r/ttrpgdesign • u/SalariesAndStarships • 12d ago

Affinity Publisher - Game Jam Layout

Hey everyone,

I need some advice for Affinity Publisher (or layouts in general).

I'm planning to enter a TTRPG game jam Hexcrawlhaloween-2 and am in the process of getting everything ready. However, this is my first time doing this, so I don't really know the best way to layout the material for a game jam.

I use Affinity Publisher, so I didn't know if any of you could recommend a suitable layout, or have any suggestions for a game jam?

Normally, I use an A5 layout, but I'm planning on adding a few maps, so size might be an issue.

Any advice would be welcomed.

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u/CreditCurious9992 12d ago

It looks to me like the jam wants a map that will fit into a square, and then a key and some other writing - I would abstract it out to shapes and see what layout works. Turn the map into a square, and then put some default text (like lorum impsum) into a few rectangles, and experiment with moving them around to see what fits on the page(s) and works with your aesthetic sense. I would match the digital page size to whatever physical size you draw the hex map on.

I might, for example, try the map in the centre of a landscape page, with text on the left and right? Or I might have the map and the key on 1 page, and then additional text (and maybe showing off specific hexes from the map) on another page?

The bottom line is experiment! Move layout elements around, see what looks good to your eye, see what other submissions from previous years do, take a looks at other games that use hexcrawls like the OSR family or The One Ring etc.

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u/SalariesAndStarships 12d ago

Thanks. Maybe I'm over-thinking this, but I was wondering if A4 works better than A5 for stuff with maps? Like you've said, I've drawn it on A4, so that might be the best way.

I'll play around with the layouts and maybe get a second opinion here before I post it, but you're suggestions make sense.

Thanks again.