And by good design, I mean graphic and print design, not game design itself. I’ve been a practicing print designer in the RPG industry for a few years now, and if I’ve learned anything it’s that too few people pay attention to print design as it relates to an RPG. Sure, the big houses generally do a very good job, but I feel that the smaller press companies often don’t pay enough attention to the subject and art of designing a visual look for a product.
At its core, print design works to enhance the rules and feel of a product. It should take the rules, present them in a clear and legible manner, and then give you a visual short hand for the theme and subject of the game. When someone opens up your book they should immediately be able to grasp the theme of the game from the look of the product without actually reading the rules. And when they do start reading the rules, they should be able to do so easily, with a minimum of effort.
I’m certain that part of this is that some developers do all of the layout and print design themselves, both out of necessity and lack of available help. Yet even this isn’t a huge excuse, as it doesn’t take much effort to learn the very basics of good design. There are dozens of wonderful publications and websites that explain the basics in a clear and concise manner. Even if you’re not visually talented or skilled you can still at least create a product that’s legible and easy to read.
I’ve seen too many books that try to cram as much text as possibel into a set amount of pages, resulting in a muddied wall of text that’s intimidating to read. I think that it’s better to either spring for the extra pages or cut some material in order to bring the text size up to something readable. I’d much rather be able to easily access and read the rules than get a few more pages of content.
I think that this is where 4th edition really shines. Sure, Wizards of the Coast has a lot of money to throw around on things like design, but for once they spent it wisely. The text is airy, easy to read, and very distinct. The visual design space is open but filled with a very neat visual shorthand and theme. The artwork is wonderful and used correctly. Some people complain that the large text size means less content for the money, but in my book this is an example of very good design.
Ultimately the goal of a print designer is to present the game text in as concise, readable, and beautiful manner as possible. It’s not some job you can just pawn off on anyone if you want to produce something that’s going to be a truly memorable project. If you’re working on your own game rules, try to find someone who knows what they’re doing. It’s time that we give print designers their due and recognition in bringing an RPG to life. Don’t settle for something that merely works when you could get a book that truly sings.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that this might be somewhat self serving. I’m talking about my own role in the industry, but I’d like to think that I know what I’m talking about. Print design is important, especially in a book filled with rules and ideas! But I’ll end this with saying that I’ve always tried to help fellow designers, both rules and print, in this industry. I’m willing to work cheaply (sometimes for beer) if it means showing the rest of the world how important this is. Especially in this digital age, where you can hire anyone from the world over to work with you.
I mean, what would you rather have? A book of rules that’s presented like a college textbook or a nice tome that looks like it was ripped right out of a wizard’s hand, a wizard who had very good penmanship? I think that almost all of us would much rather have the latter. And that’s the power of good design.