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Card Art for Kids - Looking for Feedback

17 replies [Last post]
Mon, 10/14/2013 - 19:01
Aerjen
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Version 1: "Non-slapped Leprechaun"
Version 2: "Slapped Leprechaun - original"
Version 3: "Slapped Leprechaun - alternative"

Looking for feedback on where to take the design of the Lepreachaun Slap cards.

Leprechaun Slap is a quick game for kids of 4 years and older in which you try to collect rainbows. If all colors of the rainbow are on the table, the first player to slap the last card gets to take them all.

I really enjoy the first version of the card, but Wayne thought it would be cool to give the Leprechaun a "slapped" look. The second design does that very well, but since the game is for kids that are 4 years and older, I wanted to have the card look a bit less scary. Card 3 was born.

Having all three cards, I'd really appreciate your input (or that of your kids, please ask!) of which card appeals most and why.

Check me out at www.facebook.com/AerjenGames for WIP
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Mon, 10/14/2013 - 19:12
#1
questccg
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I'm not sure...

But I think you need a FOURTH version... The first version is very *cutesy* and the other two version look somewhat rude. But the line art is different between ONE and TWO/THREE.

I would probably create a FOURTH version which would use line art (black lines in the art) and apply it to the something closer to the FIRST version.

My suggestion would be to have a Leprechaun that is running away with some kind of treasure in his hand (defiant look - like you'll never catch me!)... Another version could be a Leprechaun *trying* to drag a heavy pot-of-gold (exhausted look - like fnck this thing is heavy!)...

That's just my opinion... Adding the sarcasm might make the cards more SLAP-STICK!

Note: I can think of another card: a Leprechaun a the end-of-the-rainbow and a black round shadow around him, the pot of gold is falling from the sky (and will obviously crush the poor guy - picture a sad-sniff looking Leprechaun...)

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Mon, 10/14/2013 - 21:13
#2
Aerjen
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Interesting...

This is feedback I hadn't heard before, so thanks for sharing! The card ideas sound pretty funny. Can you elaborate a bit on why you feel that having the Leprechauns be in frantic situations might be better than having slapped Leprechauns? In the game you are literally slapping them.

Note: It's actually a series of 6 different color cards that form a rainbow when put next to one another.

Check me out at www.facebook.com/AerjenGames for WIPs
or have a look at www.twitter.com/AerjenGames Twitter for my #GameDev tips

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Mon, 10/14/2013 - 21:37
#3
questccg
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Want to just...

Aerjen wrote:
Can you elaborate a bit on why you feel that having the Leprechauns be in frantic situations might be better than having slapped Leprechauns? In the game you are literally slapping them.

Well I guess the Leprechaun isn't being very "Leprechaun-like" by running away with treasure... Makes you want to SLAP him! Like what are you doing??? Maybe if you find situations in which the Leprechaun is behaving badly or not in character... doing things he's not supposed to "like dragging a big fat pot of gold"...

That's just kinda where my ideas come from.

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Mon, 10/14/2013 - 21:43
#4
Aerjen
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Got it

Ah, I get it. That makes sense. You're envisioning things actually in the pre-slapping phase whereas I was focussing on post-slapping :)

Let's see whether some other designers chime in as well. I'm planning to collect the feedback and send it to my illustrator. So far, that has been a really helpful way of going about things.

Check me out at www.facebook.com/AerjenGames for WIPs
or have a look at www.twitter.com/AerjenGames Twitter for my #GameDev tips

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Mon, 10/14/2013 - 21:59
#5
Corsaire
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I really like the third card.

I really like the third card. It is just zany enough without being violent and kinda looks like a bug squashed on a swatter. Second one definitely feels less E for everyone particularly with the pickaxe so close to the head.

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Mon, 10/14/2013 - 23:04
#6
Aerjen
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Thanks

Thanks Corsaire,

As usual, I appreciate your feedback. Especially the detail about the pickaxe. Hadn't noticed or thought about that at all!

