Design Specifications for the Pudge (Pocket Fudge) Project
Here are the design specifications for the project that I announced yesterday for a version of Fudge that GMs would be able to print onto a collection of 3” x 5” index cards. The project is now officially named the “Pudge (Pocket Fudge)” project.
WARNING: This is a set of design specifications. Most of the time when us geeks “design” gaming stuff what we are actually doing is sharing our ideas. “It should do this, and be like this, and it will be sold like this!” are commonly thrown about instead of an actual design. That kind of discussion is fun, and it has value, but this is not what this article is about. This is an actual design of the form which the Pudge (Pocket Fudge) will take, and I hope that you find it interesting.
Each card will have a 0.25” margin from its edge to the printing area. The line spacing for the text will accommodate one line requiring no more than a height of 0.25”. This allows for 10 lines of text per each side of the index card. The first line on the first side of each card is reserved for the index card’s title and the unique identification code.
The text of each card will use a 12 point Consolas font. This font was chosen because it is an easily readable fixed-width font. Using this font the title section of each card has a maximum limit of 35 characters including spaces, the identification code has a maximum limit of 9 characters, and the text section has a maximum limit of 893 characters including spaces (the white space that carriage returns create counts against the maximum number of characters).
Each card will have an eight character unique identification code with an optional ninth character. There will be a two digit version number starting at 00, followed by a period, a two digit section number starting at 00, followed by a period, and a two digit topic number starting at 00. Section 00 is reserved for a master table of contents for that version of the project with each topic sharing the same number as the section which for which it provides the table of contents for. Topic 00 for each section is reserved for table of contents limited to that particular topic.
The optional ninth character of the unique identification code will be a lower case letter used in order from “a” to “z”. This allows a single topic to be written upon multiple index cards.
The version number is used to identify all of the cards that belong to particular set. The section number is used to categorize topics that would be considered part of the same chapter within a book, such as “Character Creation” or “Magic”. The topic number identify unique concepts within a section, such as “Starting Fudge Points” or “Spell Duration”.
Topic 98 of section 00 is reserved for the licensing information, and it must disclose a valid URL to the full version of the Open Game License under which the project is released. Topic 99 of of section 00 is reserved for the credits acknowledging all contributors, and it must disclose a valid URL to a list providing the name of the content creator for each section and topic, mention of the content creator for any inspiring original works when applicable, and contact information if the content creator wishes to make such information public.
The image of a conceptual proof is provided below using filler text to show how text would be laid out.
That is the cornerstone of the design. Like it? Hate it? Leave a comment below and let the world know how you feel. Want to help me take this project from start to finish? You can leave a comment stating that as well, and I will contact you in the near future to provide even more details.
I get what you are going for. I have seen some folks use similar tracking & reference for rules & items in some LARP theatrical games.
The design structure makes sense & I’m definitely still interested.
I think the reference to additional rules & details can be well managed.
In addition, I think that having a supplemental section of items, abilities, or special rules bending action cards (savage worlds style action card deck), could fit nicely into the package. Perhaps even a little demonstration game add-on 🙂
In my training games for Iron GM, I have been using the whole Index card concept quite heavily. I’ve always been a fan of it (I tend to use old business cards), but have never really polished out the concept.
I think this could be a very novel & interesting way to present the rules.
Why a fixed width font? Personally I like them, but they aren’t very space efficient, and in a project like this, it seems like that would be important. You certainly don’t have to go to a tiny hard to read font, but fixed width seems like overkill.
@Nik Palmer: Thanks Nik! I’m working on a form and submissions process right now. Once that is done may I contact you via email and ask you to provide content?
And you are 100% correct that with this structure we can have sections for special rules, add-ons, cards that are a game unto themselves, etc. I want this system to be highly modular. You want to run a sci-fi game? Grab one of these sci-fi sections and add them to your deck! Don’t like psionics in your game? Take that psionics section out of your deck! Need an adventure? Grab one of these zadventure sections and add it to your deck!
@Matthew Neagley: The fixed width font was chosen as a quality control method for the first version. I want to keep contributions highly standardized. With a fixed width font I know exactly how many characters will fit onto a single card for a chosen font size.
As for being space efficient there are two reasons why the font does not have to carry that burden:
1) A single topic can have 26 cards assigned to it (a-z), so that is 23,218 characters possible per topic. If we go be the suggested average of 5 letters per word plus 1 character for a space that would be just under 3,870 words per topic.
2) Topics are meant to be short and sweet. Again, using the average a single card would have about 148 words for the topic. Less is more in this case.
Do we need a space efficient font? I don’t think so, but we can benefit from the limitations and predictability that a fixed width font provides.
Does that answer your question? Do you want to help with this project?
Personally I think this is a fairly good start.
My one suggestion is don’t use numbers to categorize your games. I get that space is a pretty tough commodity, but unless you make a few TOC cards, you’ll stand no chance remembering that code or it’s significance.
I’d simply suggest changing a 2 digit number to a 2 letter code.
This is a great start, Patrick.
Fudge RPG and Index Cards are two fo my favorite things. This is a brilliant idea!
I can imagine myself designing and playing a Fudge game with these cards. 🙂
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@Ryan Latta: Point taken, but the version is not the game system. It is the version of the index cards for that game system. So a Fudge games system would have a version 00, 01, 02, etc. An old school D&D game could have the same version numbers as well. Does that make sense?
@jlcsusara: Thanks! Do you want to be involved?
[…] of these components must be play tested, edited, and indexed according to my previous post. The creators and contributors must be acknowledged as well. Instructions for the assembly of any […]
[…] decided that I need to start creating PDF forms to give to people for various projects, such as my Pudge project. I also want to learn how to do layout work, so that I can begin creating more professional looking […]