The Game Designer's Kit
Finger-tap navigation
7 tabs on every page, a summary per step, your position and the next page always shown. One finger tap and you are on your level sheet. The pen stays devoted to drawing.
reMarkable template · hyperlinked PDF
From idea to game plan, step by step.
From idea to game plan, step by step.
On your reMarkable.
A kit that walks you through your first video game: six guided steps, every notion explained simply, 214 pages connected by 2,212 links, from idea to a complete game plan, tested on paper. Without writing a single line of code.
214 pages
6 guided steps
96 ready-to-draw grids
Right & left-handed included
English · Français
Download the kit · €9.90
Launch price · PayPal checkout ·
instant download
instant download
Born for electronic ink
A design studio drawn for your tablet.
Crisp grids
Near-black text, sharp grids, pixel-art guides with reinforced marks, tested on a screen without backlight. The Paper Pro version adds sober color accents to annotate your levels.
Right and left-handed
Every purchase delivers both versions, with mirrored navigation bars, matching your tablet's handedness setting. Two vector files of about 1.5 MB, no account, no subscription.
Guided tour
From idea to a game you can build.
Every screen below is a real page of the kit, exactly as it displays on the tablet.
The journey
Six steps, no notion ever assumed
The home page lays out the kit's six steps: idea, game rules, world and characters, levels, craft, finish, plus the grid library. Each step opens on its own summary, explains every notion with a running example, and closes on a milestone. The Home icon always brings you back here.
The rules · the game loop
The secret engine of every game, explained then filled in
Observe, act, progress, repeat: the game loop is first explained with the running example, then you fill in your own inside a four-box cycle. Your verbs, your mechanics, victory, failure and your difficulty follow, drawn on a real curve.
The levels · level design
Eight levels drawn, sheet then map
Level design explained in three beats (show, try, prove), a symbol dictionary like the studios use, a tutorial that teaches without text, then eight level sheets: the guided sheet on one side, the full-page gridded map on the other. The whole game's curve closes the step.
- Neutral grid: top-down or side view, your choice
- Duplicate a page: the copy keeps its links
The craft · the sensations
Gamepad, camera, sounds, game feel
A line-drawn gamepad where every verb lands under the right thumb, the camera explained family by family, one sound per move, and the studios' great secret: the paper prototype, to test your game with tokens and a die before opening any software. The trade's glossary, defined in plain words, closes the step.
Library · 96 grids
From top-down dungeons to pixel-art grids
48 grids in double copies: top-down rooms and dungeons, side-scrolling strips, world maps with a compass rose, 16:9 and mobile screens, 16×16 and 32×32 sprites, an eight-frame walk cycle, an isometric grid, progression trees, prototype boards, blank level sheets.
- Every grid in two copies, connected by arrows
- Duplicate a grid: the copy keeps its links
Production
From game plan to the Publish button
The game design document (GDD) assembled in six summary pages, five engines introduced in plain words, your first seven days planned mission by mission, the build tracker, the playtest journal and the release checklist. Also discover our selection of game engines at novelists-kit.com/videogame/engines.html.
What's inside
214 pages, six guided steps, two files.
Step 1 · The idea
the pitch explained · promise · your player · genre · references9 pages
the pitch explained · promise · your player · genre · references9 pages
Step 2 · The rules
game loop · verbs · mechanics · difficulty · economy14 pages
game loop · verbs · mechanics · difficulty · economy14 pages
Step 3 · World & characters
hero in 4 sheets · allies · bestiary · boss · places · relationships29 pages
hero in 4 sheets · allies · bestiary · boss · places · relationships29 pages
Step 4 · The levels
studio symbols · wordless tutorial · 8 levels sheet + map · curve24 pages
studio symbols · wordless tutorial · 8 levels sheet + map · curve24 pages
Step 5 · The craft
game feel · camera · gamepad · interface · sounds · paper prototype · glossary18 pages
game feel · camera · gamepad · interface · sounds · paper prototype · glossary18 pages
Step 6 · The finish
GDD in 6 summaries · engine · first 7 days · playtests · release18 pages
GDD in 6 summaries · engine · first 7 days · playtests · release18 pages
The library
48 grids in two copies · levels · maps · screens · sprites · systems · prototype97 pages
48 grids in two copies · levels · maps · screens · sprites · systems · prototype97 pages
How it works
Designing within five minutes.
