Coming very soon:
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Sorry I can't say I'm a fan of this cover I'm afraid. I saw it on your blog and commented there, however the comment hasn't appeared.
Anyway my criticism was it's not very medieval in feeling beyond the typeface for the Lion and Dragon element. It looks like a bit of bad pop art from the 60/70s (in my opinion) and is totally out of kilter with Dark Albion. While Dark Albion uses modern desktop layout and a more modern structure to it, it still feels it fits with the subject matter. This does not. The dragon and Lion emblems seem tacked on in whatever space was available.
Anyway as promised in my comment on your blog, here is something I knocked up this evening which is aimed to be modern but with some connection to the source material. For some background I'm a graphic designer...
Anyway you may hate it or love it... it's to some degree subjective... so take what I say in those terms, one random internet dudes opinion!
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Oh and just to clarify, I'll be getting this whatever the cover! If it only half lives up to Dark Albion (which I am sure won't be the case), it'll be awesome!
Stoked! This is a great idea
I like the planned / preview cover. I would also consider buying an alternate covered It was all a mistake version as well, if it were offered. Looking forward to seeing L&D released.
The preview cover certainly jumps out at you. I kind of like it.
Looks like he's cooking one of those omelets with picante sauce
Is that supposed to be fire? Because it doesn't look like. That's more orange
Quote from: RPGPundit;1007381Coming very soon:
There is something
off with this cover.
Maybe it's the placement of the dragon. The lion is in the middle atop the title, the dragon should be in the middle below it.
The lines "Medieval Authentic OSR Roleplaying" and "by RPGPundit" should be at the foot of the page, and smaller.
Up there they are way too distractive. It took me three looks to even
notice the lion, because the "fight" between the dragon and the subtitle caught (and held firmly) my attention.
The alternate cover is quite stylish. A bit subdued but
classy.
L&D can afford this, as it doesn't have to compete for awareness on a cramped shop shelf.
I like the high contrast, coloured shadows. The typography needs some work, but other than that, it's something different.
Looks nice to me. I like the old-times lettering and dragon and lion. It's very orange. Should stand out on the shelf.
For what its worth I like the alternate version offered by "It was all a mistake"
The lion and dragon look tacked on.
The orange image and mailed fist is striking.
Quote from: It was all a mistake;1007383here is something I knocked up this evening which is aimed to be modern but with some connection to the source material.
Publisher's answer:
First of all, thanks for your opinion and your alternate cover.
Apparently some people like the cover, others don't. So it's hard to decide anything. Then, if the book is to be available for Christmas, there isn't anymore enough time to go through the process of uploading new files, ordering again proof copies and waiting for weeks they be delievered. NONETHELESS: for those who bought Dark Albion on lulu, you may remember that the book had an alternate cover available. So, I could do that too on lulu with the hardcover version of L&D, proposing it with both the orange and alternate cover. I am okay proposing the image you created (though not with this logo). I just would like to know where you found the knight picture (I guess it's a public domain photo reworked through photoshop?), if you had money in mind, etc.
Anyway thanks.
The first cover doesn't look all that authentic to me, by the time that sort of gauntlet had been designed with the armour, the one handed knightly sword had mostly fallen into disuse because you needed a heavier, typically hand and half or outright two handed bladed between the 4-5 feet in total length (From pommel to tip), so that distracted me from the get go. The fanart cover on the other hand, does a better job of hiding the type of sword by covering the hilt so we can at least pretend it's authentic.
My two cents as a very, very, very amateur medieval weapons fan.
Not really a fan of either one. The first is too orange; the second too boring.
I have to say that, while I don't really care and am looking forward to this regardless, I think you could do better for the cover of a game on this subject.
First of all, I unfortunately cannot afford 300 $ at this time to have a cover done by Spencer Dean for example. So, I must rely on cheap art. The art below would cost me 50 $. What do you think of the following covers?
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The black cover is better, IMO. Way more "Dark Albion-ish!" Very nice choice of art. I just think you should work a bit more on the text layout. How about something like this? (do ignore the fonts, I'm just doing a layout suggestion! ;)
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or
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Good suggestions, I will use them. Now I need to have other opinions on the black cover.
Black cover redone by RF Victor is best imo, the second specifically.
I've liked all the cover background colors and artwork, including the original orange one. But what's looked off to me is the relation between the logo and the lion and dragon images. They haven't felt integrated into the cover, just tacked on awkwardly. In some cases, those images look too large.
The black cover above is the winner. It's very 'Dover medieval coloring book', but in a great way.
When should we expect to see the final product? Any threads here where we can learn about what will be in it?
The book is actually finished. I received my softcover proof copy from Amazon, and the hardcover from lulu is on its way. However, when I got the book I realized that I am not happy with the orange cover (seeing it on computer screen and then printed doesn't have the same feel). Then, I have to correct a couple of typos in the text. So, there will be a delay (two or three weeks?). I hope that most people like the black color cover, because I think it's the one we should get, and I don't have time to do something else.
Normally the book should be available sometimes during December (early I hope). In any case, RPGPundit will announce the release of the book when everything is okay.
Groovy. I'll buy it with whichever cover, but the black one will look a lot better on the shelf...
I like the black cover.
It reminds me of the cover of Spinal Tap's "Smell the Glove" album. A true classic in metal history.
Quote from: RunningLaser;1008090Black cover redone by RF Victor is best imo, the second specifically.
Agree.
