3e WOTC Color Artwork

[MoogleEmpMog]

If by design, you mean layout, and overall design of the books, I'd very vehemenently disagree. I pick through my pile of 3rd party books and I see large font, large margins, poor tables of contents, and other little niggling issues. The only books I have that don't really seem to suffer from those problems are The Book of Fiends (though I still dislike some things about its design), the Tome of Horrors, and CCII. All IMO of course...

But, if by design, you meant something else, then I'll withdraw that comment.

Large font is poor design? Your gaming place must be better lit than mine. Either that, or you have low-light vision. The smallish fonts, coupled with those accursed faded, uneven lines, make the core 3 in particular difficult to read in many venues.

Again, I point to Arcana Unearthed - small text there, as well, but clean, extremely bright white paper and nothing in the way of the font. Much easier to read.

 

[Gez]

Being myopic, I like small fonts. For those who have so-called perfect sight, let me explain how you can simulate myopia. Glue a magnifying glass over each eye. More precise short-range sight, but blurry mid- and long-range sight.

It allows to cram more text on a single page. In fact, when I print documents for myself, I tell my computer to put four pages per sheet... (As a result, I had to invest in a magnifying glass so as to show my house rules to my players... )

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Ugh. Sorry, this is incorrect. :\

How is an opinion like that incorrect?

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

How is an opinion like that incorrect?

Because it was presented as a fact (which it manifestly is not) rather than an opinion?

That would be my guess, anyway.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Because it was presented as a fact (which it manifestly is not) rather than an opinion?

That would be my guess, anyway.

Nope, looks like an opinion to me. There wasn't a bunch of evidence to back it up, etc. But that doesn't mean it was incorrect. Obviously, its Endur's opinion that the art is better. This is not incorrect. This is correct.

 

[Pants]

Large font is poor design? Your gaming place must be better lit than mine. Either that, or you have low-light vision. The smallish fonts, coupled with those accursed faded, uneven lines, make the core 3 in particular difficult to read in many venues.

I really don't find the smaller font really that hard to read and I wear glasses. But I guess it really comes down to management of space. It irks me because I always feel that the wide margins and large font could always be put to some extra material that I could use.

I find the 3.0/3.5 books easy to read myself. Clarity of rules? That's another story, but definitely easy to read.

But I guess it comes down to what you classify as the design element. I usually lump in the artwork placement, layout, font-size, font-usage, and other such things in with the design part of the book.

So far, I have yet to see any 3rd party books equal WotC in the design part. I have seen some surpass them in the quality of artwork and those first Creature Collection books by S&SS came really, really close in the design. In fact, I found those CC books much easier to use at the table than the 3.0 MM, personally. Piss poor rules, but great and easy to read.

 

[Desdichado]

So far, I have yet to see any 3rd party books equal WotC in the design part. I have seen some surpass them in the quality of artwork and those first Creature Collection books by S&SS came really, really close in the design. In fact, I found those CC books much easier to use at the table than the 3.0 MM, personally. Piss poor rules, but great and easy to read.

For my money, Malhavoc layout strategy with Iron Kingdoms artwork in full color would be the most beautiful RPG Utopian books imaginable.

 

[Mr. Lobo]

The various WOTC books have had great artwork lately. A significant improvement over 1e and 2e.

Presentation has really improved. Everything from creative dungeons (RTTOE, COSQ) to really nice artwork in the books (Complete X series, core books). And the Draconomicon has awesome Dragon artwork.

My vote goes to

-> technique and execution = yes, I think some of the artwork has "improved". Ilike color and detail and there seems to be a lot more of that.

-> inspiration for my taste of FRP = NO. I prefer more medieval themed based art rather than the so-called "dungeonpunk" or more of what I call sci-fi based themes.

 

[Desdichado]

more of what I call sci-fi based themes.

Just because you call it that doesn't make it in any sense at all true. I can call myself Brad Pitt, but as my wife can attest, I'm not. You can call the art sci-fi based, but it's not.