1
Pick your version
Language (English or French) and tablet (Paper Pure or Paper Pro). The Pure version also fits the reMarkable 2.
2
Pay with PayPal
Secure checkout at PayPal: we never see or store any banking data.
3
Download the ZIP
Your download page opens as soon as the payment clears. One ZIP, two PDFs: right and left-handed.
4
Drop it in the app
Drop the PDF that fits you into the reMarkable app (desktop or mobile): it syncs to your tablet.
The one gesture to know:on reMarkable, links open with a finger tap: the pen is for writing and drawing. That is all you need to navigate the kit.
Your copy
Pick your version, design tonight.
One purchase, two carefully made files, and your first level gets drawn tonight.
- 2 hyperlinked PDFs of 214 pages (right and left-handed) in the language and for the tablet of your choice
- 2,212 internal links per file + table of contents built into the reMarkable reader
- 96 ready-to-draw grids: levels, maps, screens, sprites, systems
- The paper prototype method: test your game before writing a line of code
- Personal license: your game belongs to you, obviously
- Instant download after PayPal payment
Also available on our Etsy shop. A question before buying? Write to us.
Kit language
Your tablet
Right and left-handed versions included with every purchase.
€9.90
Launch price
After the launch period the kit will move to €19.90. Prices in euros, VAT included.
- Payment handled entirely by PayPal (account or card).
- Instant download after payment confirmation.
- File trouble? We repair or resend it via our support page.
FAQ
The questions we get asked.
Do I need to know how to code or draw?
No. The kit designs the game: idea, rules, world, levels, sensations, complete plan. Every notion is explained in plain words the moment it appears, and the prototype is tested on paper, with tokens and a die. The game is then built in a game engine, several of which work entirely without code.
How do the links work on reMarkable?
They open with a finger tap: the pen is for writing and drawing. This is standard reMarkable software behavior (version 2.6 or later, which all current tablets have). No third-party app, no setting.
I own a reMarkable 2: which version should I choose?
The Paper Pure version. The reMarkable 2 shares exactly the same screen (10.3″, 1872 × 1404 px, 226 PPI): the display is pixel-identical.
Is there a left-handed version?
Yes, and it is included: every purchase delivers two PDFs, the right-handed and the left-handed version (mirrored navigation bar, matching the tablet's handedness setting). Install the one that fits you.
Is the game built on the tablet?
The reMarkable is the design studio: the complete game plan is written and drawn there, paper prototype included. The game itself is then built in an engine (GDevelop, Construct, GameMaker, Godot…): step 6 of the kit helps you choose yours, plans your first seven days, and our engine selection is waiting with the links.
What kind of game can I design with the kit?
Every 2D and 3D genre can be designed in the kit: platformer, adventure, puzzle, RPG, management, narrative… The running example is a small top-down adventure, and the library covers side-scrolling levels, top-down views, maps, screens and pixel art. For a first game, the kit honestly recommends 2D.
What is the difference between the Pure and Pro versions?
Each one is sized exactly for its tablet. The Pure version is high-contrast grayscale, tested on a screen without backlight. The Pro version adds sober color accents (teal, terracotta) for its color screen, on the same layout.
How do I receive the files?
After the PayPal payment you are redirected to your download page and receive a confirmation email with your link. The download is a ZIP containing both PDFs (right and left-handed). Remember to click “Return to merchant” if PayPal offers it. Lost or expired link? Write to us with your PayPal receipt and we will resend it.
What about the Paper Pro Move?
Not yet. Its elongated screen (close to 16:9) deserves a dedicated layout, not a mere resize. It is under consideration: tell us if it matters to you.
Does handwriting-to-text conversion work?
No, and it is a reMarkable limitation, not the kit's: handwriting conversion does not apply to PDF annotations, whatever the PDF. Your notes remain ink, exportable as an annotated PDF.
Can I change my mind after purchase?
The kit is digital content delivered immediately: the right of withdrawal ends when the download begins, with your consent (art. L221-28 of the French Consumer Code). A defective file or a failed download, however, can be fixed: contact us with your PayPal receipt and we will repair or resend your file at no cost.