The new and improved defender of RPGs!

Friday 5 June 2015

Help Us Choose the Cover Image for Dark Albion: The Rose War

Ok, dear readers: the good news is that Dark Albion is almost done!  As proof of that, we've now gotten to where we're talking covers and preparing to send out the print proof for final revision.

But, we've hit a slight snag of sorts:  we can't decide which cover image to use!  That's where you come in.  Here are three potential covers for Dark Albion: The Rose War:

1) The old-timey cover.  This one is the one most in line with our interior art, which consists of medieval art for the most part:




2) The "choosing the roses" cover.  This is one of my favorite pieces of art, and is of course directly connected to the theme of the "war of the roses".  On the other hand, it may not be sufficiently action-focused. What do you think?




3)  Original artwork by Dominique Crouzet.  Dom made his own cover, depicting a battle-scene.  This would be the most OSR-like of choices, I would think. But of course, it lacks some of the classy 'artsyness' of the other two.




So tell us: which one do you like best?  1, 2, or 3?  Give us your vote in the comments.  We'll be tallying up the count to see what the overall impression of our public might be.  And whatever gets the most popular support will be what we go with.


RPGPundit

Currently Smoking:  Savinelli Full-Bent + Gawith's Balkan Flake

33 comments:

  1. Number 2, Like it a lot and says so much about what the book is about.

    ReplyDelete
  2. #1. Definitely #1.

    #2 is too dominated by what looks like a red unrecognizable thing from a distance.
    #3 tells the story of a bunch of armored guys caught by something unspecified in the middle of what looks like, hmmm, well, hmmmm, I sincerely hope they were just trying to kill that poor horse-like creature there. The alternative my brain suggests is just wrong.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad it wasn't just me who thought this looked like a front cover for 'Mule Dominator: The Roleplaying Game'.

      Delete
    2. Pleased to meet you. Even without a proper introduction it's obvious you're a man of wealth and taste. ;]

      Delete
  3. I like number 2. I evokes the feel of the War of the Roses. That it wasn't all about battles. More manoeuvering yourself to a side that best benefitted you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like number 2. I evokes the feel of the War of the Roses. That it wasn't all about battles. More manoeuvering yourself to a side that best benefitted you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like #2. But I think the "Grim Fantasy..." text would read better if it was placed at the bottom of the frame. At least in the preview it's not very readable and feels tacked-on up there so tightly squeezed right above the faces.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 2 all the way because:

    1 will appeal to a larger group who just want a medieval game, any game
    2 is the classy choice and doesn't constrain the game to just beibg about battles, the people who buy it are wanting your game
    3 has too much bright blue - too French, not grimy enough

    ReplyDelete
  7. Number 1 gets my vote. The red left 1/4 of number 2 is a tad distracting. Number 3 is overshadowed by number 1.

    ReplyDelete
  8. All three are really great!

    ReplyDelete
  9. If it ends up being #2 I think you should go for the image in full, rather than this slightly cropped version, if at all possible. It is a nice piece and deserves to be displayed in all its glory.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good point, but that would mean changing the overall design and layout of the cover, as the uncropped image will have different format.

      Delete
  10. A picture of King Henry the 8th, with a massive codpiece with a gun built into it. Historically accurate.

    ReplyDelete
  11. #1 or #2, with a preference for #1

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would prefer #2 for its subject matter, but #1 is best suited for a cover due to its colors an composition. So, #1.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Tough. At first I was going to say #1, but really the second one is the most unique.m. 1 and 3 could be the covers to too many other types of games than what I think you are trying to do here. Vote - #2...

    ReplyDelete
  14. #2 is really great, but it depends what you want from the cover. #1 is going to convey the basic tone of the game to a greater number of people and might be better for marketing the game on the shelf in a store. If that's not your primary concern, #2, clearly for overall greatness.

    ReplyDelete
  15. #1 but the weird glow and color gradations in the logo gotta go.

    ReplyDelete
  16. 1, 2, 3, in that order.

    ReplyDelete
  17. #1, only problem is that the heraldry is wrong since it's a painting from the Portugal-Castille war of 1383-85

    https://www.google.pt/search?q=crise+1383-85&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=805&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=8PByVevOBYfaUZ7LgdgG&ved=0CEsQsAQ#imgrc=_

    ReplyDelete
  18. 1 then 2, in that order :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I like the theme in #1 but as Jotapax said the heraldry is wrong.
    After that my choice would be #2.
    What I really dislike is the background and lettering.
    For the background I would use either a single colour or have the picture take up all of the cover.
    I would definitely use single-coloured letters and change the font for another less bulky. Now it looks like the lettering you would find in a cover of a pulp novel from the 60s.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No way, pulp novels had awesome covers that were evocative of adventure! Manly men, womanly women, danger, mystery, and legible fonts!

      Delete
  20. I believe number 1 conveys the theme most directly and simply. At first glance it tells you exactly what is inside the cover, which is the primary function of a cover art.

    ReplyDelete