I love note-taking games and I DON'T CARE if that sounds boring
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Date: 2023-12-10
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Comments and reviews: 30
-Spamhard
I've never been good at writing or reading, I blame it on the ADHD, but the idea of sitting and writing sends me into fits of wriggling immediately. It's a shame because I absolutely adore intricate notebooks with cute doodles. Plus a lot of my favourite game types are the sort you list as notebook games. I'm just glad all those games come with the accessibility of having in game notes too. Obra Dinn was a game I relied on the in game journal for the whole thing, and it was really well laid out and easy to navigate. I was surprised when I watched a friend playthrough it and they said they were taking notes irl too. Me like huh, yeah, i forgot you can do that. (Tbf as a result of irl note taking I do think they missed out on some of the in game journalling that could have made their progress easier. I'm glad indie games are keeping the love of note taking alive.
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I've never been good at writing or reading, I blame it on the ADHD, but the idea of sitting and writing sends me into fits of wriggling immediately. It's a shame because I absolutely adore intricate notebooks with cute doodles. Plus a lot of my favourite game types are the sort you list as notebook games. I'm just glad all those games come with the accessibility of having in game notes too. Obra Dinn was a game I relied on the in game journal for the whole thing, and it was really well laid out and easy to navigate. I was surprised when I watched a friend playthrough it and they said they were taking notes irl too. Me like huh, yeah, i forgot you can do that. (Tbf as a result of irl note taking I do think they missed out on some of the in game journalling that could have made their progress easier. I'm glad indie games are keeping the love of note taking alive.
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-animeluchia5405
Tbh, I actually have a game that I very often have to take notes on. It-s not too much, just got to keep track of a few things and afterwards I don-t -really- need to anymore, but it-s enough that I-ve started to work on a note taking program of sorts. See, there are a set number of tasks you can choose in a month (about a week or a little more for each task) and in order to unlock more, you need either certain stats, or have done a certain task a certain number of times. So, in order to take care of the latter- the certain task for a certain amount of times- I-m making a program that will keep track of what tasks I do when, and how many of a certain task I-ve done. I did this to make note taking easier, but to be quite honest- there-s going to be human error involved with the program unless I do a more advanced program- ADHD brain go brrr-
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Tbh, I actually have a game that I very often have to take notes on. It-s not too much, just got to keep track of a few things and afterwards I don-t -really- need to anymore, but it-s enough that I-ve started to work on a note taking program of sorts. See, there are a set number of tasks you can choose in a month (about a week or a little more for each task) and in order to unlock more, you need either certain stats, or have done a certain task a certain number of times. So, in order to take care of the latter- the certain task for a certain amount of times- I-m making a program that will keep track of what tasks I do when, and how many of a certain task I-ve done. I did this to make note taking easier, but to be quite honest- there-s going to be human error involved with the program unless I do a more advanced program- ADHD brain go brrr-
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-SamAmbridge
It's funny bc my fave game ever, Subnautica, is basically one of these games on accident. It has no maps, no real waypoints, and RNG based upgrade modules. Making the game near unplayable without making your own waypoints via Distance and landmarks or beacons. You use forums and fan made maps to find parts. You have to just. learn the game. which is frustrating. the reason for this is the same as the old ones tho, the processing power and memory required to make the game function as it does means they can't have these features. So when me and my husband play it I habe lime 4 tabs open, notes, and a bunch of other stuff. it's a duel experience. considering I don't PLAY games as much as I hang out with ppl during games it's so fun for me.
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It's funny bc my fave game ever, Subnautica, is basically one of these games on accident. It has no maps, no real waypoints, and RNG based upgrade modules. Making the game near unplayable without making your own waypoints via Distance and landmarks or beacons. You use forums and fan made maps to find parts. You have to just. learn the game. which is frustrating. the reason for this is the same as the old ones tho, the processing power and memory required to make the game function as it does means they can't have these features. So when me and my husband play it I habe lime 4 tabs open, notes, and a bunch of other stuff. it's a duel experience. considering I don't PLAY games as much as I hang out with ppl during games it's so fun for me.
