Document Designer

Intermediate · 8 min read

The Document Designer is Chitmunk's workspace for multi-page flat documents: rulebooks, player reference sheets, quick-start guides, and player aids. Unlike the Booklet Designer (which handles folded physical binding), the Document Designer produces pages that are exported as individual sheets or a multi-page PDF — ideal for digital distribution or print-at-home content.

When to Use the Document Designer

Use the Document Designer when your output is:

• A print-at-home PDF that players download and print themselves.
• A flat reference sheet (single page, both sides) included in a physical box.
• A multi-page rules document distributed digitally.
• A player aid or quick-reference card larger than a standard card size.

If your document will be physically bound and ordered through TheGameCrafter, use the Booklet Designer instead, which handles the physical folding constraints.

Multi-Page Document Layouts

Start with a document component type (Letter, A4, half-letter, or custom dimension) from the component selector. The editor opens with a single page. Add pages using the + Page button in the page navigation strip at the bottom of the canvas.

Unlike booklets, documents have no folding constraints — you can add any number of pages in any order. Pages are numbered sequentially and navigated using the bottom strip.

Page Templates and Margins

When you add a new page, you can choose from several built-in page templates:

• Blank: Empty canvas with only the background color.
• One Column: A single text column with standard margins.
• Two Column: Side-by-side text columns with a gutter between them.
• Three Column: Three equal-width columns, typical for dense reference sheets.
• Mixed: A large image area with a text column alongside it.
• Title Page: Large centered title area with subtitle and body text zones.
• Chapter Header: Wide header band at the top for chapter titles, body text below.

Templates place text placeholder elements and guide lines on the page — these are fully editable starting points, not fixed layouts.

Setting Margins

Drag guide lines from the rulers to set your margin positions. Use Chitmunk's smart alignment snapping to align guide lines consistently across pages. For consistent margins, set guides on the first page, then use Copy Guides to All Pages (available in the View menu) to replicate them.

Adding and Managing Pages

Adding Pages

Click + Page in the navigation strip. A dialog lets you choose a page template and whether to insert after the current page or append to the end. You can also duplicate the current page to carry over its layout and master elements.

Deleting Pages

Right-click a page in the navigation strip and select Delete Page. Confirm the deletion — this cannot be undone via the normal Undo stack for multi-page operations.

Reordering Pages

Drag pages in the navigation strip to reorder them. The page numbers update automatically. Use Ctrl+click to select multiple pages and move them as a group.

Master Elements Across Pages

Mark any element as a Master Element (toggle in the element properties panel) to have it appear on every page of the document. Master elements are useful for:

• Headers and footers: Game title, chapter name, page number.
• Page number bindings: Use the {{_pageNumber}} binding in a master text element to auto-fill the current page number.
• Consistent branding: A logo or decorative border that appears on every page.
• Background: A paper texture or color background shared across all pages.

Master elements cannot be selected or edited on individual pages — to modify them, right-click and choose Edit Master Element, which opens the master editor overlay.

Best Practices for Rulebooks and Player Aids

• Use a consistent type scale: Pick 2–3 font sizes for your document (heading, subheading, body) and stick to them. Inconsistent font sizing makes documents look unprofessional and harder to read.
• Tables for structured rules: Use Chitmunk's Table element for rules that involve conditions, values, or comparisons. Tables are easier to scan than bullet lists for reference material.
• Keep rule language scannable: Game rulebooks are reference documents, not novels. Use short paragraphs, bold key terms, and numbered lists for sequential steps. Players will scan, not read linearly.
• Generators for diagrams: Use Chitmunk's Parametric Generators to add score tracks, probability tables, phase references, and other game mechanic diagrams directly in the document without needing external diagram tools.
• Test at actual print size: Letter/A4 documents look fine at 100% on screen but may have text that's too small when printed. Print a test page before finalizing your font sizes.
• Export as PDF for sharing: PDF export preserves fonts, layout, and images exactly as designed. Always share documents as PDF, not as the raw Chitmunk project file.