Introduction
What's the purpose of written game rules
-
The tabletop ideal would be . . . (6:26)
-
The video game ideal would be . . . (2:06)
-
What are the objectives, what are you really trying to accomplish? (3:25)
-
Game Design Documents - and Alternatives (5:57)
-
Satisficing - your "worst enemy (2:07)
-
Call a Spade a Space: Write in Clear English (4:32)
-
Writing: put yourself in the reader's place (3:52)
-
The "best" way varies with your audience (2:07)
-
Game design documents - and problems (3:45)
-
Game Concepts, Treatments, and other Marketing Documents (2:42)
-
An exercise - write rules for a well-known classic game (3:44)
-
Software for Writing Rules (3:30)
-
Sea Kings first full set of rules 1377 words
-
Sea Kings fifth set of rules 2917 words
-
The differences between mechanics, rules, and descriptions (5:08)
Writing the rules
-
Rules length (and formatting) (4:40)
-
Tone of voice: passive/active, impersonal/personal (2:15)
-
Skimmers (3:18)
-
"Twenty dollar" words (4:19)
-
Britannia second edition Reference Rules
-
Britannia second edition Sequence of Play rules (as rewritten by Fantasy Flight)
-
Sequence of Play versus Reference rules (2:35)
-
What can you not legislate against? (6:05)
-
"Cheat sheets" (1:54)
-
Example: A one-page reference ("Quick Guide" to Britannia)
-
Example: One page Player's Aid for Pacific Convoy
-
Use of graphics in the rulebook (2:36)
-
Rules on the cards (3:43)
-
An outline for Sequence of Play rules (4:45)
-
Drafts, drafts, and more drafts - it's not (4:53)
-
Editors, editing - and developers (4:33)
Testing and improving the rules
What might be in the rules, other than rules?
-
Rules missed or misunderstood (2:01)
-
Examples of Play (1:28)
-
Example: Historical Walk-through of first two turns of Britannia
-
A Play-through (1:28)
-
Optional rules and variants (3:25)
-
Strategy/playing hints (2:30)
-
Example: Quick "How to play Britannia" MP3 audio file
-
Example: A text strategy aid posted online - for Britannia
-
Example: A strategy hint audio aid posted online - for Britannia
-
Learning aids that aren't in the box (that are online) (3:21)
-
Designer's notes (3:25)
-
Flowcharts? Lookup Tables? No. (2:52)
Conclusion
Bonus Material