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-kropotkinnie
pathologic classic hd and pathologic 2 are my favorite games of all time in both story and gameplay departments, no i am not joking, and i have an entire notebook dedicated to both where i took notes, drew little maps, wrote my thoughts on characters, and made wholeass diagrams for the crafting mechanisms in order to make it through the game. it's so cool now because i can go back and see the frenzy of my first runs and then see where i began to improve and try new things.
patho is also basically like a book that hands you occasional extreme suffering and feelings of helplessness, so it's def a reading game lol
i hope we get more games that have good old note taking and reading stuff
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pathologic classic hd and pathologic 2 are my favorite games of all time in both story and gameplay departments, no i am not joking, and i have an entire notebook dedicated to both where i took notes, drew little maps, wrote my thoughts on characters, and made wholeass diagrams for the crafting mechanisms in order to make it through the game. it's so cool now because i can go back and see the frenzy of my first runs and then see where i began to improve and try new things.
patho is also basically like a book that hands you occasional extreme suffering and feelings of helplessness, so it's def a reading game lol
i hope we get more games that have good old note taking and reading stuff
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-roflolmayopter
Honestly one of the most fun VR experiences I've ever had was playing The Red Stare, a short game where you play as a detective in the 50's staking out an apartment building across the street. You have a set of binoculars, a chalkboard and a polaroid camera. Your aim is to watch the tenants through the window and record their patterns and habits, and ultimately determine who in the building are communist spies. I've spent days worth of time in VR that were less memorable and rewarding as the couple hours I spent playing the Red Stare, I couldn't recommend it enough.
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Honestly one of the most fun VR experiences I've ever had was playing The Red Stare, a short game where you play as a detective in the 50's staking out an apartment building across the street. You have a set of binoculars, a chalkboard and a polaroid camera. Your aim is to watch the tenants through the window and record their patterns and habits, and ultimately determine who in the building are communist spies. I've spent days worth of time in VR that were less memorable and rewarding as the couple hours I spent playing the Red Stare, I couldn't recommend it enough.
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-ashleya3236
Note-taking is valuable for even casual games, especially if you get distracted by shiny new options and stop playing for 6 months.
However, my favorite application (aside from puzzles) is putting the role-playing into RPG. Be it D&D or Skyrim, I need a journal to keep my story straight. The first mod I always look for is a journal mod, too.
I'll definitely check out these games. I've avoided Tunic because the combat didn't jive with me, but the manual decryption is looking awfully tempting right now.
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Note-taking is valuable for even casual games, especially if you get distracted by shiny new options and stop playing for 6 months.
However, my favorite application (aside from puzzles) is putting the role-playing into RPG. Be it D&D or Skyrim, I need a journal to keep my story straight. The first mod I always look for is a journal mod, too.
I'll definitely check out these games. I've avoided Tunic because the combat didn't jive with me, but the manual decryption is looking awfully tempting right now.
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-rorrt
The other day I found a stack of about 12 notebooks from my teenage years, when I used to play Football Managers.
Formations, set pieces, scouting notes, transfer notes.
Back then I was like -well, this is COMPLETELY normal-. Maybe it's a sign that i'm well and truly on the spectrum. But I think everyone is.
I was back in my element when I started to play Telling Lies, an adventure mystery game. Jotting down words to search for. Terrific! I love it! Made by the same person who made Her Story.
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The other day I found a stack of about 12 notebooks from my teenage years, when I used to play Football Managers.
Formations, set pieces, scouting notes, transfer notes.
Back then I was like -well, this is COMPLETELY normal-. Maybe it's a sign that i'm well and truly on the spectrum. But I think everyone is.
I was back in my element when I started to play Telling Lies, an adventure mystery game. Jotting down words to search for. Terrific! I love it! Made by the same person who made Her Story.
