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id Software shows alternative cover arts for DOOM, are 100x better than the default.

SRTtoZ said:
Pretty clear that Id knew they were the cooler covers but didn't want some mom to see it when buying it for her son and think he's into devil worship, so reverse covers makes everyone happy.
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There's a certain style to AAA game covers, and drawn/minimalistic concept art doesn't really play in that realm.

Don't really think it has anything to do with pissing off evangelicals. Just marketers having eyes for specific looking boxarts.
 
So whichever one wins, A or B, will these just be the flipside of the shipped cover?
 
GusZamboni said:
kserspy.png
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I'd rather this. It's metal as fuck. There's never been a game cover that rough-houses like this.

It looks like a box of fucking Evil.
 
B is like the only correct choice. It should be the default one ffs.

Hoping they will change it. Glad they at least listen to the feedback on the first cover. Because that is horribly bad.
 
Bergerac said:
Same. It shouldn't have the same font or artstyle as the original. I like the scene depicted, that it's going for the same form - but that's all that should be shared. It should be done with the actual modern look of the game with the plain white font.

This is less of an homage, more stuck in the past.
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Agreed. Having said that I'll almost always go with something more abstract or something minimalist because I just think that looks nicer. Personally, I think the Resistance series is a bad series but the box art for the third game was almost enough to make me check it out. My feeling is Option A should be the cover art and Option B should be the flip side. Either way, I don't have a horse in this race anyways as I have the game preordered on Steam, so...yeah.
 
Bergerac said:
I'd rather this. It's metal as fuck. There's never been a game cover that rough-houses like this.

It looks like a box of fucking Evil.
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You should come with its own warning sticker haha

Seriously Bethesda! Make option B the cover and option A the reverse sleeve!
 
Option B just fits way to damn well into their narrative of bring DOOM back to its roots.
 
Despite A being more appealing than the default retail cover, it doesn't even look like a game (whereas the retail one is way too far in the "whatever you're a guy with a gun" direction)

Looks like Watain bullshit
 
Option A looks like a cover for EDGE magazine. Option B looks rad as hell and instantly draws your attention, gives an impression for what to expect and is a great callback.

I want names on who approved the original artwork. They must stand trial for their crimes.
 
Wolfgunblood Garopa said:
A is the best game cover I've ever seen. Aggressively grim.
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I think that's the important thing. It's such a contrast to the other one because B, like classic, emphasises DOOM Guy, whereas A like say, DOOM3, emphasises the DOOM.

Playing the game it's obvious you're intended to be ripping and tearing, but the enemies have to look beyond formidable for it to feel badass. Which, in game, they do. For that reason it's better to emphasise the demons than DOOM guy laying waste to what looks like fodder. I think classic/B kind of fails in emphasising the DOOM aspect. Yeah he's ridiculously outnumbered, and the fact that he's still kicking ass is an obvious representation of what they want you to feel whilst playing the game, but it makes the enemies look lame. You're able to presume that DOOM Guy's already capable of taking down Hell before he even gets there (i.e. when you start playing).

Emphasising the demons on the other hand does a much better job of making you feel badass when you actually play because even though you're pitted against Hell, you're still kicking ass. There's no suggestion you're gonna kick ass before you start playing.

Psychologically I think it's more enriching to make entry to the game look intimidating, rather than to portray beating back hordes, and how that plays into actually kicking ass whilst playing is very important. Which is why the trailers show you getting limbs ripped off etc.

It's like how I view classic Resident Evil - the much touted ammo/resource management is an illusion for the sake of mechanical catharsis. Your ammo is 'finite', sure, but the game merely suggests that you're struggling - you aren't actually struggling for survival when you think about it logically. Not with handguns, shotguns, grenade launchers, magnums and rocket launchers. That's a pretty cosy zombie apocalypse. Now imagine RE - if you only had a spoon. Still, the illusion of desperation plays into the catharsis of getting past room 'X' using as little resources as possible and that's where your enjoyment comes from.

The catharsis of playing DOOM works best when the enemies are shown as intimidating... rather than turning around to break the fourth wall and look at the viewer, like they've left the oven on, whilst their twenty mates get bitchslapped and smacked around by just one guy. Classic/B just doesn't give the right vibe to me. The game's raison d'être is to be hardcore, even, by extension, in the hands of modders. The aesthetic was always to be as heavy metal as possible. Cover A serves that purpose better.
 
