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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 5346670" data-attributes="member: 94">User Preference...NOTE: There is a PDF attached to this post for review.Well, I've been quietly chugging away on the layout of the book, and I'm at a bit of a crossroads regarding formatting and usability.1) Font size. First of all, we won't be repeating the mistake we made in the main rulebook-- all of the text in the monster book is at least 12 pt. type, with some 10 pt. tables (ability scores). This makes for "large print" reading and we do have room to go down to 10/8.2) Page layout. Our goal from the beginning was to put no more than 1 monster per column. (Indeed in the PDF, it will be one monster per page regardless.)This does create a lot of white space, but we feel that readability and usability are improved when you don't run into two monsters on the same column.3) Book Size. Now, given #1 and #2, we obviously have a hurdle with the page count and the size of the book. Our POD service (CreateSpace) can print the book at 8x10-- the same size as the main rulebook-- but we would be limited to 440 pages.But I'm getting a bit worried we won't be able to fit everything into 440 pages. (Animals alone are about 70 pages.)If I drop the size format of the book to 7x10 or 6x9, CreateSpace can bind up to 800 pages-- but then the book feels a little tight with 2 columns per page. Switching to one column would waste more space on those short entries (like hit points), but improve readability on longer, numeric-content lines (like AC or Melee; see page 1.)So, here are the choices that the voices in my head are suggesting:1) "I like all my rulebooks to be the same size. Keep the book at 8"x10", drop the font size if necessary, and cut content if necessary. You'll just have to get it into 440 pages."2) "Content is the most important, and I wouldn't want to see any content cut, but try to keep the page count down. I'm worried about cracking the spine on a book that thick. Drop down to 7"x10" or smaller if you have to, but keep it at two columns of text and consider dropping the font size a step if you have to."3) "Readability! Go ahead and drop to 6"x9", keep the larger font size, and go with just one column of text. I want the text to feel 'roomy' and I don't mind if the page count shoots up. I've always wanted a Monster Manual thicker than the Bible!"Opinions?</blockquote>

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