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AD&D 2E reprints (hate thread)

Started by 1989, May 21, 2013, 01:10:07 PM

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Exploderwizard

#135
June 02, 2013, 09:22:29 AM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;659336I think around 1995, there seems to be this thought that, "Hey!  Color art is always better than B/W art!"  A position that seems to remain held today.  Gawd, some of the art in 3e was atrocious too.  4e was better, but my gripe with that is that there is no diversity.  Everyone is rat faced and has a million buckles.  I really hope with Next that they get a stable of artists who use various styles.  Doesn't look like it's gonna happen though.

The problem is that as long as D&D is treated as a brand there will be this desire to present a uniform look for reasons of brand identity.

The older stuff featured a variety of styles. It was a game that was designed for individuals to make thier own and not so concerned with unified brand identity.
Quote from: JonWakeGamers, as a whole, are much like primitive cavemen when confronted with a new game. Rather than \'oh, neat, what\'s this do?\', the reaction is to decide if it\'s a sex hole, then hit it with a rock.

Quote from: Old Geezer;724252At some point it seems like D&D is going to disappear up its own ass.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;766997In the randomness of the dice lies the seed for the great oak of creativity and fun. The great virtue of the dice is that they come without boxed text.

RPGPundit

#136
June 03, 2013, 02:28:54 AM
In contrast, one can understand how the also-bad "dungeonpunk" aesthetic of 3e would have been a blessed relief.
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StormBringer

#137
June 03, 2013, 02:57:38 AM
Quote from: Sacrificial Lamb;656781I like the 1989 version of 2e myself. Oh, and Elmore is a great artist. There's my two cents. :)
Here, let me get you some change for that.  ;)
If you read the above post, you owe me $20 for tutoring fees

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The Ent

#138
June 03, 2013, 05:25:20 AM
Quote from: Ratman_tf;6578822nd edition is probably the edition I played the most. I was all set to buy these reprints until I heard they were the 2.5 ones.

So... not nerdraged. They simply lost a sale.

Ditto.

Sacrificial Lamb

#139
June 03, 2013, 06:46:48 AM
Quote from: StormBringer;659612Here, let me get you some change for that.  ;)

Oh, of course. :)

Sacrificial Lamb

#140
June 03, 2013, 06:49:35 AM
Quote from: Benoist;658809I played the fuck out of this guy (my 1989 PH I mean). It's one of the RPG books in my possession that has seen the most use and abuse over the years (the 90s, in this case), honestly. Then for some reason, when I was looking for weapon specializations and such, the binding fell apart. Ah well. Had to happen some time.

I have the 1989 Player's Handbook copy right next to me now, and yeah...most of the binding fell off. The pages are somehow still attached though. Weird..

Bedrockbrendan

#141
June 03, 2013, 06:55:08 AM
Quote from: Sacrificial Lamb;659642I have the 1989 Player's Handbook copy right next to me now, and yeah...most of the binding fell off. The pages are somehow still attached though. Weird..

Happened to mine also. The one I got off amazon after my first fell apart also had binding issues and some loose pages.

Drohem

#142
June 03, 2013, 10:48:29 AM
I have a copy exactly like that as well.

Daddy Warpig

#143
June 03, 2013, 10:53:15 AM Last Edit: June 03, 2013, 11:13:17 AM by Daddy Warpig
Quote from: RPGPundit;659601In contrast, one can understand how the also-bad "dungeonpunk" aesthetic of 3e would have been a blessed relief.
It's like Rock & Roll or Jazz... you can hate the sound of the music, but still recognize that it's skillfully done (in tune, etc.) For 3e, you can dislike the aesthetic, but the artwork was skillfully crafted.

The aesthetic of much 3e was supremely silly (buckles! so many buckles), but the art, by and large, was artistically sound. That is, no gross errors of perspective, no anatomical oddities, etc.

And it's that skill that was a break from the past, more than the aesthetic. I didn't know anyone who liked the "buckles!" look in and of itself (I thought it was kinda weird), but I knew a lot of people who loved the production values. Especially the Forgotten Realms book, which was just gorgeous.
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1989

#144
June 03, 2013, 02:32:38 PM
Quote from: Daddy Warpig;659663It's like Rock & Roll or Jazz... you can hate the sound of the music, but still recognize that it's skillfully done (in tune, etc.) For 3e, you can dislike the aesthetic, but the artwork was skillfully crafted.

The aesthetic of much 3e was supremely silly (buckles! so many buckles), but the art, by and large, was artistically sound. That is, no gross errors of perspective, no anatomical oddities, etc.

And it's that skill that was a break from the past, more than the aesthetic. I didn't know anyone who liked the "buckles!" look in and of itself (I thought it was kinda weird), but I knew a lot of people who loved the production values. Especially the Forgotten Realms book, which was just gorgeous.

Mmm, nope.

Wayne Reynolds defined 3e. Misproportioned, rat-face, comicbook art is what 3e was.

Piestrio

#145
June 03, 2013, 02:42:27 PM
Quote from: 1989;659719Mmm, nope.

Wayne Reynolds defined 3e. Misproportioned, rat-face, comicbook art is what 3e was.

I don't recall wayne Reynolds being especially prominent in the early years of 3e.

Later on sure, but during the formative years of 3e he was just another artist working on D&D books.
Disclaimer: I attach no moral weight to the way you choose to pretend to be an elf.

Currently running: The Great Pendragon Campaign & DC Adventures - Timberline
Currently Playing: AD&D

Sacrosanct

#146
June 03, 2013, 02:47:52 PM
Quote from: Piestrio;659720I don't recall wayne Reynolds being especially prominent in the early years of 3e.

Later on sure, but during the formative years of 3e he was just another artist working on D&D books.

Yeah, Wayne is more 4e to me, when I think of his work
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Piestrio

#147
June 03, 2013, 02:49:37 PM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;659721Yeah, Wayne is more 4e to me, when I think of his work

For me anyway I didn't even really register him as a "big name" until Eberron.
Disclaimer: I attach no moral weight to the way you choose to pretend to be an elf.

Currently running: The Great Pendragon Campaign & DC Adventures - Timberline
Currently Playing: AD&D

Bobloblah

#148
June 03, 2013, 03:17:41 PM
Quote from: Piestrio;659722For me anyway I didn't even really register him as a "big name" until Eberron.
Same here.

Also, I didn't really mind early 3E art. It wasn't my favourite, but, as others have mentioned, it exhibited technical proficiency. I've also never had a problem with coherent art direction. Not necessarily all one artist, but I've always felt that a similarity of style or tone can be a very good thing for a product. Maybe that's a mistake with a "something for everyone" product like D&D...
Best,
Bobloblah

Asking questions about the fictional game space and receiving feedback that directly guides the flow of play IS the game. - Exploderwizard

Piestrio

#149
June 03, 2013, 03:20:37 PM
Quote from: Bobloblah;659727Same here.

Also, I didn't really mind early 3E art. It wasn't my favourite, but, as others have mentioned, it exhibited technical proficiency. I've also never had a problem with coherent art direction. Not necessarily all one artist, but I've always felt that a similarity of style or tone can be a very good thing for a product. Maybe that's a mistake with a "something for everyone" product like D&D...

I was pretty fond of the line art in the chapter openings.  

What killed it for me was:

Oddly shaped shields.
Oddly shaped weapons.
Oddly designed armor.
Disclaimer: I attach no moral weight to the way you choose to pretend to be an elf.

Currently running: The Great Pendragon Campaign & DC Adventures - Timberline
Currently Playing: AD&D
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