How to Write Rules

-{ Notes on Scott Jon Siegel }-

 The rules of a game are the most important aspect to convey to a player. In non-digital games, if the rules are not understood, the game can not be played.

  A player shouldn’t be questioning what something means, or unsure of how to interpret something (unless, of course this is intended). The writing of the rules is as crucial to the play experience as the design of the game itself.

Helpful tips to writing rules :-

1. If the game has a narrative tying the mechanics together, make that narrative clear immediately.
2. List the materials needed for the game next, followed by any pre-game instructions for setting up.  Add illustrations where needed if complex
3. Give the players the winning conditions first, what their objective is. This is because all other rules revolve around the winning condition
4. Explaining things that will happen most often in a game, and work your way through till the most unlikely thing. (General to specific)
5. Explain the least constricting rules before explaining the most constricting. Rules explained earlier become the primary rules, and the rules following are the instances and exceptions where the primary rules change or don't apply

Other points :-

•  Short sentences with low-level vocabulary
• illustrations where needed
• white space to break the text up (use bullet points & short paragraphs)

Written rules dont have to be written in a serious manner, the idea of your game is to be fun, so the rules can convey this (Ideally only if it fits into the theme of the game)

 -{ Notes on Jacob Davenport }-

 The rules create an early impression for the player, and poorly written rules will sour them on your game, your game lives or dies on the strength of the written rules.

 Explanatory writing :-

• Clarity
• Brevity
• Completeness 

   Humor can be used only if it helps teach the players the game, avoid all extra information that does not direct refer to the set rules in question. Stripping down the rules to the qualities above is difficult as they conflict with one another.

Add a summary prior to the rule listings. When done correctly the rules make cohesive sense, and experienced game players may even be able to predict what the rules will be based on the summary.

Well-written rules will anticipate the players questions and answer them as the player thinks of them. Reading your rules aloud to people helps bring out these common questions and helps you order your rules correctly.

Examples can help explain rules E.g illustrations & diagrams. You can make the examples of your rules a smaller size or italic so that players who understand the rule just explained can skip them. but anyone that does not can look back at the example.

Get other people to review your rule set as you are to close to your own game and writing to know if you have done a good job. Take notes on any confusion they have and have the courage to rewrite your rules completely when it seem necessary.