RPG Note Cards - Basic Concepts

This application is a shared game table for playing Fate Core and similar games. These games are primarily played by sharing short, structured text notes. There is no chat/audio/video support. To play your game, use the application alongside chat or videoconferencing software such as Skype or Hangouts.

Roles and Sharing the Game

Only the GM should open the game using a username and password. Other players should enter the game using a join link obtained from the GM. The GM can obtain the join link by clicking on the link button.

Fate Core has fully cooperative play with most information being open to the players. This application allows much of the game content to be seen, copied, or edited by both the players and the GM.

The GM has private areas (called tabletops) to prepare scenes and keep notes. Cards can be moved from those areas to the Shared Table to reveal them to the players.

Important: Security, Game Passwords

DO NOT USE any password which you are using for other services (like your email account) as the game password. Sharing passwords between services is bad practice in general. This site uses the insecure HTTP protocol. Your password and game data can be read by anyone sitting on any computer between your browser and the server.

Localization

You can switch the application to another supported language using the language button in the header bar.

Shared Table

The shared table is a screen representing the physical table between players in a face to face game. The game is played by placing various note cards on the table to represent the state of the game. It's up to you what card will you use. There are no enforced game mechanics connected to the cards.

Graveyard

Next to the the Shared Table icon, there is an additional tabletop called the Graveyard. This tabletop is visible only to the GM. You can use it to prepare cards in advance and keep private notes. Clicking on the closeBury button on a card on the Shared Table moves it to the Graveyard. Move cards back to the Shared Table by clicking the publishCard Transfer button.

Additional Tabletops

The GM can create additional tabletops to help prepare and organize game content. Click on the add_to_queueAdd Tabletop button to add a custom tabletop. To move a card from one tabletop to another click the publishCard Transfer button. Players cannot see additional tabletops unless the GM makes the it visible to all players in the properties.

The Ladder

The Ladder is the list of names assigned to die roll results and skill ratings. By default, the Ladder is filled with the values from the Fate Core rules. You can redefine the list by clicking on listThe Ladder button.

Skills

You can modify the list of skills presented when creating characters by clicking on the listSkills button. There are predefined sets of skills for various languages and rule sets available in the dialog. When you are editing any field containing a skill name, the application will offer autocomplete for English names of skills from the Fate Core.

Notecards

Notecards are the basic groupings of shared content. Look at them as if they were notecards you use in an in-person tabletop game. One card could represent the game aspects, another card an NPC and another the current scene.

Each card is further divided into sections. Sections exist primarily for information formatting and are not associated with game mechanics. Even though the section name generally refers to the Fate Core game concept, it's up to you which section to use to represent specific information.

Card Actions

lock_outline	Locks/unlocks the card to prevent from accidental changes to it. Many editing actions are disabled for the locked card.
add	Add a new section to the card. There are specific section types for Skills, Aspects etc.
assignment	See the general notes (like the back of a physical notecard). The notes are a markdown-formatted piece of text. It works like single-page wiki.
settings	Edit the card title, subtitle, color and description here.
archive	Bury the card in the Graveyard.
publish	Transfer the card to another table.
content_copy	Duplicate the card.
delete	Available only in the Graveyard. Remove the card permanently. Instead of removing the card during the game session it is better to bury it to the Graveyard so it can be modified there and later revived back to the Shared Table.

Game Tools

A game tools section can be attached to any card. It contains die rolling buttons and can include contain token counters and boost counters (use its own add button to add them). These are provided to add one to each character you would like to have its own "set of dice" in a physical, face to face game. Each player could have own game tools section attached to its PC card. The GM could attach one for other rolls they do to the card representing the game aspects or the current scene.

Game Tools - Dice

The die roller is an integral part of the Game Tools area. You roll a character's dice there.

4×casino	Roll 4 Fate dice.
N×casino	Roll another number of Fate dice.
Recasino	Re-roll some of the dice from the last roll.
clear_all	Clear the die roll history.

Working with Tokens

Token boxes can be added to cards or to the game tools area within a card. Use the name to describe what the tokens represent (for example Fate Points). The tokens can be added or removed to the box using add_circle and remove_circle button or dragged between the boxes on different cards with the mouse.

Extra/Zone

An Extra/Zone section can contain other sections. It works like a card within a card. You can use it to group together related information, like for an Extra or a Zone.