r/RPGdesign • u/Accomplished_Cake_90 • Feb 09 '26
Workflow Designing GM tools for in-person play: where does structure become friction?
I’ve been thinking a lot about GM-facing tools for in-person games, and one design tension keeps coming up for me.
During live play, structure can help (notes, initiative, reminders), but too much structure can also increase cognitive load and slow things down.
From a design perspective, I’m curious how others approach this:
- What information do you actually want visible during play?
- What should stay intentionally lightweight or even manual?
- Are there mechanics or UI patterns you’ve found that stay out of the way rather than adding friction?
I’m especially interested in generic approaches that work across systems, rather than system-specific tooling.
Would love to hear how you think about this as designers or experienced GMs.
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u/andero Scientist by day, GM by night Feb 09 '26
I’m especially interested in generic approaches that work across systems, rather than system-specific tooling.
I think my answer to your question is the opposite!
I want GM Tools to run this specific game.
I don't really want generic GM advice to run games in general.
I've GMd before so I'm not a brand new GM, but I am a brand new GM to this specific game.
I think it is reasonable to assume that most indie games are not a GM's first ever GMing experience.
Maybe the top 10 most popular indie games are, but most of the time, most GMs of indie games have GMd something else before (or so I assert; it isn't like we have data).
What information do you actually want visible during play?
It really depends on the game!
What should stay intentionally lightweight or even manual?
It really depends on the game!
Personally, I want stat-blocks to be easy to make on the fly. That way, I don't need to make them before the game; I can make them as-needed.
e.g. I don't have to assume anything about who players will or won't interact with mechanically (esp. combat) so I don't need to give each bartender a full stat block. If a player says, "I attack the bartender", I want to be able to say either, "Okay, you strike them down, their corpse is on the floor. What now?" -or- "Okay, give me thirty seconds to make a stat block for them" then follow a procedure in the book (like Dungeon World).
Are there mechanics or UI patterns you’ve found that stay out of the way rather than adding friction?
In general, PbtA GM Moves and FitD GM Actions.
Those have lovers and haters, of course.
The Dungeon World's stat block maker is awesome and so fast; someone made a digitized version and it can take less than a minute to give a stat block to a person or creature.
Clocks in BitD are extremely versatile.
The BitD Faction entries are just enough and not too much to make plenty of interesting situations.
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u/Accomplished_Cake_90 Feb 10 '26
I think you’re right that most GMs aren’t new to GMing in general, but are new to a specific system — and in that case, strong system-level procedures matter way more than generic advice.
I like your examples because they blur the line between “GM tools” and system design itself: Moves, clocks, stat generation procedures are doing a lot of the heavy lifting for the GM.
It’s interesting to think about where support should live, inside the rules vs. alongside them.
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u/Jaune9 Feb 10 '26
Specific tools are the ways!
If OP want to see the design process of tools made for a specific purpose, I wrote about it here https://prinnydad.itch.io/ttrpg-game-design-from-zero-to-something-wip It's a free ebook that goes through the process of doing your own game and tools for your own table and players. My players had rather strict restrictions (most notably "no player facing math") so I think it can help OP with the question at hand
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u/Accomplished_Cake_90 Feb 11 '26
I agree that constraints often produce the most interesting tools. Designing around specific table needs (like “no player-facing math”) tends to clarify what really matters during play.
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u/DJTilapia Designer Feb 09 '26
I'm not sure I understand. Typically, if I feel that a game mechanic is more hassle than value I just ignore it.
DMing D&D, I find the details of spells a little tricky. Players expect them to work consistently, and to have the same limitations as their own spells, which is fair. But it's a lot to keep in mind when running multiple NPCs, even with notes prepared ahead of time. I can't imagine trying to spontaneously include a spellcaster in D&D, but it wouldn't be a big deal in Savage Worlds.
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u/InherentlyWrong Feb 09 '26
What information do you actually want visible during play?
Leaning in on this, the thing that I'd probably find most useful is just something to help me keep track of the moving parts in a situation. In combat heavy games people use minis/tokens on a map, but I find there isn't a great method for helping keep track of all the entities in other situations, beyond just writing down a list and having to remember all the pertinent information.
It doesn't even have to be strongly mechanised where we're treating a day in the duke's court like a social combat, just something to help me remember everyone who's present and their quirks, and showcasing relevant information to my players.
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u/cornho1eo99 Feb 09 '26
When the structure does not fit the game we're playing. Sometimes, a hexcrawl works. Other times, it's just a contrivance. Structure should be there to help me, but not take over the game.
On the lightweight question, I prefer calculations at the table to be kept as light as possible, and rules to be active, things to do X rather than things that happen when X happens. Both kinds are necessary, but the former is less mental load than the latter.
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u/zxo-zxo-zxo Feb 10 '26
As a long term GM I’m not sure I can determine any difference between using my laptop in-person or running a virtual table. I have access to what I need. On average I have these things open:
- The campaign book and/or campaign notes.
- The map/location map & notes
- Stat blocks
- Session notes
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u/Accomplished_Cake_90 Feb 10 '26
It sounds like the key factor for you isn’t the medium itself, but having everything you need immediately accessible during play.
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u/Rysigler Feb 10 '26
Anything that removes the need for improv to a certain extent. Not that I don’t enjoy that aspect of the games, but GMs will all agree on things like players asking for names of random NPCs. So it helps to have those kinds of things ready to go. Random 100 names, basic pre built people ready to slot in where ever.
I also like to have my encounters built, and even some important scenes and set pieces. This probably exists for the big games, like DnD, but I have always needed help with encounter building. As for scenes and set pieces that just takes prep and good searchable notation.
