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I have posted this on several forums, but was told this is the place that would probably get the best feedback.

I have been working on Mantic Game's Warpath rulebook as of late. Warpath is a sci-fi miniature war game that has had a very successful kickstarter recently. I am tasked with designing the pages of the rulebooks.

What I need is some constructive thoughts about the page layout. Mantic is looking for a sci-fi look. Everything needs to scream sci-fi. Below are some templates I have built using input from them, but I want to get the gamer's opinion on the layout. No trolls please, just constructive criticism.

Each page features the same template as far as borders go. The body font is helvetica 9.5 pt.

== Layout A ==

Layout A features artwork that is pulled away from the border of the page. Take note of the info boxes on this layout. The extended diagram box on page 6 is designed to compare to the info boxes on page 4 and 5. Page 7 is a filler page, ignore it.

Layout A Single Pages
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bh8qusrzbwzmzj6/Single-Pages-Warpath-Template-A.pdf?dl=0

Layout A Spread
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ttj01uzslavcxf1/Spreads-Warpath-Template-A.pdf?dl=0

== Layout B ==
Layout B features different colored edges to info boxes. Also, the image of the rat with the gun extend to the white border line. Does this work?

Layout B Single Pages
https://www.dropbox.com/s/h6oa2pei81ydnby/Single-Page-Warpath-Template-B.pdf?dl=0

Layout B Spreads
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pmm2fgry0uuxc3a/Spread-Warpath-Template-B.pdf?dl=0

== Layout C ==
Layout C features only the metallic border info box design. Different background colors were used to represent different types of info boxes. Also, the image of the rat with the gun extends to the edge of the inner box.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fiyc932908jp6yp/Warpath-Template-C.pdf?dl=0

== Layout D ==
Layout D features metallic border info boxes using different glow colors to represent the different types of info boxes.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jycyp87vdmz8z78/Warpath-Template-D.pdf?dl=0

I'm looking for thoughts. Do you like the design? Any suggestions? Is it easy to read. Is it organized well? These are early proofs but I am in the process of ironing out the design.

Thank you.

Will you settle for a gamer with layout experience?

I prefer the border on Template A, though I'm torn between the side bars in A and D - each style has something going for it, but doesn't quite seem to be 'there'.

Another issue is the border running through the gutter. By having a border on all sides of each page, it makes each page a separate entity. In this case, with each page being part of a continuous rule set, having an open gutter draws the eye to the next part of the rules, as if the first column on the right page is actually the third column of the left page.

Hopefully, you don't take offense at my little 'adjustment' to illustrate what I'm talking about.

 Carlson793 wrote:

Hopefully, you don't take offense at my little 'adjustment' to illustrate what I'm talking about.

Spoiler:

None at all. It helps me see what you're trying to say. I must admit, we thought about opening it up that way early on, and decided not to. But seeing the change here makes me want to consider it again.

As far as side bars go, are you talking about the call out boxes? I'm thinking the issue with the callout box style with the bars at the top and bottom is the overall shape of the box. Maybe I will invert the top bar and see if that makes it look a little better?

I agree with the gutter adjustment.


I never thought that would be a sentence I'd use.

I also prefer the "no gutter in the middle" layout - I fear that with the border on all four sides, the page might look really a bit too "crammed" in the middle/lost between metal.

I am torn between the rat picture in A and B - on the one hand, the picture extending into the white space makes the picture look better and more natural, on the other hand, it goes against the computer display / sci fi look..

Also, I am all for colour coding types of boxes by what they do!

 ungrim_7 wrote:

As far as side bars go, are you talking about the call out boxes? I'm thinking the issue with the callout box style with the bars at the top and bottom is the overall shape of the box. Maybe I will invert the top bar and see if that makes it look a little better?

Hmm...perhaps invert or straighten out the top bar and make the whole call out look like a holographic drop down? As if the bar contains all the electronics for a holographics, and a fuzzy blue 'screen' contains the information...

The skull and sword pencil sketch look very out of place. It detracts from the sci-fi feel and takes it more towards fantasy and/or a 40K clone. Image fillers should be obviously sci-fi and Mantic warpath ones (guns, vehicles, corporation advertising logos and slogans, faction iconography etc...).

 mattjgilbert wrote:
The skull and sword pencil sketch look very out of place. It detracts from the sci-fi feel and takes it more towards fantasy and/or a 40K clone. Image fillers should be obviously sci-fi and Mantic warpath ones (guns, vehicles, corporation advertising logos and slogans, faction iconography etc...).

I actually threw that in there just to save that spot for something like what you are talking about. I failed to mention that, however I think it is good to have this feedback in case we tried putting some filler graphics of this nature together in the future.

 ungrim_7 wrote:

 mattjgilbert wrote:
The skull and sword pencil sketch look very out of place. It detracts from the sci-fi feel and takes it more towards fantasy and/or a 40K clone. Image fillers should be obviously sci-fi and Mantic warpath ones (guns, vehicles, corporation advertising logos and slogans, faction iconography etc...).

I actually threw that in there just to save that spot for something like what you are talking about. I failed to mention that, however I think it is good to have this feedback in case we tried putting some filler graphics of this nature together in the future.

When using place holder art, I find it best to add an "FPO" text block over the art, big bold font with a stroke. Makes sure you can differentiate between actual art and art that's For Position Only. Also saves answering the inevitable "Can we do something about that squirrel picture on page 25?" questions.

Put the page numbers on the outside corner of each page. It makes it MUCH easier to thumb through the book quickly to get to the page you want, and you don't have to bend the pages as much. Your layout program (Adobe?) will do it automatically.

 Carlson793 wrote:
When using place holder art, I find it best to add an "FPO" text block over the art, big bold font with a stroke. Makes sure you can differentiate between actual art and art that's For Position Only. Also saves answering the inevitable "Can we do something about that squirrel picture on page 25?" questions.

"We loved the squirell, can you put one on every page?"