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Linking logs to other logs?

kaniplaynow

New member
Gold WoA
In my campaign, I have two logs, as shown in the table below. One is for ideas and planning, and the second is only for session recaps.

I can't figure out how to link a session recap log entry to a planning log entry. For example, in my Planning log, Entry #1, I want to put a link to Log 2's first entry so that when I mouse over it, I am shown the session recap without having to go open the second log.

Is this even possible? Is there a better way to get what I'm looking for?

Thanks!

LOG 1: Planning
Log 2: Session Recaps
- Entry 1: plan for the next session- Entry 1: most recent session
- Entry 2: long term ideas- Entry 2: session before that
- Entry 3: profit!- Entry 3: and so on....
 

GM Rob

Member
Gold WoA
I'm very interested to see what the smart people say about this!

I use one Log and some Pages for this. In the "Session" Log, the first log entry for a new session is my "planning" entry. I have some boilerplate in a Page called "§Planning Template" that I paste into the log entry. I do all my session preparations there, adding links to other Pages as I need them. After the session is over, I go through the many log entries I banged out in the heat of the game and clean them up. I add detail I didn't have time for, fix up the formatting, add links to things, and so on.

I make a VERY small "*Sxxx" Page to record: the session Real-Life and In-Game dates, the Players and Characters, Total XP awarded, and Treasure distributed.

I have been updating a "*Plotline" Page with a 2-line summary of the session and the dates.

I create a "%mm/dd/yyy" Page to record significant in-game events and link them back to the "*Sxxx" session when they occurred.

I update "*Loop" Pages for all of the open story threads (loops) to keep track of what happened, when it happened (RL & IG) and what's next. These Pages track both the characters' actions and the environment's actions.

This feels like a lot of different pages and logs, but I haven't figured out how to do these tasks any better way:
  1. Session planning
  2. Session summary
  3. XP and attendance tracking
  4. In-game chronology
 

JohnnFour

Game Master
Staff member
Adamantium WoA
Wizard of Story
Wizard of Combat
Gamer Lifestyle
Demonplague Author
Borderland Explorer
What a noob!

Thank you.

@kaniplaynow the code from the video that is actually correct is:

Markdown (GitHub flavored):
[https://preview.app.campaign-logger.com/log-entries/c1cba1e1b9c143fb93ba89c1a0bcd58b](Link)
 

JochenL

CL Byte Sprite
Staff member
Adamantium WoA
Wizard of Story
Wizard of Combat
Gamer Lifestyle
Borderland Explorer
What a noob!

Thank you.

@kaniplaynow the code from the video that is actually correct is:

Markdown (GitHub flavored):
[https://preview.app.campaign-logger.com/log-entries/c1cba1e1b9c143fb93ba89c1a0bcd58b](Link)
It should be

[Link](https://preview.app.campaign-logger.com/log-entries/c1cba1e1b9c143fb93ba89c1a0bcd58b)
 

kaniplaynow

New member
Gold WoA
@kaniplaynow I made a quick video answering your question:
https://share.getcloudapp.com/7KujOX7z

@JochenL feel feel to chime in if I have anything incorrect. I've also filed a bug report #3510.
@JohnnFour and @JochenL -- thanks for the quick responses! The video was a great format for the explanation, and the direct link as a URL makes perfect sense.

I love how the pages work, and I use them as homes for all of the "things" I track -- just not session recaps/planning. It sounds like my dual-log structure just isn't suited for CL's hierarchy, so I'll have to do some tweaking.

Time to go steal ideas from GM Rob!
 

kaniplaynow

New member
Gold WoA
I'm very interested to see what the smart people say about this!

I use one Log and some Pages for this. In the "Session" Log, the first log entry for a new session is my "planning" entry. I have some boilerplate in a Page called "§Planning Template" that I paste into the log entry. I do all my session preparations there, adding links to other Pages as I need them. After the session is over, I go through the many log entries I banged out in the heat of the game and clean them up. I add detail I didn't have time for, fix up the formatting, add links to things, and so on.

I make a VERY small "*Sxxx" Page to record: the session Real-Life and In-Game dates, the Players and Characters, Total XP awarded, and Treasure distributed.

I have been updating a "*Plotline" Page with a 2-line summary of the session and the dates.

I create a "%mm/dd/yyy" Page to record significant in-game events and link them back to the "*Sxxx" session when they occurred.

I update "*Loop" Pages for all of the open story threads (loops) to keep track of what happened, when it happened (RL & IG) and what's next. These Pages track both the characters' actions and the environment's actions.

This feels like a lot of different pages and logs, but I haven't figured out how to do these tasks any better way:
  1. Session planning
  2. Session summary
  3. XP and attendance tracking
  4. In-game chronology

Rob,

Thanks for your reply! I *think* I get what you're saying, but I'm running off of way too little sleep, so I'm not certain that I'm visualizing your structure correctly. Please correct me if I'm way off base. Also, if you don't mind, I'd love to get a peek at your planning template!

