This will be a short one, since we’ve been writing this rulebook for way too long!
As we prepare for the next important step of the game development, getting the first draft of the rulebook written is crucial for beginning blind playtests and rules illustrations. Without blind playtests, we would never know if Omicron Protocol can be learned by new players without any help from the designers.
For the longest time, the rules were just in our heads, or in reference sheets, and all of our demos and playtests needed us to be present to teach the rules or answer questions. Writing it all down was actually quite challenging. We had to consider:
What order should the sections go?
What sections do we need?
How do we write it succinct enough so it’s not a ton to read, but detailed enough so there’s no confusion?
Which sections need illustrations?
It was a painful but rewarding process, and now that those rules are all written down, it’s time for the real test to begin!
And thus it begins…
We’ll be working with our awesome graphics designer for the next week or two getting some basic illustrations added to the rulebook, and then will be looking for playtesters to help review the rules or blind playtest. Stay tuned on all our social media channels if you’re interested in helping us out (and getting your name listed in the rulebook!)
If you’ve written rules for a game before, what was the hardest part? Let us know in the comments below!