No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice Cover - Page 6

KneeCo · #51 05-13-2006, 02:31 PM

So where can I get a 2+2 chip set?

RUFFNECK · #52 05-13-2006, 03:39 PM

Ed/Mason

To me personally it’s a whole lot of subtle things that were altered that really change the cover.

1)Re-arrangement and kerning of copy.

2)Shadowing and color adjustments(I realize this is a pre-prod cover)

3)Alterations on chips, which I think it is a good idea but it looks like it was obviously done by an amateur. The placement of new labels ends up ruining the aspect view of the chips. And actually gives a ghost hover affect on the chips.

4)Change of back jacket concept(I realize you wanted to put in those blocks of info, and the headshots), I just like his clean back layout better.

I think his version was much more dramatic and was a lot cleaner looking, to me this new rev. looks like a bad copy of what he did.

Maybe I am being a nit about it, but I reviewed every rev. of the cover.

At the last minute when the WSOP tourney chips were not to be used and the new chips had to be shot, we scrambled around to find someone, so he wasn’t putting penny eBay dice chips on the cover.

I’m a design snob, and Mark is my friend and has done all design work for my business.
I was just very disappointed to see what he had done turned into what I think is a shell of the original work.

It’s like me taking the manuscript giving it to Ken Warren and letting him make some changes to your writing.

--Speaking of the chips thanks to JoJoBinks @ ChipTalk, and the guy who created the Pharoh’s chips that were able to come through on a weekend to get new quality chips to be shot for the cover.

Mason Malmuth · #53 05-13-2006, 03:54 PM

Hi Ruffneck:

We don't see it that way. We're sorry that you do.

Best wishes,
Mason

uncleshady · #54 05-13-2006, 04:15 PM

Hey geniuses, maybe if the book doesn't look appealing the fish wont be fish and buy it because of the cover.

Best design ever.

Farfenugen · #55 05-13-2006, 05:48 PM

That book is absolutely hideous. I am canceling my pre-order.

Just kidding...

...about the last part.

CrayZee · #56 05-13-2006, 07:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]

I’m a design snob, and Mark is my friend and has done all design work for my business.
I was just very disappointed to see what he had done turned into what I think is a shell of the original work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a design nit, too. But how important is it for a poker book? Does hiring a super pro graphic design shop or designer increase the sales of a book dramatically (i.e. is it worth the cost)? I'm just curious. Covers, design, layout, etc., are cool and all, but content is king when it comes to books. Am I wrong here?

RUFFNECK · #57 05-13-2006, 07:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm a design nit, too. But how important is it for a poker book? Does hiring a super pro graphic design shop or designer increase the sales of a book dramatically (i.e. is it worth the cost)? I'm just curious. Covers, design, layout, etc., are cool and all, but content is king when it comes to books. Am I wrong here?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would agree in traditionl book market content is king.

Poker though is a hot niche market that has alot of impulse buys(I am speculating since marketing is no longer my profession). Impulse conversions are almost always done on aesthetics, name rec., price point, or product placement.

I am of the opinion the better the aesthetics the more randoms your going to grab outside your automatic buy market.

Either way it doesn't matter if they are happy, thats fine. I will buy the thing anyway, and since I spiral all my poker books I guess I can also slap on my own printing of a previous rev of the cover.

matrix · #58 05-13-2006, 07:57 PM

My thoughts on cover.... (not having read other responses)

front:
looks like it's been overphotoshopped.

The hand holding the cards has degenerated into some kind of slug thing, I think it needs a little more detail.

Chip labels look like they were stuck on afterwards badly. There is little to no shading on them and the perspective looks "odd" - at least odd enough to immediately jump out at me shouting "we aren't real"

The left Justified Title looks blocky and ugly - surely there are better fonts available - it looks very retro.

Back cover:

eeeeeeew.

I think you ought to shirnk the chips or make the text and photo inserts avoid them - white text does not overlay well on top of those photos. Either shrink the font point size by 1 so it all fits on a green background or shrink the title at the top so the text doesn't need to float over the graphic.

Also the Ed Miller pic looks like it ought to be a little further to the left so that it's the same distance from the left as Davids pic - I would have moved it so the Eds pic was on a plain green background so that the Yellow text highlighting his name is thrown into just as sharp relief as Davids and then got the text to wrap around.

All told it looks like it was thrown together very quickly - although I am sure that's not the case and a good deal(no pun intended) of effort was spent on it.

Having said all that these are minor considerations and of course I am buying the book as soon as it is available [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

1p0kerboy · #59 05-13-2006, 10:10 PM

[ QUOTE ]
All told it looks like it was thrown together very quickly

[/ QUOTE ]

I find it difficult to believe that it would have been too much more costly to invest a little time and effort into it.

1p0kerboy · #60 05-13-2006, 10:14 PM

What IS exactly up with the semi-invisible hand holding the cards on the front of the cover?

Also the block font sucks. Something a little more stylish could have easily been used, possibly with some type of border to go along with it.

I DO LIKE the idea of having the 2+2 logo on the poker chips (although it obviously appears to be either added after the fact or possibly a cheap sticker)