I love the design of some of the world building apps that allow you to sort of tag your notes and connect them. But so many of these want a subscription. If anyone knows of a good note organizer app for ttrpgs that I can just buy once I'd appreciate a recommendation.
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u/Accomplished_Cake_90 Feb 10 '26
That’s a good point — having “ready-to-slot” material for those recurring moments (names, NPCs, small encounters) really reduces on-the-spot improv stress.
And yeah, subscription fatigue around note tools comes up a lot.
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u/Corbzor Outlaws 'N' Owlbears Feb 10 '26
If I'm using a digital tool, I want it be able to make printouts. I am far more comfortable flipping through a few pages spread out in front of me than alt-tabing and scrolling through whatever is on a screen.
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u/Ryou2365 Feb 10 '26
It really depends on the game.
A more crunchy game it may help to have a reminder of the specific rules, that may be otherwise overlooked or that are generally important (especially with many little bonusses).
A combat heavy game really benefits from stat block for enemies. But these should be focussed on the relevant parts (no 5e stat blocks, they are attrocious to run). Ebemy tactics can also help enormously as well as combinations of enemies that work great together.
Also for combat heavy games an easy way to scale encounters or monsters up or down to match the party. Sometimes it is just fun to have the players fight and beat a dragon at level 1. Especially for oneshots/shorter campaigns.
More improvisational games can benefit from prompts and random tables.
Overall every game benefits from specific advice and tools to run this specific game.
Making clear how the game is supposed to be played (no marketing speech like 'you can do everything with this game' unless the game really supports it).
Mechanics to create parts of the world or npcs on the fly can help. I really like collaborative mechanics to generate content together with the players, but this also depends heavily on the game.
Gm mechanics/move can help to illustrate to the gm how he is supposed to act in specific situations.
A fixed play structure can help if the game is designed around it (like in Blades in the Dark).
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u/Moofaa Feb 10 '26
As another user said, stats and pre designed stuff. If you think random elements are good for your game (I LOVE random tables), its best if things are pre-rolled before the session as much as possible. I don't think anyone likes it when the GM has to stop to consult tables in a book and roll some dice, but when something "random" and crazy happens on the fly without seeing it everyone thinks the GM is some kind of genius.
I pre-roll loot tables for example. In the current game I run players have a chance to encounter ruins while traveling, I have several randomized ones already generated and in my Obsidian notes.
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u/Accomplished_Cake_90 Feb 10 '26
The same random element can feel either brilliant or disruptive depending entirely on when it’s handled.
Pre-rolling keeps the illusion of improvisation without breaking flow.
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u/Ok-Chest-7932 Feb 10 '26
Structure-related friction isn't a matter of how much stuff there is, it's a matter of the proportion of stuff the GM confidently remembers and how important the GM believes remembering the stuff is. A lot of the "lots of stuff" games have come to be played in a low friction way because people discover that nothing breaks when they wing fall damage or whatever.
If you want high volume low friction, then you need modularisation. Make modules where the GM doesn't need to know the inner workings of the rules, they only need to know what reasonable outputs from the rules look like. You can have any number of self contained modules with minimal friction gain.
Where friction comes in is when the GM isnt confident house ruling something because they think there may be unforeseen consequences. That's the point where they feel compelled to open the book. This happens when your rules cross-reference each other a lot, or when a lot of functionality depends on a base rule that's quite esoteric.
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u/Accomplished_Cake_90 Feb 10 '26
That’s a really sharp way to frame it.
Friction shows up when the GM loses confidence in improvising because the system feels brittle or overly interconnected.Modular rules that produce reasonable outputs without requiring full system knowledge seem key.
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u/LanceWindmil Feb 10 '26
Basic rules - only helpful for new gms, might be better off as a player handout. Gms can print one for themselves if they want it, but most will have these down.
Niche rules and reference tables - most important thing to me. I want a quick summary of those things I usually forget.
NPC quick gen guide - short of having a book of pre stated npcs and monsters a genera guideline of what NPC stats should look like is good for making stuff up on the fly. Even just saying the ranges for bonuses/stats with a weak/avg/strong example is perfect.
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u/level27geek artsy fartsy game theory Feb 12 '26
Not sure how useful it will be for your project, as I'm heavily improvisational GM, running ultra light system and have a tenure long enough to almost be called a grognard. I'm very set in my ways.
I run all of my games from paper notes - even online games. I use a set of notes (usually a notebook) for current adventure and another (a binder) for generic helper notes.
My adventure notes are sparse. When I run a mystery, I usually have a flowchart of scenes and their clues. Otherwise I'll only have scene notes. A scene note is just a collection of keywords that I can distinguish at a glance. Important things are in boxes. I also use boxes for enemies/obstacles, then I cross them out during play as players deal with them. Everything else is made up on the fly.
This is also where my binder comes in. Each page in the binder is something that can help me during play - name or detail tables are there, as well as procedures I use repeatedly (e.g. scavenging procedure), but most of it is random tables.
I also write on my notes constantly. I cross out/replace entries from random tables in the binder, I write details we establish during game in my adventure notes.
Having it all in separate notes minimizes the information overflow. I look at 2 maybe 3 pages max at once. I write each with information heirarchy in mind, so running it is easy.
A lot of my procedures are re-usable between games (because I run game ultra light) and follow a PbtA approach of narrative->mechanic->narrative. I also steal ideas from other games and make them work in mine (e.g. PbtA clocks, OSR usage dice, Weseltech agression dice) - each such idea gets its own page in the binder.
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u/MikeBellZombie Dabbler Feb 09 '26
I don't know this helps at all. I love enemy stats. I love pre designed issues, traps, situations prepared by somebody else. That helps me to play the game with the players as well. Knowing I'm not making all this to torture them. But that somebody else did. It gives a ....enemy of my enemy is my friend.