Scribus Rocks!

So, I installed an open source book layout app called Scribus based on a comment/recommendation left on my previous post where I complain about Adobe and Apple removing useful functionality from their creativity software that was making it impossible for me to design a book. First impressions: Scribus rocks!

Originally I wanted to layout my RPG rulebook in Apple Pages, but basic "facing pages" functionality was removed from that app for the latest version (5) that I own. It was impossible for me to set inside-outside bleeds separately or for the app to recognize left vrs right page. Also, it was impossible for me to set a page size or bleed size to three decimal places. In others words, Pages doesn't handle 1/8th inch increments.

So then I decided to just use Photoshop since I already own that app and have been using it since 1995. Photoshop is awesome but not ideal for book layout. And Adobe removed the ability for photoshop to batch export PSDs into a multipage PDF. So then I tried to batch process them in Preview, but it kept breaking embedded fonts, and didn't really work correctly. I then installed Adobe Creative Cloud so that I could do an Acrobat free trial. Acrobat was able to build my PDF from multiple PSDs. I finally had a workflow, but it was complicated, and required multiple apps. And editing and iterating on PSDs was insanely tedious. And eventually I was going to have to give Adobe money on a monthly basis just to build my PDFs. Thanks Obama...

Finally, I listened to reason and installed Scribus. Since it's open source, it required launching Terminal and doing a command line install, which always makes me cringe a little. But it was painless. First, I was instructed to enter a single command to instal Brew, and then another single command to install Scribus via Brew. Then on launch I got an error that I needed to install Ghostscript, but after a little research was able to instal that via Brew too with a single command. In summary, a total of three copy-pasted commands in my Terminal and Scribus was installed and running, fewer than the number of mouse clicks many apps require on instal.

Within 5 minutes of launching Scribus, I had a blank book test layout ready to go with left and right independent inside-outside bleeds at 1/8th inch increments. I also exported a multi-page pdf of my test with full control over every possible aspect of the PDF I was creating. Scribus does everything I want it to, and more. It was almost painless to instal, and IT IS FREE. God bless open source. I'll will definitely be throwing some money their way and/or recommending Scribus to anyone needing book layout tools.

New Approach to Procedural World Creation

I’ve tried to design smart (yet simple) procedural rules for world creation many times but have always been disappointed with the results. With the Realms of Solace ruleset, I think I’ve finally made a breakthrough.

All of my previous failed attempts used a similar order of operations: define realm borders, then map terrain/biomes, then add civilizations. it’s logical—make earth, make land masses, add people. But this either requires a messier ruleset than I want, or it burdens the player with making many tough decisions about realm borders without really having any context for those decisions since the realm they’re defining borders for is empty at that point. The burden is magnified at each subsequent step. Random biomes are jammed into the arbitrary borders. Civilizations are plopped down on top of that.

This time I tried something different. First I seed some terrain, planting six random seeds in a void. Then I grow these seeds logically. Then I connect the biomes that are in close proximity into large biomes. The realm blooms like a mold from the blank hex map. Civilizations are just seeds sprinkled into the void as well. Some land on biomes and take root. Some land on the void and bloom into valleys and farmlands between existing biomes, filling in gaps. 

Defining the realm borders is the final step. It’s almost backwards from all my previous designs. But this order of operations is producing more balanced realm maps than my old approach. The transitions between biomes are more organic, the civilizations feel nestled into the world instead of plopped down on top of it, and the realm borders feel natural, being just the by-product of all the growth.

Most importantly, the rule set is very simple. All of this is achieved by rolling 6d6 twice on a hex map. I'm currently applying this same idea to relationships and feature/creature mapping.

Rulebook Diagrams

I've been iterating on the rulebook diagrams. Below are diagrams illustrating the first few steps of the game. I don't include the actual rules in this post, but do provide basic descriptions of what you're looking at.

The hex map in these diagrams is much smaller than the one for the actual game, both in terms of hex size and number of hexes, due to the size constraints of the book. Feature/Creature Mapping and Labeling/Describing are not represented here. I am working on them this week, and will then have a complete working draft of the basic rules.

Roll 6d6, seed terrain, grow terrain.

Connect like terrain. Roll 6d6 to map civilizations.

Map civ locations, types and sizes.

Human Civs: define industries and build roads & walls based on size, establish relationships.

Dwarven Civs: establish mining kingdom, tunnel reach based on size.

Elven Civs: define boundary of elven forest, radius based on size. 

Dark Powers: establish reach based on size. A large Human Civ is consumed by this Dark Power.

Connect land masses separated by a gap of 1 or 2 hexes.

Define realm coastline and map sea ports.

As you can see, after rolling 6d6 a couple times and following a few simple rules based on the dice locations and values, a realm is already taking shape. There are three human kingdoms, all of which are sea ports. Two are connected by road through a great forest and are thus trading partners and allies. BUT, a Dark Power in the wastelands to the far northwest with broad reach has consumed the larger of the two kingdoms, putting its ally in great peril. The third human kingdom is isolated in the far east by a vast mountain range, below which a Dwarven Civilization is thriving. In the south coast forest, far from the scampering of men, A modest elven civilization goes undetected by all.

And the real meat of the game has yet to begin: Features and Creatures.

Diagram Concepts

I've been in editing frenzy mode on the rulebook. I made a ton of changes, both to the rules and the book layout, mostly pruning and making rules as clear and concise as possible, which led to fewer pages, which led to book design revisions, etc. It'd be a whole lot easier if this project was just a PDF, and while I plan to release a PDF too, I visualize the official "product" as a real world object to be held and written in and drawn in. The 4x6 inch pocket sized format is having a huge impact on every design decision I make, what I write, and how I write it.

I've been mocking up some diagrams that will accompany the rules text. I'll probably iterate on these a bit, as they don't cover all the stuff I want them to, but it's a start:

And here's a sample of a two page spread containing a diagram: