Just a question, in the title.

I'm wondering what people seem to be averaging for handouts.

Currently I'm getting quite a few.

I've got these maps for the players Listed here a sheet on the weapons they were able to procure from their previous employers munitorium before his ship exploded, and a listing of the history of a planet they saw on the wall of the main merchentile house.

That's only five things so far, so I'm not worried yet.  I am however wondering how much is going to be too much.  My handouts tend to be a bit of a long read.

Here's an example

So how have you been doing on the handouts?  When does it work?  When does it get to be just tedious stuff that might get lost at any moment?  Where's a comfortable in between?

thanx much,

SRO

 I hate (read: love) to be that guy, but the most accurate answer is: "it depends". Here is how I'd weigh how many to provide:

More handouts if…

• Players prefer details and backstory about their universe
• Group plays less frequently and players would like contact points between games
• Campaign is home-brew, requiring details of nonexistant races, places, and characters
• Campaign is purchased material with lots of readily available handouts
• Players prefer concrete visuals to spoken descriptors or text
• GM has ample time to prepare for each session and would like to enhance the playing experience

Less handouts if…

• Players would prefer GM time spent on battle-maps, plot creation, etc
• Group meets often enough that reliably preparing for sessions demands as much time as GM is willing to devote to campaign
• Players are prone to veering off the beaten path, regardless of prepared material (though in this case, handouts could be created afterthefact)

Yea, not sure really.  For me, as a GM, I just go into detail for me benefit so I know what I'm talking about on the planet.  If the players really want it, then they can ask for it, or just do a easy +30 int check or something to see if they know it, and all I have to do is give them / read the info I created.  It all depends on your players.

When in doubt, ask the players opinion.    And if the players want to be involved in the aspect of creating a planet, society, group, or information pertaining to something, let them assist you.  I did this once for an Inquisitor and it worked pretty good.  Once PC wrote up the Inquisitor's persona and quirks, another wrote up his description and tactics, and another wrote up a brief history and name.  All in a 15 min time frame.  I'm sure a planet's background, history, and quirks can also be detailed in this way, if so desired.

 Depends on the game I'm running. In RT, the only handouts I've given have been copies of the Warrant. Yes, I work up a different Warrant for every dynasty, and yes, if the players capture another Rogue Trader I work up a Warrant for them.

So far, none have been cookie-cutter Insert Name Here jobbies. The players have stated their intent to wind up at the end of Lure of the Expanse holding everyone's Warrant. I may have to brutally murder them if they pull it off…

 Any chance you could post a copy of some of them?

Errant said:

I'm assuming you guys mean RT warrents from Alassio?

If so thirded.  I'd like to see at least one.

Btw, I know it's a little hard to get a frame of reference yet, but if anyone has comments on the Fan Cove History I'd love to hear anything you're interested in.

 Well, as it happens, one of them was posted up on Dark Reign here, and another is here. The rest are tucked away on other hard drives/storage media, although I'm working on one based on the long one that I think (Errant? Lightbringer? someone) posted, and I had one half-finished that was lifted almost verbatim from one granted by the Dutch West India Company. I'll see if I can dig them out.

I also made sure there was an actual signature on them, and set up a signet so they could be sealed properly (calligraphy sets can be useful).

I use alot of hand outs and hand drawn work for the players, I think it helps immerse them in the game world.  I also have a ton of art stored on my computer from deviant art, cghub, dark reign and even random google images.

Oddly enough, very few handouts, apart from the occasional Planetary survey. Oddly, because I also run Call of Cthulhu, and that campaign is very much hand-out heavy.