The Campaign Builder's Guild

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Looks neat. But could you perhaps provide an example with a chapter heading, main headline, sub headline, subsub headline, and a table? To let us see if it all works together as a style. :)

Also, if you want to have it primarily as a PDF, have you considered using the landscape format WotC is using for Dragon/Dungeon? Landscape format with 3 columns allows you to read a whole page without scrolling on most screens.

Despite the paucity, the message was pretty clear.  you are running a campaign where everything fell apart (most recently) 400 years before, and things have been in decline since.
you got the message across.

Updated.

Quote from: serifThanks.[/font]

Quote from: serifI'm not sure about all those subs but I just uploaded the entry for humans.  Does that help at all?  It is showing a bit more of the format, as currently planned, outside of the very general pages.  In the least, it shows the format of the races.  Also, after all of the separate racial entries, I think I may have some quick reference tables for normal height, weight, and lifespan.  Perhaps that could help further?[/font]

Quote from: serifYes, I have considered it.  I'm very torn on that.  I think once I have a full section complete, I will 'release' two versions of it.  One of those will be like this, the other landscape.  No promises, though.

Would landscape format make it easier to read and, if so, would you read it and give your thoughts more frequently? [/font]

Quote from: serifThanks.  However, that is not exactly the message that I was trying to get across.  It isn't so much that things are in decline as much as they are stagnant.[/font]

I've been messing around with OOo a bit, and got the following. If you find it useful, feel free to yoink it. :D

The archive with the ODF file:
File: 1215716207_233_FT51787_template.zip

PDF conversion:
File: 1215716207_233_FT51787_template.pdf

I just hope the styles and formatting are being preserved in the ODF file. :-|

Quote from: Ninja D!Updated.

Just saw it too late. Well, I guess I should refresh my tabs more often before replying. :P

Quote from: Ninja D!Thanks.

You're welcome. :D

Quote from: Ninja D!I'm not sure about all those subs but I just uploaded the entry for humans.  Does that help at all?

I meant a simple file with some filler text ("lorem ipsum") to show how you imagined your headers and tables to look like. ;)

But I think I misunderstood your question anyway. I thought you were asking about the layout of your files (colors, font styles, columns, etc) and how it looked like. But I guess you were more interested rather in the layout of your content (giving enough information, written using appropriate language, etc) instead of the presentation of the content.

Or am I wrong again? :huh:

Quote from: Ninja D!It is showing a bit more of the format, as currently planned, outside of the very general pages. In the least, it shows the format of the races.  Also, after all of the separate racial entries, I think I may have some quick reference tables for normal height, weight, and lifespan.  Perhaps that could help further?

I would definitively suggest using 2 columns (eventually 3, depending on font size). Also, I'd greatly recommend using font styles (e.g. redefining the "heading 1" or "text body" styles instead of selecting a line and changing its formatting manually). This won't affect the process of writing stuff much, but when it comes to "making it look shiney" you definitively get an advantage there.

Anyway, I think you should add another block for "game rule information", and perhaps a blob about "physiology" (if only to keep the races' writeups consistent in case you got any race with a different biology, e.g. insectoids or unisexual creatures).

Quote from: Ninja D!Yes, I have considered it.  I'm very torn on that.  I think once I have a full section complete, I will 'release' two versions of it.  One of those will be like this, the other landscape.  No promises, though.

But keep in mind that you cannot simply change the page layout from "portrait" to "landscape". While today's wordprocessors can do much, they can't do everything and you'll probably still have to correct the layout when tables or images/graphics get involved (e.g., manually moving them around to a more suitable location, or correct an inappropriate page break, or something like that).

Therefore I'd say it's best if you decide rather at the start of your writing process than at the end. And if only to save yourself a lot of trouble and time. ;)

Quote from: Ninja D!Would landscape format make it easier to read and, if so, would you read it and give your thoughts more frequently? [/font]

It really depends on what you intend to do with your setting. If you want to print it out and bind it, it depends if you can get along with "sideways" books. But if you use it only as a PDF file, then I'd say use landscape. At least imho landscape format makes reading stuff on a screen much easier as it saves you a lot of scrolling up and down.

Hope that helps. Keep it up! :)

Setting preview:
I can't put my finger on it, but I feel the "headlines" in the setting preview isn't so good in the right side. Maybe it has something to do with the direction we read in. I see it haven't been mentioned before, but it was something I looked at and thought a bit about, so it might just be a matter of personal preference. It is no fatal flaw :)

I like the text in the setting preview and I also believe the message is clear (though I had read the comments first, so the fact that the world is stagnant might have been imprinted in my head).

Humans:
I like how you have reduced the average human lifespan to 40 years.

I haven't seen how you are describing the other races, but one thing I was wondering is if you want humans to be the diverse and adaptable race as for instance D&D makes them? (Is this setting for a specific rules system?)
I believe that 4e introduced a negative trait to humans (easily corruptible), whereas they seemed to have no negative traits in earlier editions (in contrast to the other races). Are you planning something similar?

