I’m not arguing that your theme has to have a certain volume to it, or that too much is a bad thing. Or maybe that’s an example of theme being misapplied. And if you include a little vignette at the beginning of the rulebook that introduces me to the game’s characters, I’ll be aware that the Hotshots dig trenches, the Chief orders people around and isn’t very patient, the firehouse mascot is a mean dalmatian who the Chief saved from the pound, and Doug takes unnecessary risks because his wife left him. If I’m playin g a game about being a fireman, for instance, I’ll instinctively know that a fire-axe breaks through obstacles while the fire-hose is for pacifying rioters. I love theme! Not only does it transform your game from an abstract combination of pieces into a coherent whole, it also lends your game’s actions a feeling of internal logic. And rather than being smart and telling me that the goal of your game is to discover the goal of the game, go write that in your rulebook, because in that rare case, that’s the goal. Make it your first paragraph if possible. Instead of holding back, tell me the objective as soon as possible. You need to tell me why I’m doing the stuff your game has me doing, otherwise there’s no purpose or context to the actions you’re explaining over the course of your manual. So your game has a betrayal mechanic? Great! But why should I care? Is the goal to betray as many people as possible? To keep from being betrayed? To find the traitor and bury them? The thing is, there’s very little worse than getting halfway through a manual and still having no idea how all the different actions, options, and components tie together. After all, victory comes at the end of the game, right? Still, I feel like I have to say it because some rulebooks like to play clever and squirrel away their victory conditions in the middle of a wall of text or at the end of the book. #1: Your First Objective is to Explain My Objective What follows is a list of ten tips I’d appreciate you following the next time you’re seated at your computer trying to type out your new board game’s rules. Maybe I’m just some dummy, but I’m a dummy who reads a freighter’s worth of board game manuals every year, and I’ve come to appreciate certain details that make them easier to read and much better at actually teaching me your game. If you’re now thinking, Well why the hell should I listen to you?, here’s my response: Wow. I’m not a professional at writing board game rulebooks, but I’m here to tell you how to write board game rulebooks.
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