem with action dice, but I frequently find I forget to hand them out, have trouble keeping track of who got the most so I can spread them around, and reconstructing how many went out for the purposes of handing out XP.

So, I came up with the idea of tracking this using the GC screen. Here's what I did:

First, I simply went into excel and made a one column chart that has:
- The session time listed in reverse order in 20 minute intervals (in excel, you can do this by entering the end time in A1, enter "=A1-TIME(0,20,0)" in A2, and then using the grabber to pull it down until you have the session start time.
- Then I skip a space and list the name of all the characters.
- Left/middle justify the cells
- Create lined borders in the time list and the names list
- Adjust column heights to 25

The result looks like this (note, I cut off times after 14:00/2PM so I could show you the agents "block"):


Now, I print that out, and cut out the "bar" I've just made.

Then, I take some tape tape it on the top of the inside plastic flap of my GC screen (I use the Savage Worlds customizable screen with the Spycraft screen in it). When it's sideways like this, the time is ascending as you read left-to-right. Also note that I put my agent names in reverse alphabetical order, so they'd be alphabetical left-to-right when turned sideways.

If you don't use a GC screen, you could use some other convenient surface, like the corner of a folder, a fold-up battlemat, or whatever.

Other than that, all you need is a box of colored paper clips.

Now, at the beginning of the session, stick a different color of paper clip over the name of each PC in attendance. This serves as a reminder of which PC is assigned what color.

Then, as play progresses, stick a paper clip of the appropriate color on the next open time slot. It doesn't matter if the time actually matches; the time is only there as a reminder if you aren't meeting the 20-30 minute recommended interval for assigning action dice. You also have a visual reminder of who you have been doling the most AD to, to remind you to send some AD at some other players.

Then when you are done, no need to try to remember who got what. Just pack up your stuff, and when you are figuring out XP later, just pull it out and count 'em up.

Here's what my screen looked like after today's session:



As you can see, WHEELS racked up the AD, with the other players coming in about even (except AUSTIN, whose player couldn't attend.)

[Agent 333]

Very nice idea. If I actually tracked XP I'd definately think of doing something like that. As is, I just give everyone a level every other session or so, and Action Dice are their own reward.

[Psion]

Very nice idea. If I actually tracked XP I'd definately think of doing something like that. As is, I just give everyone a level every other session or so, and Action Dice are their own reward.

It's not just for tracking XP. I could also see using this at cons where I don't track XP, but I do need to be reminded to keep the flow of AD going and to help me be equitable.

[MugMug]

I just use cheap, plastic poker chips (white for starting; red for awards which convert to blue upon use). I stack in front of me the number of red chips I want to award over the course of the adventure (I don't count them, just eyeball the stack) which provides immediate visual feedback of progress. I'm not slavish about it, though. Nights with slow or poor play won't see all awarded; nights of exceptional play see the stack augmented.

But hey, I fully support more people in this world using Excel.

Walter

[Agent 333]

As for tracking actual dice, I hand out Spycraft CCG cards. Much easier to figure out how many you have and not accidentally mix with your other dice...

[Gentry]

I just use cheap, plastic poker chips (white for starting; red for awards which convert to blue upon use).

I also do this. When a white or red action die chip gets tossed back at me during use, I swap it for a blue one the player can use as a placeholder. As has been stated elsewhere, payers are usually really good at tracking their own bonuses. 

Poker chips also provide a nice tactile game element (CCG cards would work too, in this regard), and as a player spends them, there's a fun vibe of "going all in".

[Crafty_Alex]

I just use cheap, plastic poker chips (white for starting; red for awards which convert to blue upon use). I stack in front of me the number of red chips I want to award over the course of the adventure (I don't count them, just eyeball the stack) which provides immediate visual feedback of progress. I'm not slavish about it, though. Nights with slow or poor play won't see all awarded; nights of exceptional play see the stack augmented.

But hey, I fully support more people in this world using Excel.

Walter

This incidentally is how the team does it too.

[Krensky]

Igenerally rely on my players to remember they were given dice, although the pile of award dice at the begining of the night is something I'll have to try. I need to give more dice out.

[Psion]

Oh, I use poker chips to hand out, it just doesn't tell me immediately who got how many and how recently.

[MugMug]

This incidentally is how the team does it too.

I think I picked it up from Pat, come to think of it.

Walter

[Desertpuma]

I know I got it from Pat.

Everyone gets white to start and then I had out blue ones while keeping red for myself. I make it a point to have them use the ADs they start with first and if they need to use the rewarded ADs, then I give them a red to replace it.

I also had a set for a while where they started with white and I had black. I rewarded with green and exchanged for red with blue being specific gains based on class ability (like the Grunt at the beginning of combat).

[Bill Whitmore]

For action dice, I hand out the white poker chips to start.  When someone earns an action die, I hand out both a white and red chip.  The whites are to spend the reds are reminder that they were awarded the die.  It makes it easy to see who has received action dice and it acts as a reminder for XP at the end of the game.

[Pheonyx]

I got a hold of a ton of a certain poker chip game's chips that I use... one color for starting AD, another color for the GC's AD and another different color for AD handed out in game. When they use the gained AD I have them place it front of them so I can keep track for XP purposes.

I do like the system that you made for your game, Psion... it works quite well for home games, and I may have to try it.

Ashes to ashes,
Pheonyx

[Trigger]

I got a ton of Spycraft CCG cards.  Maybe thats what I'll use them for instead of collecting dust.  Never thought of using cards.

[tracker7]

When I was running 7th Sea a lot, I used the little Hershey's Treasures candies for Drama Dice - they looked like little treasure chests, so genre-appropriate.

I've carried that over to Spycraft with a grab-bag of Hershey's miniatures. Somebody does something cool, they get candy. Spend the AD, eat the candy. Rewards all around.