A quick follow up to a feature I ran a year ago on Roger Dean’s Artwork for the computer game “Shadow of the Beast” published by legendary 80’s/90’s 16bit software house Psygnosis. This image is a close up of the highly sought after limited edition T Shirt featuring a graphic bio-mechanical Deer (reinterpreted from the Box Art) and that oh-so-cool Logo Type!
Scan is part of SOTB Boxs Set selection via Flickr User Pocket Clouds. “Psygnosis will never die!” … amen to that! In fact if you remember Psygnosis you might want to check out this superb French tribute site: http://psygnosisamiga.free.fr
Game Box art produced by Peter Andrew Jones, as used for the 16/8 bit title ‘Artura’, published by Gremlin Graphics in 1989. More on the game here: http://www.mobygames.com/game/amiga/artura
Superb pixel illustration / retro game graphics taken from the ground breaking “Dune 2: Battle for Arrakis” considered by many to be the defining RTS game (real-time-strategy game). Dune II was released in 1992 by Westwood Studios who later went on to evolve the game concept into “Command & Conquer” and beyond. These Graphics by Ren Olsen were used to depict the various buildings and units attainable within the game, the actual in game graphics (down to hardware limitations) were representational and quite simple, so Dune II’s real artwork - Ren’s lavish animated cut scenes, menus etc – was necessary to set the mood.
Dune II’s was a hugely immersive experience set within the Dune universe but only loosely based on the Frank Herbert Novels. Basically Westwood deployed a shit-load of creative license and all for the greater good, in fact the game was that good I’m pretty certain that (via emulation) the Battle for Arrakis will still be raging on more than one laptop not too far, far away…
Read more here: http://www.mobygames.com/search/quick?q=dune+2&x=0&y=0
Artist Ren Olsen has a website with other examples of his work, heres a link: http://www.renolsen.com/
Images sourced via http://duneii.com/ an excellent dedicated fan site.
I’d just like to note that in terms of design I’ve always thought this rendition of the Dune desert world and its protagonist’s are – all be it on a smaller scale – every bit of as inventive as David Lynchs much derided 1984 film – and I’ll add also that the depiction of the Saurdakar trooper (2nd down on left) is one of my all time favourite SF designs – dark as hell….
Excellent original Atari Art, I presume for the legendary 2600, that was the wood paneled console with the stiff as hell one button joysticks. The vaporising image is “Defender” and the lower art- if you’ve haven’t guessed – is “Super Breakout”.
Many thanks to Ben at http://www.buhbomp.com/ for supplying the scans.
Another good example of Roger Dean’s leftfield take on Sci-fi demonstrated here with some slightly Alien-esque artwork for the Computer Game “Obliterator”, Another classic Psygnosis title which played as a 2d Platform Puzzle / Shoot-Em-Up. More information at http://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-st/obliterator
