Casting Shadows

As with any #RPGaDAY2024 prompt, people are free to take whatever inspiration they like from the words or questions to present a positive post. Based on a few early entries, it seems like this prompt is one of those which is more mysterious than others. For us, this prompt was about the shape and other physical properties of the game. Believe it or not, it’s not all rectangles and line art out there.

For example, two very striking books in my RPG library, WILD by event founder David Chapman, and the extremely adaptable M-Space by Clarence Redd of Frostbyte Books, are square and have very distinct and uniform art styles throughout. Reading them is somehow refreshing in how things about the pages are just that little bit different than what we have been programmed to expect. Square is a cool format, and I would like to see more of them – and not just because it would be nice to have a shelf of books that match the few square RPGs that I have. Do I have more than two in this format? Certainly! Have we all forgotten Vagabonds of Dyfed?

Running out of Time? Go for the Short instead!

In other form factors, we have the so-called digest size. Initially, when this smaller nearly 6×9 (DVD case) format began to take off, I was often disappointed. I wasn’t disappointed with the format, I was disappointed by how the format ended up being implemented more often than I would have expected. Pages were often single column and with insufficient margins which made them hard to read in PDF and harder to read in print without putting undue strain on the already fragile spines. Print-on-Demand technologies continue to improve, particularly in soft cover, but interior design can be hit or miss. Making an attractive, broadly readable page, with sufficient text to keep the page count down takes skill. When the proper attention is paid, with a consistent and clear artistic vision which supports rather than overwhelms the text, this format can really pack a punch. Ironsworn by Shawn Tomkin is a good example of success in this. But… is there a step beyond?

Where is this post going?

It’s not an essay on print publishing, or even print-on-demand publishing – don’t worry. Instead, it will just be to offer praise to a cheerful Italian design team who call their company 2 Little Mice. You may have seen repeated buzz about them from Kickstarter reports, the Ennies, and/or gamers happy with the games they produce. I found them for their earlier release Broken Compass – and it is stellar – but their newest game line doubles or perhaps triples down on Broken Compass to help bring action movies of whatever stripe revs your motor to mind’s eyes near you. What game is that you ask? Outgunned.

The text is both clear and conversational, doesn’t crowd the page, and is divided up on the page not in bland boxes, but in dynamic swathes of color that allow the text to be both readable and interesting at the same time. The presentation of the rules establishes common ground with the reader first, through references to inspirational ideas and media, then gives step-by-step instructions with images and icons as needed, followed by correct and interesting examples.

It’s not square, but it’s still dynamite.