Thread: Dull: Marketing & Layout

"Effective use of white space."

People have been saying that to me for 20-some years, whether it's print
or web pages. That may be the only phrase they teach people in marketing
college, but it appears to work to keep them employed, because we all keep
nodding and agreeing.

Every GDW line had its own layout standards, font, grid, template, etc.
Everyone claims they like the 2/3 width single column with the 1/3 width
white space/sidebar we used in 2300, but it sure makes it hard to present
information efficiently. We went with two columns in TNE because we knew
we'd be presenting a lot of information.

> I believe its the same phenomena why most people find Google's main search
> page the best design. Simple, functional, not cluttered, appeals to
> gearheads be they programmers, engineers or gamers.
>
> On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 4:43 PM, <> wrote:
>
>>

The effect I have found of the double column and associated space is that
it tricks the mind into not becoming disengaged.

Meaning that you can present alot of text as a wall of characters. this
quickly bores the human reader.

Good spacing and page usage breaks up the repetitiveness of presentation
that goes along with a lot of text presentations, especially for technical
information.

On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM, <> wrote:

> **
>
>
> "Effective use of white space."
>
> People have been saying that to me for 20-some years, whether it's print
> or web pages. That may be the only phrase they teach people in marketing
> college, but it appears to work to keep them employed, because we all keep
> nodding and agreeing.
>
> Every GDW line had its own layout standards, font, grid, template, etc.
> Everyone claims they like the 2/3 width single column with the 1/3 width
> white space/sidebar we used in 2300, but it sure makes it hard to present
> information efficiently. We went with two columns in TNE because we knew
> we'd be presenting a lot of information.
>
> > I believe its the same phenomena why most people find Google's main
> search
> > page the best design. Simple, functional, not cluttered, appeals to
> > gearheads be they programmers, engineers or gamers.
> >
> > On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 4:43 PM, <> wrote:
> >
> >>
>
>
>

--
If the world was fair then every bad thing that has ever happened to you
would have been deserved.

I was really happy with the way the TNE template worked out. One of the
columns was immediately available for a sidebar, but you weren't stuck
with losing 1/3 page as you were in 2300, and we could span columns with a
graphic, so it was a relatively loose interpretation of the grid/template.

I think the reason textbooks are as wide as they are is because everyone
likes white space, but they don't want to give up space on the page to
present information. So they make the book wider to make room for white
space.

I think most people would be surprised how much work goes into setting
style and template standards at the beginning of a project, whether it's
print or web. Mostly because if it's effective, no one ever notices it.

> The effect I have found of the double column and associated space is that
> it tricks the mind into not becoming disengaged.
>
> Meaning that you can present alot of text as a wall of characters. this
> quickly bores the human reader.
>
> Good spacing and page usage breaks up the repetitiveness of presentation
> that goes along with a lot of text presentations, especially for technical
> information.
>
> On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM, <> wrote:
>

I really like all of the "Old School" Layouts wither it was GDW ,TSR etc. The
one I can not stand not just layout but the entire page layout ,typeface ,font
and colors even though I am a huge fan of the game and Genre is White Wolf World
of Darkness. Some of it is almost impossible to read.

________________________________
Sent: Thu, June 28, 2012 8:56:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Traveller_TNE] Dull: Marketing & Layout

I was really happy with the way the TNE template worked out. One of the
columns was immediately available for a sidebar, but you weren't stuck
with losing 1/3 page as you were in 2300, and we could span columns with a
graphic, so it was a relatively loose interpretation of the grid/template.

I think the reason textbooks are as wide as they are is because everyone
likes white space, but they don't want to give up space on the page to
present information. So they make the book wider to make room for white
space.

I think most people would be surprised how much work goes into setting
style and template standards at the beginning of a project, whether it's
print or web. Mostly because if it's effective, no one ever notices it.

> The effect I have found of the double column and associated space is that
> it tricks the mind into not becoming disengaged.
>
> Meaning that you can present alot of text as a wall of characters. this
> quickly bores the human reader.
>
> Good spacing and page usage breaks up the repetitiveness of presentation
> that goes along with a lot of text presentations, especially for technical
> information.
>
> On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM, <> wrote:
>

Sometimes the horror genre games try to make the page look-and-feel too
atmospheric, and the effect is to make it all very hard to deal with.

With Dark Con we just chose a font that looked a little "unbalanced" and
put headers at the top of each page, specific to each adventure. In one of
those headers there was one of those big rock chimney/column things like
you see out in the Western US. If you look closely, you can see the Close
Encounters alien mother ship hiding behind it.

> I really like all of the "Old School" Layouts wither it was GDW ,TSR etc.
> The
> one I can not stand not just layout but the entire page layout ,typeface
> ,font
> and colors even though I am a huge fan of the game and Genre is White Wolf
> World
> of Darkness. Some of it is almost impossible to read.

On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM, <> wrote:

>
> Every GDW line had its own layout standards, font, grid, template, etc.
> Everyone claims they like the 2/3 width single column with the 1/3 width
> white space/sidebar we used in 2300, but it sure makes it hard to present
> information efficiently. We went with two columns in TNE because we knew
> we'd be presenting a lot of information.

I ended up taking the the Playtest files for character generation, skill
use and a heavily edited combat section (mostly man to man) and built a
smallish Players book, because handing the main rulebook to a number
people caused them to pale in fear. I as a gm and fan loved the book.

--
Evyn

One of the best summary guides / library data was in the back of
the novels


---
from my T989

Evyn MacDude wrote:





On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM, <
<> > wrote:

Every GDW line had its own layout standards, font, grid,
template, etc.
Everyone claims they like the 2/3 width single column with the
1/3 width
white space/sidebar we used in 2300, but it sure makes it hard to
present
information efficiently. We went with two columns in TNE because
we knew
we'd be presenting a lot of information.
I ended up taking the the Playtest files for character
generation, skill use and a heavily edited combat section (mostly
man to man) and built a smallish Players book, because handing
the main rulebook to a number people caused them to pale in fear.
I as a gm and fan loved the book.

--
Evyn

> I ended up taking the the Playtest files for character generation, skill
> use and a heavily edited combat section (mostly man to man) and built a
> smallish Players book, because handing the main rulebook to a number
> people caused them to pale in fear.

Really? Then just imagine what they'd do if you thudded that 600-page,
hardcover T5 onto the table in front of them!

> I as a gm and fan loved the book.
>
> --
> Evyn
>

> One of the best summary guides / library data was in the back of the novels

Really? The first two? Or the two versions of the third?

I'll have to look at that. I have a vague image of Susan Schug saying, "we
need a glossary for the novel."

On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 9:05 PM, <> wrote:

> > I ended up taking the the Playtest files for character generation, skill
> > use and a heavily edited combat section (mostly man to man) and built a
> > smallish Players book, because handing the main rulebook to a number
> > people caused them to pale in fear.
>
> Really? Then just imagine what they'd do if you thudded that 600-page,
> hardcover T5 onto the table in front of them!

Heck just watch my face now........ 8-)

I am in the process of converting as much of my collection of dead tree
editions into digital editions. Mostly in that I only have a year or so in
this place and I want the move to be as small as possible.

--
Evyn

Though we were using the 600 page book as the table :)

Really? Then just imagine what they'd do if you thudded that 600-page,
hardcover T5 onto the table in front of them!

>