Print your board game rulebook and prototype
Upload your rules as a PDF, check the preview and order one copy for the next playtest, or a few for your testers.
See the products- One copy per playtest version
- Booklet, spiral book or paperback
- Boards and sheets up to A0
What to print for your game
A stapled booklet like most retail rulebooks, also square.
Lies flat on the table during playtests.
A campaign or scenario book, up to 200 pages.
A game board, map or sheet of player aids.
Which product for which part
Rulebook for playtests
- Product
- Spiral book
- Good to know
- Lies flat, room for notes
Rulebook for a pitch or Kickstarter
- Product
- Magazine
- Good to know
- Stapled, 24-60 pages in steps of 4, in A4, A5 landscape or 21 × 21 cm
A5 portrait rulebook
- Product
- Paperback
- Good to know
- Comes in A5 portrait
Campaign or scenario book
- Product
- Paperback
- Good to know
- 24 to 200 pages, glued spine
Game board or map
- Product
- Poster
- Good to know
- A3 up to A0, on flat paper. See poster sizes
Player aids
- Product
- Poster
- Good to know
- An A3 sheet holds four A5 aids to cut out
Rulebook structure
Follow the order in which players meet the game.
- 1
Overview and goal
One paragraph: what the game is about and how you win.
- 2
Components
A picture of each component with name and count, which doubles as a box checklist.
- 3
Setup
Numbered steps and one large diagram of the table, on a spread if you can.
- 4
A turn
The phases in order, each with its own heading. Rules first, exceptions after.
- 5
End and scoring
When the game ends, how to count points and how to break ties.
- 6
Example and reference
One full turn worked out, and an icon summary on the back cover.
Page count
For an A5 landscape or 21 × 21 cm booklet. In A4, many sections take half the pages.
| Section | Pages |
|---|---|
| Cover, overview and goal | 2 |
| Components | 1-4 |
| Setup | 2 |
| Turn structure | 4-12 |
| End of game and scoring | 1-2 |
| Example of play | 2-4 |
| Variants, solo rules, FAQ | 2-6 |
| Reference and back cover | 2 |
Booklets start at 24 pages. Short rules? Add examples, a FAQ or note pages for testers. Past 60 pages, a paperback goes up to 200.
Prices per playtest copy
| What | Price per copy |
|---|---|
| A4 stapled booklet, 24 pages | €7.49 |
| A4 stapled booklet, 32 pages | €10.29 |
| A4 stapled booklet, 48 pages | €15.89 |
| A5 spiral book, 24 pages | from €7.99 |
| A3 poster | from €6.99 |
Icons, diagrams and print
Icon size
An icon that's clear on screen can be a smudge at 4 mm. Print a test page and read it at arm's length.
Colour plus shape
Give player colours and resources a symbol too, for colour-blind players and dim rooms.
Diagrams as vectors
Keep diagrams and icons vector in the PDF; photos 300 dpi at print size. See the print-ready PDF guide.
Version number
Print the version and date on the back cover, so you know which feedback belongs to which rules.
Staples
In a stapled booklet the middle of a spread sinks into the fold. Keep icons away from the inner edge.
Cards and tokens
For a playtest, print the cards and tokens on a poster, glue it to thin card and cut them out.
Kickstarter or publisher prototype
- A stapled booklet in the retail size that fits the box
- "Prototype" and the version number on the back cover
- One copy per reviewer, plus one for your own photos and video
- The board as a matte poster on foam board; matte doesn't reflect studio lights
- The same version as a PDF for backers
How it works
Upload your file
Choose a product, a size and options, and add your PDF or photo. We check it right away and show you a preview, before you pay.
We print it
We print your order in the Netherlands on the paper or material you chose, from a single piece. No minimum order, no account needed.
We bring it to your door
We ship it to every country of the EU, with tracking. The checkout shows the delivery date for your address.
Questions
What does a prototype rulebook cost?
What size should a rulebook be?
Can you print the game board?
Which file do I need?
More ideas and guides
All ideas and guidesBook binding types explained
Book binding types compared: perfect binding, case binding, layflat, wire-O and saddle stitch. Page counts, which ones lie flat, cover files and prices.
Poster sizes
Every poster size from 20 × 30 cm to A0, drawn to scale. How the A sizes work, the pixels each size needs, which size suits your wall and which frame fits.
How to make a print-ready PDF
Make a print-ready PDF: trim size, 3 mm bleed, PDF/X-4, no printer's marks, single pages and a cover spread with the right spine. InDesign, Affinity and more.
Zine printing, from one copy
Zine printing, stapled, 24 to 60 pages, from one copy up to 50. Upload your pages in reading order, no imposition needed. With page counts and riso tips.
Print your own recipe book
Recipe book printing from one copy: a spiral book that lies flat in the kitchen, a paperback or a hardcover. With page counts, layout tips and a template.
Wedding album printing, and a guestbook to match
Wedding album printing from one copy: a layflat that opens flat, from your own PDF or your photographer's spreads. Plus the guestbook and the seating chart.
Print your rulebook
Upload your rules and see the price and a preview.