43. A different kind of fantasy (part 1)

+ new job, paper craft and jerrymapping

Long post ahead, read it in your bowser to get the whole thing.

Great news, I got a new job! I now work full-time as a prepress operator which means I check files to make sure they can be printed correctly. It’s not a very creative position but it’s a stable income with some benefits, which is something that was missing from my freelance work. It also means that my availability for new projects has shrunk considerably. Nevertheless, I enjoy designing TTRPG layouts too much to leave it behind so I’ll try to keep a few open slots each year. But I’ll let you know when I have figured out this one. This new step in my career is also going to impact this newsletter.

Working full-time means I’ll have much less to share in terms of actual design work so I need to rethink what I want this newsletter to be. Most notably, the “Fresh off the grid” section is becoming a special section only featured whenever I have projects to showcase, whether personal or professional. “What’s your type(face)?” is probably going to become the main focus, which is not necessarily a bad thing as I know it’s the main appeal of this newsletter for a lot of you. I might also start writing about TTRPG layout if I find the time and inspiration. “Creative fuel” will become more detailed as I will certainly need new creative outlets to compensate for my less creative job.

I hope you’ll enjoy this slightly updated version of the newsletter.

What’s your type(face)?

Last month I decided that instead of the usual themed selection of typefaces I wanted to take a closer look at staples of TTRPG graphic design and try to find new ways to explore their respective themes. You voted for a different kind of fantasy so we’ll get started with the biggest representative of the genre: Dungeons & Dragons.

Since the release of its first edition in 1974, D&D’s influence has been and still is undeniable. Even though the tone of the game has shifted with each release, the core aim of the game is to take players on epic quests where heroic adventurers risk their lives for glory and riches. For better or for worse this has set the standard and defined expectations of what TTRPG are both for those familiar with the hobby and the uninitiated. With more than 5O years of existence, the game and its visual language have evolved to follow trends and define new ones, so let’s look at the face of the game: its wordmark!¹

1. Dungeons & Dragons (1974)

The name of the game is set on a single line in a bright red slab/Egyptian font in full caps reminiscent of the Victorian era. The ampersand (“&”) is already there but isn’t stylised and is simply set in the same font as the rest of the text. Even though covers of that era were going in all sorts of directions typography-wise and fantasy didn't have one set look, this kind of ornamental font doesn’t really scream dungeon crawling and dragon fighting if you ask me. But the use of Victorian-like typography was probably meant to evoke gothic literature (some classics of the genre were published during this period): dark castles, haunting wraiths and a sense of mystery, elements that are all integral to the game experience.

2. Dungeons & Dragons BECMI (1983)

This new edition uses a similar slab for its wordmark, with slightly less details (notice the bumps on the midpoints of each letters are gone) which makes it more modern. The outline of the letters has become a slight drop shadow which also helps the typography move away from classic Victorian slabs. The two “D” are slightly bigger than the other letters, creating a sort of weird small caps look. The dragon ampersand makes its entrance and to be quite honest I don’t think they ever topped this one. I love its simple efficiency and how the stroke drawing the burst of flame recalls the one in the letters. It’s also interesting to notice the two words are now stacked vertically, with the placement of the ampersand making the abbreviation to “D&D” more of an evidence (people were likely already using the abbreviation and this was probably just meant to go with the flow).

This iteration is important because it established the foundations for all future wordmarks for the D&D brand: the dragon ampersand, the vertical stack and a trendy display font.²

3. Dungeons & Dragons 3rd ed. (2000)

And now for a massive change, out with the Victorian slab, in with the textured 3D medieval-inspired lettering! The vertical stack of the title is emphasised by the sword upon which rests the sadly squashed ampersand which almost blends with the background. This version of the wordmark follows a trend observed in popular CRPG like Baldur’s Gate (1998), Planescape: Torment (1999) and Icewind Dale (2000) that also used this textured 3D look for their titles. You’ll notice that styling your cover like that of an ancient tome was all the rage back then.³