Since Ra replied just before me:
I too understood it as you wanted response on the formatting and layout.

Quote from: serifWith my first post, I was mostly asking for comment on the layout of the files, so you were right.  I hadn't presented enough content at that point to ask for much more.  As I add more, though, I would like feedback on the content.[/font]

Quote from: serifYou really think that would make it look better?  Later on today, I will try it out and see what I think of it.  You might be right, since that is how a lot of gaming books do it.[/font]

Quote from: serifIn what way does this help?  Does it speed things up in some way I don't understand?[/font]

Quote from: serifI understand what you're saying and it makes sense, given what I have said.  However, I will be using the races as they are mechanically presented in the PHB.  This stuff is just how they fit into my setting.[/font]

Quote from: serifI figured I would have to rearrange things but maybe you're right.  It might be easier to go with landscape.[/font]

Quote from: Ra-TielHope that helps. Keep it up!

Any and all feedback helps right now, especially things related to format.  Thanks, I appreciate it.

Quote from: serifRa seemed to feel otherwise as the format her presented has the headlines on the right as well.  I, personally, wasn't sure about the positioning but I felt that having everything be right-aligned was boring and that centered didn't look quite right.  If others feel the same as you, I may still look into changing it.[/font]

Quote from: serifI do understand, in part, how LordVreeg got his idea.  In a way, it does sound like things are in decline.  However, I had hoped that 'It is an age of maintaining' would clarify that.  It didn't seem to sound quite right to my mind but if it served that purpose, I thought I could deal with it.[/font]

Quote from: serifThanks.  Though I have / am considering increasing that to maybe 50, it makes more sense to me than the 75 years presented in the PHB.[/font]

Quote from: serifThis setting is for D&D 4E.  I do want them to be very diverse, yes.[/font]

Quote from: serifI'm not sure what you mean.  Was there something mechanical for that that I missed?  I intend for humans to be the most diverse, some with great potential for corruption others with less.  Nothing mechanical, though.[/font]

40 years is quite short, but the average lifespan might also be longer with magic available (depending on how rare magic is in your world).

No, nothing mechanical in regards to corruption. I just remember that they said that in earlier editions, the flavour text of Humans suggested that they had no bad traits. I just thought your own flavour text might come across the same way (and since your setting is for 4e, you might want to adopt the corruption element).

Quote from: Ninja D!With my first post, I was mostly asking for comment on the layout of the files, so you were right.  I hadn't presented enough content at that point to ask for much more.  As I add more, though, I would like feedback on the content.

So apparently I did made my Insight check. :D

Quote from: Ninja D!You really think that would make it look better?  Later on today, I will try it out and see what I think of it.  You might be right, since that is how a lot of gaming books do it.

It wouldn't necessarily look better automatically, but it would help reducing wasted space.

If you want, you can make the following experiment:
- Make a new document with default font size 12pt
- Make the document only contain 1 column
- Take the d20 SRD and copy&paste about 20 spells from it into the document
- Make another new document with the same default font size
- Make this document contain 2 columns
- Copy&paste the same spells into this document

Which one do you find easier to read, and which one has less "white space" on the right side, especially right next to the stats of the spell (level, duration, range, etc)?

Quote from: Ninja D!In what way does this help?  Does it speed things up in some way I don't understand?

Imagine you wanted all your level 1 headlines to be size 20pt, bold print, underlined, and font color "dark green". Later, after writing 200 pages, you decide that size 24pt, italics, not underlined, and font color "blue" would fit your style better.

If you used the appropriate styles, all you'd have to do is modify the appropriate style and all associated headlines would change automatically. If you formatted each entry manually, you'd have to parse through your document and replace/reformat ever headline by hand.

Some documentation about styles can be found here. Look under "Writer Guide" on the right side, the files are "Ch6 - Introduction to Styles" and "Ch7 - Working with Styles".

Quote from: Ninja D!I understand what you're saying and it makes sense, given what I have said.  However, I will be using the races as they are mechanically presented in the PHB.  This stuff is just how they fit into my setting.

Ahhh, ok. :)

Quote from: Ninja D!I figured I would have to rearrange things but maybe you're right.  It might be easier to go with landscape.

It ultimately depends on your preferences. If you personally prefer portrait, go with that format. Don't let us talk you into something. ;)

Quote from: Ninja D!Any and all feedback helps right now, especially things related to format.  Thanks, I appreciate it.

No problem. Glad I can help a fellow gamer. :D

Quote from: serifThat was my way of thinking as well.  Magic is not overly common but it logically could have also led to other advances that would be more mundane and readily available.  Balance that with disease carrying creatures that we don't have and I would figure somewhere in the 40 to 60 year range, most likely 40 to 50.[/font]

Quote from: serifI think I did include something about criminal organizations in some cities but I'll look into adding more.

Sorry, I don't believe I have need to quote you, Ra.  Thanks to both of you, though.  I appreciate it.[/font]

Updated.

Also, if old files that have been uploaded can be deleted to save server space, my last two can go.

Updated.