Create Tabletop Rulebook with InDesign: Building the Foundations

Working on any creative project is like constructing a structure. You prepare the ground and build the foundations, then you create the structure and finally you add the roof. In this section we focus on those foundations and an often-overlooked but crucial step: a proper method of gathering references. This foundational phase is essential to shaping your project and setting the right course for everything that follows.

Collecting Basic Information (Design Brief)

When you embark on the journey of creating a tabletop rulebook, you need to know what you’re building. Is it an RPG Ruleset? A Wargame’s Army Rulebook? Or perhaps something else entirely? Whatever it is, the first thing to do is to make a list with the following details:

1. Game Name: The name that will go on the cover of the book. It sometimes has a Title and a Subtitle. It depends on the author.
2. Game Type/Format: Is it a board game, an RPG or a miniatures’ game/wargame.
3. Game Genre/Theme: Depending on the type of game you will get a plethora of genres and themes. If you are not familiar with the genre or themes. I recommend as requesting a brief summary from the game’s author and checking websites like boardgamegeek.com for some additional information or just play one or two games from the genre to get more acquainted with it.
4. Game’s audience: Board gamers, RPG (Role-Playing Game) gamers, and wargamers often have distinct preferences and engagement styles, despite some overlap in these communities. Board gamers typically appreciate games that provide a complete play experience within a single box. In contrast, wargamers and RPG gamers engage with their games in a more intricate manner. Wargamers frequently engage in craft-related activities such as assembling, building, and painting miniatures and terrain sets before actual gameplay begins. RPG gamers also invest considerable time and effort in sourcing or creating game assets to enhance narrative immersion. Wargamers often seek tactile, hands-on interactions as part of their gaming experience. RPG gamers, however, increasingly utilize digital assets, particularly with the rise of Virtual Tabletops. Certain themes within games, such as historical themes in miniature games, resonate differently across diverse audience segments. Understanding these nuances is crucial for emphasizing aspects like readability and accessibility, to cater to the broadest range of players. By recognizing these differences and considerations, one can tailor game design and marketing strategies more effectively.
5. Book Binding: There are different types of book binding techniques, however the following are the ones I recommend for professionally made rulebooks:
   1. Perfect Binding: Used in softcovers books. These have a glued spine with a flat surface. These can last long if treated with care but are not ideal for heavy use however they are light and easy to carry with you.
   2. Case Binding: Used in hardcover books. These have a sewn or glued spine encased in a hard cover. These are the most durable of the most used types of binding. They are ideal for heavy use but are very heavy to carry around.
   3. Sewn Binding: Used in softcover books. These are sewn in sections and then glued together to the spine of the book. This binding method is more durable than Perfect Binding. This type offers the best of both worlds. They are lighter than the Hard cover books while are light to carry around.
6. Trim size: Trim size is the dimensions of the book width x height. The most common trim sizes for rulebooks are 8.5in x 11 in or A4 outside of the US, however, these will vary depending on the length of the book or the art direction.
7. Page count/Paper type: Another important factor is the page count and the paper type. This will determine the margins of the book as well as the thickness of the book’s spine. The paper type depends on the printer that is going to be used but keep in mind that coated papers are thicker therefore the book’s spine will increase also because of it. When dealing with the printer pick the desired paper type and send them the page quantity to get the proper thickness dimensions for the book spine.
   These basic elements serve as the foundation upon which your rulebook is built. So, before moving ahead, take some time to collect these core aspects of your project. You will get these from the game designer, publisher or from your own research if you are making the whole project yourself. This document will be called the design brief.