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Heroes of Adventure

Index of Heroes of Adventure releases and community forum · By Nameless Designer

Printing Instructions (using online service) Sticky

A topic by Nameless Designer created Oct 16, 2022 Views: 1,511 Replies: 15
Viewing posts 1 to 9
Developer (1 edit)

Please find enclosed details of how I order the printed versions of the pdf documents using a UK based online printing service Doxzoo

I am in no way affiliated with this company but have used them over the past couple of years with all my test prints and have been very satisfied with the speed and quality of their service. Whilst they are UK based, they also offer overseas postage options.

(Please note all details contained in these screenshots were correct at the time of producing these and costs may change over time)

Step 1 - Visit www.doxzoo.com and select "upload your file"


Step 2 - Select "upload from my computer" and search for the .pdf file you intend to print


Step 3 - Once file has loaded select "continue"


Step 4 - Ignore the error message and select "continue"

The Heroes of Adventure books are printed in 'letter' (8.5 x 11 inches) and not a A4 UK standard, we will update this in the steps ahead.


Step 5 - Select "Booklet" product type

Booklet type is limited to 64 pages (and Heroes of Adventure is 64 pages) and allows the first and last page of the pdf to be used as the front and back cover


Step 6 - Select 'Paper size' as 'Letter' to format the size correctly (important)

This will format the printed document to the same size as the pdf and will remove the white space at the top and bottom of the print from the default A4 standard 

Document settings I use:

  • Pages = 64 (based on pdf size)
  • Orientation = Portrait
  • Paper Size = Letter
  • Printed Sides = Double Sided
  • Print in = Black & White or Colour (your choice)

Paper range settings:

  • Paper Colour = White
  • Paper Finish/Weight = Your choice (Matt 120 gsm)

(I've done test prints using Matt 90gsm, Matt 100gsm, Matt 120 gsm and Silk 130 gsm and they have all been fine)

Binding 

  • Binding Position = Left along edge

Cover

  • Card Cover = Print in colour on white card
  • Cover Lamination = Your choice (higher quality makes the cover sturdier)

It is worth doing a front cover in colour even if you are printing the internal pages in black and white.

Production Instructions

  • Production = Scale to Best Fit

Note, the printing cost will decrease based on volume. Whilst you may be printing a single copy for yourself look at how much it costs for 2 copies as it might be economic to get a spare.


Step 7 - Select 'Card Cover' drop down and choose 'Print in colour on White Card' then complete your order

This makes the first and last page of the .pdf a card cover.


Step 8 - Wait for the post to be delivered

Sample screen shots of my test prints (both colour and black/white are shown below).




Hope this helps people who are interested in getting copies printed.

(1 edit)

Thank you for this.  Of note, services like Lulu.com require a separate front/spine/back cover pdf.  Is it possible for you to also provide this?  If not possible, that's fine, i'll try to create it.  :)

Developer

Hey Zsolan, I've uploaded the front cover for each rulebook as an image file for you to use, hope that helps.

Thank you so much,  really appreciated!

Nice ... I have also used lulu for this purpose in the past (so thanks for covers). But having another option is always a boon.

I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone in the United States. While I haven't used them to print Heroes of Adventure, I've been really pleased with printme1.com. I've printed out a couple of different RPGs with them. Very affordable and quick turnaround!

Developer

Thanks for the recommendation for those in the US.

 Thanks for that option, Boxman214! An 80 page  B&W standard paper softcover runs about $5 for printing and binding at DTRPG and about the same through Lulu. That'd be $13.50  with PrintMe1. Would you be willing to speak as to whether the paper quality or binding quality or shipping charges are better? I'm curious as to what might justify the difference in price. But, again, thanks for the option. The more options out there the better. I have several more scholarly works in the pipeline and DTRPG is not really the place for that ;)

Oh, I see now, shipping is INCLUDED in the price. That DOES make a difference!

Yeah I definitely don't propose that it's higher quality (especially higher than Lulu, who I think makes excellent prints). Just wanted to mention it as an option. 

Understood and appreciated.

Sorry to bother you, would it be possible to add the Rules Compendium cover as a PDF?

Developer

Yes, its been added here https://nameless-designer.itch.io/heroes-of-adventure-rules-compendium

Awesome, thanks.

(3 edits)

Thanks for compiling the Compendium! I am trying to get an A5 copy printed on Doxzoo using the file "HeroesofAdventureRulesCompendiumA5LuluNoCover.pdf". But it seems the interface trims off too much of the pages. Most of the content is still viewable, but things like parts of the world map get pruned. Also the A5 cover file doesn't seem to work there after uploading. Is it possible to fix this?

Developer

Hey Tovakwyrmstalker, thanks for the interest in the game. The A5 version is essentially the booklet sized images resized (i.e. shrunk and stretched) to fit the A5 format size. I was originally a little hesitant to produce this size as it is a bit of a pain trying to maintain multiple versions of multiple books so this was the compromise option.

I haven't personally printed the A5 size of the rules compendium (I have printed A5 copies of the individual books) but from uploading and looking at the document through Doxzoo it looks to me to be 'acceptable' (i.e. the image shown above doesn't cut-off the titles).

If you are printing through Doxzoo, you can use the A5 (cover included version) and select the 'Cover design is included' option if you are experiencing an issue with the pdf cover. The reason for the 'No Cover version' was to appease a few requests from people wanting to print through Lulu. 

It seems like that trying to cater for people's individual preferences opens up more challenges so you may just have to work with the files you have.

However, someone on the HoA sub-reddit has produced an A5 version (link here).

Hope that helps a bit.