GURPS Logos and Promotional Propaganda?

[ecienavxela]

Hello guys!

As you already know, I'm trying to start a gaming group at my far, remote, and extremely lonely neck of the woods. As such, I'm looking for some GURPS logos, pictures or anything I can print out and stick to my gaming notebooks, chair, and so forth. Are there any of these? The idea is to display these and get someone curious and say "Hey man, what's that?" and I can reply with "GURPS!"... that sort of thing.

All I can find is some "invitation" to play GURPS with a location/sponsor/bring "this" book thing. Is there something else out there?

I hope I'm making sense... thanks in advance!

[ericbsmith]

There's tons of stuff all over the SJGames website. There's Wallpapers and Logos available, there's the GURPS Fourth Edition Logo located at the top of the main GURPS Page, and every GURPS Book has a cover linked from it's description page which could be printed out (such as the Basic Set Characters and Campaigns covers). As for Propaganda to show people, there's all the free material from e23, not to mention the book descriptions from each books page.

[Doktor Teufel]

You could scan the Basic Set books and doctor out the large GURPS logos on them; this goes for any GURPS book with images you might like to use. There should be some miscellaneous logos of various sizes scattered around http://www.sjgames.com/, and you may also want to check the GURPS Web Ring.

You could try doing a Google Image search for the "all-seeing pyramid" or "all-seeing eye", or you can use illuminati-style imagery (Google "fnord" and "principia discordia" to get started there).

Keep in mind, though, that Steve Jackson Games' logos are of course copyrighted. Do not use them for profit or for anything other than personal use.

[ecienavxela]

Thanks for the links guys, but what I'm looking for is something like "action scenes" or something with the GURPS logo/picture on it. This is for another game, but is kinda what I'm looking for.

The best I can see is the GURPS 4E book covers, but that doesn't seem "hot" enough to attract attention. The official 4E logo (the one on the webpage and the one on the books) are good enough too, but still lack "oomph".

Has anyone photoshopped something or another?

[EDIT]
I'm thinking of printing out the "covers" of various 4E books since they are alright, but again, I'm looking for more! If I do find one "cool" enough, I might even have it printed poster-size to hang at the door when game-day comes. As we all know, more pizzaz attracts casual gamers, who I may then convert to the "faith". LOL!

[simon_mas]

Originally Posted by ecienavxela

Thanks for the links guys, but what I'm looking for is something like "action scenes" or something with the GURPS logo/picture on it. This is for another game, but is kinda what I'm looking for.

my advice:
1. download the gurps logo
2. print out the art you like from the internet (that battletech stuff, or fantasy related, or whatever you want to run)
3. cut the gurps logo and paste it on the art, either manually (booo!) or electronically (any graphic program will let you do it).
4. near the logo write: "all of this and more!" so that, together with the logo it will read: "GURPS 4th edition: all of this and more!"
5. scatter around copies of your modified art.
6. live happy.

[Doktor Teufel]

Well, GURPS is a generic system, and as such there isn't much official eye-candy to go along with it, not of the sort you see on posters in Friendly Local Gaming Stores. No one theme is sufficient to represent the GURPS system in general, although there's art out there for specific genres and settings. Therefore, you will probably need to make your own.

I'm a Phtotoshop wiz myself (CorelDRAW, actually), and I can make professional-looking posters and banners of the sort you're talking about. Is there a particular theme you had in mind? I can also make artistic text in many different styles to go along with any project.

[ecienavxela]

Yeah, I suspected as much, due to the "genericness" of GURPS. However, I expected much more than just the book art and the "invitation to game" posters that are up for download. I mean, it's hard enough pushing this game to "DnD gamers" and "twitch gamers" and to those who's idea of RPG is Diablo.

@ Dok: No particular theme in mind, since I've ran futuristic and modern games before. I'm studying up on how magic is done in GURPS, so I'm gearing up for some fantasy games in about 3 months or so. I would prefer some "action-scenes" and the like, anything to catch the eye of a potential gamer or to spice up a game room. I'm not picky.

[Archangel Beth]

Originally Posted by simon_mas

my advice:
2. print out the art you like from the internet (that battletech stuff, or fantasy related, or whatever you want to run)
3. cut the gurps logo and paste it on the art, either manually (booo!) or electronically (any graphic program will let you do it).
4. near the logo write: "all of this and more!" so that, together with the logo it will read: "GURPS 4th edition: all of this and more!"
5. scatter around copies of your modified art.

Step 7, be contacted by a very grouchy artist (or company) and told to cease and desist in using their art to promote your cause, without pay. Just like I'm doing at someone who's snaffled the In Nomine Choir Sigils...

I think you'd do better to ask if you could print out copies of the GURPS book covers for this plan.

[Doktor Teufel]

Originally Posted by Archangel Beth

Step 7, be contacted by a very grouchy artist (or company) and told to cease and desist in using their art to promote your cause, without pay. Just like I'm doing at someone who's snaffled the In Nomine Choir Sigils...

Without pay? Are you serious? There'll be no monies involved in the use of the art whatsoever, so where would you expect the royalties to come from, the interstellar medium? It's private use, a hobbyist intending only to attract other hobbyists. Good luck being awarded an injunction in such a case, especially considering that your legal costs would far outweigh any potential gain from said legal action.

I mean, I could hang In Nomine art I print out from the Internet all over my house, and would you be upset? Why should you? What this fellow is proposing to do is basically the same thing, only he wants his friends (or fellow hobbyists) to appreciate it. It may technically be in violation of something, but as he plans to use the art to decorate his personal effects, it definitely qualifies as "private home use". If he used the art on fliers he hands out in a public arena, then I could see the problem.

And even if he did pass around fliers, it's not for profit. You'd be hard-pressed to get him fined or convicted of anything whatsoever, even if you actually noticed what the person was doing with your art.

Now, is it ethically right or wrong? Frankly, anyone has the right to look at your art. To own an original copy, or a high-quality reproduction, should cost money. But to use something found on the Internet in a low-res printout, not for profit but for a hobby, is completely ethical. If I make a sculpture and place it in my front yard for everyone to see, they can take pictures, make copies, and pass it around to their friends, as long as they don't sell it. Essentially, putting something online is the same as me placing my sculpture in my front yard: as long as no one sells your image or uses it for profit, it's fair use.

My father, a long-time attorney and law professor, is on the phone with me as I speak (just calling to say hello). His reponse to your reaction to this situation is what I would call a "chortle". ;)

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Doktor Teufel

And even if he did pass around fliers, it's not for profit. You'd be hard-pressed to get him fined or convicted of anything whatsoever, even if you actually noticed what the person was doing with your art.

Actully it not hard pressed to get the incution, if you can prove that it 1) your art. 2) who is the person distro the flier.

assuming they ignored a "seice and desits" letter,

outside a fair use in an acdemic/review paper the law is pritty clear in the issue.

now you are unlikly to get much more than that your average liecing fee [based on past work or idstry average] + court costs.