New Cover to Be Commissioned

[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>

Drek. Hit the enter-key too fast. Anyway: Hunter, what would be so bad about it?

regards,
Stephan

 

[Takei]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris Henry:
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).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I hope not as this is one of the best suggestions I've heard so far. Simple, yet striking cover.
My prefernce would be for the red line to be a third of the way up the cover. d20 logo underneath to the left. Traveller, science fiction...... underneath to the right. T20 sunburst in the centre. Maybe reverse the d20 and Traveller bits so that it reads
Traveller.........d20.

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

 

[far-trader]

I hope its not too late for my small suggestion. I've been thinking about this for a few days and figure it needs to be said. The cover/story premise is great, to a point. Like the original Beowulf mayday this should serve as an introduction and continuation of the original launching point for the imagination.

Those few original words served (for me at least) as seed for all the "what next" that inspired great games. In the same way this cover shouldn't have too much information. Don't push the GMs to build around a whole story, just give them a nudge.

I like the idea of the crew on the front (the whole looking forward/a new travel/travail theme). A uniform badge with "Free Trader Beowulf" might be ok, but even better might be if its torn or burnt or dirty and reads "Free Trader Be###l#" (is it the Beowulf, or another ship?) And the back cover with a crashed Type A Free Trader works, but please, no other signs of why, or what else (i.e. leave it to the GMs. Why did they crash? Was it a malfunction? An attack? If attack, by whom? etc.)

And finally let me add my vote for trying to work the classic red stripe on black into the cover, it'll make all us old-timers happy and want to buy it on sight.

This is the far-trader Empress Poppaea signing off.

 

[Secrect Cow Level]

I really hope you DON'T go with the cheesy CT cover design with a starburst with the T20 logo in it. That would look horrible. The game needs a good cover painting. The icon covers used by WOTC for D&D 3rd edition are ugly in the extream. They cut corners by not hiring Jeff Easly to paint a new series of covers only because D&D is by far the most popular role-playing game on the planet and a new edition would sell very well regardless of the cover art (or lack thereof). You will notice that both STAR WARS and THE WHEEL OF TIME have excellent cover paintings. Even other D&D hardcovers published by WOTC have cover art. T20 nees to have a good painting on the cover that expresses "science fiction adventure in the far future" and captures the viewer's imagination or else they will pass it off as another piece of d20 crap. If the CT cover motiff is used, most people probably won't even look at it long enough to realize that T20 is a sci -fi game. The bottom line folks is that books ARE judged by their covers and a cheap 70's throwback cover is not going to win very many new players over to TRAVELLER, no matter how many fond memories it invokes in the grognards.

[This message has been edited by Secrect Cow Level (edited 16 November 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Secrect Cow Level (edited 16 November 2001).]

 

[Anthony]

If you wanted a seed of the classic free trader beowulf, with a more interesting cover, you could do a scene from the bridge of said free trader: smoke, a couple of people in there (some injured), and a person at the comm.

 

[worj]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hunter:
<SNIP>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>

Not to mention FFE's current range of BBBs...

 

[tjoneslo]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Anthony:
If you wanted a seed of the classic free trader beowulf, with a more interesting cover, you could do a scene from the bridge of said free trader: smoke, a couple of people in there (some injured), and a person at the comm.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I must say I really like this idea. Thanks Anthony.

 

[aramis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tjoneslo:
I must say I really like this idea. Thanks Anthony. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So do I!

It' also provides a "look and feel" glimpse of starship interiors.

------------------
-aramis
=============================================
Smith & Wesson: The Original Point and Click interface!

 

[Antares Administration]

I gather that the datapad idea that we threw around months ago died on the vine?

AA

 

[Nurd_boy]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Anthony:
If you wanted a seed of the classic free trader beowulf, with a more interesting cover, you could do a scene from the bridge of said free trader: smoke, a couple of people in there (some injured), and a person at the comm.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

and a planet looming on the front screen, sensor images on control panels showing corsair's firing...damage read outs...etc...

