How Done is Done?

[Justin Smith]

So, the deadline snuck up on me. I thought I had until tomorrow night, and I planned to use Sunday to GIMP the art for the game and lay it out. I'm getting the final words on paper now, but I'm not sure if I will be able to get everything into a nice layout.

Contestants, I ask: how "finished" are the games you're writing from a presentation angle?

[Jonathan "Buddha" Davis]

Heh,

I've been buying a house, so I thought I'd do this over the weekend and turn it in Monday... Then, on Thursday, I doublecheck the date it's due... uh oh!

So, yeah. Pretty rushed here. But presentation-wise, we're all submitting txt files, so we're all on pretty even footing there!

Buddha

[George Austin]

Since, like just like Game Chef (see step 5 under "For Designers"), we're asking for just a plain text file (see "How should I submit my game?" and the "I'm Done!" thread) I'd say you're done. I'd love it if you did all the other stuff, but we're only asking people to look at the text of the submissions.

Okay, with one exception we haven't "asked" anybody to do anything except turn in games. It's been suggested that every participant critique two other games (see "What happens after I turn in my manuscript?", but that's not really set in stone. If you have an idea on how we should do things, I'd love some suggestions!

[Justin Smith]

I completely missed the whole .txt only requirement. I wouldn't have spent money on art if I knew I couldn't use it!

On a more practical note, because of one of my elements, I built the rules into sidebars, which do not come across in .txt.

I will do what I can to make the project legible, and I will (eventually) provide a .pdf for posterity if it is desired.

[Jonathan "Buddha" Davis]

The txt thing is only for the judging, so everyone's on equal footing, but I think it'd be cool with George and everybody else if you put up a "nice" version for the rest of us! Just start a thread and post the good version when you get a chance...

George, is that cool?

[George Austin]

I said, "I'd love it if you did all the other stuff..." :D

[George Austin]

You spent money on art? You're planning to sell this game, put it in a portfolio, and/or pitch it to publishers too, right?

On sidebars: the only RPG company that I can think of that has their manuscript submission guidelines readily available is White Wolf (Go here scroll down to their Style Guide), but they have a word template now, they don't use html tag-like things to set off different headings or to mark stuff off as sidebars. Still, you could try to stick <sidebar> tags around the rules text and try to put them near where they're supposed to go.

[Justin Smith]

Nah, I chose the "The book exists in game world" ingredient. I'll do a different organization for the .txt, and make the .pdf conform to my original vision. Won't even be a challenge.

As far as selling? Maybe. Haven't decided. I have looked at some of the prices at Lulu, so I might self-publish. I didn't spend too much on the art, and some of it I may be able to reuse.