4. Dungeons & Dragons 4th ed. (2008)

In my opinion this is the weakest D&D wordmark as it removed all of its weirdness to try and broaden the appeal of the brand.⁴ The result is a weird blocky half-sans serif, half-slab with a few flourishes. The ornaments filling the “O” have been carried over from the 3rd edition design, the “R” and “A” are holding hands because whatever, and the pointy/blocky slabs look like they were forged by dwarves.⁵ Also why is only the “u” in lowercase??? The ampersand was moved back between the two “D” but because it’s the same colour as the divider separating the two words it feels like a background element. You can guess I don’t like this version of the logo.

5. Dungeons & Dragons 5th ed. (2014)

We finally arrive at the current version of the wordmark: I like the serif font and its callback to 80s fantasy (or what we currently associate with 80s fantasy); I think the serifs on the “D” curving upwards is a nice touch; the divider is gone which makes sense since it would feel redundant with the wide serifs; although I’m happy the ampersand has become the star of the show I don’t like how aggressive it feels. But in all fairness the condensed wordmark is absolutely killer.

Going beyond the tropes

In my humble opinion the D&D wordmark for the third edition is the one with the most personality, and it’s all been tamer and tamer since then. Here are some ideas to explore for anyone sitting on the complete manuscript of a fantasy heartbreaker and who’s eager to make it feel weird (meant in the most endearing way):

1. Look at other time periods and art movements: fantasy doesn’t have to be gothic or medieval, it can be Bauhaus, Pop Art or even y2k.

2. Fantasy isn’t confined to adventures: it can be about other grand emotions such as romance but also mundane activities like cooking.

3. Don’t be afraid to play with texture (although do apply some restraint if you want it to feel contemporary, otherwise crank those bevels).

4. Keep in mind that a wordmark is still text so do try to maintain some legibility (or at least make sure it’s impossible to confuse it for something else).

I have to add a massive caveat to these tips: it’s almost certain that the D&D wordmarks were based on existing typefaces that were redesigned to fit the brand’s need so don’t expect a font to be that eye-catching straight out of the box. Colour, size and connectedness are great starting points for experimentation.⁶

• Trickster: this one feels like an obvious choice but its horns and dripping strokes bring an extra amount of eeriness and esotericism.

• Migaela: I never thought I would enjoy a Christmas font and yet here we are. The swashes and flourishes are perfect to conjure up images of epic adventures.

• Blocktag: if you want to make a game about swords and other slashing weapons, just use a font that looks like it’s made of perfectly crafted blades.

• HYPED (+ Jost): and now for something completely different: Bauhaus D&D! I’ll admit I’m very proud I managed to make it look like a dungeon map.

Trickster

Migaela

Blocktag

HYPED for the caps, Jost* for the rest

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Next time we’ll look at other fantasy games and how they tried to make their wordmarks stand out (or not).

Creative fuel

• I cannot stop looking at these envelopes designed to accompany the release of themed stamps.

• This short animation randomly appeared in my YouTube feed and I think it’s very cool.

• I haven’t seen the Backrooms film but I’m very tempted to buy its companion zine featuring The Yellow Wallpaper, a short story I read in uni and really liked.

• People Make Games made a fantastic documentary about Jerry’s Maps. The video also talks about legacy and what we make of it in a very sincere and moving way.

• Here’s a collage paper knight I made on a bored afternoon.

That’s it for this month, thanks for reading!

1. Here I will only comment on the versions of the wordmark that marked a strong shift for their predecessor.

2. It was also the first D&D logo I ever laid eyes on when my father gave me his copy of the books so you’ll understand I’m slightly biased in its favour.

3. And these games were all inspired by or even based on the rules of D&D so it’s a perfect full-circle moment.

4. It’s quite known that the game design of 4e was influenced by World of Warcraft so it makes sense they were trying to find some sort of visual common denominator.

5. Insert meme about elves being art nouveau and dwarves being art deco.

6. Head over to Explorers Design for more info on the topic.