Pre-flight checklist for your first one-page RPG
Here's a list of the top five things to check before you publish your one-page RPG. Especially handy for Unknown Dungeon's One-Page RPG Jam. Do these, and you'll be off to a good start!
I sometimes get asked to check out people’s new one-page RPGs, particularly around this time of year during Unknown Dungeon’s One-Page RPG Jam.1 While I don’t have time for open submissions, I’m always happy to check out the games my friends are working on.2
It made me think about what universal feedback I might give for those making new games this year, particularly one-page RPGs released as PDF-only. While I talk at length in Make Your Own One-Page RPG about game design and publishing, there’s a short list of things I’d encourage all new creators to consider.
Here is that list!
I hope it helps you make your first (or next) one-page RPG.
1. Don’t rasterize your text.
This is probably the biggest piece of advice for those brand new to making games and entering game jams. While it can be tempting to work in your favorite app such as Canva or Photoshop, you should really try to create a game with selectable text.
Without getting all technical, text is usually vectorized. This means it is infinitely scalable (larger or smaller) because the letters are stored as points, lines, and curves all fitting on a grid. Depending on how you export from Canva or other applications, it might rasterize your text. Raster images are made up of individual pixels rather than curves. When you try to zoom in on them, they just get blurry.
How can you check? Open up your PDF and try to select just the text to copy and paste it elsewhere. If you can, you probably have vector text. If you can’t, it is almost certainly raster text. You can also check by opening the PDF properties and checking the list of embedded fonts. If there are no fonts listed, it might be rasterized.
Also, if you exported your game as a JPG or PNG, the text is rasterized. Please use PDF instead.
Being able to select and zoom in on text is important for people with screen readers or low vision, and for anyone who wants to read on displays of different sizes.
Can I select and zoom the text? That’s the first thing I check.
2. Tell me the hook up front.
I have a short attention span when it comes to new games, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. It’s a roleplaying game, so tell me what role I will be playing in this game!
Am I a wizard? If so, what am I trying to do? Is it a cooperative game or competitive? How long does it take? What do I need to play? What kind of fun should I expect?
The final exercise of my public library game design classes is usually a Mad Libs style game pitch. I make worksheets that allow participants to fill in blocks about their games: game name, hook, min/max players, and so on. In just three sentences, they can quickly communicate what their game is about. Almost always I’m immediately interested upon hearing the resulting pitch and want to learn more.
It doesn’t need to be a full marketing pitch, but even a one-page game should tell me why I might want to play it.
That’s the second thing I look for when checking out a new game: What’s the hook?
3. Have a clear core game loop.
No one will play your game if they can’t figure out how to play it.
Almost every game has a core game loop, even if it is not immediately obvious. Take the time to map out the loop of your game. Use a flowchart if you can — not necessarily to include in the game, but for your own edification. If you find you can’t easily build a diagram of your core game loop, you probably have a game that is too complex (or outright broken).
After you understand your game’s loop, make it clear in the game. I like to use numbered lists of steps when making one-page RPGs because space is tight. When more room is available, I include the flowchart.
Once I’ve read the hook, I want to know how to play! Show me the loop.
4. Make it printer friendly.
I love white text on a black background as much as anyone, but please remember that many potential players will want to print your game to play it. Having one or two A4 pages of black ink may discourage people from giving it a try.
Does this mean you need to use boring black text on white and ditch your vintage parchment background? Not necessarily. You can always include a printer-friendly version with the background image layers turned off.
I’m not hard-set on every game being printer friendly, but it is something to consider.
As an ancillary “Rule 4.5,” I would add that you should use high contrast text in your one-page RPGs. The tight space is already going to make you use a smaller font, so you don’t need to make things worse with heavy grunge effects and low contrast. Again, you don’t necessarily have to do this, but at least consider an alternate “high contrast” version.3
I usually print games to play them. Have mercy on my printer.
5. Include credits and contact info.
I’m always surprised at how many games don’t include credits or a copyright notice somewhere. Let me know who made the game. Tell me where I can find more of your stuff via an itch.io page or social media. This also helps me know how to credit creators when discussing games at Skeleton Code Machine.
Along with creator credits, remember to credit art and font sources as necessary. If you are using public domain art, the artists are dead and won’t demand credit… but it’s still nice to do. Some fonts, maps, SRDs, and freely available art pieces require credit to be given in the game itself. Consider using Hinokodo’s Human Made logo.
Check your licenses and give credit where credit is due.
- E.P. 💀
What do you think? What’s on your “pre-flight checklist” when doing a quick check on a game before publishing it? Let me know in the comments.
P.S. New game! Get We are Mushrooms (Print + PDF) in the shop. Be the mushroom you’ve always wanted to be. Skeleton Code Machine readers can use code IMAFUNGI for 10% off your order. Offer expires August 7, 2026. 🍄
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I’ve submitted two games to the jam this year that you should check out: The Walden Paradox and Wizard Fuel Duel. Free community copies are available during the jam.
Have we played a board game together? If so, we are probably friends and I would check out your game for you.
The original trifold brochure version of Exclusion Zone Botanist had an embarrassing amount of grungy splatter texture across a lot of the text. I thought it looked great, but it really hurt the readability of the game. I ended up releasing a “low-splatter” version and learned my lesson.
Great food for thought. Very helpful for new designers like myself.