Game cover art: when did it go crap?

[Maquiladora]

Remember all the classic covers from old games, even spectrum game boxes had great covers, sometimes it was more enjoyable to look at the box for a while than play the game.

What the hell happened to those you could tell were hand drawn but not because they were bad, but because they were GOOD. Now its all dull CGI crap that took 5 minutes on a computer and its obsessed with looking real, or dark "artistic" covers where theres nothing to look at.

Civ4 has a particularly dull cover, but id better not go into that.

[:) Smiley]

yep, back when computer graphics were limited, they'd have to actually hire an artist to do a cover.... now it's just rendering some spiced up 3D from the game.

[Jamski]

Its when they moved from cover artists to cover designers.

[Asher]

[vovan]

http://boa.apolyton.net/civ4_presale-230.jpg



I agree that the covers have changed, but I don't know if it's for the worse. To me, if it's something from the game, then it gives you something of an idea what the game will be like. If you see a dull cover, you kind of almost expect the game to be dull. I think that's better than getting all excited by a colorful cover, only to find a dull game inside.

I agree though that the general dark, gloomy, moody trend in covers is kinda like meh. Viva Pinata is about the only counter example that comes to mind.

[FrostyBoy]

Ah Asher, good to see they are bringing the 80's style back.

Must be expensive

[:) Smiley]

hardly, given the overall cost of game development.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Asher

Silly cover; might look good to 13-year olds though


I like this more:



Good game, sober, not too conspicuous so a good cover

[CapTVK]

Where 80´s gamecovers good? Most were actually pretty crappy from what I can remember. Bad airbrushed SF cliche-art that didn´t have to do anything with the game most of the time, with the odd exception here and there.

I do like the Head over Heels cover. Tied in perfectly with the game.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by CapTVK
Where 80´s gamecovers good? Most were actually pretty crappy from what I can remember.

Don't want to be a party pooper but this is right.

[Nikolai]

Of course you want to.

[Leirosa]

Originally posted by CapTVK
Where 80´s gamecovers good? Most were actually pretty crappy from what I can remember. Bad airbrushed SF cliche-art that didn´t have to do anything with the game most of the time, with the odd exception here and there.

Perfect example:

[DrSpike]

And that was one of the better ones!

[Traianvs]

roflmao



(ps: my pic was a BG2 cover)

[CrONoS]

Nintendo had some crappy cover: