Hey everybody!Ã, I'm posting this for those people out there who, like me, have either too much time on their hands or just get a kick out of doing stuff like this.
Recently I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the ultra-talented Dan Lee (of Monkey Island fan art fame, check out his work here (http://www.worldofmi.com/features/fan/art/index.php?artist=3)) had done some art for Ben Jordan:
(http://www.grundislavgames.com/fin.jpg)
Naturally, I figured this would make some neat box art, and I got to work designing some.Ã, After some trial and error, I managed to get a pretty nice result.
So, if you too want to make your own box art, here's how!
First, make a template.Ã, I recommend opening up a new image in Photoshop or PSP or what have you, roughly 8 x 9.5 inches for the front cover, and about 7.8 x whatever the automatic resize does for the back.Ã, (This way it will fit inside the front cover.)
Leave a border of 1.5 inches for the flaps, and design your art in the resulting box in the center.Ã, Put some stuff on the flaps if you like, preferably the game title and a screenshot or two.Ã, Leave some squares in the corners, you'll need these for the folding later.Ã,Â
An example of the layout I used:
(http://www.grundislavgames.com/crap/boxartfront.jpg)
Once you've designed your front and back covers, get some posterboard, or any paper thicker than normal printer paper, but less thick than cardboard, and print them out.Ã, Cut out your template, and trim off the excess white paper.Ã, Cut some slits in the square areas (the pink ones in my example) running along the horizontal line between the top and bottom of the box, creating some flaps.Ã, Next, fold into a box shape along the lines.Ã, Once you've done that, glue the flaps onto the inside of the box to give it shape.Ã, Repeat the process with the slightly smaller back cover, and you're all set!
Your results may vary, but this is what I ended up with:
(http://www.grundislavgames.com/crap/box1.jpg)
(http://www.grundislavgames.com/crap/box2.jpg)
(http://www.grundislavgames.com/crap/box3.jpg)
So get to it, and show us all your own custom made game boxes!
Excellent result :D
I'll try one day, though no doubt i'll manage to screw it up
No doubt you could grab a few sales of "BJ in a box!", particularly if the phrase was used without mentioning an adventure game.
They'd make nice purchases, collectables, or AGS prizes. Just be wary of distributing if you've got the T-is-for-teenager logo on there, the ESRB can be a real bastard with that.
Nice art!
You forgot to mention AGS on the box. Surely it deserves a blue cup somewhere at least?
Also, the 'Skunk Ape' text is unreadable.
Cool idea. Now make the CD label and the feelies!
Wow, awesome artwork. When you finish the last episode of Ben Jordan you should compile all the games on one cd-/dvd-rom and sell them in a box like this (along with a nice paranormal investigator handbook on all the topics from the games, including the witch code from BJ3). I think a lot of people would buy that, especially with some special features added. You could call it "The Ben Jordan Case Files" or something like that.
I must agree with TheYak that you should change the ESRB logos into your own designs (and make it clear it's a recommendation, not an official rating). At least if you plan on putting the box anywhere but on your own bookshelf.
Nah, this box is purely for my own entertainment purposes. I'm not going to sell the game(s).
Too bad. I hope you'll at least supply the cover in PDF or other printer-friendly format along with BJ1 Deluxe so we can create our own boxes. And what's "Ben Jordan: The Movie" that's mentioned on the back of the box?
Edit: An alternate solution could be to reformat it slightly so it would fit as a one-sheet cover for a dvd case? I'm sure more people would happily print out a single sheet than go through the trouble of printing on cardboard, fold and glue it.
Nice purse on the doorhandle, by the way. :=
That looks really cool. That is great art. The box looks awesome grundislav :)
Yes, I am going to provide the template once I finish the deluxe version so people can make their own boxes, and possibly also design a slipcase for a DVD/CD.
Ben Jordan The Movie is a movie version of case 1 that I did in The Movies. I'm planning on burning it to the CD I put in this box just to have that "extra" feel to it.
And thank you, it is a nice purse, isn't it?
