Well I received my Rulebook for "Crystal Heroes" (CH) this week... And for one thing, size matters! I chose the smaller format 3.5" x 5.0", thinking it would be sufficient enough for players to refer to the rules or read them for the very 1st time.
That MEDIUM format is simply put: WAY TOO SMALL!
I have a hard time reading my OWN rulebook, let alone allow this format to be used by my Backers (and players)...
So, it looks like I am back to Square 0. I need to completely RE-FORMAT the ENTIRE 14 pages of the CH Rulebook! The LARGE format which is 5" x 8" should prove to be sufficiently BIG to be able to READ the contents of this Rulebook.
It's in a way "drole" that the MEDIUM format is NOT ENOUGH that I need to go with the LARGE format. This is almost the SAME size as the notebooks (5 subjects) that I use to write notes and ideas. Just a little bit smaller...
And my Rulebook has a lot of TEXT with some images and a LOT of TABLES. The problem is with the text ... It's just too small and VERY hard to read. This is a major re-work that needs to be done.
Right now... I was focusing on Video Game Programming ... And will probably need to CHANGE gears and go back to Rulebook Editing. Oh well!
Comments
Index Cards
Yeah, 3.5 x 5 inches is the same size as an index card. To me, that seems way too small as well, particularly if you want to have decent-size diagrams to go along with it.
Good luck on your next size up. :)
Hmm... to my surprise
I actually had my Aunt proof-read a bit of the "physical" documents and while she agrees it may be a bit SMALL, it is still very readable. I was a bit surprised! She of all people would have said that the size is too small... But she said it looked okay.
So having her opinion that the format is readable... Well now I really don't know what to do!? I'll need to think about it some more.
Go with the larger size..
I would definitely reformat for the larger size if you can. I remember I got a medium sized rule book from TGC and found it way too small as well for anything that is text or chart heavy.
Keep in mind that a disproportionate number of gamers have vision issues so making sure they can actually read the rules is worth the time and effort to reformat, imho.
Yeah maybe NEXT month...
Once I finish with the "core" Rulebook for TradeWorlds (TW), I'll make it my NEXT priority to convert the Crystal Heroes (CH) Rulebook available in the larger size... It's just because it has an "impact" on the SIZE of the BOX that the game is shipped with... So I'm not yet 100% sold on "Bigger is Better" way of thinking. But I've got to admit that it's HARD to read the SMALL print in the Medium Booklet. Even I agree. Yes you CAN read it... But NO it's not EASY to read.
And I think that's kind of the point: it's TOO HARD to read!
That in itself would turn-off a lot of would be players. If the writing is so small, why would they force themselves to read TOO small writing?!?!
Some time in September, I will get to converting the size.