What handouts do you use at the table? I've made some NPC cards and have a cruddy map I drew, but that's about it. I'm wondering what people use and what effect they've seen at the gaming table; do players like them, are they a distraction or what?
I've printed some of the AP letters and diary entries...
I've done a pirates treasure map before, and an old Korranberg Chronicle page
for the most part, I've found they are not really worth the effort.
I scale and print my maps directly from the source material, in color. I print out all handouts, and usually will touch them up depending on their necessary appearance. I've soaked "old worn scrolls" in coffee to yellow and wrinkle them, burned the edges of lost notes, rolled up and tied off fancy proclamations, etc.
For NPC appearances, I'll usually show my players a picture directly off my iPad, or if a home game, I'll bring it up on the TV with ChromeCast.
They are most certainly not distractions. My players have loved them and it generally, in my opinion, has made them much more likely to study the handout and not gloss over it or toss it aside and forget about it.
Do you give your players dungeon maps? If playing a PFS module, do the Pathfinder agents get maps of the dungeon they're about to visit if it's a known dungeon?
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I am a bit of a lazy GM. I wish I would more often write things up and hand them out. I really like that as a palyer. Instead I usually rip the pics out and print them off so the player gets an idea who they are dealing with. Maybe when I stop juggling work, school, GMing I can make a better go at it. I am giving up the GM reins for now so Ill have a lot of time to prepare for Mummy's mask. :)
I liked the faction missions in PFS but hear they are gone now. :(
The pictures I show my players are typically on my laptop. Also, I tend to print out the next level of arcane spells when our sorcerer levels up enough to use them. This is because he doesn't have a copy of the rule book, so giving him a list will help him choose which spells he wants on his own time.
Sorry, but I am not sure that I have come across a pfs scenario where the pcs would already have a full understanding of the layout of the maps, ahead of time.