There have been many illustrations over the years that have had an impact on my interest, and that's probably my primary interest when looking at an illustration for a game: does it tell me something about the game and more importantly, does it make me want to play?
There have been a ton of them over the years - spectacular covers, amazing interior pieces, small character/monster portraits ... how to choose?
Old School: A Paladin in Hell
I could have said "cover of the AD&D Player's handbook" but that's almost too easy. Once you get inside that cover this one always made me stop and look again. It's one signature element of D&D showcased in a full page drawing. There's bound to be a story here - how did he get here? Is he alone? Who is he, and does it matter or is it enough to know he's a Paladin?
Bonus Old School: Emirkol the Chaotic
This one, near the back of the original DMG, was always another stopper too. Trampier's work was a lot more elaborate than Dave Sutherland's but I like both for different reasons. There's even more of an implied story here too - what started this? What happens next?
Additional Bonus Illustration for the Special Edition: Cover of Dragon magazine #62
I loved this picture the first day I saw it and I still love it today. Who is that guy? Why is he here? Where is he going? What happens next?
Different Flavor of Old School: Gamma World 3rd Edition - the cover of "Delta Fragment"
Some kind of power armor putting the hurt on a dinosaur while another beast closes in - yeah! This is an image that some of my players and I bring up from time to time. It could equally be a part of Rifts or some supers game but it has stuck with us for close to 30 years so it's worth a mention.
Newer School: Pathfinder Mythic Adventures "the one with the monk and the barbarian and the dinosaurs"
I never get tired of this picture as it too effectively conveys just what "mythic" means in Pathfinder. The weaponless monk making a flying leap on a T-Rex while the barbarian throws a dinosaur at a dinosaur is exactly the kind of ridiculousness that generates table stories that last for decades. Pathfinder has a lot of great illustrations - they are right up there with old school FASA when it comes to art quantities - I just like this one a bunch.
As far as "image that best conveys what the game is about" I think nothing compares to this:
The illustration so strong they used it for two editions of the game! I think it perfectly shows what a typical Shadowrun campaign is all about. Again, there's a story here - who are those people? Who are they shooting at? Where is this? When is this? It's a great piece for a game book. It's only rival is this ...
...I mean, that is pretty much AD&D right there on the front. More implied story here - I mean, we all know in general what's going on here but where is this? Who are these guys? What happens next?
I could do a post on this every week and never run out of material...and that's not a bad idea ...
Old School: A Paladin in Hell
I could have said "cover of the AD&D Player's handbook" but that's almost too easy. Once you get inside that cover this one always made me stop and look again. It's one signature element of D&D showcased in a full page drawing. There's bound to be a story here - how did he get here? Is he alone? Who is he, and does it matter or is it enough to know he's a Paladin?
Bonus Old School: Emirkol the Chaotic
This one, near the back of the original DMG, was always another stopper too. Trampier's work was a lot more elaborate than Dave Sutherland's but I like both for different reasons. There's even more of an implied story here too - what started this? What happens next?
Additional Bonus Illustration for the Special Edition: Cover of Dragon magazine #62
I loved this picture the first day I saw it and I still love it today. Who is that guy? Why is he here? Where is he going? What happens next?
Different Flavor of Old School: Gamma World 3rd Edition - the cover of "Delta Fragment"
Some kind of power armor putting the hurt on a dinosaur while another beast closes in - yeah! This is an image that some of my players and I bring up from time to time. It could equally be a part of Rifts or some supers game but it has stuck with us for close to 30 years so it's worth a mention.
Newer School: Pathfinder Mythic Adventures "the one with the monk and the barbarian and the dinosaurs"
I never get tired of this picture as it too effectively conveys just what "mythic" means in Pathfinder. The weaponless monk making a flying leap on a T-Rex while the barbarian throws a dinosaur at a dinosaur is exactly the kind of ridiculousness that generates table stories that last for decades. Pathfinder has a lot of great illustrations - they are right up there with old school FASA when it comes to art quantities - I just like this one a bunch.
As far as "image that best conveys what the game is about" I think nothing compares to this:
The illustration so strong they used it for two editions of the game! I think it perfectly shows what a typical Shadowrun campaign is all about. Again, there's a story here - who are those people? Who are they shooting at? Where is this? When is this? It's a great piece for a game book. It's only rival is this ...
...I mean, that is pretty much AD&D right there on the front. More implied story here - I mean, we all know in general what's going on here but where is this? Who are these guys? What happens next?
I could do a post on this every week and never run out of material...and that's not a bad idea ...
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