On the other hand, when I ran the game, one of my PCs was playing a chopper, and was like "So I've got a gang of 20 guys, huh? Okay." And next week, completely unexpectedly, he had ready for me a list of 20 names.

If your PCs aren't afraid to do the work for you, let them.

As per the OP's question, I like to arrange them by group. So in my text file for my current IRC game, I've got the hocus's followers in one list, the NPC hardholder's men in another, some other dudes in a miscellaneous list, etc. There's little notes next to each telling me what I need to know, like "Exit: Likes to give Hope gifts, doesn't trust that creep Brace, has puppet strings in his head but hasn't acted on them yet". When someone gets a deep brain scan off or the savvyhead sleeps with somebody and Things Speak them, I add the answers to those questions next to the name as well, usually.

Yeah, the PbP threads are members-only, so I didn't link, I figured people with rpg.net forum accounts could hunt it down easily enough of their own.

(That image DannyK put up in the first IC post, though? That's golden too.)

http://apocalypse-world.com/forums/index.php?topic=363.msg3074#msg3074

The entire thread's beautiful, but Mademas and Scroungemas, awesome.

I totally agree that there should be different answers to a lot of the same questions when asked by different people. And don't forget the fuckery.

"Jackabacka's the most vulnerable to you because he doesn't like to hit women. Thinks they're all fancy and shit, ha ha, am I right?"

"Well, for Brace, the biggest threat was Balls, because she's got the biggest gun and is kind of firing it around indiscriminately. But you, man, didn't you steal some chick Harridan was flirting with once? He's probably gonna single you at and try to make it hurt, yeah."

"Your best escape route, seriously, you gotta ask? You know they're here for Hope. Just don't stand between them and her, run a different way, they probably wouldn't even bother with you. Cultists, always obsessed with something, ya know?"

Plus, only people who ask the question get the bonus to the roll. Just because Brace has recognize that Balls is the biggest threat doesn't mean Hope's done so enough to capitalize on the matter. So there can be a reason for multiple people to ask repeat questions even if they're expecting the same answer, and you're not exactly robbing them if you just go "Yeah, same as before for the exact same reasons, ditch Hope and you're golden."

You're nicer than I am, Chris!

"Sure, no problem, but... first, you're gonna need to figure out genetics. I don't mean basic college levels, I'm talking totally mad science stuff, which I'm not convinced is a mastery of the subject your angel possesses. Also, it's gonna take hundred of tries. And you'll either be putting yourself and your colleagues at great risk if these fuckers get out, ha ha what are the odds of that happening, or the best you'll be able to do is a crap version, weak and unreliable. Pathetic little abominations of nature that couldn't threaten a legless cat, y'know?"

"You want to figure out mad science genetics? Sure, no problem. You're gonna need to add a library of golden age science textbooks on the subject to your workspace. You're also gonna need a controlled growing environment. I mean, the infirmary's just life support and a drug lab right now, not quite ideal for playing god. And it's probably going to take months of work, by which I mean study. Lastly, what would really help is taking apart one of those twisted and dangerous mutant things from the burn flats, while it's still alive."

"A controlled growing environment? Sure, no problem. You're gonna need some basic tools for working on, y'know, stuff, not people. Something to form a good hermetic seal. An air filter. And enough other weird odds and ends that you're probably just going to have to suck it up and get Rolfball's help with the whole matter. He's always got crazy shit stored away in those secret stashes of his."

"Basic tools for working on stuff, not people? Sure, no problem, but you're gonna have to add some basic tools for working on stuff, not people, to your workspace. Seriously, you're gonna make a wrench with your bare hands, or maybe some scalpels and a copious supply of medical drugs? Of course, you could just go to the marketplace and buy... oooh, that's right, somebody shot the marketplace up last week, didn't they? Well (offer them an opportunity, with or without a cost), there is talk of another marketplace over in Salt. It's about a short drive straight through the brightdust forest, or about five days if you go around. Road trip?"

Yes, the savvyhead in my IRC game is getting a little frustrated with me. (I haven't taken it nearly this far, but he's asked for weather control machine when the entire apocalypse is more or less weather-based, so, yeah, he's gonna have to work for it.)

To some people, awesome supernatural powers are a plus, not a minus. I personally look at Brainer and think "Fuck yeah creepy psychics!" not "Fuck yeah dysfunctional relationships!" regardless of how impressively brainers model the latter using the former. (Like how Deep Brain Scan isn't mind reading, it just lets you know how they're vulnerable and weak, and leaves it up to you as to how to use that information, and how Puppet Strings isn't mind control, it's an ultimatum.)

I mean, if you're not a fan, you're not a fan. But I don't think weird was intended to model human brokenness, and just happened to accidentally get attached to a bunch of supernatural powers. I think it's the supernatural-powers ability, and that's just an interpretation of it that you would much rather see, yeah? It'd definitely be an interesting hack I wouldn't mind seeing, though.

I've come up with a playbook idea called "The Golden Child", a few special moves, and something so awesome that I don't want to spoil it here before I come to a decision on the matter. All I need to iron down is the names and look section, really.

So, do I post my ideas to make them available for all and sundry... or do I create an totally sweet and hyperexclusive playbook?

Dilemma!