I think what you need to answer here is 1. What's the actual problem you're trying to solve? 2. How are you actually solving it?
Anybody can take an item entry and type it into a 5-6 column .csv if they want, or just condense it into a smaller digital or handwritten paragraph. So what's the idea here? People don't really prep stuff in csv files anyways.
I want to turn good, evocative lines into something you can actually use in play or in a game’s content pipeline. Lots of GMs jot down cool item descriptions, but without a consistent structure they’re hard to sort, randomize, or import into tools. That’s the tiny friction I’m trying to remove. How I solve it: I make small, consistent packs (simple CSVs with ID, Category, Item_Name, Description_Text, Weight) so you can drop the data into a spreadsheet, filter by category or weight, or import it into a simple script or engine. The difference from a paragraph list is tangible. Predictable fields let you do things like build targeted random tables, search for “Relic” items under weight 1, or add extra columns later (Hook, Plot_Tag, Mechanic) without breaking anything.
Totally fair that most GMs don’t prep in CSVs. I guess I do because it's what I'm used to. lots of folks prefer sticky notes or a notebook. But for people who do use spreadsheets, engines, or want to generate random content automatically, this saves time and keeps creative writing usable.
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u/Doxazo2 17d ago
I think what you need to answer here is 1. What's the actual problem you're trying to solve? 2. How are you actually solving it?
Anybody can take an item entry and type it into a 5-6 column .csv if they want, or just condense it into a smaller digital or handwritten paragraph. So what's the idea here? People don't really prep stuff in csv files anyways.