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-Glacier_Nester
I'd really heartily recommend keepsake games! I love solo Tabletop rpgs like t
Thousand Year Old Vampire, Borealis, Punchcard Memories, or even Beyond Super! This video didn't give these games a ton of focus, but especially if you enjoy improvising a story, or like to write, dig further on the experiences this genre can give you, I promise you'll find something interesting!
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I'd really heartily recommend keepsake games! I love solo Tabletop rpgs like t
Thousand Year Old Vampire, Borealis, Punchcard Memories, or even Beyond Super! This video didn't give these games a ton of focus, but especially if you enjoy improvising a story, or like to write, dig further on the experiences this genre can give you, I promise you'll find something interesting!
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-stevethepocket
The menu system in _The Elder Scrolls: Arena_ included a built-in notebook app so you could take notes digitally using the full-scale keyboard and huge hard drive your computer already had anyway. Obviously that approach would never fly in this era of everything having to be on consoles, where having to whip out a physical notepad would actually be _less_ of a hassle.
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The menu system in _The Elder Scrolls: Arena_ included a built-in notebook app so you could take notes digitally using the full-scale keyboard and huge hard drive your computer already had anyway. Obviously that approach would never fly in this era of everything having to be on consoles, where having to whip out a physical notepad would actually be _less_ of a hassle.
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-rowdycatte7895
One of my favorite and easiest things to make, as a leatherworker, is a journal cover for A6 notebooks. I love to switch out the notebooks and put a certain game to a certain color. My current setup is a nice burgundy one, with Stardew Valley on one side, but if you flip it over and turn it upside down you got Morrowind. Little notebooks are just an absolute delight.
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One of my favorite and easiest things to make, as a leatherworker, is a journal cover for A6 notebooks. I love to switch out the notebooks and put a certain game to a certain color. My current setup is a nice burgundy one, with Stardew Valley on one side, but if you flip it over and turn it upside down you got Morrowind. Little notebooks are just an absolute delight.
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-amytysoe2292
It wasn't so much for the mystery, but I wne out and bought some compasses and coloured pencils so I could make a map for subnautica - i put 3 beacons down and would roughly triangulate the edges of regions and where caves were - really not what i'd expected going in but i loved it
my map of the lower depths was a bit less tody but no less fun to put together: )
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It wasn't so much for the mystery, but I wne out and bought some compasses and coloured pencils so I could make a map for subnautica - i put 3 beacons down and would roughly triangulate the edges of regions and where caves were - really not what i'd expected going in but i loved it
my map of the lower depths was a bit less tody but no less fun to put together: )
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-user-ut5nx6hm9d
I'm fond of taking this kind of approach with my ttrpgs actually. Each player has a Diary or journal that belongs to their character, and they can do whatever they want with them so long as they stay in character when writing in them. One of my players made a full on spellbook with diagrams, and when they ran out of pages they started adding more.
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I'm fond of taking this kind of approach with my ttrpgs actually. Each player has a Diary or journal that belongs to their character, and they can do whatever they want with them so long as they stay in character when writing in them. One of my players made a full on spellbook with diagrams, and when they ran out of pages they started adding more.
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-sub7se7en
That's too much work. I try to keep things organized in my head. I love when games make you think and remember information, and reward you for remembering, but I can't be bothered to actually grab a pen and paper and actually write it down. Gotta keep it rememberized, babyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I like the way Tunic does it. They wrote it down for me.
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That's too much work. I try to keep things organized in my head. I love when games make you think and remember information, and reward you for remembering, but I can't be bothered to actually grab a pen and paper and actually write it down. Gotta keep it rememberized, babyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I like the way Tunic does it. They wrote it down for me.
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-zmaj12321
I'm going to mention the underrated visual novel Sekimeiya: The Spun Glass. It's the most complex mystery I've seen in a video game, and it has a very nice in-game note-taking feature (though I know for sure that many players took their own notes. If you want a very complex mystery with lots of moving parts, I would strongly recommend.
