D&D 4E 4E PHP cover art changed

[Klaus]

Can't . . . roll . . . eyes . . . enough . . .

Roll 'em all you like, but most movies have different posters based on the country.

This is the poster for The Dark Knight:

[sblock]http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/artman2/uploads/1/batman-poster.JPG [/sblock]

This is the international poster for the same movie:

[sblock]http://www.omelete.com.br/imagens/cinema/news/thedarkknight/posterexclusivoomelete.jpg [/sblock]

 

[Klaus]

I agree with Klaus too. Something simliar to the Green Dragon figth scene featuring a whole party of adventurers would be nice.

The Green Dragon fight would be perfect.

 

[Steely Dan]

Only if you believe that the cover was changed because of religious nuts, which is a pretty silly belief, given that the MM is unchanged.

Who do you think it was changed because of?

 

[Lord Zardoz]

To be honest, the religious crazies already think D&D is Satan, so you're not really going to gain anything by pandering to them.

You get the ability to sell your product in the stores they own.

Given that Walmart is able to get record companies to put out modified versions of their songs, I do not find it that surprising that this sort of things happens. I do find it a bit surprising that D&D is still susceptible to this kind of thing though. Different markets censor content for different reasons. In some, they look harder at sexual content, At some they look harder at violence, and in some they look at religious content.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Lackhand]

I think it was changed because it sucked and sucked perceptibly enough to make a difference in sales.

I really really really hate to shout WotC is lying to me (! ! ! ! eleven !) but I kinda feel like this time, pressure from the distributors was 20% of the influence, and pressure from the fans was 80%, and this just gave them an excuse to do something they were looking to do anyway.

Not that there's anything wrong with that: it just didn't look like a PHB. Maybe they can save the cover, reuse it for an adventure? Or use it for the character record sheets?

 

[Deep Blue 9000]

Only if you believe that the cover was changed because of religious nuts, which is a pretty silly belief, given that the MM is unchanged.

The tiefling on the cover of the PHB is basically the classic Satan. Now despite being a demon prince in the game, Orcus doesn't look all that demonic. Sure is red and has horns but he's also got a tail, wings, bulging muscles, and a rhino's face. To someone who doesn't know anything about D&D, the tiefling would appear much more fiendish.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Who do you think it was changed because of?

I've already answered this

The tiefling on the cover of the PHB is basically the classic Satan. Now despite being a demon prince in the game, Orcus doesn't look all that demonic. Sure is red and has horns but he's also got a tail, wings, bulging muscles, and a rhino's face. To someone who doesn't know anything about D&D, the tiefling would appear much more fiendish.

Mmmm, I just don't buy it. The Tiefling image is just plain weak and dull, wearing a terrible dress and shooting wimpy-looking lightning sideways for no apparent reason (it's really amazingly 2D/flat), and until/unless WotC says "Oh it was going to deeply offend the Brazilians!" or something, I just find the idea that is was flat-out unappealling/unattractive more likely.

 

[Mondbuchstaben]

I wonder which country is the one that had problems...

A short while ago here Brazil was mentioned as getting different PHB art.

 

[Drammattex]

I am rather disappointed that they are still having Reynolds do the art.

Same.
I like his Eberron interiors, but do not like his stuff on the D&D core book covers at all.

Would prefer the fantastical realism of Elmore, Wood, Lookwood, etc.

 

[Wormwood]

Mmmm, I just don't buy it. The Tiefling image is just plain weak and dull, wearing a terrible dress and shooting wimpy-looking lightning sideways for no apparent reason (it's really amazingly 2D/flat), and until/unless WotC says "Oh it was going to deeply offend the Brazilians!" or something, I just find the idea that is was flat-out unappealling/unattractive more likely.

The phrase 'inappropriate for our market' indicates something far different than 'we think the art is weak'---especially since the tiefling was singled out as the sole offending element.

Occam's Razor and all that.