New Cover to Be Commissioned

[hunter]

Ok folks, I decided to recommission the cover. I have asked the following artists specifically if they would be interested in working on the new piece:

Steve Bryant
Bryan Gibson
David Deitrick
Jesse DeGraff

I have spoken already to both Steve and Bryan, but have not yet heard from David or Jesse.

If anyone else would like to submit a rough pencil sketch, we will place them into consideration.

All submissions will be posted here on the message boards for comment, and we will select the final cover based in part upon user opinion but the final decision on the cover to be used will be ours (QuikLink).

The cover will remain the same basic premise already establish, the crew of the Free Trader Beowulf surviving a crash and setting out from the wreckage.

Hunter

[This message has been edited by hunter (edited 12 November 2001).]

 

[TheRaptor]

Yahhhh,
Im sorry that cover was rank. Giant praying mantis. I say again giant praying mantis. Thats just wrong. Maybe okay on a WOTC game it would be alright. But not on a Traveller system. (Even if it is D20). If you have to include aliens include known aliens that are fairly common (though not neccesarily a major race). Giant praying mantis.

P.s Heh that might become a catch phrase:
ROBIN: Giant praying mantis Batman, theres a miniture giant space hamster behind you.

 

[hunter]

They still exist as a race in the material. That won't change.

Hunter

[This message has been edited by hunter (edited 12 November 2001).]

 

[kafka47]

Jessie with a modified First In cover would be great.

The distinguishing characteristic, more photo realism, like the image on his website of the Scout Ship. For the characters on the Trek in First In are still too GT and very unrealistic. (read: playdough superhero)

See if you could get Blair Reynolds on board!

[H3]HELP[/H3]
Also is there a way to affix images if you don't have access to putting them on the web on this board. As there are several instances in which I have an image stored on my C drive that I would like to post but no way mount it...



[This message has been edited by kafka47 (edited 14 November 2001).]

 

[MJD]

Pleased.

 

[William]

Thank you.

 

[Takei]

A wise move. I like the premise of the cover, but Traveller needs to distinguish itself as hard SF or I think it will have a hard time competing with SW in the LFGS's. The cover is the most immediate way to do this.

------------------
Paul

 

[Anubis]

Well, since it's already comissioned it's probably too late - but: What's wrong with a cover that looks similar to GURPS Traveller? Besides CT it's IMO still the best.

regards,
Stephan

 

[TJP]

Thanks! That's good news. How about asking that guy who did 2300AD cover and Rebellion Sourcebook for MT as well. Can't remeber his name... A.C. Farley or something. I'm at work now and can't check his name.

 

[TJP]

Yup, remembered correctly. A.C. Farley was the artist's name, try to reach him as well. BTW, Steve Venters did some good covers also.

 

[T. Foster]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TJP:
Yup, remembered correctly. A.C. Farley was the artist's name, try to reach him as well. BTW, Steve Venters did some good covers also.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

A.C. Farley also did the cover for DGP's World Builder's Handbook, which was also made into the GDW/DGP MegaTraveller poster. Great pic, one my all-time Top 5 Traveller covers (q.v. thread on The Lone Star). If anyone knows his current whereabouts, I'd love to see more Trav-art from him.

IMO Steve Venters was better with vehicles and equipment than actual people. The gear always looked great, but the people on his covers (early T:2300 stuff, MT Imperial Encyclopedia, Hivers AM, etc.) always looked kind of malformed and 'odd' to me.

Overall, Dave Deitrick is still my favorite, though. I've really got my fingers crossed that he ends up doing the T20 cover.

 

[Captain Tylor]

I've always been a fan of Bryan Gibson's work. I have many original sketches of his and his style (especially when it comes to equipment, weapons, ships, etc.) typifies TRAVELLER to me.

My second choice would be David Deitrick.

(edited to be sure I spelled names right)

[This message has been edited by Captain Tylor (edited 14 November 2001).]