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I'm going to mention the underrated visual novel Sekimeiya: The Spun Glass. It's the most complex mystery I've seen in a video game, and it has a very nice in-game note-taking feature (though I know for sure that many players took their own notes. If you want a very complex mystery with lots of moving parts, I would strongly recommend.
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-PROdotes
well. #hottake but. I have work for keeping notes in 20 different software suits. when I'm playing a game, I want everything to be in the game.
Games can still have puzzles and clues and stuff but they can be kept in the game as you discover them. like codexes in games like mass effect. that you can reference at any time.
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well. #hottake but. I have work for keeping notes in 20 different software suits. when I'm playing a game, I want everything to be in the game.
Games can still have puzzles and clues and stuff but they can be kept in the game as you discover them. like codexes in games like mass effect. that you can reference at any time.
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-emanate3014
I cut my teeth taking notes on Myst and later Riven! There's something special about looking at several pages of scribbles and symbols and knowing what they mean, while others might see them and have no context.
I also have a few pages of notes from Fez, and I instantly recognized the pages you held up at 10: 56. :-D
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I cut my teeth taking notes on Myst and later Riven! There's something special about looking at several pages of scribbles and symbols and knowing what they mean, while others might see them and have no context.
I also have a few pages of notes from Fez, and I instantly recognized the pages you held up at 10: 56. :-D
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polygon
I was playing Obduction and then moved. I have not played again because I know the notebook I was using is around here somewhere! Without it I basically have to start over because it has all my notes and I'd have no idea what I was doing if I tried to restart the save. And I have all my old Myst and Riven notes too.
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I was playing Obduction and then moved. I have not played again because I know the notebook I was using is around here somewhere! Without it I basically have to start over because it has all my notes and I'd have no idea what I was doing if I tried to restart the save. And I have all my old Myst and Riven notes too.
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-michellev8475
I came late to the Polygon party, so the first video I watched was Clayton's Black Box video. It blew my mind, and I loved the accessible complexity. He had many of the thoughts I always had about the game, but I could never articulate them half as well as he did. And, now, I live for Clayton's musings. ;)
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I came late to the Polygon party, so the first video I watched was Clayton's Black Box video. It blew my mind, and I loved the accessible complexity. He had many of the thoughts I always had about the game, but I could never articulate them half as well as he did. And, now, I live for Clayton's musings. ;)
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-DrZaius3141
EVERY game requires note-taking, if you play it the way I do. And sure, there are sub-genres - like Spreadsheetgames, Notepadgames, Postitgames and of course the OG Papergames - but if a game isn't deep enough that you can benefit from some notes, wouldn't that make the game kinda shallow and thus boring?
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EVERY game requires note-taking, if you play it the way I do. And sure, there are sub-genres - like Spreadsheetgames, Notepadgames, Postitgames and of course the OG Papergames - but if a game isn't deep enough that you can benefit from some notes, wouldn't that make the game kinda shallow and thus boring?
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-dogchaser520
-bald murder guy- really sums up Hitman.
I love games like this, though I don't often take serious notes. More just scribbles on scraps of paper. I wish more games provided high-quality tools to take notes in the game itself, too. They're often in there but usually as an afterthought.
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-bald murder guy- really sums up Hitman.
I love games like this, though I don't often take serious notes. More just scribbles on scraps of paper. I wish more games provided high-quality tools to take notes in the game itself, too. They're often in there but usually as an afterthought.
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-99xara99
I love games that require me to take notes, and then I love games that don't when I just want to turn my head off and not write anything down or decipher any riddles but just play. I have a notebook with all of my gaming notes in a drawer so I always know where to find my notes for any game.
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I love games that require me to take notes, and then I love games that don't when I just want to turn my head off and not write anything down or decipher any riddles but just play. I have a notebook with all of my gaming notes in a drawer so I always know where to find my notes for any game.
