Cactus Game Design Message Boards

Maybe it's just me, but that art seems a bit dark for a hero. That certainly doesn't fit the context of the verse, and it shouts out to me: "Convert or die!"   

We had some conversations on that one, but most of us did not see it that way until someone raised that question.  To me, it as an image of a hero beset on all sides by darkness, which fits my concept of a spiritual warrior completely.

What we should remember about the Spiritual Warrior theme generally is that we aren't putting on actual armor or real swords, like Saul would have us do; we are arming ourselves in faith and marching into battle against foes that we can't possibly hope to defeat on our own, like David.

In that thought, when we see the armored warrior representing the spiritual battle, we remember it is not flesh he is fighting (so no "convert or die" theme), but rather against the darkness and evil in the world.

Those are great points, YMT.

For the most part Redemption only uses free art. Even if we wanted to use this type of imagery often (which we don't), there really isn't much of this type of art that's public domain. We're usually limited to stuff that was produced several decades ago or older, which normally doesn't look like this.

We do try to take great care to make sure the art is appropriate for our audience. I can think of multiple cards on which we've cropped an image to hide a portion of the picture that isn't appropriate.

If you look at the card image URL, it has an "M" at the end. Might we then be seeing a female variant of the Christian Soldier? I, for one, would LOVE that.

Keen eye!

do people understand jesus was crucified? that's the most brutal death someone can take..

What exactly is your point? You want more card art depicting torture? 

Quote from: Gabe on June 15, 2015, 10:53:09 AM

We do try to take great care to make sure the art is appropriate for our audience. I can think of multiple cards on which we've cropped an image to hide a portion of the picture that isn't appropriate.

I appreciate your efforts in this regard. 

Is it too late to crop this image, maybe to focus completely on the soldier and not have most of the peripheral imagery?

Personally I fell on the conservative side with this artwork when the play tester discussion was had.  I felt it celebrated the crusades which I as a Christian i point to as one of the darkest parts of our history. I don't think anyone points towards a militant spreading of Christianity as good thing. 

That said, it is one of those cards that provides a good picture to represent spiritual warfare.  I understand your concerns and share them but I can also the see the point that many Christians love and embrace LoTR trilogy which contains moving images that are much more gruesome and dark. I am not convinced that card art displaying a triumphant Christian Soldier of "spiritual warfare" is going to steer to many people away from the game.

Quote from: jbeers285 on June 15, 2015, 11:41:40 AM

Quote from: YourMathTeacher on June 15, 2015, 11:21:39 AM

Quote from: Gabe on June 15, 2015, 10:53:09 AM

We do try to take great care to make sure the art is appropriate for our audience. I can think of multiple cards on which we've cropped an image to hide a portion of the picture that isn't appropriate.

I appreciate your efforts in this regard. 

Is it too late to crop this image, maybe to focus completely on the soldier and not have most of the peripheral imagery?

Personally I fell on the conservative side with this artwork when the play tester discussion was had.  I felt it celebrated the crusades which I as a Christian i point to as one of the darkest parts of our history. I don't think any one points towards a militant spreading Christianity as good thing. 

That said, it is one of those cards that provides a good picture to represent spiritual warfare.  I understand your concerns and share them but I can also the see the point that many Christians love and embrace LoTR trilogy which contains moving images that are much more gruesome and dark. I am not convinced that card art displaying a triumphant Christian Soldier of "spiritual warfare" is going to steer to many people away from the game.

I agree that it provides a good depiction of spiritual warfare. However, I do not agree that all of the crusades were bad. Some of them were unnecessary, maybe, but keep in mind that when Spain repelled the Muslim invaders, that was considered a crusade. It was not a militant spread of the Faith, just a simple defense. Otherwise, Spain would have been converted by force, and that state would have been lost to the Christian world.

Conversation about the crusades should be sidelined and had in the open discussion forum.

I am glad you agree it's a good depiction of spiritual warfare. (Granted our assessments are based off imagination considering I've never seen an angel fight a demon with my eyes)

Obviously, you can offer counterexamples, but the point is that the crusades were not all bad. That is my point, and saying that there were some bad ones does not change that there were some necessary ones, good ones. That is all I have to say, and since I am not in Open Discussion, I will leave it alone now.

Quote from: Minion of Jesus on June 15, 2015, 11:57:38 AM

That is all I have to say, and since I am not in Open Discussion, I will leave it alone now.

Understood and agreed. 

Just FYI, I cannot continue the discussion in OD since I do not have access to it.

Great! We are the two non-access hipsters on the boards. High five to you!

Quote from: YourMathTeacher on June 15, 2015, 11:52:53 AM

I see a Crusader standing over dead bodies.

I see how the warrior could be interpreted as a crusader, but where are the dead bodies?

I was wondering that as well. I can see an arrow sticking into the ground or something, is that it?

I see how the warrior could be interpreted as a crusader, but where are the dead bodies?

Unless he was attacking an armory, there must be bodies with those weapons. I am looking at the complete imagery here. 

I see a pair of antlers in the foreground.

Methinks you are joking by calling those antlers.

Could be people-shaped flags.

Still looks awesome.

[quote author=Lamborghini_diablo link=topic=36037.msg543974#msg543974
While I personally don't mind, I have to agree more with YMT here. Those aren't flags hanging from the cross-spear-things in the background, they are silhouettes of people. That is rather dark for hero artwork.[/quote]

I'm seeing tattered flags, not people on poles.  This is particularly evident in that the 'shapes' there are the same (there are three basic shapes for the flags in that image).  I'm just not seeing it.

Especially the ones on the far left and right. Not sure how anyone gets 'flag' from that.