Best look and feel

[grrraall]

In RPGs as in the whole game industry, artwork and layout is very important -- to me at least

I very much liked the UK format and the little books in black and white, but things have evolved a great deal since the 80s. I didn't like the Corgi books very much. Pocket books are nice, but it's hard to keep them open on a certain page while throwing your dice. You have to mark the page and close them or to open them the other way round so that you only see the cover. I know, it sounds like details, but I suppose amateurs of good cigars or good wine are as maniac as I am.

What I wanted to say is that I really like the look and feel of several new T&T products (printed books): Elder Tunnels (the glossy cover, the format, the layout), Hunting Party (cover and interior artwork by Ramsen Triton, format) and the recent Devotion to Duty by Sid Orpin are my favourite. Great look'n feel!

The format used by Fiery Dragon is OK: not too big, maybe slightly too little. I don't like spiral-bound books, though, they tend to wear and tear quickly. Claudio Pozas is a good artist. In the rulebook, he managed to re-create the ambiance of early T&T (mostly Liz Danforth's) artwork. The layout of their products is very good.

There is really much diversity in the different T&T products available on the market. They come in different sizes and bindings. The ones I hate are those used by Ken's mini-solos: too big, with a terrible layout. It spoils the content, I think.

The reason why I was attracted to Tunnels & Trolls in the first place is (mainly) the illustrations. I was maybe 9 or 10 and there was an awful lot of text (plus, I had not learnt English at that time!). When looking at competing RPGs, I'm always influenced by the artwork and the layout. If those are not good, I'll tend to lose interest.

What about you folks?

[Vin Ahrr Vin]

I'm more "minimalist" in general. Basic text, basic line art. I like the way the 5E rulebooks were done in layout. Easy to read.

Sometimes it's nice to have glossy pages with color art, but I find that games that look like this are also the ones that I buy but don't play. Strange.

Aug 23, 2011 3:05:05 GMT -5 grrraall said:

The format used by Fiery Dragon is OK: not too big, maybe slightly too little. I don't like spiral-bound books, though, they tend to wear and tear quickly.

I don't much like spiral books for the same reason. They do lay flat, but they are more fragile.

I'd love to see a T&T 5E (or 5.5; all the same to me) rules set done much like the old OD&D brown booklets from the 1970's.

[mahrundl]

Or constructed like the AD&D 1e hardbacks. That's a solid piece of work!

I must admit to more of a weakness for Liz Danforth's black and white art than her colour pieces. It's not that I dislike her colour work - far from it - but the 'simpler' line pen and ink work speaks to me more strongly.

I suspect that my tastes are similar to Vin's overall.

[Burraggha]

I'll second the D&D 1e hardbounds. My brother had a set and they are still laying around in good condition while I'm om my third book of 5e rules.

[grrraall]

Agreed.
On the other hand, you wouldn't want your T&T solos published in that sort of hardbacks, or would you?

[Burraggha]

Nope! Just the core rules would be fine, unless they did a good size compilation of solos!

[nightwind1]

I kind of like my original comb-bound copy I got in High School in 1978.

[dekh]

I have a huge soft spot for the set I got originally.

8" x 6.5" yellow cover by Chris Harvey here in th UK.

Not even the first printing.

I live in fear of the spine finally splitting

And all my solos were the same size (except the mini solos) and The Dungeon of the Bear which I've lost. For shame. But replaced with the US edition, but it's not the same.

So I guess I like that size and format.

As indeed I also like the Classic Traveller Little Black Books. Are these being reissued in single volumes? I never got Merchant Prince and it keeps going for Silly Money on ebay.

For printing quality, AD&D (first edition) books. Wow. And I still remember their smell when new.

Ah, memory lane.

[Aramis of Erak]

As indeed I also like the Classic Traveller Little Black Books. Are these being reissued in single volumes? I never got Merchant Prince and it keeps going for Silly Money on ebay.

Dekh: no, they aren't. However, you can use the PDFs on the CT CDROM (from FarFuture.net), and by using Acrobat reader and Booklet printing, print them out at original size in booklet format...
Mongoose's Traveller edition is available in "lbb" format, too... but they are perfect bound. Game's alright, somewhat different from CT, but recognizably derived from CT1E. (If you had an 1981 or later printing, you'll find it more different than if you have a 1977-1980 printing of CT.)

As for my tastes... I prefer stitched 5.5x8.5" or 6x9" books to about 75pp, and stitched folio softcover for larger pagecounts.
My favorite books for look and feel: woodgrain cover 5E T&T, 1E WFRP softcover, and the Corgi edition of T&T5. I really don't feel much need for glossy pages, and while pretty, the Dark Heresy & Rogue Trader RPGs are just over the "Obfuscate the text" line.