software for creating newspaper layouts?

[GlassJaw]

I have an idea for a dark/gothic/steampunk setting and one of the things I would like to do is create handouts for the players that are basically the front pages of newspapers. I figure every few sessions I can give them a flyer that has some headlines and maybe a couple of lines of a story. Some of these could merely be background information or red herrings while some could be foreshadowing or actual adventure plots.

Now I know software like Quark and Adobe Indesign can do this sort of a thing but that software is mondo expensive. I have Word but I'm not sure if it can handle it.

Any thoughts on a good way to go about creating something like this?

 

[Vascant]

Perhaps talk with the nice people at http://www.theexplorersguild.com, they have that samething for Bluffside.

 

[Psionicist]

If you use MS Word, check for the drawing toolbar (where you can draw lines, circles etc). There should be an icon that looks like a newspaper or old book there. You can use it to create text boxes. Combine with a suitable font and tables and the result can be pretty convincing. Heck, I don't think you have to use the textbox thing as long as you figure out how to use Word's not-so-great table creation tools. Don't forget to align the text both to the left and right margin.

It is possible, but cumbersome, to do this in Word.

 

[Zulithe]

If you have (or have access to) Microsoft Office, the program you are looking for is called Publisher. I have it with Office 2003 and it is wonderful.

Word *CAN* do this but it will take some work to format everything to look like it is from a newspaper. Maybe you can find a template around...

I did a few google searches and there don't seem to be any free programs that can accomplish a newspaper layout easily.

Of course it can be done quite effectively in html with css but that would take slightly longer, and if you don't know html/css you're probably not gonna want to go that route.

 

[GlassJaw]

Of course it can be done quite effectively in html with css but that would take slightly longer, and if you don't know html/css you're probably not gonna want to go that route.

Duh, I didn't even think of that! I definitely could do it in html although I probably would give Word a try first. I don't need it look perfect. As long as the players get the idea that it's supposed to be newspaper-like, I'll be satisfied. Printing them out on some kind of non-white paper would probably go a long way as well.

Perhaps talk with the nice people at http://www.theexplorersguild.com, they have that samething for Bluffside.

Wow, those are cool. Those Bluffside crier downloads are very similar to what I would like to do. Thanks for the link.

 

[reveal]

Wow, those are cool. Those Bluffside crier downloads are very similar to what I would like to do. Thanks for the link.

The Korranberg Chronicle is a very similar site for Eberron. I'm not sure what they use to make their newsletters, but you could always ask.

 

[JimAde]

MS Word will definitely do this. As Psionicist says, you can either use Text Boxes or tables.

Or you could just use the Columns feature. A page with three narrow columns would look a lot like a Victorian newspaper. Put a big headline across the top and pick the right fonts and you're good to go.

 

[pjrake]

I have an idea for a dark/gothic/steampunk setting and one of the things I would like to do is create handouts for the players that are basically the front pages of newspapers. I figure every few sessions I can give them a flyer that has some headlines and maybe a couple of lines of a story. Some of these could merely be background information or red herrings while some could be foreshadowing or actual adventure plots.

Any thoughts on a good way to go about creating something like this?

I use MS Publisher for my Mutants & Masterminds game. Here is an example of our latest issue:

http://www.geocities.com/archer1856/Aug52005.pdf

If you have Publisher 2003 I can send you the layout.

PJ

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Haven't done it myself, though I've thought about it once or twice. Publisher would be what I'd try first rather than Word since it's the sort of thing that Publisher is actually meant for. Grab whatever newspaper/newsletter you want to pattern it after and just munge about until you get something approximate.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Serif Software (makers of Page Plus, a pretty good desktop publisher) places older versions of their software on the web as advertising, and in my case it worked! (I now own Page Plus 8, and intend to upgrade.) Take a look here for an older version of Page Plus and some other nifty programs.

The Auld Grump