This is an updated repost from the old blog.
Book layout is a professional skill, which means it is tough to do without any training. If you are an independent developer, you are likely taking this burden on yourself.
Game books have the distinct quality that they have to be referenced during play. That sounds obvious but it means we need to consider things that don't apply to a novel or other piece of writing.
This post shares a few practical tips I apply and which you may find to be helpful as well.
So... here are "Weasel's Rules of Making Text better". They are not in any particular order of importance.
Feel free to leave comments or to share them elsewhere, add your own tips or modify these to fit.1:
Decide if you intend the reader to print or read on the screen.
Obviously people will do both. If you are primarily anticipating screen reading, I find that single column layouts tend to be easier on a tablet device, while dual columns work better on paper.
A dual column also tends to reduce the page count slightly.
2:
Whenever possible tables, flow charts and similar should fit on a single page.
These are things the player will refer to during play, so having to page flip or scroll makes the book much harder to use.
If you are doing a print book, a table or flow chart crossing facing pages will work.
3:
Try to avoid having a few lines of text spill over to the next page or column.
This again reduces readability when the player is trying to reference a rule in play, but it can also lead to parts of a rule being missed or not understood.
4:
Try to define your rules terms clearly. When you have established a rules term, try to avoid using the same term in casual conversation in the rules.
3:
Try to avoid having a few lines of text spill over to the next page or column.
This again reduces readability when the player is trying to reference a rule in play, but it can also lead to parts of a rule being missed or not understood.
4:
Try to define your rules terms clearly. When you have established a rules term, try to avoid using the same term in casual conversation in the rules.
It can help to mark rules terms in capitalized letters or marking key concepts in bold, but if overdone it can end up detracting rather than adding to the game.
You also want to get your terminology as consistent as possible. If the game action for making a ranged attack is called Firing then try to use that throughout instead of referring to both firing, shooting, attacking and so forth.
You also want to get your terminology as consistent as possible. If the game action for making a ranged attack is called Firing then try to use that throughout instead of referring to both firing, shooting, attacking and so forth.
5:
Try to separate flavor text and rules text so it is easy to reference the rules aspect during play.
Example:
"German machine guns typically had high rates of fire, permitting the squad to rely on them to a greater degree.
Add +1 Attack Die when firing with a German Machine Gun Team"
6:
While it's considered old-fashioned, I think the old board-game style of rules and sub-rules works rather well.
Use formatting to indicate whether a rule is a sub-set of an existing rule. For example, if you have your Movement rules, you may have a sub-set that discusses Running or Hiding.
If each main rule is in BOLD AND ALL CAPS you might have sub-sets in CURSIVE CAPS.
You can do similar things for optional or advanced rules.
Example:
"German machine guns typically had high rates of fire, permitting the squad to rely on them to a greater degree.
Add +1 Attack Die when firing with a German Machine Gun Team"
6:
While it's considered old-fashioned, I think the old board-game style of rules and sub-rules works rather well.
Use formatting to indicate whether a rule is a sub-set of an existing rule. For example, if you have your Movement rules, you may have a sub-set that discusses Running or Hiding.
If each main rule is in BOLD AND ALL CAPS you might have sub-sets in CURSIVE CAPS.
You can do similar things for optional or advanced rules.
7:
Limit big blocks of text. I use a rule of thumb to never have more than 5 lines of text before a line break.
In dual column layouts, you might go to 6 or 7 lines.
Large, dense text blocks are hard to read for a lot of people and are hard to reference during play.
Remember, we're writing games, not literature: Our use cases are different.
You may also benefit from adding more line breaks than you normally would. If a special condition applies to a rule, it may be clearer on its own line than tagged on at the end. This can be taken case by case.
8:
It seems a common best practice is that each page should ideally have something to break up the text, whether it is an illustration, example, text box or something else.
9:
If you can try to fit illustrations or photos near somewhat related rules. Your vehicle chapter should have pictures of tanks for example. This also makes it easier to use the book at a glance because people often memorize "the vehicle damage table is next to the photo of the big robot miniature".
10:
When it comes to writing rules, pay close attention to your choice of words like "will" and "may".
When you review your game rules, read them as literally as possible because that's what a substantial portion of your audience will do to.
If read literally, does the rule say what you intend it to say ?
"Characters within 2" of an enemy may attack in close combat" suggests I can opt not to attack, while "Characters within 2" of an enemy must attack in close combat" says I have to attack.
In dual column layouts, you might go to 6 or 7 lines.
Large, dense text blocks are hard to read for a lot of people and are hard to reference during play.
Remember, we're writing games, not literature: Our use cases are different.
You may also benefit from adding more line breaks than you normally would. If a special condition applies to a rule, it may be clearer on its own line than tagged on at the end. This can be taken case by case.
8:
It seems a common best practice is that each page should ideally have something to break up the text, whether it is an illustration, example, text box or something else.
9:
If you can try to fit illustrations or photos near somewhat related rules. Your vehicle chapter should have pictures of tanks for example. This also makes it easier to use the book at a glance because people often memorize "the vehicle damage table is next to the photo of the big robot miniature".
10:
When it comes to writing rules, pay close attention to your choice of words like "will" and "may".
When you review your game rules, read them as literally as possible because that's what a substantial portion of your audience will do to.
If read literally, does the rule say what you intend it to say ?
"Characters within 2" of an enemy may attack in close combat" suggests I can opt not to attack, while "Characters within 2" of an enemy must attack in close combat" says I have to attack.