So, Cyberpunk V3 and the concept of "Doll Art."

I think "Doll Art" could work for a gaming book.  It's just that CPv3 was an extremely poor implementation.  The customs weren't very good and the photography did them no favors either.

Miniatures wargames already effectively have "doll art".  I recently picked up the Catalyst Games Battletech Introductory Set and was a bit surprised to see it has no drawn art at all.  It's all photographs of painted miniatures and play areas.  This isn't uncommon at all.  In fact, it seems to be the norm for miniatures wargames, and those books look great because of extremely well made figures combined with strong photography.

I think a mecha game using photography of customized models and dioramas could potentially be extremely attractive.  Not only that, but the tech behind custom dolls like those used in CPv3 (which I'm guessing are 1/6th scale GI Joe style dolls from the era) have greatly improved, so even that would look much better now than it did in the early 2000s.  And for bog's sake, if you're photographing dolls for your art, get a good photographer, light the figures well, and publish in full color.

I think CPv3 did the concept wrong.  Admittedly, there isn't much incentive to do it right in a RPG.  Miniatures wargames feature that kind of photography because they're trying to sell miniatures.  Customizing a set of figures, building their sets, and then geting good photos of them is a lot more trouble and expense than getting some more traditional art.  It would probably require a lot more planning as well.  Is it practical?  Not really for RPG, but in theory it COULD be done well.

I just want to see some kind of wuxia-themed rpg that uses stills of puppet shows (like Wulin Warriors) for its art.
Like link related: https://youtu.be/aiJEdqxf7R4

*edit*
Actually, I just want to play a wuxia themed game about fighting puppets.

Quote from: Gabriel2;913048So, Cyberpunk V3 and the concept of "Doll Art."

I think "Doll Art" could work for a gaming book.  It's just that CPv3 was an extremely poor implementation.  The customs weren't very good and the photography did them no favors either.

Miniatures wargames already effectively have "doll art".  I recently picked up the Catalyst Games Battletech Introductory Set and was a bit surprised to see it has no drawn art at all.  It's all photographs of painted miniatures and play areas.  This isn't uncommon at all.  In fact, it seems to be the norm for miniatures wargames, and those books look great because of extremely well made figures combined with strong photography.

I think a mecha game using photography of customized models and dioramas could potentially be extremely attractive.  Not only that, but the tech behind custom dolls like those used in CPv3 (which I'm guessing are 1/6th scale GI Joe style dolls from the era) have greatly improved, so even that would look much better now than it did in the early 2000s.  And for bog's sake, if you're photographing dolls for your art, get a good photographer, light the figures well, and publish in full color.

I think CPv3 did the concept wrong.  Admittedly, there isn't much incentive to do it right in a RPG.  Miniatures wargames feature that kind of photography because they're trying to sell miniatures.  Customizing a set of figures, building their sets, and then geting good photos of them is a lot more trouble and expense than getting some more traditional art.  It would probably require a lot more planning as well.  Is it practical?  Not really for RPG, but in theory it COULD be done well.

Its seems for lack of a better word "lazy". Like poser art. So sterile, and creativity sapping.

Quote from: Ronin;913063Its seems for lack of a better word "lazy". Like poser art. So sterile, and creativity sapping.

Boht poser art and doll art make me wince.

A Star Wars RPG that used photos of the action figures could be fun. Do the layout in the style of those little catalogs that used to come in the vintage 70's Kenner vehicles and playsets.

Quote from: Cave Bear;913053Actually, I just want to play a wuxia themed game about fighting puppets.

And now I want to see the Thunderbird puppets fighting Wuxia-themed ninjas and samurai.

Quote from: Bren;913181And now I want to see the Thunderbird puppets fighting Wuxia-themed ninjas and samurai.

What would be a good system for this?
It would have to be swimming in metacurrency to represent the fact that you aren't playing a character in a game but instead playing a puppet that plays the character in your game.

Quote from: Cave Bear;913237What would be a good system for this?
It would have to be swimming in metacurrency to represent the fact that you aren't playing a character in a game but instead playing a puppet that plays the character in your game.

And if you are the puppet, who is the puppeteer?

Quote from: Cave Bear;913237What would be a good system for this?
It would have to be swimming in metacurrency to represent the fact that you aren't playing a character in a game but instead playing a puppet that plays the character in your game.

Dream Park

Sorry, I've never seen Thunderbirds.  But Dream Park explicitly hits the players playing characters who are playing characters in a RPG thing.

Now I suddenly want to run a game inspired by Team America: World Police.  Well... Let me correct that.  A game directly inspired by and intentionally like Team America, not a campaign about do gooders that ends up being like Team America due to the common actions of players.

Quote from: Cave Bear;913237What would be a good system for this?
It would have to be swimming in metacurrency to represent the fact that you aren't playing a character in a game but instead playing a puppet that plays the character in your game.

Cartoon Action Hour, or something similar would be appropriate, IMHO.

I've seen examples  of doll art that looked photorealistic at the right distance and this wouldn't bother me at all.  Similarly I've seen poser art that was complex, nuanced, and brilliantly composed.

Bad line art is just as bad.  Just take a look at mine.

http://www3.telus.net/public/uncouths/ArcCon.pdf

pages 4, 6 8, 13, 55

You'd be happier with He Man figures!

Oh well you get what you pay for

I think the upcoming Threadbare RPG would work well with doll art... but it's going with conventional illustration. One of the Kickstarter levels did include custom dolls made by the designer IIRC.

I love the photos in miniature wargaming books. But I like those games, model, paint and even make terrain for them. I love fantasy art, too. I remember being intrigued as a child by the art in the Moldvay Basic set. I've bought more than one fantasy novel because I liked the painting on the cover as well. I see no reason why a mixture couldn't be used, especially in a game that focuses on miniatures.

Quote from: David Johansen;913336I've seen examples  of doll art that looked photorealistic at the right distance and this wouldn't bother me at all.  Similarly I've seen poser art that was complex, nuanced, and brilliantly composed.

Bad line art is just as bad.  Just take a look at mine.

http://www3.telus.net/public/uncouths/ArcCon.pdf

pages 4, 6 8, 13, 55

You'd be happier with He Man figures!

Oh well you get what you pay for

The resolution and graphic design doesn't do it any favors.

See, this is why I don't do illustrations for cheap clients.
You sell a painting for $3,000 dollars, the buyer will hang it proudly and cherish it for a long time.
You sell a painting for $30, the buyer will lay books and drinks on top of it.

A client willing to pay a fair price for illustrations is going to make sure to present the piece in the highest quality. They are more likely to also invest in professional software and graphic design. Even the drawings in that link you posted could be charming if they just had a little polish.
Clients that pay shit are terrible clients for all sorts of other reasons. It's not enough that cheapskates will demand unlimited print rights to professional quality for insultingly low rates; they'll also slap it on an Open Office document at 72 dpi and send it to press like that.

Quote from: David Johansen;913336I've seen examples  of doll art that looked photorealistic at the right distance and this wouldn't bother me at all.  Similarly I've seen poser art that was complex, nuanced, and brilliantly composed.

Bad line art is just as bad.  Just take a look at mine.

http://www3.telus.net/public/uncouths/ArcCon.pdf

pages 4, 6 8, 13, 55

You'd be happier with He Man figures!

Oh well you get what you pay for

Higher resolution and professional graphic design would help.