Introductory Adventure Covers

[Commodore]

So I'm reviewing introductory adventure modules. Not the adventures, though, the cover art. My theory is that the tone for every edition is going to be reflected more accurately by that one illustration than by a dozen examples of play. Basic was easy, that's In Search of the Unknown, but what would you classify as the AD&D "introductory adventure"? Night Below and Sunless Citadel will be more obvious for later editions and I think I'm going to look at the start boxes/beginner boxes for the later adventures. Not looking forward to the generic mush of Lost Mine of Phandelver but I already know that's going to be very reflective of the edition its representing.

 

[squeen]

Interesting idea.

FWIW, B1 was Holmes Basic, not B/X --- horses of two very different colors to me.

B/X's intro adventure was X1.

 

[Commodore]

Good point, and needs updating. Any idea what AD&D has?

 

[The1True]

Does AD&D even have a 'this is how you do it' adventure?

 

[The1True]

UK5,

U1

and L1

all have a bit of hand-holding in them, I guess?

 

[The1True]

An argument could be made that the tournament modules are instructional as well (and also among the first to be published):

 

[squeen]

Does AD&D even have a 'this is how you do it' adventure?

There is the ruined monastery in the DMG, which may have been a precursor to the Moathouse in T1 (IIRC).

T1 itself is arguably the quintessential AD&D introductory adventure.

B2 straddles the line between Holmes Basic and AD&D.
From It's first printing:

Using This Module With ADVANCED DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

While originally designed to be played with BASIC D&D, the situations and places used in KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS may also be used by players of ADVANCED DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.

To use with AD&D, the DM will find no difficulty in using the maps or room descriptions of the Keep and the Caves of Chaos. He or she may wish to expand or ignore the wilderness map and perhaps substitute personalized ideas for those listed. It will be necessary to alter some of the information on the characters found in the Keep to be consistent with AD&D. Likewise, the monsters found in the Caves of Chaos should be converted to AD&D (hit dice, alignment, damage, etc.). For experienced players it may be useful to include some more challenging monsters and more tricks and traps.

 

[Alexander Moonbeam]

It's tough because Advanced Dungeons & Dragons wasn't meant for beginners.

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is for level 1 characters, and came out fairly early.

EDIT: What the fuck am I saying, obviously you should look at Village of Hommlet, the level 1 scenario that demonstrates how a civilized (as opposed to dungeon or wilderness) setting can be fleshed out and which was written by the primary designer of the editon.

 

[The1True]

T1 itself is arguably the quintessential AD&D introductory adventure.

Oh yeah. Yeah, this is the clear winner for sure.

 

[Commodore]

An argument could be made that the tournament modules are instructional as well (and also among the first to be published):
View attachment 1325View attachment 1326

I actually like this for the first...it's what got published to advertise AD&D, even though the content is not "standard". My thesis is looking pretty good from that cover, at least: https://coldlightrpgpress.weebly.com/home/intro-adventure-covers-add

 

[Commodore]

This has been an extremely profitable exercise to me. It'll definitely make me pay more attention to introductory materials going forward. And it makes so much more sense now why all Mork Borg adventures are complete shit.

 

[Alexander Moonbeam]

it makes so much more sense now why all Mork Borg adventures are complete shit.

Because the skeleton on the cover doesn't have pants?

 

[squeen]

Great series of posts.

 

[The1True]

Paizo really scored a coup when they stolz Wayne Reynolds from WotC. He is one of the high watermark RPG illustrators for me. The art aesthetic for 5e has really left me cold. I hate this shit:

There is absolutely nothing compelling about this. Maybe as a novel cover. But even then...nup
It just screams the DM is going to spend hours talking to you in funny voices/accents while you spin your dice and check your phone.

 

[squeen]

There is absolutely nothing compelling about this. Maybe as a novel cover. But even then...nup
It just screams the DM is going to spend hours talking to you in funny voices/accents while you spin your dice and check your phone.

Hard agree. This looks like a luke-warm romance novel drama. 5e clearly has a new and different target audience. The beholder is just decoration here. It's an active turn off. Digital painting tools have lowered the bar for amateur painters so much that fully render and painted pieces are so ubiquitous there is now zero wow factor associated with them. They are all photo-reference based from posed models standing there doing static boring things, airbrushed and highlighted with a plastic veneer. The new normal. My brain doesn't even pause to look at them. Flip. Next page. I don't know what the F is going on with those hourglass trading-card thingies and Emperor Palpatine wearing the Infinity Gauntlet...and I don't care.

What this Commodore's cover series made clear to me is that Wizards "Magic:The Gathering" of the Coast, brought their over-produced, extremely plastic, static, and humorless Hollywood/video-game aesthetic to D&D, Sucking the heart and soul right out of its art.

 

[Commodore]

Because the skeleton on the cover doesn't have pants?

Only good thing about the cover, in fact.

 

[The1True]

Wizards "Magic:The Gathering" of the Coast, brought their over-produced, extremely plastic, static, and humorless Hollywood/video-game aesthetic to D&D

I think this is where we diverge, because, as I said, I dig this Wayne Reynolds stuff!

I am compelled.

 

[squeen]

Too cartoon-y for me, but at least there is some action---and not just posing.

 

[Two orcs]

I hate his style (it epitomizes Dungeon-Punk, or D&D as a separate aesthetic from other fantasy works) but I respect it.

 

[The1True]

Everyone shits on Dragonlance (deservedly so), but Keith Parkinson rocks my world:
this shit should be in the Louvre. I want to fight one of each of these things. Collect 'em all!