This is a really interesting glimpse into the ethereal world of marketing and art direction, but I'm not sure if I agree with the conclusions. If anything, it points to the fact that every branding decision comes with a set of tradeoffs; for example, while the new logo might be more symbolically representative of the game and more cohesive in terms of the angles, the 2nd logo's unboundedness makes the game seem less corporate and more playful. Logo #3 just screams "Hearthstone wannabe" to me, while logo #2 is much more like something I'd want to play. (Thumbs up for the European Aero mockup, though, that made me chuckle!)
(Incidentally, branding aside, this article piqued my interest in the game. Is it worth a play?)
(I am not affiliated with Dinosaur Games in any way. Just a fan of the game.)
> (Incidentally, branding aside, this article piqued my interest in the game. Is it worth a play?)
I've been playing the game on and off for a month or so (since their A Pixel Artist Renounces Pixel Art post went viral). I think it's really nice. From what I've read they wanted to create a game with simple rules and lots of emergent complexity, and they definitely succeeded with that. Even without a story mode, it's quite engaging, and self-balancing (the difficulty level rises the more you win but goes down again if you start losing too much). There are still a few flaws, but nothing jarring, and I think the developers are aware and are still actively improving the game. I'd really like to see their ongoing Kickstarter to succeed (which would add an actual story mode and some other things), but unfortunately it's not looking promising so far. With or without the story mode, definitely worth a shot!
Quest Mode is happening either way, it just might take a little longer...or a lot longer. However, we really believe in it. Personally, I'm really excited for it.
It's intriguing how perceptions are different though: both logos screamed "fantasy-themed indie game" to me, and yet I'd have never associated the second logo with bashing monsters into water if he hadn't pointed it out.
(Incidentally, branding aside, this article piqued my interest in the game. Is it worth a play?)
EDIT: For more excellent graphic-design-related content like this, check out Valve's DotA2 art guide: http://media.steampowered.com/apps/dota2/workshop/Dota2Chara...