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Editorial What’s in a face?

VentilatorOfDoom

VentilatorOfDoom

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Tags: Planescape: Torment

<p>Guido Henkel (of Realms of Arkania fame, in case you still remember those games) describes in this <a href="http://guidohenkel.com/2011/10/whats-in-a-face/" target="_blank">blog post</a> how he was involved with the box art of Planescape: Torment.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>I had a cover stunt before, back in the year 1999 or so when we were finalizing a computer game called &ldquo;Planescape: Torment&rdquo; that I was producing for Interplay at the time. An ad agency had a cover design laid out and we had booked a male model for the cover shoot. About a day before the shoot, news came in that the model had a scheduling conflict and would not make it. While we were sitting around the office and wondered what to do, someone looked at me and said, &ldquo;Maybe you should be the model.&rdquo; I thought it was joke at first but everyone in the room looked at me and went, &ldquo;Yeah, why don&rsquo;t you?&rdquo;</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span><img style="border: 0px initial initial;" title="The Nameless Guido" src="http://guidohenkel.com/images/Henkel_Burman1.jpg" alt="" width="652" height="541" /></span></p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/105453-how-hollywood-was-involved-in-planescape-torments-box-art.html">Gamebanshee</a></p>
 
commie

commie

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Jesus, now we're getting human interest stories as RPG news. How long until we get a gossip column where we can read about and post grainy pictures of Fergie MCA and his latest illicit squeeze?
 
Zarniwoop

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What can change the nature of a male model?

What could that guy possibly have had on his schedule that was more important than being on the box of PS:T?
 
Angthoron

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Derper said:
Worst box cover ever, probably cost them a million bucks.
Click to expand...

To be honest, yes. As much as I loved the game after I got my hands on it, the cover almost prevented my purchase back then. The face was really WTF, and the use of colours and screenies didn't help. They likely lost a lot of sales just with that, and with the trailer they released as an "advert" for Torment. It had nothing to do with the game and looked fugly.
 
Angthoron

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Thinking of it, a clean box design with the symbol of Torment on the front would perfectly suffice.

I mean,

Mt6TY.jpg


How cool is that? Instant sale!
 
Mrowak

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To be frank, becka when PS:T was released I didn't like the cover. Then again I was dumbed down teenage shit back than. Now the cover looks quite cool, to me.

PS:T was actually the last of infinity engine games I played. Clearly, it was the best :love:
 
SCO

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Andyman Messiah said:
I loved the zombie rasta cover. Never knew it was a real guy behind it. That's cool as fuck.
Click to expand...

If you realize that's one of the guys that did the Realms of Arkania series, it's even cooler.
 
VentilatorOfDoom

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SCO said:
Andyman Messiah said:
I loved the zombie rasta cover. Never knew it was a real guy behind it. That's cool as fuck.
Click to expand...

If you realize that's one of the guys that did the Realms of Arkania series, it's even cooler.
Click to expand...

I didn't even know he was working for Interplay at some point.
 
Andyman Messiah

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SCO said:
Andyman Messiah said:
I loved the zombie rasta cover. Never knew it was a real guy behind it. That's cool as fuck.
Click to expand...

If you realize that's one of the guys that did the Realms of Arkania series, it's even cooler.
Click to expand...
I do. It is. :) Extremely awesome!
 
Baron

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PlanescapeCover.jpg


Cover would probably be fine if Mr Henkel got his head out of the shot. The orange city scape would work splendidly as nice background to a centered logo/sigil or some chick in tight leggings.* Or the PC, with their back to the viewer, staring out over the city. I like the colour scheme, but the artist could learn a thing or two about negative space.




* If it ain't broke...
 
commie

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DwarvenFood said:
commie said:
visions said:
Shannow said:
I liked the box cover.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

The Orange blue box really stood out and it was suitably grimdark. Maybe you all wanted chain-mail bikini clad babes draped around Conan with a big arse axe?
Click to expand...
Barack_barbarian_cover.jpg
Click to expand...

Made me lol. I like how he's doing the 'wanker' sign with his left hand.
 

AlaCarcuss

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Shannow said:
I liked the box cover.
Click to expand...

Holy crap, so did I. Actually, I've always thought it was about the best box art ever and honestly thought most other's did too.

I'm shocked to hear some codexer's didn't like it. :retarded:

Baron said:
PlanescapeCover.jpg


Cover would probably be fine if Mr Henkel got his head out of the shot. The orange city scape would work splendidly as nice background to a centered logo/sigil or some chick in tight leggings.* Or the PC, with their back to the viewer, staring out over the city. I like the colour scheme, but the artist could learn a thing or two about negative space.
Click to expand...

Nah no way! Are you all mad!!

It's the most iconic cover in gaming, it's fucking perfect. No one's ever going to miss that staring at them from store shelves (or your bookcase). - fuck off the lot of you!
 
SCO

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You know, i just had a ... idea.

"Face that never remembered" in the Torment box.

Ahah it even fits.
 
abnaxus

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VentilatorOfDoom said:
SCO said:
Andyman Messiah said:
I loved the zombie rasta cover. Never knew it was a real guy behind it. That's cool as fuck.
Click to expand...

If you realize that's one of the guys that did the Realms of Arkania series, it's even cooler.
Click to expand...

I didn't even know he was working for Interplay at some point.
Click to expand...
After Shadows of Riva he moved to California and worked as producer of PS:T.

Interview with the guy here: http://www.dsa-game.de/content/view/218
 
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