Cover artists

[StooB]

Baron: Peters & Zabransky
Per inlay

http://www.zx81stuff.org.uk/zx81/tape/Baron

Peters & Zabransky is a business.

Baron is missing from ZXDB/SC. See the Little Bugs... 3 thread.

Spectrum version has the same cover:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.php?cat=96&id=423

[Rorthron]

Admiral Graf Spee: Peters & Zabransky
Per inlay

Peters & Zabransky is a business.

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Godzilla and the Martians: Peters & Zabransky

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Super Scramble (Software Farm): Wright H... (second word illegible in scan)
Per inlay

https://www.zx81stuff.org.uk/zx81/tape/ ... .Cover.jpg

[druellan]

Outlaw
Partial (?) signature reads "GRAB"

As always this is an interesting one!

First, the artist name is Grabuge, you can peek the complete name on the Atari ST version of the inlay, and he is also credited for Knight Force's inlay: http://retrogameart.eklablog.com/grabuge-c68225



Then, the only author credited is Martin Severn from Bizarre Computer Productions, but inside the game Bizzare is credited for the code, and Martin Severn (Jabba) for the graphics. SPOT/SPEX has this information: Bizzare <Bizarre Computer Productions (UK)>



So:
Code by Bizzare from team Bizarre Computer Productions
Graphics by Jabba Severn
Loading Screen by Jabba Severn

Also: Design by Infogrames. This game is an official conversion of Wanted, an Amiga or Atari ST original by Infogrames, so that must be the tie-in license.

[Rorthron]

Great work!

Grabuge seems to have illustrated several French titles per this site: http://gameboxcolor.blogspot.com/2016/1 ... abuge.html

So we can add him as cover artist to:

Galactic Conqueror (unreleased)
Titan (confirmed by signature)
Crazy Cars II
Purple Saturn Day

I've also found some more inlay artists for French titles....

Crazy Cars (Titus): Olivier Corviole
Per Corviole O signature
See also this link: http://gameboxcolor.blogspot.com/2016/1 ... titus.html

Fire and Forget: Olivier Corviole
Per this link: http://gameboxcolor.blogspot.com/2016/1 ... titus.html

Androide: Rho
Per signature

Intercepteur Cobalt (first version): Rho
Per signature

Lombrix: Rho
Per signature

3D Mover: Rho
Per signature

BTW we're missing a lot of French inlays

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Macadam Bumper (Players): Peter Austin
Per PJA89 signature

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Fire and Forget II (unreleased): Jean-Pierre Ferté
Per http://gameboxcolor.blogspot.com/2016/1 ... titus.html

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Pengy: Gareth Morgan
Per inlay

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Nodes of Yesod, Arc of Yesod and Robin of the Wood: Gerry Fisher
Per https://stevewetherill.com/2014/09/17/h ... -spectrum/

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

I strongly suspect I.C.U.P.S. is also by Gerry Fisher. Hypaball might also be one of his.

This interview seems to suggest Fisher did all Odin's artwork in 1985-1986:

https://planetsinclair.meulie.net/indus ... rviews.htm

✓ Reviewed

[Juan F. Ramirez]

I strongly suspect I.C.U.P.S. is also by Gerry Fisher. Hypaball might also be one of his.

This interview seems to suggest Fisher did all Odin's artwork in 1985-1986:

https://planetsinclair.meulie.net/indus ... rviews.htm

Planet Sinclair! One of the first Spectrum sites I've ever visited, back in the 90's... memories!

[Rorthron]

Giant's Revenge: Frankie Carney
Per inlay

There is also some additional information on roles:

GIANT'S REVENGE by Chris Kerry
COMPUTER GRAPHICS DESIGN by Steve & Chris Kerry
FRONT COVER DESIGN by Frankie Carney

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

The House that Jack Built: Brian Wall
Per inlay

Plus an additional credit for Steve Kerry on graphics:

THE HOUSE JACK BUILT by Chris Kerry
Computer Graphics by Steve and Chris Kerry
Front cover Design by Brian Wall.

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Jack and the Beanstalk: Frankie Carney
Per inlay

Again there is additional information on roles:

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK by Chris Kerry
COMPUTER GRAPHICS DESIGN by Steve & Chris Kerry
FRONT COVER DESIGN by Frankie Carney

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

Mega Fruit: Frankie Carney
Per inlay

Also an additional credit for Mik Smith:

MEGA FRUIT by Bob Hitching
SCENARIO by Mik Smith
FRONT COVER DESIGN by Frankie Carney

✓ Reviewed

[Rorthron]

MANTRONIX

Per inlay:
"Artwork by Bax Studio of Croydon"

There is also a signature (under the planet), but I can't decipher it.

✓ Reviewed

[StooB]

Super Scramble (Software Farm): Wright H... (second word illegible in scan)
Per inlay

https://www.zx81stuff.org.uk/zx81/tape/ ... .Cover.jpg

Looks like "Wright Place" to me.

[druellan]

Prison Riot - Jon Clark
Per partial Jon C signature

I'm a bit unsure about this one. For sure the signature looks like "n C."



But I'm having problems trying to find another similar signature. Jon Clark seems to have another one:


Saigon Combat Unit


European Soccer Challenge

So, in the end, I'm having a second thought crediting him for the inlay based on that.

[druellan]

* SNOWBALL (1983). On the ZXDB we have Godfrey Dowson credited as the artist. However this refers to a re-release of the game in a proper box, not to the amateurish first release of the game. According to the instructions manual on the DB the original artwork is by Tim Noyce and Peter Sherwood. I think this information should be added.

