The artist most likely didn't work inside the FASA offices. They likely didn't consult him about designs of cyberware. He most likely was asked to produce something for "The Street Samurai Catalog" with at best a blurb. The art and blurbs for the weapons inside the book weren't done when he was contacted. <most likely, as this is how this the artwork for these things normally work from what I gather>

The samurai in question is probably the artist or a friend of the artist, photographed and painted over. Has that look to it. And no mullet.

Doing art for SR has got to be a nightmare. I think to satisfy a lot of the hardcore SR players you'd need the art to depict men and women in black, with their faces carefully hidden behind balaclava, everyone with a backpack filled with tactical goodies. SpecOpsRun

Me, I prefer the tiger stripe pants, mohawks, exposed faces. Maybe it's not as 'realistic', but it's a lot more visually exciting. Guess I still like the Punk in my cyberpunk. Piercings and tattoos are encouraged. Mirrorshades make great disguises. Men should flash muscles, women should flash their favorite stretch of skin. FlashyRun

Then there are the people who like the stripped down, everything must be dirty and poor look. Jean jackets with nothing painted on the back, because painted designs would cost too much money and by gum this is bleak! Hair cuts are practical... probably did it themselves because that's how tough they are. On runs they either pull out milspec or pistols. Tattoos are allowed, but no piercings. GrungeRun

The problem isn't the guy not liking the picture. The problem isn't the guy voicing his opinion of the picture. The problem is him coming on the forums and bitching about a mullet. A) The picture was drawn round about 15 years ago. The hairstyles that are popular change. I was young in 1989, but I was still old enough to remember the metal hair/hockey hair/mullet craze, and I know some very intelligent and cool people with this utterly stupid and ridiculous haircut.

This section of the boards isn't for bitching about a picture you don't like or a writer you hate, not just because some of those artists and writers read the forums, but because this is a place for discussion of the Shadowrun game system rules and setting. Don't like the picture? Tough shit. Rip the cover off your copy and get over it. And don't sit there listing all these "logical reasons" backing up your claim because it's just an opinion. It's no more or less valid than anyone else's opinion, and getting bent out of shape about someone not agreeing isn't going to win you any friends.

And frankly, no one cares what you think about the damn picture.

The Abstruse One

id like to throw my voice in with the fact tht the guy did ask for comments, so i wouldnt feel bad for him just because the comments hes getting dont agree with him.

also jaded is absolutely right and i think that sometimes people forget/dont know that your typical shadowrunner at least didnt used to be a spec ops specialist, the game started out with shadowrunners being much more street level, looking cool was real important. After all, the game was/is made for your average high school student/undergrad and made to be fun, as those people grew up it seems they started asking more questions about RL security and espionage whatever.

point is dont get down on the guy for looking unproffessional, it was standard (i remmeber when you could pick out all the different portraits in the adventures/sourcebooks and determine which crowd it was supposed to appeal to, goths, metelheads, punks etc)

Well put there Abtruse. Lets just remind ourselves that the point of these boards is to discuss SR stuff in a nice and friendly manner. Humourous comments and a little bitching aside, keep the antagonistic statements and provactive comments offline Terms. Let the demise of the late Chat forum here be thy leason on this behaviour.

Anyhow, as for responding to The Grifter's original question: Personally I really liked the artwork. Its a good picture. The proportions of the body and the lighting is damn well done. Far better than a lot of the later products' artwork. Mainly though, I liked it because of it's gritty realistic feel.

As others have already stated, the subject matter dipicted (IE: haircut, costume, cyber) is drawn from what the artist would have had imagined because there were hardly any other references to go on seeing as this was one of the first batch of supplements released for the system. The fashions of the time were instrumental in deciding what to draw as a visualisation of the 2050's styles. As for the cyber, if you've ever seen the 1st Ed rulebook, then the "messy" look of his wares shouldn't be a surprise. Overall though, I'd accept that he's got bugger all resources because he spent it all on skills and attributes to be kick-arse rather than a fashion concious pretty-boy who's all flash and dazzle but bugger all in the substance stakes. I'd hire a runner on rep rather than image anyday. Priority One is get the guys who'll get the job done.

