Erol Otus Art!

zacharythefirst · Post by **zacharythefirst** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:16 am

Check out the cover for Hackmaster Basic:

EDIT: Crap, can't get the image to load. Here's a link:
http://www.rpgblog2.com/2009/04/erol-ot ... aster.html
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DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:20 am

Wowed on two fronts with this one!

1. Sweet cover.

2. Hack Master Basic?!?!? Hell Yeah!

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:25 am

Neat. Hackmaster Basic comes out this summer, with HM5 sometime late this year. Still just as overly complciated though. *shrugs*

-O
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zacharythefirst · Post by **zacharythefirst** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:42 am

Yeah, HM4 wasn't my usual system of choice, but the Hackmaster Game Master's Guide is awesome. I end up using it for just about any fantasy game I run. Love the charts, tables, and items!
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:37 pm

I was really into Hackmaster when it came out. The whole concept was pretty cool, and even if you didn't like the tongue and cheek aspects of the writing, the game was still completely viable. Though after just one rather short-lived campaign, the weight of the endless rules became too much of a burden. We ended up arguing more then back in the 2nd Ed D&D days! The game is cool, but I just think that Hackmaster went to extremes with bloated rules and sourcebooks, so much so that it killed our chapter of the Hackmaster Players Association.

-O
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Jyrdan Fairblade · Post by **Jyrdan Fairblade** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:57 pm

What an awesome cover.

I'm probably going to pick up Hackmaster Basic when it comes out - I liked HM4 okay, but am quite curious where they will go now.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:00 pm

I'm just glad there won't be 8 monster manuals.
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gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:03 pm

Well, unfortunately, the work of Otus does for me now the same thing it did for me back in the day. Odd but not really personally inspiring. Different strokes and all.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:28 pm

I like the outlandish abstract cartoon quality. Very nostalgic.
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bighara · Post by **bighara** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:40 pm

The fact that he's riffing his own art from 1981 is pretty funny.

I dunno, for $19.99, I may hafta pick this up.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:58 pm

If your doing it because your Erol Otis fans then you have a fair number of Goodman Games DCC's to go find.
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Deogolf · Post by **Deogolf** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:42 pm

Yeah, I like his artwork - although some of it seems a bit "out there" at times. Don't think I'll ever play any HM. C&C and AD&D fit that bill just fine. Some of the HM covers do make me laugh, pretty crazy!
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Maliki · Post by **Maliki** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:55 pm

I never got into HM, but HM Basic, I may have to try.
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:52 pm

Maliki wrote:
I never got into HM, but HM Basic, I may have to try.

Bah! C&C Basic will be the better introduction game for sure.
-O
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Akrasia · Post by **Akrasia** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:41 pm

Otus Rules!!!

I'm getting HM Basic for that cover alone.
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Relaxo · Post by **Relaxo** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:45 pm

I feel stupid, I thought "Erol Otis Art" was latin, like Alea Iacta est.

how silly!

Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:50 pm

I might have to buy this on the power of Erol alone.

The Power of Erol compels you!!
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JediOre · Post by **JediOre** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:23 am

It seems the Trolls should employ Mr. Otis too.

[Not to take away from Peter's art. I find the thought of mixing two very different artistic takes would be great.]

gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:35 am

JediOre wrote:
It seems the Trolls should employ Mr. Otis too.

[Not to take away from Peter's art. I find the thought of mixing two very different artistic takes would be great.]

The ubiquitous 'old school' style art is not what TLG is looking for.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:36 am

I'm always complimenting other artists, JediOre, but yeah - that's not a know on Peter at all. There are some great artists out there, and TLG would only be better with their talent.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:41 am

gideon_thorne wrote:
The ubiquitous 'old school' style art is not what TLG is looking for.

Oh well...can't win 'em all. I think it'd be neat if they used that style for an old-school dungeon crawl module or even a couple-part series. I think that'd be cool. Variety and all.
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Fat Dragon Games · Post by **Fat Dragon Games** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:43 am

I love Erol's art! I like a lot of styles, especially Jason Walton's stuff. Did you guys see his latest? This is absolutely awesome!

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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:48 am

I hear ya, hoss! He is definitely becoming one of my favorite artists! For anyone who's interested, here is a link to a lot of his work.
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:49 am

Yeah Jason has some great stuff. I'm glad to see he is getting more art time with TLG now days.

-O
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gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:58 am

And since this seems to be turning into an art thread. Methinks it needs to go somewhere more topic appropriate.
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tylermo · Post by **tylermo** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:58 am

I'll have to check out the cover. I happen to like E.O.'s style. Mostly nostalgia. I remember playing the old early 80's basic and expert sets, before the mid 80's cover came along. Some would argue that the dragon(or whatever was on that printing) was better than E.O.'s earlier cover, but I disagree. Many other box covers come to mind...Star Frontiers. Oh wait, that was Larry Elmore. I got my original SF covers signed by him. WOuld love to have some signed by E.O. Getting back to Hackmaster. I was given a free copy(as many others were) by Jolly's crew at GenCon 07(?). I liked what they were trying to do, but I'm afraid it's a little too bogged down for me. Savage Worlds and C&C have kept me from playing overly-crunchy systems. That said, Jolly Blackburn and Erol Otus ROCK!!!

ATOM · Post by **ATOM** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:05 am

Nice cover! Very nostalgic,

it is rather humourous that Erol Otis is paying a modern

tribute to his own original Artwork.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:13 am

ATOM wrote:
Nice cover! Very nostalgic,

it is rather humourous that Erol Otis is paying a modern

tribute to his own original Artwork.

I though it was very cool, myself. It's interesting looking at this cover and then looking at the old Basic Set.

Very cool indeed.
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LD's C&C creations - the witch, a half-ogre, skill and 0-level rules

Troll Lord wrote:
Lord D: you understand where I"m coming from.

Akrasia · Post by **Akrasia** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:00 pm

gideon_thorne wrote:
The ubiquitous 'old school' style art is not what TLG is looking for.

"Ubiquitous"?!? Man, I wish Otus's work was ubiquitous!

Um, exactly what style art is TLG looking for?
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Akrasia · Post by **Akrasia** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:03 pm

Jason Walton's stuff is indeed very cool.
One of my favourite fantasy artists these days is Peter Mullen. His style bears a family resemblance to Otus's work, but nonetheless manages to be unique. Here is a link to his online 'gallery': http://www.freewebs.com/mullenart/art.htm
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