It sounds like you've created pages to hold what I would consider "log" data (session dates, PCs/XP/$$, session summary, and significant events). For your %Date pages - I'm assuming you use the real-world date. I'm not sure I understand how what you put there is different than the Plotline page or why you separate it from the *Sxxx page.

What do you have left in your log after you've cleaned everything up? Do you sort everything out into one of the pages and delete the log? If not, are you keeping separate "Session" Logs (as opposed to entries in a single log) for each session you run?

My thought process that led me to trying a two-log system:

(1) Take advantage of the simple, linear layout of the logs

(2) My page screen has rapidly filled up with all of my "things" (PCs, NPCs, items, etc.). Filtering pages by tags limits my view to only one type at a time, which would force me to create some unnatural tag to hold what are actually different data types if I wanted to be able to see them by themselves. Even if I did that, they would not be properly categorized where they should be if I were able to tag them individually.

Now that I'm typing this out, though, it sounds like I could fix the filter issue by simply creating a label for planning/session records...

Lots to think about! Looking forward to bouncing some ideas around.
 

GM Rob

Member
Gold WoA
Also, if you don't mind, I'd love to get a peek at your planning template!
OK, I'm going to try to do the cutty-pasty thing on some of my pages/logs to see if that helps. I may quit half way through, so if you see this it means I didn't!

First, here's my "§Planning Template". This is a Page that I open up, grab the raw text, and paste into a new Log entry. I do this before the session and keep most of my planning notes here. I try to limit the text in the Log entry by linking to Pages for the details. The content is taken from a mishmash of ideas from Sly Flourish and Johnn Four:
#### Session S00 Planning

##### Characters
- @"Buzz", @"Daenar Kalrotha", @"Kl’Üflormph", @"Megatron", @"Talvor", @"Squibble Mcwheeland"
- Motives, Treasure Something interesting for each character to do and to find.
- [Starfinder Tools Loot Generator](https://sfrpgtools.com/loot-generator)

##### Strong Start
- Typically begin the session in the #"Officers Mess" on the #"Emerald Nexus".
- Transition as soon as possible to the point of action/conflict.

##### Scenes to Consider
- What might happen at the conclusion of the initial action?
- Locations/Encounters to prepare.

##### Secrets and Clues
- What might the characters find out about each of the *"Loopy Plans"?

##### NPCs
- Who will they encounter?

##### Monsters
~"Monster CR Table"

During the actual session, I take cryptic, short hand, gibberish notes of what ever I can as the action happens. I'll end up with 5-10 log entries. I use the suffix "*Snn -- yyy-mm-dd -- %mm/dd/yyy" to link log entries to sessions and dates. After the session, I go back and combine/format the notes and add details. Here's a cleaned-up log entry:

  • Travel to #Mumbling Crevice, the suspected high-magic area
  • Found it guarded by a @Abysium Dragon
  • As they were considering their options, a @Valnarum approached to attack
  • The PCs tried to sneak away, but @Buzz failed his ~Stealth roll and was seen.
  • The Valnarum attacked with a Pulse Roar and knocked Buzz unconscious (0HP)
  • When the Valnarum attacked the Dragon, @Squibble Mcwheeland was able to pull Buzz free and stabilize his condition.
  • The PCs return to The #Emerald Nexus to consider their next step.

End of *S09​

*S09 -- 2023-02-06 -- %10/21/322

Most of my Pages are "things" as you mentioned. (I also keep rules in the ~ tag for things I'd put on a GM screen.) I try to give Labels to each Page, which helps a bit, but I've found I simply scan through them looking for what I want, or using the Search sometimes. I guess I'd say my order of looking is: Scan - Labels - Search.

I keep several other kinds of pages:
  1. *Snn -- session summary info, but this has turned into a sort of pointer Page
  2. %mm/dd/yyy -- in-game dates, summary of important in-game events
  3. *Loops -- What Johnn calls Loopy Plans and Sly Flourish calls Threads
  4. *Plotline -- A summary of important IG events I want to track.
Here are some examples:

Session Info: This keeps track of who was there, what character they played, XP, treasure, and links to RL and IG dates.

Session 8​


Session Date: 1/30/2023
In-Game Date: %10/18/322


PlayerCharacter
@Jay@Buzz
@Jake@Daenar Kalrotha
@John@Kl’Üflormph
@David@Megatron
@Mari@Squibble Mcwheeland

~XP400 ea
~Treasure2,000 CR total

In-Game Date: This is how I build my plotline and keep track of what happened when and when in-game.

Seconday, Lamashan 18, 322​

*Story So Far
*Plotline
*Loopy Plans

Session: SESSION# *S08
Location: #Yilliyama in the #Amenhotep system

Session Summary: Met @Klaark in the ^Atnewtill compound. Ambushed by @Space Goblins who were hunting a @Mountain Eel Both @Buzz and @Daenar Kalrotha ended up Befuddled on the ~Mental Disease track. Captured @Fohnirt, a @Gnome Mystic Twin.

Other Plot Loop Events:
UNKNOWN: Local ^Breakbag Goblins detected the !Gnome Key on approach to #Yilliyama

A Loop Page: These are my planning Pages for tracking background events and potential player interactions.