To round off with a few observations on previous comments:
> Yup, skillwires go inside the body, but maybe the box is a skillsoft storage device (the jukebox)? Or perhaps a flash-pak?
> The ghoul's holding a spiky club, not a bone boyo.
> The orange shirt is concealed mainly by the sammie's camouflage jacket. I'd bet its armoured too (Secure clothing line perhaps)
> Items that are actually in the SS Cataog inclde the Net gun he's holding (yup that's what it is, it sure ain't an assault rifle - so perhaps he's bounty hunting for live targets.) and the grenades (look like AFR-7 flash devices.
> I always thought that this was in the barrens and it still retains the decayed urban site atmosphere that to me is what the barrens is. He's just gone into ghoultown - not a very busy place in regard to bright neon lights, nightclub hangouts and corp HQ's.

Finally though, who really gives a damn about fashion trends. The picture looks good and conveys a feel of the moment. Alternatively it could just be a cover image generated by the media department to sell the gear in the Catalog - and how often have you seen hilarious fashion boo-boos in catalogues that sell clothes. Look at those model's for a start.

PS> Anybody else thinks he looks like Charles Bronson?

hmm, program carriers, need to steal that idea for my rpg...

when talking about being young in 1989 take a look at:
http://www.reallifecomics.com (the monday 22. march stripe if you look at this at some later time)...

it seems the 80's are comeing back. how fitting it is that we have a left-over cold warrior in the us white house...

as for that mist, could it be that he have popped a smoke grenade for cover? sure it does not work that well against ghouls but what do we know about whats behind the smoke?

Can't say I ever really liked the picture, but then I was concentrating more on teh content. I did however locate the artist and ask about the picture, just for you all.


Apparently, the gentleman depicted is not in a city at all. He is on a paved outcropping near the seaside at about 4 in the morning. The reason it's so light out is that a huge interplanar portal has just opened beside him. He was actually just out chillin with his buddies - he's got an old Sega Megadrive in that satchel and was on his way from a drunken "lets play the SR Videogame" evening. The Ghoul on the left is annoyed at not being invited, and will soon be exacting revenge by knocking out the guy and subjecting him to fourteen hours of Atari's Pong.
The gentleman on the right is looking for his pet brick, Peter, which he is sure he left around here somewhere, and which is actually on the floor in the foreground.

Now, to the central character: He's not a samurai. He's a member of the Village People Magical Order whom, having heard the rumours of a new trend called "Geek the Mage FIRST" decided to skip on down to his local Radio Shack and get as many miscelaneous parts as he can and attach them to his clothing and skin with staples and spirit gum, so that he looks like a "Not-Mage." The gun is a water pistol, the grenades are disguised foci and the shock of white hair identifies him as the Village People's resident Badger Shaman, Woody.




Okay?





NB: from the end of the first sentence above, this entire post is BS. Oh, and it's possible that this chap doesn't shave very often since he has very sensitive skin, and it brings him out in a nasty rash. Like me. Or maybe he just doesn't aspire to looking like a pre-pubescent pansy-boy. And at least he's not wearing a kilt. [*I'm of Scots descent too, so don't take that one personally]

Personally, I like the art in MitS quite a bit. Cover is good, but I very dig the art on pg 15. It dosent have that gritty feel, but runners arnt in the city ALL the time.

Gernade shaped foci? I like that idea... very funky. Yeah, gernade shaped expendable foci... Im gonna use that! Thanks

a couple of things...

Sorry for the vague insult, I was a bit irked at the tone of his post. IIRC I first learned what subvocal mics were in the mid 90s (I want to say '95), so unless he was a Marine at the age of 14 that bit of info isn't relevant

~J

good point. i was just illustrating that he does have access to the knowledge of tactical equipment, and has either used it, had it demonstrated to him, or knows how it works.

still, good point.

Suddenly I feel bad about having my hair done in what the stylist described as a soft-mullet - it actually looks quite good and I'm pretty sure that even when they were fashionable I didn't like them.

But then I remember as a kid trying to have hair like Brian Bosworth (boy, did that suck)...

I also have a goatee.

Funnily enough people ten years younger than me tend to think I'm good looking.

Apologies for the OT (and completely uninteresting) comments about my personal style.

Heh, I think the game started out as about an even mix of FlashyRun and GrungeRun...though with a definite lean to Grunge. I think the Grunge was sort of a reaction to CP, and perhaps to offset some of the twinkerbell aspects of the theme. I know we're all used to it now, but it was pretty wierd when it first came out.

SpecOpsRun is what happens when jaded players overthink the goofiness of the setting and the game. It's silly for the million dollar samurai to be just a street punk...so instead he's ninja badass spec ops milspec boy.

