Layout, Finding a Home for Art

Yesterday I spent 4 hours on seven pages of Starter Adventures. I did the layout for the dungeon adventure section and I forgot the fricking map. More layout time for me today. 

Rob Conley did the map and will do all the maps.  Jason Sholtis and John Larrey did all the artwork.  That's the best and hardest part of the layout having all these great things to put in.  When I did layouts for my other products I didn't worry about art because I had none.

For each drawing and each map I am trying to find its home in the space of the page.  I know it sounds dramatic, but it's true.  Each serves a purpose for a particular section of the manuscript.  Making them fit in a pleasing way is a challenge.  I guess I could compare it poorly to an art gallery where each has its space on the wall and there is a method to the presentation. 

When I checked my layout yesterday I noticed I placed most of the drawings in the right column near the bottom.  So I went back and altered the locations to help break up the text and assist in imagining the adventure I'm trying to convey.  It's an interesting process.  Although I have cussed out my computer screen for not doing what I wanted I think I have a handle on it.

Now I am onto the New Monster and New Magic Item sections and if I can get Ivy off the couch and pry the 360 controller from her hands (she is glazed over playing a marble spitting frog game) we may go to the bookstore.  Have a great weekend.

Layout for Starter Adventures

It's late here.  Nearly 2:30am and I'm nearly finished with the entire first draft of Starter Adventures.  Red Bear's Tavern is nearly complete.  Just a few more room descriptions and my map mock up needs sent to Rob.  I have to get all my map mock ups to Rob.  Jason and John are very busy artists, but I sent them a few suggestions of what I would like to see.  Jason is working on a cover which I am excited about.

As I am writing this I have been thinking of how to lay this puppy out.  I am a keep it clean, two columns, right and left justified kinda guy.  No fancy fonts.  Two at the most in the manuscript.  But I am thinking with the pictures and mini maps I might just keep it a single column.  I will play with it a bit once it gets closer to layout time, but never too earlier to consider options.

The pros of the single column is I have a lot more room on the page to place maps and pictures.  Do some text wrapping and subtle framing to accent and still get all the information included.  And if you are looking at the manuscript in PDF form on a reader or computer you can scroll down without having to go back to the top on the same page once you read the 1st column.

The cons of a single column format is it doesn't look as professional to me.  I guess I am so used to seeing a two column format that's what I expect to see in a gaming product.  I think most of us expect that.

Just some late night thoughts as I consider my next release.  Have a great weekend.

Adventure Layout Epiphany

Yesterday, Rob Conley of Bat in the Attic asked a simple a question about whether people preferred inline stats or stats at the end of the adventure. Since I've got a few adventures in development I took a special interest in the answers. I was surprised by the overwhelming support for inline stats. I've always been a fan of having one or two pages in the back that I can photocopy to have in front of me while I GM. Because of this poll I'll be changing the layout of my adventures. I will do both inline and the back pages. Thanks to everyone with their input in his blog. It didn't occur to me to even ask that question. Thanks Rob.

I'm including an example of what my back page looks like. I use a HackMaster style sheet, but with my own tweaks that include the experience points of the creatures and treasure that can be found in the room. Also included are actions that individual PCs can do to gain an extra spoonful of experience.