Single or Double columns?

Started by Leon, 26 July 2016, 08:44:55 PM

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Leon

Just a quick one, do people prefer a single column layout or double columns?  The original BKC was single, but a lot of the more recent rulesets have gone with more (Battlegroup: 3, Saga: 2, Hail Caesar: 2)

I prefer double myself, but thought I'd check whether it was an issue for anyone?
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petercooman

I preferred the single one actually, especially when there are tables/examples involved.

Ithoriel

Yeah, single for me too for preference.
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Subedai

I oncer read that people are turned off psychologically when confronted by pages of text which is why double columns were invented, purely to make it easier to read. Personally, I have no preference.

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fsn

Single. Double only for pamphlets or handouts.







Thought this was going to be a line vs column thread.
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Ithoriel

Quote from: Subedai on 26 July 2016, 08:59:26 PM
I oncer read that people are turned off psychologically when confronted by pages of text which is why double columns were invented, purely to make it easier to read. Personally, I have no preference.

MickS

Seriously? Never heard that before.

Can't imagine that double column is easier for anyone to read. Cuts my reading speed by 25-30%.

One lives and learns I guess.
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jimduncanuk

Quote from: Subedai on 26 July 2016, 08:59:26 PM

I oncer read that people are turned off psychologically when confronted by pages of text which is why double columns were invented, purely to make it easier to read. Personally, I have no preference.


In the early days of computing, before it was called IT there was an allied discipline called Desk Top Publishing.

I used to teach DTP using a number of programs but the most popular one was called Pagemaker. One of its selling points was the ability to turn a string of text into a variety of formats, single column, double column, triple column (I kid you not), single spaced, space and a half, double spaced, justified, justified and filled. It lead to a number of incredibly bad documents being produced.

I would be happy with single column, justified and filled.


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Fenton

Would having it as a double column make the production of the rules any cheaper by having less pages?
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Ithoriel

Quote from: Fenton on 26 July 2016, 10:01:50 PM
Would having it as a double column make the production of the rules any cheaper by having less pages?

Only if the font size were smaller, surely.

On which topic, the bigger the better for my ageing eyes!
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Genom

I'm perfectly happy with either, BKC 2 was better in single because most of the diagrams, pics and tables were all big as well. But I can understand double could be better depending on how you're doing your diagrams etc.

Leon

I'll finish off the pics/diagrams/tables and then decide what looks better then.  A lot of the images and larger diagrams can still cover both columns, that's not a problem.
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sunjester

I hate double columns in rule >:(s, I'm effectively reading a technical manual, not a consumer magazine. But I reluctantly put up with it if the rules are really worth it.

Sandinista

I'm a double column fan  :)

Cheers
Ian