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Art. Just how important?

Started by Acta Est Fabula, April 16, 2008, 02:37:50 PM

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Acta Est Fabula

April 16, 2008, 02:37:50 PM
I'm not talking about the frequency of art in a book (1 piece per 4 pages being the average), but I'm talking about the quality of it.

How imporant is the artwork to you when deciding to purchase that book you haven't played before?


For me, I think it's pretty important.  When I scan through various books, I find myself gravitated towards those with better artwork than those that might have a more sound system.  In fact, that's where I spend the overwhelming budget for my games.  In fact, I spent nearly $1000 on artwork for a game that I sell for free.  And the game I'm working on now, I've spent close to $2000 on it so far just for artwork.

Thoughts?
 

Pierce Inverarity

#1
April 16, 2008, 02:42:18 PM
Artwork is crucial--and so is the fact that it's distinctive, which is different from technical virtuosity. For me 1E will always be the idol on the PHB and the Tom Wham cartoons in the DMG.
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

Dwight

#2
April 16, 2008, 02:44:00 PM
I don't think it's a particularly good way to judge how playable a game is. But then I've closed the deal on getting someone to play a game just by showing them the book.  But it was some pretty damn good art, full colour glossy pages, and everywhere in the book.

The power of appropriate art to evoke setting is hard to overstake.
"Though I'll still buy the game, the moment one of my players tries to force me to NCE a situation for them I'm using it to beat them to death. The fridge is looking a bit empty anyway." - Spike on D&D 4e

The management does not endorse the comments expressed in this signature. They are solely the demented yet hilarious opinions of some random guy(gal?) ranting on the Interwebs.

Acta Est Fabula

#3
April 16, 2008, 02:47:13 PM
Quote from: Pierce InverarityArtwork is crucial--and so is the fact that it's distinctive, which is different from technical virtuosity. For me 1E will always be the idol on the PHB and the Tom Wham cartoons in the DMG.

It's funny you mention Tom Wham.  I too liked that so much (the artwork was sub-par technically, but the theme and feel was great), that I used a similar tactic in Altus and Bleeding Sky.  I've got about a half dozen or so small "comic" style pieces throughout the book (Altus) in chronological order in similar vein to the old 1e DM's Guide.  Even though BS isn't done yet, I've got the same thing going in that one too.
 

arminius

#4
April 16, 2008, 02:57:40 PM
Yeah, if I'm looking at a game "cold", the artwork seems to help quite a bit drawing me in and getting me to look at it seriously. And I also agree that it's not so much the technical quality as the distinctiveness. I'd add that the irrelevance of technical quality extends to reproduction--for me, personally, glossy full-color pages don't add much if anything to the attraction. But technical quality does matter in terms of, shall we say, maturity of style, the assurance with which the artist applies ink to paper. Much of the art in The Riddle of Steel is awful, same with Mythic (not that there aren't exceptions), not because it's out of proportion or whatever, but because the artists didn't have the courage of their convictions.

flyingmice

#5
April 16, 2008, 03:09:25 PM
RPGs have art?

-clash
clash bowley * Flying Mice Games - an Imprint of Better Mousetrap Games
Flying Mice home page: http://jalan.flyingmice.com/flyingmice.html
Currently Designing: StarCluster 4 - Wavefront Empire
Last Releases: SC4 - Dark Orbital, SC4 - Out of the Ruins,  SC4 - Sabre & World
Blog: I FLY BY NIGHT

Pierce Inverarity

#6
April 16, 2008, 03:12:20 PM
Quote from: flyingmiceRPGs have art?

Some do.

Others have... illustrations. :haw:
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

KingSpoom

#7
April 16, 2008, 03:19:12 PM
Artwork doesn't have an impact on the books I purchase.  It might, however, affect how I play the game.  Generally speaking, building exteriors, building interiors, isometric views of town, major setting events, and sometimes artwork of terrain have the biggest impact on how I play.  Individual characters in a pose, or in a mock combat usually have no impact on how I play.
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Pleast comment at KingSpoom\'s RPG Design & Theory Junkyard

Dwight

#8
April 16, 2008, 03:29:21 PM
Quote from: flyingmiceRPGs have art?

-clash
Some. Some also have works of fiction sprinkled in. Surely you've heard rumours of this? ;)
"Though I'll still buy the game, the moment one of my players tries to force me to NCE a situation for them I'm using it to beat them to death. The fridge is looking a bit empty anyway." - Spike on D&D 4e

The management does not endorse the comments expressed in this signature. They are solely the demented yet hilarious opinions of some random guy(gal?) ranting on the Interwebs.

Sacrificial Lamb

#9
April 16, 2008, 03:31:00 PM
Most of the time, I'll ignore a book if the art sucks, no matter how good the rules set might be. I don't examine why, but there you go....

Danger

#10
April 16, 2008, 03:50:47 PM
If the game is one I'm not too terribly passionate about, then I'd like the art to be, at least, passable.

Take Blood of Heroes for instance.  While I was keenly interested in seeing the whole MEGS thing, the art in that book was downright horrible and I could never, ever manage to read that thing because I was constantly looking at that hideous artwork.

On the other hand, I am okay with some of the art in the old LUG Star Trek stuff  which, to me, is not very well done.  However, I enjoy science fiction above all, so I could let it slide.
I start from his boots and work my way up. It takes a good half a roll to encompass his jolly round belly alone. Soon, Father Christmas is completely wrapped in clingfilm. It is not quite so good as wrapping Roy but it is enjoyable nonetheless and is certainly a feather in my cap.

flyingmice

#11
April 16, 2008, 04:04:33 PM
Quote from: DwightSome. Some also have works of fiction sprinkled in. Surely you've heard rumours of this? ;)

Fiction, yes, and illustrations. But art? Never! :D

-clash
clash bowley * Flying Mice Games - an Imprint of Better Mousetrap Games
Flying Mice home page: http://jalan.flyingmice.com/flyingmice.html
Currently Designing: StarCluster 4 - Wavefront Empire
Last Releases: SC4 - Dark Orbital, SC4 - Out of the Ruins,  SC4 - Sabre & World
Blog: I FLY BY NIGHT

Aos

#12
April 16, 2008, 04:09:07 PM
I'm a sucker for good art. I bought Earthdawn based upon the art. Now, i keep coming back to HEX because I can't stop looking at the art.
You are posting in a troll thread.

Metal Earth

Cosmic Tales- Webcomic

Acta Est Fabula

#13
April 16, 2008, 04:14:55 PM
Quote from: AosI'm a sucker for good art. I bought Earthdawn based upon the art. .

So did I.  And to this date I've never played it.
 

JohnnyWannabe

#14
April 16, 2008, 04:22:36 PM
I don't care about art, at all. It's window dressing. Some of my favourite systems have very little art work.
Timeless Games/Better Mousetrap Games - The Creep Chronicle, The Fifth Wheel - the book of West Marque, Shebang. Just released: The Boomtown Planet - Saturday Edition. Also available in hard copy.
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