Conan, it's silly to go around bare chested when you're in fights. Here, put on all this armor. Oh, and skin tight clothes aren't practical so wear some baggy brown clothing under that armor. And of course you'll want a helmet that covers up your face. Being hit in the face sucks. Oh no, take those horns off that helmet. Those could catch a sword and it would be bad. That battleaxe isn't very efficient Conan, here, take this sword and shield.

No no, the baggy clothing goes over the armor. Better conceal that way.

Just remember to have it all easy to remove in case you fall into a lake.

~J

There was an ad for SSC in the back of another one of the SR1-era books, which indicates that a) the SSC cover has been cropped, and b) the part that was cropped shows more of a concrete (?) strcture (viz. a pillar) and looks more like it's in a construction site or (more likely) a burned/bombed-out building.

And say what you will -- an axe absolutely rocks.

Especially if you've got the muscle to use it effectively.

-Siege

I kind of like the SSC cover. The gun he is holding is sorta ugly (grenade launcher?). I think he is somewhat awkwardly posed somehow, but certainly far better than I could ever draw a human.

Really my favorites though were Tir Na Nog and Bug City. IMO the year when that stuff was coming out was the golden age of shadowrun sourcebooks. The stuff today is good, but a few books in a row there just kicked ass on many levels.

You're thinking about the Companion. It's obvious the Wood Elf cyberranger in that picture is firing an Arrow of Shocking, a.ka. a Ranger-X arrow with an anchored Lightning Bolt and extra cool-factor.

i disagree. that's definitely an archer from earthdawn who's been ported into SR. I mean, look at the way she holds the string, above her arm where its sure to scrape along the top of her forearm. that's gotta be some kind of ED magic archer trick.

Kagentenshi-Okay, let's take a few things into consideration. I've USED subvocal befores. I've trained with them. And you're like, what, 19, right? Since sub-vocal mics weren't introduced until around the 90's, you woulda been what? 9? 10? And you knew how they worked, even existed then? An aren't you the same guy who was talking on the Martial Arts thread about palm-striking the side of your garage or some other idiocy? I really don't think you're a guy I'm going to take advice from.

Mensche-Well, your crappy insults may have inspired anger in another, but you know what they say, right? Arguing on the internet is like running the marathon in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded. Your lame attempts to mock me show that you're a closed-minded person whose life is obviously too centered on DumpShock to have any other kind of social life. I will continue to come here as much as I like, and by the way, did you know it was okay to have an opinion about something that's different from someone else's? No? Well, it is. That's the beauty of America, chummer.

Abtruse One-I'm not even gonna touch your comment. I'll let your idiocy speak for itself.

FourString Samurai-Thanks for having my back, man.

Solstice-Thansk to you, as well.

And for those of you who don't "get it", this was just a topic started to discuss this picture. Not to make fun of everybody and their brother just because I said I didn't like a picture. Now, I did ask for comments, and een if I don't agree with your comments, they are still welcome. However, senseless bashing isn't. If you don't like what I say, don't fraggin' read it. Grow up, get a life, move on. Life sucks, get a helmet.

Oh, and BTW, that is a mullet. Look closely.

I didn't have much of a comment on the picture, and that is why I didn't comment but 1 time(other than this) to this post, simply because I didn't really care about the picture. I did however find the way that the original post was written semi inflammatory, and I thought something like what happened would happen. A Flamewar. anytime anyone on this board posts a very strong opinion it seems the rest latch on like some parasite and begin to infect the post with flames, which then get returned, and flamewar erupts and the topic is lost. all I can say is that posts are for discussion, having strong feelings about something and posting those strong feelings are a waste of time, because there will always be naysayers, since everyone has their own opinion, and it will just turn the thread into flame heaven and a complete waste of digital space. everyone just needs to stay open minded, and if you post a strongly worded commentary, expect it to be thrown back at you by the sharks. Dumpshockers will not always get along, this is evident by this thread. so I recommend we just let this thing rest in peace, or at least, get back to civil discussions and not petty personal attacks from either side

Succinctly, everyone just chill the frag down it's a picture, not a crime against humanity

here! here! Drain Brain, I fully agree with your post

Just wanted to jump in here..


I like Laubenstein's art work.



