Quote from: T. Foster;274543... IMO the art, maps, and layout are all barely adequate and feel distinctly amateurish ...

I thought that the booklet covers were quite attractive and not at all 'amateurish'.  I also didn't have any problem with the interior art.  The maps could have been better, though.

Quote from: Akrasia;274688I thought that the booklet covers were quite attractive and not at all 'amateurish'.  I also didn't have any problem with the interior art.  The maps could have been better, though.

The cover illustrations are nice, I'll give you (and Peter) that. I don't like the interior art at all, though (especially all the pieces with big fields of black ink -- I'm afraid if I accidentally touch any of those sections they will smudge all over the place). My "amateurish" comment was directed more towards the layout (which still feels more to me like somethign done on somebody's home computer than by a professional graphic-design person who actually knows what he's doing -- a definite improvement over previous TLG stuff but, like I said, not IMO up to the level top-tier rpg publishers had achieved 25 years ago) and the maps, which are largely serviceable but very bland. I've seen some of Jeff T's hand-drawn originals, which had a charm and spirit completely absent from the sterile maps in the product. Obviously TLG weren't going to print pencil-drawn maps, and of course it's possible to go overboard making a "pretty" map (something TLG has actually been guilty of in the past), but I think they went too far in the opposite direction here, and presented maps that are too utilitarian and workmanlike, to the point that they don't do anything to inspire the imagination (or, at least, not mine).  

I've been dwelling on the negatives (mostly because I agree with most of the positive comments and don't have anything to add to them) but that shouldn't be taken as a diss of the product, which I really do think is a significant and worthy achievement and a fine tribute to Gary's legacy, and that anyone who was a fan of Gary's work absolutely owes it to themselves to pick this up while they still can. I almost let my dislike of TLG and their art and graphic design style keep me away from this product, and am very glad I came to my senses before it was too late