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Let's take a little bit of time to talk about software for RPG designers and publishers. There are a lot of free and affordable programs that you can use for your games. [Thread]
![Let's take a little bit of time to talk about software for RPG designers and publishers. There are a lot of free and affordable programs that you can use for your games. [Thread]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZCCAGoWkAI_XOP.jpg "Let's take a little bit of time to talk about software for RPG designers and publishers. There are a lot of free and affordable programs that you can use for your games. [Thread]")
In terms of software, there tends to be three broad categories: Text, Graphics, and Layout. Let's get into these in detail.
TEXT: You want to write words in a digital format somehow. For my personal workflow I will use some simple tools such as OneNote (paid), Notepad (free), Evernote (free) or Basecamp (Personal Free) to collect scraps of ideas. This is my research repository.
Ahh, it appears that OneNote is now free. It's a pretty robust note-taking tools that works well in the microsoft ecosystem. https://www.howtogeek.com/185334/onenote-is-now-free-is-microsofts-note-taking-app-worth-using/
Now, I am a huge fan of @basecamp for their project management software. They offer free, personal accounts that allow for 3 unique projects and up to 20 collaborators. This includes a calendar for milestones, robust notes and tasks.
https://basecamp.com/pricing
https://basecamp.com/pricing
Once I get the the ideas down in a file, using Scrivener (Paid) which gives great value for money. It's an excellent outlining and drafting tool. It's effectively writing your initial text on digital index cards. https://www.literatureandlatte.com
Once the first draft is together, I start to go into the revision process using a world processor such as MS Word (Paid), LibreOffice (Free) or Google Docs (Free). I tend to use Word but that's just my personal preference and it's a very optional expense.
Now, best practice is to then use some automated tools for editing and to clean up the text. There are many text to speech programs that can help you notice odd phrasing, and grammar apps such as Hemingway (free online) to help clean it up.
Now, graphics are split into two categories; vector (hard lined shapes), and raster (painting). There is a lot of competition in this space and plenty of options.
The biggest players in terms of vector illustrations are Adobe InDesign (powerful and expensive). Affinity Designer (great and moderately priced) and Inkscape (free). I encourage you to download Inkscape if you are getting started. https://inkscape.org/
A similar division is in place for raster art. Adobe Photoshop (powerful and expensive) is the common referent but is not the best option. Affinity includes some raster tools in Designer, and others in Affinity Photo. The free options include The GIMP and Krita.
The GIMP, like Photoshop and Affinity Photo, specializes in photograph manipulation with a lot of power under the hood. It's free though there can be a learning curve if you are used to the Photoshop interface. https://www.gimp.org/
Now, Krita is a beautiful and free program that is designed more for painting and illustration. It's used by many illustrators and has a ton of useful brushes allowing you to mimic traditional media.
https://krita.org/en/
https://krita.org/en/
Last but not least is layout, which is a more specialized process. There are effectively four options in play. Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Canva, and Scribus.
Adobe InDesign is the 500 lb gorilla in the room. It's indisputably the most powerful program on the list and also the most expensive. For years this was the only real player in town and required an ongoing Adobe Creative Suite subscription. It's great if you can afford it.
Next in line is the excellent "Affinity Publisher" by which is paid but affordable program ($35 CAD) @AffinitybySerif In addition to producing a quality program, they are also just plain good people who have helped the community. I endorse it fully. https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/publisher/
Next up is a free option that many folks have found works well for them; Canva. It's lightweight but intuitive and might be a good option if you are just getting started. https://www.canva.com
Scribus is free. I have spent years learning how to use the thing but there are some major UI/UX flaws and other issues that have given me many headaches. Saying that exists is the most generous thing I can say. https://www.scribus.net/
So, which of these many options work for you? It depends on your use-case and financial resources.
If you have no disposable resources ($0) but have consistent internet, then I would recommend you grab the following. Basecamp Personal, Google Docs, Hemingway, Inkscape, GIMP, Krita, and Canva.
If you have no disposable resources ($0) and limited/inconsistent internet, I would recommend you grab OneNote, LibreOffice, Inkscape, GIMP, and Krita, and use LibreOffice for simple, functional layout.
If you have some moderate means and can invest ~$150 USD on publishing software, then I would encourage you to purchase Scrivener, Affinity Publisher, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Designer. Basecamp Personal, Google Docs, Hemingway and Krita will do the rest.
If you are doing all this at a professional level, such as doing freelance design work for corporate entities and you have the means, then it makes sense to go for the premium option and get a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. They have a super powerful and expensive suite.
I hope this was helpful for folks starting out their publishing journey! {/Thread]
