Presentation and Rules Are Different Things

[Thomas Shey]

Font choice is important, for sure. I can't remember what it was I never finished reading, I just remember an RPG book where the font was so horrible to read I more or less opened the book and closed it straight after.

Back when Eden Studios was still a viable concern, they used to use some really awful color and font choices for side bars that always seriously made me sigh.

 

[aramis erak]

Me too. All day long.

Just remember: 1 or 2 sources are plagiarism, 3 or more are research... (One of my history profs,,,)

 

[GrimCo]

PF2 comes to mind. I hate it's layout. But game itself is solid.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

I agree about the importance of font choice. Comic Sans all day,every day!

 

[aramis erak]

I agree about the importance of font choice. Comic Sans all day,every day!

Good for most dyslexics, bad for many neurotypicals.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Good for most dyslexics, bad for many neurotypicals.

Wow. Ok, I have learned a thing. Thanks.

 

[johndesmarais]

This is the primary reason I’m more likely to OSE than original B/XD&D, even though they are basically the same game. OSE presents the rules in a much easier (for me) manner for consumption.

 

[cbwjm]

This is the primary reason I’m more likely to OSE than original B/XD&D, even though they are basically the same game. OSE presents the rules in a much easier (for me) manner for consumption.

Fully agree. After looking at OSE I went back and had a look at the original B/X presentation and, while not horrendous, is definitely not as well laid out.

 

[pemerton]

Seconding this. Same with Torchbearer.

What is with Burning Wheel games? Is there a minimum IQ requirement? Those games make me feel so stupid.

I've tried a few times to parse them and I just can't.

For my kids, I tried stripping things down to an almost Prince Valiant level of complexity. Eventually gave up and used a different game entirely.

I GM and play Burning Wheel, GM Torchbearer 2e, and GM Prince Valiant. At our table Prince Valiant is something like a light version of Burning Wheel.

I think they're all great games, although Torchbearer's rules suffer a bit in presentation from the way they are spread out over 3 volumes.

 

[pemerton]

Do folks remember Apocalypse World? The author's tone came across to me as "yeah I use the F word all the time in MY rules. Got a problem with that? This game has aTitUdE!" LOL

200% this.

AW is THE model of nightmarish presentation, from start to finish. Just as bad as everything from White Wolf.

I guess this just reminds us that much of this is in the eye of the beholder. AW sets out the rules and principles of play clearly and forthrightly.