Well, for that it's literally perfect, but after people have seen me use them for character sheets, I keep getting requests for where to get one. Seriously, two prime sheets outside, secondary inside the first flaps (the "outside") and four pages of reference material on the "inside". Try it when you get yours. It's easy to carry around, you can write on it freehand as stiff as it is, and it stays closed tight enough to keep a couple pages of notes loose inside between games.

Yeah, but how do you carry a 19 page character sheet with it?
Though, I really like it for the GM side of things... perfect...

19 pages. You're serious. That's not history, that's actual character sheet? Fine, then I suggest the following:

Main Notebook Page

Or, more speciffically: 25 Sheet Folio perfect for a single character

Combined with one of these: Punch and you have a perfect system for keeping all your data in place. All GMs are advised to at least have a peek at the links. I've been printing things out of my PDFs and using their dividers to keep critical chapters and passages at my fingertips.

First: yes, it's expensive. Second: It has a high threshold for usability critical mass.

But in the end, I use it extensively for gaming and work and personal life. Have a look.

Makes me wonder is SR4 will see the return of the Character Dossier...

Oh wait! This thread was about *streamlining* the game!!

When they aren't sold out in every store, Pinnacle Entertainment (peginc.com) sells a customizable trifold in a Landscape format.

And KEEPING your 19-page character... dossier neatly ordered and non-dog-eared isn't helping things out?

Levenger, huh? Karenshara, thank you... You're my hero. Never again will I buy notebooks from Wally World, I can never find anything I'm happy with, but, that place ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to get so weird, but, my O.C.D. thanks you, also.

Of course, now I'm probably going to end up spending $1000 a year there. You should e-mail them to see if you can get a kick-back off of my business.

That was the other version I recall, but it wasn't as popular and I don't think it was anywhere near as useful to most of us (forget the character sheet idea, too). It would work better for miniatures games perhaps as a way to keep unit tables and critical game tables at a fingertip and to keep dice from skittering across the game table. But thanks for the update on what happened to that version.

I have blown about $600 on the Circa system, including the (Mandatory for us gamer types) desk punch. I keep my writing in them, my rules in another, have one as a writing notebook, have two zip folios (one for gaming and one for real life), plus about a dozen of the "report cover" versions. SHOCKINGLY useful/versatile. You have to spend a lot of money to get the full benefits of the system... but it really does start to feed on itself eventually. And if you do buy in, seriously grab the "tab deviders" because they're perfect. The main covers are oversized enough that the tabs are completely protected. The "report covers" front panel is wide enough to get the sheet in easily. And don't overlook the other accessory goodies. If you want speciffic suggestions of ideas, drop me a PM. It's not that I'm stumping for anybody, but seriously, if I find something that works for me, I want to share it.

In all seriousness, then, the best advice I can give is "play more" and "organize it."

Figure out exactly what it is that's slowing you down, then practice it (run combat heavy for a few games, do some "virtual reality practice sessions" or other throwaway/no consequence fights just to sling dice and get the hang of it, something like that), and look into some sort of DM screen or handy print-out for the modifiers that you're seeing the most often.

Once your players (and you) start to get a handle on the common visibility or movement or range modifiers for shooting a gun (for instance), you guys will be handling the dice like pros and it'll speed right up. Parts of this game -- just like any game -- just come with practice.

Will check it out...
And yes, it is mostly character sheet, with some fluff (about 2 pages)...
I currently use a binder and 3-hole punched paper to organize things... it works out pretty well...

The character folio was probably the lamest SR release of all time! I remember one of the guys at our table showed up with one... I think it lasted two hours till he got sick of jibes, mainly to do with the terrible tag line which had something to do with the length of your rap sheet!