Home General Discussion

Notetaking

polycounter lvl 4
Offline / Send Message
Will_M polycounter lvl 4
Hi everyone. I was wondering, when learning a new thing, how do you guys approach taking notes on what you learn?

Replies

  • Joao Sapiro
    Offline / Send Message
    Joao Sapiro sublime tool
  • Kwramm
    Offline / Send Message
    Kwramm interpolator
    you have no idea how many people don't take notes, just to come back to ask the same questions again, and again, and again. It's part of the reason I have a job, and part of the reason I don't get things done as quickly as I sometimes want ;)

    I keep my own tutorials and notes organized in EverNote, but that's not longer going to be free - darn them! I also paste tutorials and tips and tricks into it or my own learning, so it's all in one place. Someone in another thread mentioned Trello - I've seen quite a few people use it to keep their tasks organized - useful if you work on more than one task and if you need something simple that you yourself, and not your producer, can manage. I used Wonderlist for a while too, but I found it a bit too simple.
    Also, when you head to meetings, please, please bring something to write. We're in games, which means that not every meeting has minutes or a handout. Take notes so you don't have to bother your leads, TAs, ADs or whoever else. So bring a notebook - if there's nothing important being said, at least you can sketch a bit
  • Kevin Albers
    Offline / Send Message
    Kevin Albers polycounter lvl 18
    In the past, I pretty much never took notes when learning stuff. More recently, I tend to clip relevant web pages to Evernote, but I don't do that very often. I also tend to carry around a notebook and a pen for meetings, random discussions with coworkers etc, and sometimes I'll take notes when learning about something during a discussion.
  • PyrZern
    Offline / Send Message
    PyrZern polycounter lvl 12
    If I do it enough time, I remember. And then I don't forget. But if I do, I look up online how to do it.. Google is my friend. I also pin some Tips and Tricks/mini tutorials onto Pinterest as well.
  • Brian "Panda" Choi
    Offline / Send Message
    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    Trello for online tracking.
    Physical notepad for the carry around.
  • RyanB
    Cornell note-taking system was recommended to me in a business class and I use it sometimes.  I also use colored pens.

    After, I memorize the notes by writing them over and over again while reading them out loud, at least ten times for each point.  I also make acronyms for long lists which has saved me during tests.
  • Eric Chadwick
    I keep a spiral-ring 8 1/2 by 11 notebook at my desk for work stuff. Writing it down pretty much means I'll remember something later, but the hard copy is there just in case.

    I keep a private wiki that I add stuff to.

    I also add things to the Polycount wiki, but these tend to be things I think will help other game artists as well.
  • Will_M
    Offline / Send Message
    Will_M polycounter lvl 4
    I keep a spiral-ring 8 1/2 by 11 notebook at my desk for work stuff. Writing it down pretty much means I'll remember something later, but the hard copy is there just in case.

    I keep a private wiki that I add stuff to.

    I also add things to the Polycount wiki, but these tend to be things I think will help other game artists as well.
    How do you make a private wiki??
  • Flight
    Offline / Send Message
    Flight polycounter lvl 10
    Physical notepad. Very rarely do I go back to check what I've written, it's the decision and action to write it down that makes it stick in my mind.
  • Joebewon
    Offline / Send Message
    Joebewon polycounter lvl 12
    I'll usually have a google doc open while learning new stuff, and if something sticks out or it's something I know I'll forget I'll take a screen grab and then jot down the process.  
  • Thane-
    Offline / Send Message
    Thane- polycounter lvl 3
    One thing i do is create a text file named quicknote as the first startmenu item to jot things down with. Within it i create per-program bug/wishlists lists as i am working on projects. With windows 10, i haven't figured out yet how to add a link to a text file yet. 

    Seems like a lot to ask from Microsoft nowadays.
  • bounchfx
    I prefer one of those smaller physical notepads but lately I've been using a lot of Google Keep
  • BPerschall
    Offline / Send Message
    BPerschall polycounter lvl 5
    Physical notepads are the best, but I would also recommend Asana and Slack. Both have free to use versions - and you can set reminders for yourself.
  • GrevSev
    Offline / Send Message
    GrevSev polycounter lvl 9
    After learning something new I sleep on it.
    When I wake up my hand kinda just does stuff while I watch
  • Add3r
    Offline / Send Message
    Add3r polycounter lvl 11
    Physical notepads FTW.  I usually have a stack of them at my desk(s), home and work.  Just jotting down random ideas/thoughts, or taking down lists of things on your mental list for your project, whatever.  It definitely helps to physically write something down, IMO, in terms of remembering for the future.  I have a tough time remembering things I typed in a notepad document personally, though some others excel using that method.  
Sign In or Register to comment.