Done!
Also, there is proof of a re-release of the game, but on the ZXDB one 1983 release is listed.
We can add a second release. Based on the story about the cover art below, we can conclude the second release happened around 1984, after Return to Eden's release.

* RETURN TO EDEN (1984). According to this blog, the cover artist is Godfrey Dowson. Link: http://ifguide.if-legends.org/essays/Level-9.html

The same text is also referred on the Return To Eden Wikipedia entry for Silicon Dreams trilogy. Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Dreams

The game's first cover depicted a robot fighting a monster plant in Enoch. The robot resembled a comic book character, so to avoid legal troubles, Level 9 commissioned Godfrey Dowson to do a new cover. Dowson's illustration depicted another robot in the jungle looking towards Enoch. Level 9 was not satisfied with the result and asked Dowson to do it again. They liked the third cover so much, they hired Dowson to do artwork for the re-release of their old games as well as for their future titles.

Other interesting things about this entry, first, the only author credited is James Horsler as in-game artists. Seems odd because there is no reference of his involvement in the manual. Instead, Tim Noyce is credited as follows: "Pictures (some versions only) : Tim Noyce"
Looks like a system confusion, but I decided to leave both as in-game artists.

As on Snowball, this game has a re-release with the improved inlay art, but only one release is listed on the ZXDB. Not sure about the re-release year, since there are articles on the magazines dated 1985 still with the old art.

[Rorthron]

I'm a bit unsure about this one. For sure the signature looks like "n C."

I'm having a second thought crediting him for the inlay based on that.

Fair enough.

I think you can make out a curved small letter before this, which would probably have to be e, o or n in the context. I also thought there was part of a crossbar overhanging the partial curved letter, but this isn't quite so clear, so I could have been mistaken. If the crossbar is there, that would imply J or T before the other letters, giving Jen, Jon, Ten or Ton as the options. Since Players seems to have used a small pool of artists which included Jon Clark, I thought Jon C was probable.

The signature is different, but artists sometimes vary signatures and the other two aren't quite the same, either.

But it's not certain, so no problem if you want to omit it.

[PeterJ]

Please use Cover Artists 2 for new reports.

Thanks

[druellan]

* GNOME RANGER (1987). Original graphics: Godfrey Dowson. Taken from the instructions at Gamesdatabase (although it is an Amstrad CPC url, it is a multisystem manual). Link: https://www.gamesdatabase.org/Media/SYS ... puting.pdf).

I can see Pete McBride credited for the text. Level 9 used to provide a small novella with their games, so seems fair to credit him for the "story writing". Looking at the database we don't have a "Pete McBride" but a "Peter K. McBride", programmer but also author of several Spectrum books and guides. On the Ingrid's Back novella he is credited as "P. K. McBride", so, confirmed they are the same person.

* KNIGHT ORC (1987). Although Atari Legend website credits Steve Weston as the cover artist (Link: https://www.atarilegend.com/games/games ... me_id=3408), according to the instructions manual the game credits on the art department are as follow:

Original Paintings: Godfrey Dowson
Additional artwork: Neil Strudwick and Stuart Lee
Poster: Paul Human

I think "Additional artwork" is probably related to the graphic design on the manual, and the inlay/poster art authors are Godfrey Dowson and Paul Human.
Also on the manual: "Map and Testing: Andrew Deeley" I can credit him as "level design".

* INGRID'S BACK (1988). Cover picture. Godfrey Dowson. Ingrid design: Pete Austin, Peter McBride, Godfrey Dowson as it is credited on the instructions manual.

Wow, credits are completely empty on the database! Time to fill everything

* TIME AND MAGIK (1988).Pictures: Godfrey Dowson, Neil Strudwick as it is credited on the instructions manual.

On the ZXDB the author is just "Level 9 Computing", but the manual has some interesting insights:

Game designs: Sue Gazzard, David Williamson, Pete Austin
Game program: Pete Austin, Mike Austin, Simon Aspinall
Adventure System: Mike Austin
Transport to your micro:Nick Austin, Mike Bryant (*)
Pictures: Godfrey Dowson, Neil Strudwick

* SCAPEGHOST (1989). Cover picture: Godfrey Dowson as it is credited on the instructions manual.

Another title without authors, now complete with roles Nice!

(*) I was searching about that "transport to your micro" role, and Level 9 seems to be the only company to ever use that term
My interpretation is that "systems" or "adventure system" is referring to the base multisystem toolset they used to create the first version of the adventure, and "Transport to your Micro" are the engineers that transpilled that adventure to the final system.

[Audionautas]

Excellent [mention]druellan[/mention] !!!

[druellan]

Tintin on the Moon

Other credits in the instructions contradict the information in SC/ZXDB:

Graphics: Didier CHANFRAY
Program: Daniel CHARPY, Philippe NOTTOLI
Music: Charles CALLET
Marketing: Veronique GENOT

I'm not entirely sure those credits are for the Spectrum version. The game style spells NIck Bruty/David Perry all over the place, but also, on MobyGames those authors are credited for the C64 and DOS versions: https://www.mobygames.com/game/c64/tint ... on/credits
Since the instructions seems to be multisystem, I prefer not to change that until proper confirmation.

Other credits in the instructions contradict the information in SC/ZXDB:

Graphics: Didier CHANFRAY
Program: Daniel CHARPY, Philippe NOTTOLI
Music: Charles CALLET
Marketing: Veronique GENOT

I think the authors need to be changed in SC/ZXDB. (Note SPOT/SPEX also contradicts SC/ZXDB and agrees with the instructions.)

David Perry and Nick Bruty handled the Spectrum port of Tintin, the credits in the instructions are most likely from the original Amiga game.

This!