It’s been a while since my last update, but I’ve been back at working on Nobles & Glory in a very different way. I’ve moved into the layout and publishing stage using the free Affinity Publisher, and I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it’s been.
I expected this part of the process to feel like a grind. I thought I’d be wrestling with formatting quirks, shifting text boxes, and getting lost in margins and bleed settings. But instead, it’s been one of the most creatively rewarding stages yet. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing the rules come to life on the page; about shaping the book as both a manual and an object of its own design.
Working in Affinity Publisher has forced me to look at the game differently. As I’ve been placing text, headings, and sidebars, I’ve started to see the structure of the rules in a new light. The act of formatting them has turned into a kind of design audit ; leading me to simplify certain sections, merge ideas, and find better ways to explain key systems. Not because the rules weren’t working, but because presenting them clearly made me realise how they could work cleaner. For instance, I’ve started removing a lot of minor edge-case rules and replacing them with shared terminology that’s all referenced in a glossary. It’s made the core systems easier to follow while keeping the book readable and elegant. The flavour text, too, has found a more natural rhythm; woven into the layout so that it complements the mechanics rather than interrupting them. It’s all starting to feel cohesive, like the game and the book are finally speaking the same language.
What’s surprised me most, though, is how fun this stage has been. Affinity Publisher has been remarkably intuitive; far easier to learn than I expected; and it’s given me the freedom to flex a different creative muscle. Designing page layouts, adjusting spacing, and adding subtle visual touches has reminded me why I wanted to make this game in the first place.
At its heart, Nobles & Glory has always been a love letter to the standard deck of cards. This process; arranging the rules, the artwork, and the text into something physical; has rekindled that sense of reverence. It’s not just about writing a rulebook anymore. It’s about building something that celebrates the deck itself; a small, ordinary object that holds centuries of design, symbolism, and play.
– Jonathan
