Designing Manual Games
Designing Manual GamesThe rules to Drive on Metz follow a rather strict format. This is done for a reason in fact, for a number of very important reasons.
The most important reason for having formats for the rules is that it makes it easier for the gamer to, first, learn the game and, second, to reference a particular aspect of the game rules while playing the game.
The current system of writing game rules was developed by Redmond Simonsen (my partner at SPI) in 1970. The system underwent a fairly major revision in 1979 and saw more revisions during the 1980s, especially by Bob Ryer and Mark Herman at Victory Games. My personal approach to game rules deviates somewhat from the "standard" and the same can probably be said for just about anyone who actually writes game rules. For example, I tend to divide game rules into three parts. The first part would be sections one through three which would include all of the introductory and "housekeeping" material up to and including section 3.0 which would be the basic procedure or the sequence of play. The second part of the rules would be merely an elaboration on the sequence of play, which in many cases it is. The third section of the rules would be optional rules and scenarios.
Another modification I advocate is putting the initial set-up (at least one of the scenarios) in the front of the rules along with the victory conditions. This is because I feel most gamers, especially experienced ones, want to get right into it, at least to set it up, and pretty much learn the rules by bouncing around inside the game.
In order to do this, the gamer really only needs the first third of the rules that is, the introduction, the inventory of the game parts, glossary of terms (which should include any special game terms), the scale (which is as important as historical information), the description of the game map and the playing pieces and then the general set of instructions for the initial scenario. Something else I prefer to see is what I call the summary sheet. This is one piece of paper (whether it be 8 x 11 or 11 x 17) which contains the essential elements necessary to play the game that is, the sequence of play and most of the charts with as little explanation as possible, only such explanation as is necessary to constantly clarify a complex procedure.
This system of writing rules became known as the case system in which each of the major rules is initially stated rather briefly and in general terms. Then it is described in more detail and finally a series of "cases" is given. These cases are usually one or two sentence affairs, each describing a specific element of the rule. Take, for example, the rule in the Drive on Metz on the movement of units. The general rule simply states that each unit has a movement allowance number printed on it which represents the basic number of hexes a unit may move in a single Movement Phase. Each player moves only his own units during the Movement Phase of his Player Turn (as outlined in the sequence of play).
The procedure gets into more detail:
Units move one at a time, hex by hex, in any direction or combination of directions the player desires. The Movement Phase ends when the player announces he has moved all of his units that he chooses to (or at the time he begins to make any attacks).
The cases then somewhat belabor the obvious. For example, case 4.1 simply says a unit may never exceed its movement allowance and then a paragraph is devoted to elaborating on that point. Case 4.2 says units must spend more than one movement point to traverse some types of terrain.
Ideally, the case system is supposed to provide the experienced player with sufficient reminders in the general rule and procedure to allow him to play the game without going through the entire rule. For people learning the game, who are having a problem on some minor technical point, the cases then provide the necessary elaboration.
Work is constantly going on at many of the game publishers to develop more efficient ways of getting the rules across to the players with the least amount of effort on the gamers' part. Unfortunately, the people working on the games will often take the easy way out and do things the same old way where additional effort might have produced a more efficient rule. Writing rules is not one of the more "glamorous" aspects of working on games, a task which is in general more drudgery than glory.
The rules themselves represent the biggest dollar and time investment in any game. The playing pieces and the game map even the box cover may look much more colorful and interesting. But the rules are where the money is, or at least they are where the money should be. Without good rules you cannot have a good game.
