What size will the new books be?

[Aus_Snow]

Will efforts be made to reduce the need to flip pages? I.e. using sort of a 2-page spread layout where you can leave the book open at a spot and have "all" of what you need on that topic showing? I know there were criticisms of the 3.0 MM where stat blocks would be broken up by pages.

Damn, why didn't I think of asking that. Good call!

 

[EricNoah]

'cause you ain't a librarian! (To the best of my knowledge )

One of my favorite books, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, uses a very effective two-page spread layout. You just open the book to a spot and you've got a main article, any necessary sidebars, relevant examples and illustrations, and cross-references to other related entries. It invites browsing but robustly supports using it for research, and it really transcends both its "textbook" and "encyclopedic" missions.

 

[Aus_Snow]

'cause you ain't a librarian! (To the best of my knowledge )

One of my favorite books, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, uses a very effective two-page spread layout. You just open the book to a spot and you've got a main article, any necessary sidebars, relevant examples and illustrations, and cross-references to other related entries. It invites browsing but robustly supports using it for research, and it really transcends both its "textbook" and "encyclopedic" missions.

Heh.

Not darn likely, as my mum was. And neat. Respectively, like.

 

[RodneyThompson]

'cause you ain't a librarian! (To the best of my knowledge )

One of my favorite books, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, uses a very effective two-page spread layout. You just open the book to a spot and you've got a main article, any necessary sidebars, relevant examples and illustrations, and cross-references to other related entries. It invites browsing but robustly supports using it for research, and it really transcends both its "textbook" and "encyclopedic" missions.

Speaking in a completely unofficial not-in-the-know-about-4E-layouts capacity, I know pretty much everyone in R&D is in favor of layouts that reduce page flipping. We've gone to great pains to ensure that some upcoming Star Wars books (like Starships of the Galaxy) are designed in "spreads" to reduce flipping.

 

[Baby Samurai]

They will be the same size as previous editions. The interior layouts will have less of a textbook feel and the page counts and paper stock will be the same.

Is this confirmed, because I have a feeling they might be Saga shaped, which once you get used to it is actually not bad – less unwieldy.

 

[Alikar]

They will be the same size as previous editions. The interior layouts will have less of a textbook feel and the page counts and paper stock will be the same.

Awww boo... I like the size of Saga. Oh well I guess that means more material.

 

[drothgery]

Please, for the love of all that is holy, do NOT make these books Saga sized. That would just be a huge insult. From the cover art, it looks like they'll be standard size, but it's of course very early to tell.

-Nate

Err... obviously they'd need to make the book longer (288 square pages might work for SWSE, but I don't think you can fit a D&D PHB in that), and ScottR says they're sticking with standard size for D&D books anyway, but what would be wrong with it, assuming you had roughly the same amount of content (say, a 320 page square vs a 288 page standard)?

 

[WhatGravitas]

Is this confirmed, because I have a feeling they might be Saga shaped, which once you get used to it is actually not bad – less unwieldy.

I think so, otherwise, Scott would tell us, no? I mean, if he's not knowledgeable 'bout it... who else? Plus, the preliminary design was done that way, even if I dislike that white banner.

Cheers, LT.

 

[thundershot]

Is this confirmed, because I have a feeling they might be Saga shaped, which once you get used to it is actually not bad – less unwieldy.

I think he would know...

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