/ducks and puts on asbestos underwear

Oh and I just remembered...SR's artwork is great if you follow the hidden ongoing "jokes" in the artwork. Artists seem to have been playing at hitting eachother with little stabs in the artwork as a joke. Grafitti(sp) on walls, and some of the tattoo's etc...

Alot of the early artwork, from my understanding, is also inspired from different pieces of early campaigns in the 1st edition...(I cannot varify this part, but it was told in great length to me by my introducing GM...I think I've got the edition right.)

Mullet>duck's ass (hairstyle from the '50s).

~J

Shadowrun is bloody well what you want it to be. There isn't that much art work I can honestly say I do like in any of the books, but that doesn't stop me playing the game, nor does any of it really influence my view of the game universe. I don't personally like the cover to SSC, but there are worse pictures in some books that have even less grounding in the "rules" and "listed equipment," which is why I find some of the complaints about it amusing. I can accept that a lot of the artwork is interpretative, I ask myself what the frag is that meant to be? shrug my proverbial shoulders and get on with reading the book.

Thing is, I don't let the pictures influence what I see in the game. Sure, the pictures I do like do help me picture things, but those I don't I can happily ignore and fill the gaps myself.

Personally, I like the tattood, pierced look, and I like the clean uniformed spec ops look, both are very very different, but there is very definately a place in SR for both. I know this because I know plenty of people irl with different 'looks' and tastes, and I know full well they can get on with each other to get a job done regardless of that, heck they can dare I say it, even be friends and be happy to go out for a drink together.

Not to mention that Tim Bradstreet did a crap load of artwork for the published adventures and the Underworld Sourcebook



Bradstreet was one of the better artists

Let's not forget who was contributing some of the original SR1 artwork. None other than, the Painted Man himself, Alex Ross. Now thats name recognition!

You guys are TOTALLy missing my point here. I love shadowrun, and anyone can play it however they want, whether it be street punks or SpecOps or whatever.

All I'm saying, and the whole point of my post is this:

I HATE THE DAMNED PICTURE

It has nothing to do with my perception of the actual game. The picture just sucks.

Oh, one more side note, kiddies. Look at page 109 in that book, look at the Troll's fishnet sandals. Tell me those are cool and you deserve to die.

ShadowPheonix-Gee, thanks, Dad.

P 243 of SR3 has a Shaman all kinds of wired, up The only thing I can think of is like Fiberoptics, but in his hands? I doubt it, so I call him a technoshaman

edit: oh and it's a "Laubenstein" pic as well.

That wacky, wacky guy...
For some reason, the ninja on page 89 of Cannon Companion has always intrigued me. For a while, he was the basis of one of my characters.

Also, the artwork for the Drone RIgger anchetype in SR3 has always amused me. He just looks so happy to be alive. I always imagine him saying, "Fly, my pretties! FLYYYY!"

Totally, that Drone Rigger rocks

Ahh... I remember fondly my days of commanding the drone legions...

But seriously, I think the artwork has taken a grand step up since days of yore,
and I'm glad. Of course, we had to trade the Firearms skill for it, but oh well.

Oh by the way, did anyone see the picture of that troll's fishnet sandals on pg 109
of SSC? Those are fraggin' COOL.

Meh, I liked the older stuff better than a lot of the new stuff (*cough*Sprawl Survival Guide*cough*). Stupid though the guy on SSC may look (in some opinions), he at least looks vaguely realistic.

~J

DROP possums. With HMHVV.

Although i do have to say, i like the little soccer player on page 36.

Or Free Toxic Drop Possum spirits with HMHVV. And lasers.

What's wrong with SSG?

The cover art is reminescent of the weird style popular in the older books like Tir Tairngire and Paranormal Animals of Europe (not that I'm a fan, but still... it's the same as the old style you guys are fawning over). Quite a bit of the interior art is pretty good. I like the arcology scene (p. 7, which also has that retro style from older books), the Brothers Grimm (p. 23, and we should be happy that her breasts don't have any daisies on them), the ad for Karl Kombatmage (p. 26), the ork-elf lovers (p. 50), the cyberscanner (p. 67), and the chaos magic? city spirit (145).

The only really lame ones are the troll in the coffin hotel (p. 15), the weird elf-like thing (p. 20), the trid interview (p. 32), and weird sunglasses boy (p. 100).

It also gave us a look at some things we rarely get to see, like a female ork (p. 89).

But overall, most of the boring art in it is very reminescent of what you find in the old books. So I find it odd that you're praising the art from those books while bashing this one. Very, very odd.