Quote from: RF Victor;1008075[ATTACH=CONFIG]1939[/ATTACH]
This one looks the best, because it's clean and easy to read and look at the art.
Quote from: Turanil;1008098The book is actually finished. I received my softcover proof copy from Amazon, and the hardcover from lulu is on its way. However, when I got the book I realized that I am not happy with the orange cover (seeing it on computer screen and then printed doesn't have the same feel). Then, I have to correct a couple of typos in the text. So, there will be a delay (two or three weeks?). I hope that most people like the black color cover, because I think it's the one we should get, and I don't have time to do something else.
Normally the book should be available sometimes during December (early I hope). In any case, RPGPundit will announce the release of the book when everything is okay.
I really hope it's not more than two weeks.
Quote from: RunningLaser;1008090Black cover redone by RF Victor is best imo, the second specifically.
I concur!!!
H:0)
Quote from: RPGPundit;1008191I really hope it's not more than two weeks.
What kind of overlap will there be with Dark Albion? Is it more or less the system suggested by DA's appendix?
This one is the best:
Quote from: RF Victor;1008075[ATTACH=CONFIG]1939[/ATTACH]
Quote from: CRKrueger;1008203This one is the best:
Agreed!
Quote from: K Peterson;1008093I've liked all the cover background colors and artwork, including the original orange one. But what's looked off to me is the relation between the logo and the lion and dragon images. They haven't felt integrated into the cover, just tacked on awkwardly. In some cases, those images look too large.
Yeah, the more I look at it the more I wonder why the word lion is over a picture of a dragon and why the lion is centered while the dragon is off to the side, unrelated to where the word dragon appears. It feels off-kilter. The pictures also seem too large in relation to the text and the byline is too close to the title.
Also, the correct grammar would be "Authentic Medieval," not "Medieval Authentic."
Quote from: Dumarest;1008471Also, the correct grammar would be "Authentic Medieval," not "Medieval Authentic."
Yeah, good catch. If you want to use it as an adjective for roleplaying, then "Medieval-Authentic" would be a correct way to get the point across.
Quote from: CRKrueger;1008491Yeah, good catch. If you want to use it as an adjective for roleplaying, then "Medieval-Authentic" would be a correct way to get the point across.
And that is exactly how it is being used.
Quote from: Larsdangly;1008198What kind of overlap will there be with Dark Albion? Is it more or less the system suggested by DA's appendix?
It's a vastly expanded version of the Appendix P rules; so there is a bit of overlap with Dark Albion, but there's no setting material in L&D (except "implicit setting" stuff), and you get an entirely new non-vancian magic system that's directly based on how magic was practiced in the late medieval period. It also has a large section on alchemy, an expanded equipment section compared to the one in DA, a section on treasure and economics, a large section on magic items where the items in question are all unique and new items based on real Medieval folklore, a monsters section again based mostly on medieval folklore, a mechanic for resolving trials and court cases, encounter tables, mechanics for assisting sandbox-style exploration of ruins and wilderlands, and more.
Another vote for the black cover.
Love that art too.
Bummer that the orange mailed fist cover didn't look right when printed.
Quote from: RPGPundit;1008575It's a vastly expanded version of the Appendix P rules; so there is a bit of overlap with Dark Albion, but there's no setting material in L&D (except "implicit setting" stuff), and you get an entirely new non-vancian magic system that's directly based on how magic was practiced in the late medieval period. It also has a large section on alchemy, an expanded equipment section compared to the one in DA, a section on treasure and economics, a large section on magic items where the items in question are all unique and new items based on real Medieval folklore, a monsters section again based mostly on medieval folklore, a mechanic for resolving trials and court cases, encounter tables, mechanics for assisting sandbox-style exploration of ruins and wilderlands, and more.
Sounds pretty groovy
Quote from: Larsdangly;1008588Sounds pretty groovy
Oh, I think it will be.
Sounds very cool Any idea when it will be available?
(I assume you have to go through a round of proofs with the chosen cover to make sure it all comes together, first.)
I was thinking of running Dark Albion with Zweihander but may have to use this instead.
Quote from: Atsuku Nare;1008934Sounds very cool Any idea when it will be available?
(I assume you have to go through a round of proofs with the chosen cover to make sure it all comes together, first.)
I was thinking of running Dark Albion with Zweihander but may have to use this instead.
I own Dark Albion and, from the little I understand, this new one should be thought of as a complement rather than alternative. Dark Albion is a campaign setting that is generally appropriate for OSR games but not terribly system specific. Lion and Dragon is an OSR system.
Quote from: Atsuku Nare;1008934Sounds very cool Any idea when it will be available?
(I assume you have to go through a round of proofs with the chosen cover to make sure it all comes together, first.)
I certainly hope it will be available within the next two to three weeks.
QuoteI was thinking of running Dark Albion with Zweihander but may have to use this instead.
Well, L&D is basically designed as THE rule-system for running Dark Albion with. It takes Albion to a whole other level of medieval-authenticity.
Quote from: Larsdangly;1008946I own Dark Albion and, from the little I understand, this new one should be thought of as a complement rather than alternative. Dark Albion is a campaign setting that is generally appropriate for OSR games but not terribly system specific. Lion and Dragon is an OSR system.
Correct, but it is an OSR system that came out of my gradual creation of house-rules for running the nearly-six-year-long Albion campaign, and Dark Albion is essentially the setting it was made for. You can definitely run Albion with other systems, and you can definitely use L&D for other settings, but L&D and Albion are made for being run with each other.