 

[Mused]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nurd_boy:
and a planet looming on the front screen, sensor images on control panels showing corsair's firing...damage read outs...etc...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

looking out main viewport, with enemy ship closing in.
Cats and dogs sleeping together!
Lions, tigers and bears, Oh My!
(please ignore last two sentences, getting excited)

 

[Solo]

[D&D 3rd edition are ugly in the extream. They cut corners by not hiring Jeff Easly to paint a new series of covers only because D&D is by far the most popular role-playing game on the planet and a new edition would sell very well regardless of the cover art (or lack thereof).

Sorry, but there was no cost savings by not having an illustrator do the covers for the new 3e books. The books covers were hand built by an artist and then photographed. In terms of print production (in the numbers the 3e books were printed in), the cost of a cover artist is usually pretty cheap.

Sherm
Graphic Artist

 

[aramis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Solo:
[D&D 3rd edition are ugly in the extream. They cut corners by not hiring Jeff Easly to paint a new series of covers only because D&D is by far the most popular role-playing game on the planet and a new edition would sell very well regardless of the cover art (or lack thereof).

Sorry, but there was no cost savings by not having an illustrator do the covers for the new 3e books. The books covers were hand built by an artist and then photographed. In terms of print production (in the numbers the 3e books were printed in), the cost of a cover artist is usually pretty cheap.

Sherm
Graphic Artist<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

And some people (my self included) like the look of the 3E covers. No cover will please everyone.

 

[Reginald]

At least the 3e covers give a feel that it is like a rare (magical?) tome you would find in a medieval fantasy setting.

Here's another suggestion, based on the graphics near the top of this discussion board. That little banner in front of that graphic that have the "Traveller" title and the map of the system as the background.

That would appeal to me.

------------------
Anyhoo... just some random thoughts

 

[Secrect Cow Level]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Reginald:
At least the 3e covers give a feel that it is like a rare (magical?) tome you would find in a medieval fantasy setting.

Here's another suggestion, based on the graphics near the top of this discussion board. That little banner in front of that graphic that have the "Traveller" title and the map of the system as the background.

That would appeal to me.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You know, that's not a bad idea! That way you get a cover illo plus the classic banner that the CT crowd is screaming for so everyone can be happy.

 

[Ron]

I think that the PHB cover looks like a toy. Quite frankly, the fake jewels give me the feeling of a toy for young girls. I am more neutral in relation to the DMG cover and actually liked the MM cover.

 

[Reginald]

That would have been one hell of an expensive cover if those prop jewels are real. And yeah, initially it would look like a modern girl's diary (probably where it came from), but it would be something a wizard or a sage would have in his or her own library to protect whatever knowledge it would hold.

And those prop jewel would be something a clever wizard would entice a thief to "touch me" and get a nasty surprise. Hehehe.

But we're getting off-topic here. The product's appearance should invoke a feel for the setting and the game. You don't published a finished D&D using typewritten fonts, nor should you when laying out the Traveller products, too.

------------------
Anyhoo... just some random thoughts

 

[Wraithcat*]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mused:
looking out main viewport, with enemy ship closing in.
Cats and dogs sleeping together!
Lions, tigers and bears, Oh My!
(please ignore last two sentences, getting excited)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

But for a good reason!

This idea is cool! I would run with an injured crewmember, lying on the ground, with another kneeling next to them, in a suitalbly heroic pose. Maybe a couple of others in the background to provide contrasting expressions of fear, and or excitement. After all, it seems to me, that the reason the initial effort was chosen was to get as many heroic looks on the one page. But that screams, "RUBBISH" to me!

And no, I don't think that you would find 30 races all packed on that one tiny little ship.

Sci-fi doesn't need races anyway. Traveller had the additional races, but they were never a huge thing. Although I did enjoy the Zhodani Psionic I ran many many moons ago...

 

[MayHEM]

That bunch on the Beowulf can't catch a break, can they?