I know we've discussed this somewhere and I think the cover should be self explanatory and not have to have LitRPG on it. I am willing to accept it as fact, but then, another idea hit me. What if we as a community branded it, not with "A LitRPG Novel" but with a symbol that could be included on it. Obviously not this one, but something in the corner that would let potential readers know that it is a gamer novel. At first, people wouldn't know what it was or why it was on so many books. They could bring it to others attention by asking others what does this mean? The other person may not know. But people would start investigating it and word of mouth would spread that there a genre with it's own symbol. Perhaps the buttons could be LRPG rather than YXBA. Thoughts? @Paul Bellow Furthermore, I would want the image to be opensource so that anyone can use it for free and not have some egocentric a-hole try to patent it and sue the rest of the genre.
Decent idea. I know @Domino Finn used an E rating (for Epic!) that was nifty. And @Zachariah Dracoulis' latest looks like a comic book almost. It would have to be small but recognizable. We have any (real) designers in our tribe?
The cheapest version of Corel Painter Essentials comes with a convert picture / drawing to painting (illustration, chalk, and oil paintings etc), but running that logo through a similar option in any program with a "pencil" feature would give it a bit more of a comic feel. Go with a black & white version, and a couple other color schemes based on the LitRPG book covers on Amazon. Long term an app to make a custom tag like choosing a color scheme for a Car, Mech, or Space Ship. People can slap on a customized chrome tag on their completed novel after they see what their cover artist comes up with. If no photoshop wizards take a go at it tonight, then tomorrow I'll dust off the touchschreen and give it some bargain bin mods. Spoilers and fuzzy dice, maybe a Co-Exist sticker, Calvin peeing on something, the usual.
I have Photoshop and decent design skills, but it's not my forte, ya know? Only skill level 5 of 10! I have a new puter coming Friday (hopefully), so maybe I'll fire up Photoshop on the new rig and see what I can come up with. We need something smallish that can still be read ... block? rectangle?
I went on a google book downloading spree (the free ones on turn of the century trading and census taking ), and I actually loved one of the book covers that had a depiction of what looked like satellite orbits around the Earth in huge floppy "rings" which connected to a plane. For Kindle Sellers could a page be added that expands the page count and gives homage to LitRPG resources the author recommends? A page is a page, and if it expands on the design from the cover that would work too... not sure how exactly anal the Amazon folks are. http://www.filmsite.org/titles-studiologos.html Something like the Universal Film logos? Maybe a dragon instead of a plane. Just spit balling!
I wonder whether an heraldic device might be the thing. You know, like a shield with a coat of arms on it surrounded by a lettered strap with a buckle on it (actually a garter) with LitRPG on it. Have a look at the UK Queens (forget the beast's either side and the crest on top). The shield could be quite simple, just split in two halves (horizontally, vertically or diagonally it doesn't matter) one with a dragons claw clutching a sword, the other a hand holding a keyboard, or something completely different. Just a thought.
Found the "logo" I was thinking of, not even a logo just the graphic on the report. Still those long lines transecting the globe right over the USA, with the USA highlighted, thats working for me. An American LitRPG logo? Not to exclude Crowbait, we can turn the globe a bit just for him so he can have his own... and zoom in.
Quite a good idea, just one thing to point out: It would be good to create a coloured and a greyscale version, so that different cover styles are supported. Therefore, the shape is much more important than the hue. As for what it could be, the idea of the shild/controller combo is a great one, or something along the lines that clearly shouts GAME while at the same time somehow also says LITERATURE. Maybe a book with controller buttons, or book + mouse?
I dunno. I'd like to keep it simple. Black box like on Domino Finn's cover with a +1 LRPG or something in it? And, yeah, one design for dark colored covers and one for light covered covers is a good idea.
Yeah, but not the dice? Especially not fireball D6's that could be for craps too? lol Maybe just a fat +1 up there? I'd lose the shadow too - at small size, we want solid black text (sans-serif) to be somewhat legible? Good start, tho!
First post wooo. How about the words Level Up with and vertical arrow through the u and 2nd L? Also could have litrpg in the arrow. Posting on my phone so I can make a pic.
Might be too much? Something that small you want simple, I think. Open to other opinions, tho. Welcome to the site, btw!
@Felicity Weiss is a genius, guys. What about these three symbols (black on white rectangle) for the solidarity brand / guild? I'm talking about the super small controller, super small book and super small thumbs up. Although in some foreign countries that's an insult? Still...Thoughts?