Bergerac said:
I think that's the important thing. It's such a contrast to the other one because B, like classic, emphasises DOOM Guy, whereas A like say, DOOM3, emphasises the DOOM.

Playing the game it's obvious you're intended to be ripping and tearing, but the enemies have to look beyond formidable for it to feel badass. Which in game, they do. For that reason it's better to emphasise the demons than DOOM guy laying waste to what looks like fodder. I think classic/B kind of fails in emphasising the DOOM aspect. Yeah he's ridiculously outnumbered, and the fact that he's still kicking ass is an obvious representation of what they want you to feel whilst playing the game, but it makes the enemies look lame. You're able to presumpe that DOOM Guy's already capable of taking down Hell before he even gets there (i.e. when you start playing).

Emphasising the demons on the other hand does a much better job of making you feel badass when you actually play because even though you're pitted against Hell, you're still kicking ass. There's no suggestion you're gonna kick ass before you start playing.

Psychologically I think it's more enriching to make entry to the game look intimidating, rather than to portray beating back hordes, and how that plays into actually kicking ass whilst playing is very important. Which is why the trailers show you getting limbs ripped off etc.

It's like how I view classic Resident Evil - the much touted ammo/resource management is an illusion for the sake of mechanical catharsis. Your ammo is 'finite', sure, but the game merely suggests that you're struggling - you aren't actually struggling for survival when you think about it logically. Not with handguns, shotguns, grenade launchers, magnums and rocket launchers. That's a pretty cosy zombie apocalypse. Now imagine RE - if you only had a spoon. Still, the illusion of desperation plays into the catharsis of getting past room 'X' using as little resources as possible and that's where your enjoyment comes from.

The catharsis of playing DOOM works best when the enemies are shown as intimidating... rather than turning around to break the fourth wall and look at the viewer, like they've left the oven on, whilst their twenty mates get bitchslapped and smacked around by just one guy. Classic/B just doesn't give the right vibe to me. The game's raison d'être is to be hardcore, even, by extension, in the hands of modders. The aesthetic was always to be as heavy metal as possible. Cover A serves that purpose better.
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Nice post
 
What are the chances that id and/or zenimax actually replace the one they picked and use these 2 as front and reversible? I would imagine it's kinda late to change the one they picked because of marketing.
 
Dictator93 said:
Nice post
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Thanks and don't get me wrong, I like the classic art work but the problem is I like it for completely different reasons. Namely nostalgic association, and not for what it's depicting.

Like another guy said earlier, I don't really have a horse in this race either. Fortunately, my housemate kindly bought the game for me on Steam for Xmas, so I already own digital and I'm pretty much digital now anyway. Though I'd happily have either of these two over the suggested retail version.
 
Apathy said:
What are the chances that id and/or zenimax actually replace the one they picked and use these 2 as front and reversible? I would imagine it's kinda late to change the one they picked because of marketing.
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0-2% sadly.

I would love for them to prove me wrong.

A) for the outside, B) for the inside, would be brilliant.
 
Bergerac said:
Thanks and don't get me wrong, I like the classic art work but the problem is I like it for completely different reasons. Namely nostalgic association, and not for what it's depicting.

Like another guy said earlier, I don't really have a horse in this race either. Fortunately, my housemate kindly bought the game for me on Steam for Xmas, so I already own digital and I'm pretty much digital now anyway. Though I'd happily have either of these two over the suggested retail version.
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But if you look at B, he's NOT decimating a lot of creatures, he's actually being attacked by one while his gun is pointed away from the demons of hell. He's not standing on a pile of enemy corpses, it's just a mountain of skulls (that everyone in the image is on).

He doesn't look like he's destroying hordes of monsters and demons, it looks like he's being overwhelmed by them... which is very bad ass.
 
Both. With Option A being the default cover and B the alternative one.

This DOOM is a 'reboot', which means they have the chance to do things a bit differently and not simply repeat history. So to me option A makes more sense.

And let's never, ever, ever, ever, ever talk about the generic piece of crap cover again.


Also, option B looks a little rough. A bit rushed, even. Which kind of makes it pretty clear they made it after the whole covert art debacle.
 
Bergerac said:
I'd rather this. It's metal as fuck. There's never been a game cover that rough-houses like this.

It looks like a box of fucking Evil.
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I love it too. Bold, dark and sinister. Though I'd say Resi 4's cover was pretty close to that aesthetic? *EDIT* Wii Edition.
 
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