Abletop - Episode 1 - Rulebooks & Learning a Boardgame

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00:00 - Intro 01:48 - Online Rulebooks & FAQs 07:20 - How Rules are Written & Reference Cards 15:19 - How to Play Videos & Objective Context 20:12 - Learning, Teaching & Co-op Games 23:18 - How to Play Video Availability 26:19 - Player Strategy Guides 32:35 - Learning Asymmetric Games 44:22 - Game Phases & Changes 48:15 - Closing Thoughts 53:00 - Outro Abletop Episode 1 Quick Points: 🖥️ Provide digital versions of rules that also work with a screen reader. 📼 Provide a how to play video, freely available, to allow different ways of learning. 🤔 Provide online FAQs for your game and have a link to them on your box or rulebook. 📃Provide an index in larger rulebooks, and bolden key pages for the entry. 🧝 Avoiding writing rules ‘in universe’, try to use common terms and clear language. 🗝️ Highlight keywords to help them stand out in rules and on components. 📑 Provide glossaries of game terms, especially any unique to your game. 📔 Provide reference cards or incorporate references onto player boards. 💭 Consider the information layout of your rulebook, is information laid out in a logical way for a new player? 🏆 Provide context for the game goal; what is the end goal, and provide that near the start of the rulebook and consider reminders on player boards. 🎮 Provide sample turns and guided tutorials for more complex games and remember to include the context of why, not just what. ♟️ Provide example strategies or character builds in more complex games. 🖐️ Encourage open-handed first plays in your rules for competitive games. 🏈 Discourage quarter-backing play in your rules for cooperative games. 🌖 Provide help for when rules change such as reference cards or warnings on a round tracker that a change is coming up. 🎛️ Provide game variants and accommodations in your rulebook that help alleviate accessibility barriers. 🔓 Encourage players to bend rules when something is inaccessible!