You can get a slightly better fold on the edges if you line up a straightedge on the back side along the line (metal rulers work great) and run a blunt object down the line before folding (its technically called scoring). A PDA stylus or a dead ball-point works the best. Make sure you leave a visible indentation there. Then your box will fold very neatly at the edges, that's how the professionals do it, albeit with a big machine.
Looks awesome Grundislav, a superb design and the final result is great!!
Can't wait til the super quiz .^^ Ã, :-X
You can also get a better corner by folding the top like a pizza box.
(http://www.kweepa.com/step/ags/images/boxfold.png)
I actually made one for the zero hero ages back, i'll try to dig it out.
I wanna try! :o
Seriously, I think that'll be great to get some of my own games their own gamebox! *throws in a party*
~Yurina
Have you looked into getting any art board from craft shops and the like?
You can buy sheets of dense card about 2-3mm thick which you could paste your printed artwork onto to get a thicker, sturdier box.
Just my 2p.
I tried some thicker paper, but the problem was it got stuck in my printer, so the best I could do was with the posterboard. It's pretty sturdy as it is. Granted, it's not as think as a real box, but it isn't flimsy either.
Go to Kinko's or your local printing store. Then put the final copy up on your wall or shelf, like my shelf of LucasArts gaming glory as I like to call it. With all kinds of gaming knickknacks and of course games from LucasArts over the years. And nobody even think about coming over and stealing it, because I have two turrets on defense as well as a security cat that may or may not have been declawed.
You decide.
Wait, what was I saying? Oh yes.. go to Kinko's. Bring the Photoshop file on a cd, and have them do the work. You'll be glad you did.
Quote from: Grundislav on Sat 15/07/2006 19:04:21
I tried some thicker paper, but the problem was it got stuck in my printer, so the best I could do was with the posterboard. It's pretty sturdy as it is. Granted, it's not as think as a real box, but it isn't flimsy either.
Ah, crossed wires! You could print on thinner paper and then glue it to the thicker card.
That was actually the first thing I tried! But the glue made the paper all wrinkly and mushy, leading me to print on thicker paper.
Grundislav, that is really nice. This reminded me of the time when i was 15/16 years old and i was actually working on a catalog for an adventure game i was working on in BASIC. Man, i worked on that game for years, but just gave up on it. But my dad found the catalog in his basement and i just scanned it in. Wow, it really sucks. he he
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/skeith2572/manual.png)
Shawn
edit: you have to really admire my hand-drawn screenshots. :)
Hehe that's great. Hand-drawn screenshots are the best!
That's some fantabulous artwork. You should see if you can get him to do some cutscene art for the deluxe version ;)
I personally don't care how much this sucks. But I had so friggin much fun doing it. :D
(http://koti.mbnet.fi/paapeli/BWB%20Box.JPG)
I only have the front cover finished though.
Can something that involves beer really be rated E?
That's what I want to know.
I also suggest a parental advisory sticker for sexual themes and violence to go with the E-rating :D
I saw some of those and decided to make one.
(http://joelphilippage.googlepages.com/DSCF0346.JPG)
(http://joelphilippage.googlepages.com/DSCF0347.JPG)
It dosent have much purpose but it was pretty fun.
Joel, double check your spelling on your packaging. I have already spotted a few mistakes, but your box looks good.
Shawn
Yea after I finished it I read through it again. but I really dont want to do that all over.
I couldn't resist posting this here. A very talented friend of mine put together some Spooks "box art" for me:
(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/The_Ivy/SpooksBox-small.jpg)
Fits a standard DVD case. Now you can give the gift of Spooks!
Haha, that looks so cool! :)
Neat stuff!
Hehe, I like Domino's one: "Coming in 1990".
Hurry up, you are 17 years behind the time!
I am sad to say that The Quest IV, which was due out in 1990 has been canceled. It was a one man project written entirely in BASIC. I pretty much just gave up on it. :=
(http://homepage.eircom.net/~limpingfish/cover001.jpg)
Sorry about the nasty quality of the photo. :P
You cover looks good Fish! But the back could have more info.