An editing wish for future editions

[Umbran]

In future editions, I don't want to see a lot of repeated boilerplate text.

I think this one falls into the category of "what is best for the new user isnot necessarily best for the old user". Sure, you and I know enough that the repetition is silly. But for a new user, there is some sense to it. It makes the book more useable for the new player (who, honestly, is unlikely to read the book cover to cover, and will likely miss relevant text if you put it soewhere else).

Wihle clearly getting new players isn't the main focus of the book as written, that doesn't mean some bits of it shouldn't be designed with them in mind.

I also don't need 6-7 paragraphs at the beginning of each class description telling me how members of the class fit into the world, how they view other classes, why they adventure, etc.

As above - you and I don't need it. The newbie might. While Eberron's way of dealing with it seems more artful, it also doesn't contain as much information. Eberron also expects you to have the PHB, so it can skimp a little bit where the PHB itself probably shouldn't.

Then, cut the fat off the rest of the text. No, it doesn't need to be as bare-bones as the SRD, but things could be a lot clearer. State rules clearly and concisely.

One man's clear and consice is another's incomprehensible nonsense without context or explanation They've already improved some from 3e to 3.5e, so I expect the trend will continue.

Some kind of decorative (but not busy) tabbing so I can easily spot chapter breaks by looking at the edges of the books would be useful, too.

Yes, tabbing would be good.

 

[cnath.rm]

I actually am in the middle of a project that I call the Pocket SRD. It contains every rule from the the ability scores, races and classes chapters of the PHB in 3 pages, I believe. Not small text either.

Any idea offhand as to when this is going to be out? It sounds like something I could use at the moment.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I wish there were a typographical clue for terms that one could look up in the glossary. So if you see the word *dazed* you know it's a "game rules term" and not fluff, and so you could go look it up in the glossary. The glossary could be cross referenced with other lists of rules like the monster special abilities, or maybe that list should be worked into the glossary.

[shrug] In 4e, the manuals will be printed on digital paper, and all that sort of thing will be hyperlinked.

The endlessly-repeated text will still exist, but there'll be options to collapse or expand it... so you'll default it to closed, but it will be there when you need it.

And the chapter tabs will be a small navigation bar at the top of the page.

Simple, really.

(Now where's my jet-pack, damn it? It's the 21st century!)

-Hyp.

 

[Greylock]

I'd go for an complete index that ref's the DMG, PHB and MM. It's been done before...

I know, 3.5 is a work in progress and all, but a COMPLETE index for the core books is not out of line.

 

[buzz]

I think this one falls into the category of "what is best for the new user isnot necessarily best for the old user".

True, but I do think that a lot of the simplification and streamlining could potentially make it easier for the new user. I also think that, even to a newbie, condensing those 6-7 fluff paragraphs in the class descritions into 1-2 that *really make the point* would save the newbie time and improve comprehension. A solid vignette will stick in their minds better than an essay, IMO.

But, yes, ultimately a balance needs to be struck.

Oh, and I really like Eric's "keyword" idea. All of the "reserved terms" in D&D ought to be marked as such in the text, italicized or bolded when they appear.