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 04:38
#7
ilSilvano
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My vote

Hi,
I really think the first one is the best one for a kids game, the other two have a little too much of the "indie comics" vibe, I do not think that style is good for a kids game.

In all three cases, I also think the red background is too pronounced, it makes the symbols on the cards very difficult to read, and the card too "heavy". Try using a *very* light red background and look at the effect, I am convinced it would be much better.

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 07:55
#8
Aerjen
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Vibes

Interesting, the third one is actually inspired by the style of the popular kids show "Adventure Time" http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/adventuretime/index.html Do you think that that style in general doesn't fit or is there something inherently different in our attempt at the card?

Great feedback regarding the background and symbols by the way. I thought that this issue was solved in version 2 and 3. Do you think there would be an alternative if I want to keep the background(s) have a very saturated color to them?

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 08:08
#9
Corsaire
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My seven year old is a big

My seven year old is a big fan of Adventure Timeand and the new Uncle Grandpa. I can see the more modern approach. By four Spongebob was quite popular. Particularly if your sweet spot age is over four, I would avoid the look in the first one.

If you want to retain all the saturated colors, I'v found double borders to be pretty effective. Do a sharp dark border around the icon (I like to be almost black with a tint of the icon color) and then use white or near white for a soft outer border. I figured that out working on product sellsheets; I'd look at something I'd make and think meh and then look at something that looked professional; time after time the "pro" one had a double border.

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 09:55
#10
Kroz1776
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Joined: 10/09/2013
Pick #3 me Lord!

I love #1 and #3. #1 has a cute little man running around the place. I can easily see the adventure time style in that last one. You could change the picture of the little man based by color or shape. Thus all horseshoe cards have the swatted leprechaun.

One little thing of graphical input. This is overly important but when I was looking at the arrow with the star, because of the shoe's facing, I thought its arrow was pointing to the left too. It obviously isn't when looking directly at it, but it may be better to turn to shoe so it faces the same direction as the arrow.

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 12:36
#11
Aerjen
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Sweet spot

Hey Corsaire,

The base game works for 4+ years and the advanced game adds a couple of years to that. My design goal is to create a game that's fun for the whole family, but can be played by kids that are 4 years old. In that sense, the average player age would be higher.

Thanks for the advice on doing the double border as well and glad to hear that the Adventure Time feel is coming across.

Best, Aerjen

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 12:38
#12
Aerjen
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Smiles

Hi Kroz,

Thanks for your input and for making me smile with your Subject Line :)

Great feedback on the shoe. I had never noticed it before and now I cannot unsee it anymore!

Thanks,

Aerjen

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 13:33
#13
Kroz1776
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The shoe...THE SHOE!!!!!!

Aerjen wrote:
Hi Kroz,

Thanks for your input and for making me smile with your Subject Line :)

Great feedback on the shoe. I had never noticed it before and now I cannot unsee it anymore!

Thanks,

Aerjen

Ha ha ha! You're welcome. I just wish I could've figure out a way to show a person holding up two fingers.

It's funny how shapes can change just by looking at it through our peripheral vision.

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 14:08
#14
Aerjen
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Huh?!

Don't really get what the problem is you're referring to? You want a person to indicate the number two, peace or the other thing...? Is there a particular piece of art that's not working out?

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 14:10
#15
Kroz1776
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Oops!

Aerjen wrote:
Don't really get what the problem is you're referring to? You want a person to indicate the number two, peace or the other thing...? Is there a particular piece of art that's not working out?

No, the joke in my subject heading is what I was referring to. Sorry about that.

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Tue, 10/15/2013 - 19:48
#16
Aerjen
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Sad

Don't worry about that, I was just hoping I could return the favor and help you out with something. It saddens me that this is not the case :(

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Wed, 10/16/2013 - 09:16
#17
Kroz1776
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:'-(

Darn. No, the game I'm working on right now is still being worked on behind closed doors. I've got the basics set up, I just need to get someone to play with me now to see which mechanics work and which don't.

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