 

[Simon Jester]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hunter:
Ok folks, I decided to recommission the cover. I have asked the following artists specifically if they would be interested in working on the new piece:

Steve Bryant
Bryan Gibson
David Deitrick
Jesse DeGraff

[snip]

Hunter

[This message has been edited by hunter (edited 12 November 2001).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

First off, I want to say thank you for actually listening to the people on this board. Many other publishers wouldn't even consider asking for outside opinions on a thing like this, and the vast majority of those that would wouldn't be willing to actually listen to the opinions given. Again, thank you.

As for the artists you've named, any of the ones you've name would be acceptable, given their respective track records. I'm sure that they will provide pieces with the appropriate "look and feel" to match any Travnards desire.

As for Mr. Millet, his cover piece shows that he has the makings of a good artist about him, but he's just not quite ready for cover pieces yet. Yet. What he's shown still ranks with some of the better interior art pieces I've seen in many game books, and better than a lot. He just needs to work on technical drawing (guns & equipment), perspective and figure-placement a bit more. I hope to see a good deal more from him in the future.

Thank you for letting me ramble a bit.

Simon Jester

p.s.: Is there any possibilty of Liz Danforth doing any of the art for this line?




------------------
-If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid.

 

[Nurd_boy]

personally, I still like the simply elegant LBB's...the simplicity of their cover's
invoke a certain feel, a mood...a tehno-elegance that other games with comicbook like covers never capture. They (the LBB's) never projected what something was suppose to look like or create pre-concieved notions.

..does ANYBODY follow what I'm trying to say? <heck> just look at previous SF covers...those tacky alternity covers, that silly-A$$ star frontiers, trinity...etc, etc...

the dnd3e core books I like, the black palladium fantasy cover too, some of the fasa battletech covers work for the books they where on (like the technicl readout books)...

I guess what i'm saying is 'classy, but not tacky'...something that sticks in the mind, but not 'slaps-you-upside-the-head'....

ok, ok,...i'll stop my ramble now.

 

[Shadow Bear]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nurd_boy:
personally, I still like the simply elegant LBB's...the simplicity of their cover's
invoke a certain feel, a mood...a tehno-elegance that other games with comicbook like covers never capture. They (the LBB's) never projected what something was suppose to look like or create pre-concieved notions.

..does ANYBODY follow what I'm trying to say? <heck> just look at previous SF covers...those tacky alternity covers, that silly-A$$ star frontiers, trinity...etc, etc...


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you are trying to get product recognition the LBB look is the only way to go.

 

[hunter]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Shadow Bear:

If you are trying to get product recognition the LBB look is the only way to go.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

This only works with players familiar with Traveller. New gamers wouldn't recognize the cover.

One of the other problems with using a cover similar to the LBB is that it would cause confusion with GURPS: Traveller being roughly the same thing.

Hunter

 

[Ron]

Hunter,
You're right about the possible confusion between a LBB inspired cover and GT cover. However, I hope that T20 will be mainly black with the characteristic horizontal red line below the name.
Ron

 

[Chris Henry]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hunter:
This only works with players familiar with Traveller. New gamers wouldn't recognize the cover.

One of the other problems with using a cover similar to the LBB is that it would cause confusion with GURPS: Traveller being roughly the same thing.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not if the line was in the upper third of the cover, the "Science-Fiction Adventure in the Far Future" tagline above it. Traveller {D20 logo} underneath the line. And a T20 Starburst as the centre icon.

To the point and it screams both D20 and Classic Traveller. But, alas, I'm flogging a dead horse.

[This message has been edited by Chris Henry (edited 16 November 2001).]

 

[Nurd_boy]

hunter, hate to be an old poop...buuuut,
that B&W cover art (the one with the mantis) you said there will be the free trader crashed in the background with the adventurers setting out?...one word, 'star frontiers...(ok, two words)...they already did that cover (right down to the vrusk-<uh>-mantis)AND the crashed ship in the background all in a comicbookish style...

what about the concept pic the guy did for t5..basic black with the stripe and top half a photoreal image (say, the beowulf under attack or crashed?)

 

[Anubis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hunter:
This only works with players familiar with Traveller. New gamers wouldn't recognize the cover.

One of the other problems with using a cover similar to the LBB is that it would cause confusion with GURPS: Traveller being roughly the same thing.

Hunter<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>