Black Dougal
Footpad
Hey Enworlders,
Long time lurker and occasional commenter here. I believe this might be my first post.
I've been seeing a lot of "what do you use ChatGPT for" and "how to use AI for your RPG games and campaigns". I thought I'd share how I use Google NotebookLM to help me as a DM. How people can use it of course is up to them. I imagine like ChatGPT and the like there a gazillion ways you could use it. I use it as a uber massive DM Screen/Virtual Assistant.
So for those who are not familiar, Google NotebookLM is presented as a research tool/assistant. In good news, the FREE VERSION should suffice.
Details:
Google NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and note-taking tool developed by Google Labs. It leverages advanced language models, specifically Google Gemini, to assist users in interacting with their documents. By uploading various sources—such as Google Docs, PDFs, web URLs, and YouTube videos—users can engage with their content more deeply through features like summarization, question answering, and content generation, all grounded in their personal materials.
Key Features:
So, unlike ChatGPT and many other LLMs it uses your specific data. Considering many campaigns and games are homebrewed or tailored to our play tastes and events in games themselves it is immensely useful. It's a data model specific to you and yours.
I use it to help with Lore, rules, campaign and session notes and any other DM related tasks while running games. Essential my own virtual assistant referencing my pre determined library of books.
Example:
-I have a Core Rules and Current Adventure Notebook. (all my DM, Player, rules supplements, homebrew rules, and Monster pdfs and currently The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth)
-I have a weekly session to session notes Notebook. (I track various campaign elements then use it to create notes I feed into my Campaign world Notebook as well.
-I also have a campaign world Notebook. (46 sources of Forgotten Realms pdfs from all editions, as well as our homebrewing notes and campaign diaries. We've been playing in our version of the FR since 87 on and off. Just to give you an idea of scope of how specific/homebrewed my FR is to canon. That's a lot to try to remember.)
- Player/PC Notebook (loaded with pdf character sheets, notes, PC diaries, etc.)
This allows me to reference rules, campaign info, world info, etc etc for my games specifically in seconds.
"What is the capital of Tethyr?"
"What are the overland travel rules for mounts"
"Create a random table of 20 forest based monsters who are also aberrations between CR 1/8 and 4, also, only evil alignments"
"How did [insert player] acquire the Vorpal Sword?"
"Outline the Society of the Horn include, history, motivation, leaders, etc."
"Create a list of 20 random rumors one might hear in a tavern in Westgate"
"create player facing lore for the Time of Troubles"
The dice have determined a random planar gate exists in the hex, another roll determines it a gateway to the 422nd layer of the Abyss.
"Give me an detailed outline of the 422nd layer of the Abyss"
"Create a list of 12 random monsters related to the Abyss as well as the 422nd layer of the Abyss specifically."
It also allows me to create "podcasts" of varying nature for my players. Recap podcats, lore podcasts, etc.
I'd love to hear more about how some of you use Google NotebookLM. Also, feel free to ask questions if you have any.
Long time lurker and occasional commenter here. I believe this might be my first post.
I've been seeing a lot of "what do you use ChatGPT for" and "how to use AI for your RPG games and campaigns". I thought I'd share how I use Google NotebookLM to help me as a DM. How people can use it of course is up to them. I imagine like ChatGPT and the like there a gazillion ways you could use it. I use it as a uber massive DM Screen/Virtual Assistant.
So for those who are not familiar, Google NotebookLM is presented as a research tool/assistant. In good news, the FREE VERSION should suffice.
Details:
Google NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and note-taking tool developed by Google Labs. It leverages advanced language models, specifically Google Gemini, to assist users in interacting with their documents. By uploading various sources—such as Google Docs, PDFs, web URLs, and YouTube videos—users can engage with their content more deeply through features like summarization, question answering, and content generation, all grounded in their personal materials.
Key Features:
- Source Integration: Users can upload up to 50 sources per notebook, including documents, slides, PDFs, web URLs, copied text, and YouTube URLs. This allows NotebookLM to analyze and connect information from diverse formats.
- Summarization and Q&A: NotebookLM can generate summaries of uploaded content and answer user queries, providing responses with inline citations that link back to the original sources.
- Content Generation: The tool can create various outputs based on user sources, including study guides, briefing documents, timelines, FAQs, and audio overviews.
- Audio Overviews: Introduced in September 2024, this feature generates podcast-style discussions between AI hosts about the user's uploaded material, offering an engaging way to understand complex information.
So, unlike ChatGPT and many other LLMs it uses your specific data. Considering many campaigns and games are homebrewed or tailored to our play tastes and events in games themselves it is immensely useful. It's a data model specific to you and yours.
I use it to help with Lore, rules, campaign and session notes and any other DM related tasks while running games. Essential my own virtual assistant referencing my pre determined library of books.
Example:
-I have a Core Rules and Current Adventure Notebook. (all my DM, Player, rules supplements, homebrew rules, and Monster pdfs and currently The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth)
-I have a weekly session to session notes Notebook. (I track various campaign elements then use it to create notes I feed into my Campaign world Notebook as well.
-I also have a campaign world Notebook. (46 sources of Forgotten Realms pdfs from all editions, as well as our homebrewing notes and campaign diaries. We've been playing in our version of the FR since 87 on and off. Just to give you an idea of scope of how specific/homebrewed my FR is to canon. That's a lot to try to remember.)
- Player/PC Notebook (loaded with pdf character sheets, notes, PC diaries, etc.)
This allows me to reference rules, campaign info, world info, etc etc for my games specifically in seconds.
"What is the capital of Tethyr?"
"What are the overland travel rules for mounts"
"Create a random table of 20 forest based monsters who are also aberrations between CR 1/8 and 4, also, only evil alignments"
"How did [insert player] acquire the Vorpal Sword?"
"Outline the Society of the Horn include, history, motivation, leaders, etc."
"Create a list of 20 random rumors one might hear in a tavern in Westgate"
"create player facing lore for the Time of Troubles"
The dice have determined a random planar gate exists in the hex, another roll determines it a gateway to the 422nd layer of the Abyss.
"Give me an detailed outline of the 422nd layer of the Abyss"
"Create a list of 12 random monsters related to the Abyss as well as the 422nd layer of the Abyss specifically."
It also allows me to create "podcasts" of varying nature for my players. Recap podcats, lore podcasts, etc.
I'd love to hear more about how some of you use Google NotebookLM. Also, feel free to ask questions if you have any.