Subjugation of the Symbiotes​

  • ^Jububnan are the dominant race on the planet #Lothania (Vao-IV). They are a minority species, but are all one extended family who are worshipers of Oras, The Agent of Change (CRB pg 488) [CN god of god of adaptation, evolution, natural selection].
  • The Jububnans have bred a population of Entu Symbiotes (AA4 p35) in the planet’s extensive marshes. They raise the symbiotes as pets, many of which are shipped to #Doutis (#Cuivienen - II) where they are highly desired as companions by the Dessamar (AA3 p 15) population.
  • The host species is a small mink-like animal known as a Kredip, and the symbiotes refer to themselves as a @Kredipton (reskin Brenneri, AA3, p8-9). The Krediptons are about to rebel.

Plot Hook​

  • A group of rebel krediptons contacted Captain Martyn to ask for help in achieving their freedom. The players are to escort an ysoki scientist named @Twinkle on a clandestine mission to a remote marsh to understand more about kredipton biology and social behavior.

NPCs Involved

  • @Vesaphi is a member of a sympathetic group of jububnans who are working to free the krediptons.
  • @Kroknuaxl - the kredipton rebel leader
  • @Juzuszro, @Igatroshk, @Jutszozouxl - kredipton commanders

Default Progression

  • The krediptons are currently gathering weapons and preparing to overthrow the jububnans. This will take them several months.

Immediate Activities​

  • ^Jububnans wish to continue their lucrative business, ^Krediptons are not inclined to cooperate. The jububnans will retaliate by attaching anyone who interferes.
  • The krediptons have reported that the jububnans are maintaining control of their breed stock with a chemical in the water supply at the camps. The crew is asked to do a stealth mission to sabotage the camp water to neutralize the kredipton suppressor and replace it with a jububnan will suppressor.
  • The krediptons need training in the use of advanced weapons.

History​

  • While looking for the Kredipton rebel enclave, some of the Jububnan’s experimental creatures run amok, upending the local ecosystem and threatening anyone who approaches. (CR 3, four CR 1/2 semi-sapient marsh creatures attack)

Plotline: I'd like this to be a simple timeline of in-game events. It's turned out to be a list of sessions, but that's not what I really want.

Plotline​

TitleSummaryDates
The DeliveryAttacked by goblins when making a routine cargo delivery to @Vesaphi on #Lothania.%9/21/322 *S00 11/7/2022
Exploding SnailsAway party formed to escort @Roni Dalaue, a cultural xenologist on the ship’s Science staff, on a mission to gather information on the Krediptons.%9/23/322 *S01 11/14/2022
Shopping, Goblins, and a TrapStopped at an arms merchant named #Secluded Phoenix and met @Tansmit. Stopped at a bar and found two goblins, @Pank and @Jogz. Found the #Goblin Lair and fell in a trap.%9/24/322 *S02 11/21/2022
Goblin Lair 1Got into the #Goblin Lair by bluffing the @Space Goblin gang. Found door to store room.%9/25/322 *S03 11/28/2022
Goblin Lair 2Explored the rest of the lair, hacked Chief's computer, opened Tribal vault. Kept the !Gnome Key.%9/25/322 *S04 12/5/2022
The MysticsApproached by a group of mystics who wanted passage to #Yilliyama with a shard of the !Stone Of Ng The Hooded.%9/26/322 *S05 12/12/2022

I hope this is of some use. I'd love to know what others are doing with this tool. I'm pretty sure I'm not using things quite right! (I expect Johnn and Jochen are tearing their hair out in frustration by now!)
 

kaniplaynow

New member
Gold WoA
This is fantastic, thank you! I hope it wasn't too painful to get into a post here.

I'm going to make some adjustments to my system and see how it works out. We're really not doing things too terribly differently.

Your planning is definitely more organized than mine, and I'm trying to keep my version of your Plotline page in a log so I'm not messing around with tables and can just use the built-in title and prefix/suffix fields for dates and session numbers.

To keep those log entries from being too big, I'm going to try to keep my session summaries as a page after my in-game logs are cleaned up. Then I'll be able to write a nice concise summary, move the organized info to a page, then link the page from the log entry.
 

GM Rob

Member
Gold WoA
It seems to me to be a waste to keep the "Session Info" in a Page. I wanted to be able to quickly find all the session summaries and didn't know how to link to them. I think they'd be better a log entries. The Plotline is a bit more fiddly to build, but not impossible. I'll have to check to see if the "preview" function works with log entry links.

(My planning may be organized, but my actual sessions are complete chaos. I'm working on that part! :) )
 

GM Rob

Member
Gold WoA
I'll have to check to see if the "preview" function works with log entry links.
Nope. No preview because it's exactly like a link to an external web site. I'm sticking with Pages over Logs for this.

In fact, I wonder if it might be better to do the opposite. I'll put the Session Planning information into the Session Summary Page and remove it from the Log completely. When I'm looking at the Log, I can easily filter and look at the Session Page (*Snn) and all the Log entries for that Session since the Log suffix has a link to the Session Summary Page.
 
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