Paper format of a RPG

[Groffa]

I noticed that some participants in the 24 hour competition chose to present their game using landscape orientation ("paper on the side"). Do you feel there are any advantages to use this format over portrait? Or is it just an aesthetic choice?

Another thing I was thinking about is the paper size. Being a Swede I work in A4 by default, but what about using a square format for instance? Should the paper size reflect the designer's artistic point of view, or (since I'm thinking about free RPGs now) should it be made as easy as possible for the end user (that is, a format that he/she can print without hassle at home)?

[Onix]

I think a square book would be fun, you can get them made at lulu. Most games will go with 8.5 inch x 11 inch because that's the standard paper size in the US and printing would be problematic otherwise. Maybe have a square layout just for the print edition and a page layout for the PDF?

[trodgers]

I'm not sure what the aesthetic advantages would be. If you're making it tiny and pamphlet-y, the benefits are pretty clear. But most people aren't.

[J.K.Mosher]

Landscape paper orientation works well with "1 Page Character Sheet style" games, as when
formatted int to columns and narrow margins you do get a fair bit more space for the small text
that is normally used.

Personally if I was writing an RPG rules/source book (I've mainly been doing 1pagers recently) I would
stick with profile orientation.

Generally everything her in Canada is done on Letter (8.5x11) sized paper so paper size is just
out of convince to end users.

[Groffa]

Thanks for the answers everybody.

Do you believe its feasible to provide two versions of the game then, one in A4 and one in letter size? Just for the convenience of the home user when he prints the game at home, I mean.

[Onix]

A4 isn't too far from 8.5x11 so making a PDF of both shouldn't take much tweaking. I have a lulu printed 6 inch x 9 inch Artifact book on my shelf next to me that I just reduced the PDF print size.

[maledictus]

The games I make are thought to be read on the screen. And for this is more confortable to the reader if it is in a landscape format, all the page can easily fit on your screen.

I use a 8.5' x 11' format because is the most common paper size in my country, but I also think it isn't a problem if you print it in A4.

If I ever produce a book in PoD, I won't use this format or sizes. It would be something like Spirit of the Century, I really like that one.

[J.K.Mosher]

@Groffa,

I would just work with the size of paper you like to work with.
pdf readers, and word processors are more then capable of
adjusting paper sizes to what the reader normally uses.

I know that I have on many times taked pages that are suppose to be on a
single sheet of Legal paper (8.5 x 14) and had the printer shrink and center it for
letter sized paper.

You can if you want to, it wouldn't be that hard, but it would be upto you,
as I wouldn't see the need. IMHO

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I tend to use 8.5x11 portrait format since that is the USA default. If I recall correctly, two column portrait has some benefits for ease of reading compared to other formats but I don't have a source to back that up. People who read English just naturally go from left to right and top to bottom.

There isn't much difference between A4 and US Letter - I think most printers actually have a built in option to convert between them.

However, having a full-color nice format screen edition, and a cheaper to print no image version would be worth making a distinction. Home printers are rather expensive to operate since they use unicorn blood in the ink. (Bic pen: Plastic +ink 10 cents, Printer: plastic+ink 25$ plus.) show its worth more than gasoline or champagne.

[J.K.Mosher]

For artwork . . . if it is really complex in detail and colorful, I agree in two formats.
One on line with the great artwork, and one without for quick printing.

However test your pics/artwork. If it looks good in "greyscale" they keep it in your
printable version. Laser printers that use toner are fast and cheap compared to inkjet/laserink
and most people (from my experiance) have access to one either through work or school.

Ultimately it comes down to (IMHO) what you:
1) What Feel like doing/investing your time into creating?
&
2) How good you feel about the look of each "finished" product?