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-mrmiffmiff
Classic adventure games (both text and graphical) are of course great for this sort of thing. While the latter have been making some degree of comeback lately, both have had a thriving amateur scene for decades. Worth checking out some old contest results and magazines.
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Classic adventure games (both text and graphical) are of course great for this sort of thing. While the latter have been making some degree of comeback lately, both have had a thriving amateur scene for decades. Worth checking out some old contest results and magazines.
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polygon
Discovering SNES games (and others) as a kid is a cherished memory. I don't know if it's just that I'm an adult now or if modern games do take away much more from your imagination, but sometimes I just crave that active diving into other worlds that old games did for me.
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Discovering SNES games (and others) as a kid is a cherished memory. I don't know if it's just that I'm an adult now or if modern games do take away much more from your imagination, but sometimes I just crave that active diving into other worlds that old games did for me.
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polygon
I remember the old point and click monkey island games had one that came with a special decoder wheel. I don't think I was even more than 4-5 at the time, mostly watching my uncle play, but something about that analog component has stuck in my head a good 20 years later.
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I remember the old point and click monkey island games had one that came with a special decoder wheel. I don't think I was even more than 4-5 at the time, mostly watching my uncle play, but something about that analog component has stuck in my head a good 20 years later.
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-feathero3
I do miss getting a manual with my games. It was fun to read over for secrets or extra details and unique illustrations.
I also love note taking for games, but have never written an entire journal or notebooks worth! That's impressive and honestly sounds fun!
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I do miss getting a manual with my games. It was fun to read over for secrets or extra details and unique illustrations.
I also love note taking for games, but have never written an entire journal or notebooks worth! That's impressive and honestly sounds fun!
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-be1tube
Drawing a map on graph paper and taking notes was essential to early computer RPGs like The Bard's Tale, Ultima, or the Wizardry series. The early text adventures (Zork, Adventure/Colossal Cave) also assumed you'd draw a map (nodes and links style) and take notes.
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Drawing a map on graph paper and taking notes was essential to early computer RPGs like The Bard's Tale, Ultima, or the Wizardry series. The early text adventures (Zork, Adventure/Colossal Cave) also assumed you'd draw a map (nodes and links style) and take notes.
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-littledewdroplets
As someone who absolutely loved FEZ when I first played it in 2013, learned the alphabet and 100% the game. eventually you forget enough that it's almost like playing it for the first time again. Next time I do, I'll make sure to try journaling it
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As someone who absolutely loved FEZ when I first played it in 2013, learned the alphabet and 100% the game. eventually you forget enough that it's almost like playing it for the first time again. Next time I do, I'll make sure to try journaling it
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-nyakawaiidesu412
When I decided to play Pathologic Classic HD, my friend immediately sent me a 72-page pdf guide because, in the words of the actual game designer of this game, -you don't want players to know how to play your game-. I had great fun, though!
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When I decided to play Pathologic Classic HD, my friend immediately sent me a 72-page pdf guide because, in the words of the actual game designer of this game, -you don't want players to know how to play your game-. I had great fun, though!
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-ZoeyChuu
This is why teen me was so in love with the Professor Layton series. It encourages you to take notes, and while they did provide a tool to do so on the 3ds, I always preferred jotting them down on paper. Thank you for this awesome video essay: )
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This is why teen me was so in love with the Professor Layton series. It encourages you to take notes, and while they did provide a tool to do so on the 3ds, I always preferred jotting them down on paper. Thank you for this awesome video essay: )
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polygon
I'm a very casual gamer so i didn't think this was very common, but recently i've felt the need to take some notes for my stardew valley farm to get a bit more organized in my playthrough, there's just so many things to do!
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I'm a very casual gamer so i didn't think this was very common, but recently i've felt the need to take some notes for my stardew valley farm to get a bit more organized in my playthrough, there's just so many things to do!
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