Coin-Op : The Arcade Guide

[Antiriad2097]

Coming back to this with a fresh set of eyes today, I now really want to buy a book with Design 3's cover

I seem to have overcome my objection to the title font as today I'm looking at it and thinking 'want'.

Perhaps its because I'm being less analytical this time round and going with my gut reaction.

Design 1 is still in second place, but Design 2 is the sort of thing I'd expect to see in a book store (but as I mentioned earlier, that's possibly because its so generic) and my least favourite.

[Greyfox]

Looking very cool mate

Thanx so much for your comments...hope you voted too.

@ant I'm also delighted you've had a different out look on these covers now..as I was thinking..agh crap I'll have to do an exclusive cover for him along..lol..and to be honest I wish ic could, but the logistics would be me jumping out of a 8 story window or admitting that the amstrad was the best 8bit computer ever made..lol...

But I will be adding minor fixes and will post as soon as I can break out of jail to get near my work station

Again many thanx for the feedback and delighted to see it so well received so far..

[Bub&Bob]

I voted 1 as it my fav (and it reminds me a little of the Mala layout I knocked up a while back )



But, 3 is growing on me also!

[Greyfox]

I promise I wasn't hiding behind your curtain making groaning sounds when you made that.....yes I can see your ideas on this..it is definitely similar..glad you liking the stuff so far.. but it's looking like design one is winning the race...

[Antiriad2097]

Bub's cab has a proper control panel that remains within the confines of the cab

I can live with 1 winning, its a good design concept and I do like it, it just needs the rough edges removed.

[Greyfox]

Bub's cab has a proper control panel that remains within the confines of the cab

Dually noted , this will be addressed...I'm working on it..

[crusto]

I was torn between 1 and 2 so I did an ip dip in my head and 2 won. Looks brilliant by the way.

[Pixiu]

1 appeals to me more on a nostalgic level.

3 looks more professional, like something you might see on the shelves.

I'm leaning towards 1.

The layout inside looks bloody marvellous, but I hope the text is still first draft stuff and will be revised, because right now the writing is bringing down the otherwise ace quality.

[Greyfox]

1 appeals to me more on a nostalgic level.

3 looks more professional, like something you might see on the shelves.

I'm leaning towards 1.

The layout inside looks bloody marvellous, but I hope the text is still first draft stuff and will be revised, because right now the writing is bringing down the otherwise ace quality.

yes this will be all addressed, I will have it proof read and grammer corrected before release etc...

also I've update the first and third preview on the first page..with some fixes and requests and added a few posters in design number one also..

[Pixiu]

Personally, I'm not totally keen on the neon style marquee on the arcade cab in option 1, mainly cos there's already the neon sign/title above it (which looks good). Maybe a more standard printed marquee would work?

Like the simplified and tidier 2p arcade cab too.

I voted for 1, but I have to say I do still like option 3. It's nice how it shows 3 generations of cabs, and the past-futuristic wireframes and glowy gridlines also deliver a little nostalgia kick.

Maybe you could offer changeable dust jackets for ppl who keep flip-flopping between 1 and 2?

[The Laird]

Personally, I'm not totally keen on the neon style marquee on the arcade cab in option 1, mainly cos there's already the neon sign/title above it (which looks good). Maybe a more standard printed marquee would work?

I agree with this

[Greyfox]

yes I agree with this too..I only need to fill in that space..and thought of Pacman...the marquee Idea is be done next..

[Antiriad2097]

For the revised Cover 1:

The marquee is well off. Marquees of the period (and even now) were backlit slabs of perspex. A neon marquee would be a rare thing indeed, so it just looks weird. Its certainly not evocative of the cabs its meant to represent within the book. [I know you've said you'll address this, but I'd typed up this answer in Notepad already].

The control panel, while much better, still isn't quite right as it sits 'on' the cab instead of 'within' it. Look at some classic 70s/80s cabs:
Space Invaders: http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detai ... me_id=9662
Pac Man: http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detai ... e_id=10816
Karate Champ: http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detai ... me_id=8279
Double Dragon: http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detai ... me_id=7619

On all of those cabs, the CP is a flat panel contained inside the cab walls - none of them has a surface that overlaps the side panel of the cab. This is typical of the majority of 'standard' cabs, not really changing until more real estate was needed for things like Gauntlet. Its a small detail, but its one of those things that makes a cab look 'right'. I think this will help kick the nostalgia button for people who haven't even visited an arcade in years, so could help with 'passing trade' if it were to get to Amazon or any of the other online publishers/sellers.

6 buttons isn't that common either. Even the JAMMA standard only allowed for 3 (plus the start button) per player.

Having said all that, Mrs Ant says she likes cover 1 the most.

She did say that cover 3 is very representative of the era by being very Tron like though, and pointed out that it showed the evolving cab designs.

With the fixed title logo I'm very much liking Cover 3, but I am now wondering why the screens have fallen out of the cabs We shouldn't be able to see through that I think, it looks like a hole where it should be solid.

[Greyfox]

Okay..done and done ...this is my final submission to cover design number one, as I need to be now focusing on the content and continue to get this finalised..so I hope you like the new added elements to it..

I'll also fill in those monitor screens in design 3 too..

[The Laird]

The new control panel / joysticks looks awful mate, it was far far better how you had it before (the 2 player one that is). It just looks fake now.