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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions, OSR, & D&D Variants
OSR Layout and Design Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="Fenris-77" data-source="post: 9876892" data-attributes="member: 6993955"><p>We have a lot of very talented folks here on ENWorld who write and publish, or would like to publish, their own RPG materials. Doing layout in a program like Affinity or (gods help you) InDesign can be overwhelming though. So many buttons! Which ones do I press? I feel your pain. I am not a professional layout guy, let's get that out up front, but I taught myself to use Affinity a couple of years ago and I've done a bunch of reading about layout and design. People seem to like my stuff anyway, which I'll take as the compliment it is. </p><p></p><p>I'm not creating this thread so I can tell people what to do so much as I think we could all use a place to ask questions about layout and design in its own space, instead of as dribs and drabs in thread about other stuff.</p><p></p><p>Here's a quick list of the things I think are fundamental to doing good layout for RPG stuff (in no particular order)</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">font choice and pairings</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">visual hierarchy</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">proper attention to white space</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">understanding grid layout options and function</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">graphic design basics</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">balance and proportion on both page and spread</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">how to find and use public domain art</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">special sauce (I like Big Macs, sue me)</li> </ol><p>There are obviously a ton more things I could put on that list, but I think it covers the basics. I will endeavor to help anyone who posts in this thread with their specific layout and design problems, but I'm quite happy to have anyone else with chops chime in, perhaps especially when they disagree me.</p><p></p><p>A few books to look at in terms of perhaps learning a thing or two about layout and design for RPGs:</p><p></p><p><em>Into the Odd Remastered</em> - layout by Johan Nohr (this is my well-thumbed go-to source of inspiration)</p><p><em>Mork Borg</em> - Also Johan Nohr, but I mention it more for the dungeon at the back rather that the genius art-punk the proceeds it. </p><p><em>Brindlewood Bay</em> - Gauntlet Publishing - super clean, no-frills and spot on vibes</p><p><em>Dolmenwood</em> - Necrotic Gnome - OMG the vibes!</p><p><em>Shadowdark</em> - Arcane Library - perhaps the most viscerally functional OSR book ever published. If you want to see spreads done well, this is where to look.</p><p></p><p>Plus many more that I'm sure I'll think of as soon as I press post thread. Anyway, this is a place for questions and probably lots of pictures. Let's have some fun.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Fenris-77, post: 9876892, member: 6993955"] We have a lot of very talented folks here on ENWorld who write and publish, or would like to publish, their own RPG materials. Doing layout in a program like Affinity or (gods help you) InDesign can be overwhelming though. So many buttons! Which ones do I press? I feel your pain. I am not a professional layout guy, let's get that out up front, but I taught myself to use Affinity a couple of years ago and I've done a bunch of reading about layout and design. People seem to like my stuff anyway, which I'll take as the compliment it is. I'm not creating this thread so I can tell people what to do so much as I think we could all use a place to ask questions about layout and design in its own space, instead of as dribs and drabs in thread about other stuff. Here's a quick list of the things I think are fundamental to doing good layout for RPG stuff (in no particular order) [LIST=1] [*]font choice and pairings [*]visual hierarchy [*]proper attention to white space [*]understanding grid layout options and function [*]graphic design basics [*]balance and proportion on both page and spread [*]how to find and use public domain art [*]special sauce (I like Big Macs, sue me) [/LIST] There are obviously a ton more things I could put on that list, but I think it covers the basics. I will endeavor to help anyone who posts in this thread with their specific layout and design problems, but I'm quite happy to have anyone else with chops chime in, perhaps especially when they disagree me. A few books to look at in terms of perhaps learning a thing or two about layout and design for RPGs: [I]Into the Odd Remastered[/I] - layout by Johan Nohr (this is my well-thumbed go-to source of inspiration) [I]Mork Borg[/I] - Also Johan Nohr, but I mention it more for the dungeon at the back rather that the genius art-punk the proceeds it. [I]Brindlewood Bay[/I] - Gauntlet Publishing - super clean, no-frills and spot on vibes [I]Dolmenwood[/I] - Necrotic Gnome - OMG the vibes! [I]Shadowdark[/I] - Arcane Library - perhaps the most viscerally functional OSR book ever published. If you want to see spreads done well, this is where to look. Plus many more that I'm sure I'll think of as soon as I press post thread. Anyway, this is a place for questions and probably lots of pictures. Let's have some fun. [/QUOTE]
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