Fleet Operations Box Art (Version 3)
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posted on April 24th, 2011, 1:00 pm
Last edited by Stylsy on April 25th, 2011, 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
I first created a box art for Fleet Ops in 2006, then made a second in 2008. With recently grabbing the latest version of the mod and sticking it on a DVD with an backup image of the Armada II disk I felt like creating another one, especially since my old files are long since lost. Thanks to DOCa Cola sending me the Fleet Ops logos I have made a whole set for a DVD case that I thought I'd share.
General Notes
In order to 'future proof' these, I have avoided referencing version numbers and specific features that were part of the latest patch. Instead I've focused on the overall main features of the mod. I've also gone for the feel that Fleet Ops *is* Armada II and a true successor to the first game (which in my view it is anyway).
Some people get confused between Games for Windows and Games for Windows Live. GfW Live is the online matchmaking/multiplayer systems some games use which is loathed by many for being unreliable and awkward. Games for Windows branding however as used here is used on non GfW Live games that pass a set of standards such as being easy to install, fully compatible with Windows Vista and 7 etc. As the guys making the mod have achieved this, I felt it was worthy of being marked as such. In addition it will look fitting against the other great RTS games on my shelf (Company of Heroes, Dawn of War II and World in Conflict) which all have GfW branding. However if people are against it, I could always put out a version without it on rather easily.
Box Art
When I made my last box art, I was following the style of the Armada II box (Ships warping away from an exploding Borg ship). I used model renders from Star Trek Legacy to create the scene which were badly scaled and at odd angles. There was no 'action' on the cover either apart from an exploding Borg cube so I think overall it let the box down.
This time, I wanted to go back to the original Armada box with ships actually engaging the Borg. I wanted more ships though to actually represent 'Armada' and I put a Borg station as the target to reflect that the game is more than just ship to ship combat. In addition, I wanted the Dominion on the cover as they are a major addition to the game so I put some ships into the scene 'crashing the party' by attacking the Federation while getting indiscriminatingly targeted by the Borg themselves.
I used shots of the ships from the game itself this time, just grouping them closer together while doing my best not to loose the perspective and scale. Originally I put in more weapons fire but it made the cover look too 'busy' and the ships were getting drowned out by the effects. Hopefully I've got the right balance.
In keeping with the original Armada box feel, I put the race logos on the back and put the main picture to be an in-game shot with features and additions annotated to it. I made sure all races were represented but apologies to Klingon fans as they are relegated to mining duty. (Originally there were Klingon ships in the nebula but I couldn't get them into the cropped scene.) Also, in order to give it a 'real game' feel I put the copyright blurb, system requirements and PEGI rating on the box (which is the same as the Armada II rating).
DVD Label
Pretty standard fare here, like the Armada disks just kept it pretty simple since you don't spend much time looking at the disk anyway!
Insert Card
I wanted to create something to go inside the box so it wasn't just plain but there doesn't seem much point in writing a manual since the online guide here is far better than anything I could write. I decided to go for a one page information insert which is populated with information taken from the homepage, as well as referencing the site, forums and the guide.
It prints pretty well on card and should clip inside a standard DVD case.
High Quality PDF Downloads
Pack with Games for Windows and PEGI Logos
Pack without Games for Windows and PEGI Logos (via Megaupload)
General Notes
In order to 'future proof' these, I have avoided referencing version numbers and specific features that were part of the latest patch. Instead I've focused on the overall main features of the mod. I've also gone for the feel that Fleet Ops *is* Armada II and a true successor to the first game (which in my view it is anyway).
Some people get confused between Games for Windows and Games for Windows Live. GfW Live is the online matchmaking/multiplayer systems some games use which is loathed by many for being unreliable and awkward. Games for Windows branding however as used here is used on non GfW Live games that pass a set of standards such as being easy to install, fully compatible with Windows Vista and 7 etc. As the guys making the mod have achieved this, I felt it was worthy of being marked as such. In addition it will look fitting against the other great RTS games on my shelf (Company of Heroes, Dawn of War II and World in Conflict) which all have GfW branding. However if people are against it, I could always put out a version without it on rather easily.
Box Art
When I made my last box art, I was following the style of the Armada II box (Ships warping away from an exploding Borg ship). I used model renders from Star Trek Legacy to create the scene which were badly scaled and at odd angles. There was no 'action' on the cover either apart from an exploding Borg cube so I think overall it let the box down.
This time, I wanted to go back to the original Armada box with ships actually engaging the Borg. I wanted more ships though to actually represent 'Armada' and I put a Borg station as the target to reflect that the game is more than just ship to ship combat. In addition, I wanted the Dominion on the cover as they are a major addition to the game so I put some ships into the scene 'crashing the party' by attacking the Federation while getting indiscriminatingly targeted by the Borg themselves.
I used shots of the ships from the game itself this time, just grouping them closer together while doing my best not to loose the perspective and scale. Originally I put in more weapons fire but it made the cover look too 'busy' and the ships were getting drowned out by the effects. Hopefully I've got the right balance.
In keeping with the original Armada box feel, I put the race logos on the back and put the main picture to be an in-game shot with features and additions annotated to it. I made sure all races were represented but apologies to Klingon fans as they are relegated to mining duty. (Originally there were Klingon ships in the nebula but I couldn't get them into the cropped scene.) Also, in order to give it a 'real game' feel I put the copyright blurb, system requirements and PEGI rating on the box (which is the same as the Armada II rating).
DVD Label
Pretty standard fare here, like the Armada disks just kept it pretty simple since you don't spend much time looking at the disk anyway!
Insert Card
I wanted to create something to go inside the box so it wasn't just plain but there doesn't seem much point in writing a manual since the online guide here is far better than anything I could write. I decided to go for a one page information insert which is populated with information taken from the homepage, as well as referencing the site, forums and the guide.
It prints pretty well on card and should clip inside a standard DVD case.
High Quality PDF Downloads
Pack with Games for Windows and PEGI Logos
Pack without Games for Windows and PEGI Logos (via Megaupload)
posted on April 24th, 2011, 1:01 pm
Oh, and as an added bonus, I present the Fleet Ops Enthusiast Box Art!
posted on April 24th, 2011, 1:04 pm
Awesome! Very, very nice 
posted on April 24th, 2011, 1:04 pm
posted on April 24th, 2011, 1:24 pm
Tyler wrote:Very nice, but the weapons of the Assimilation Matrix are a bit suspect...
those are the adapted photons i believe, little green torps, almost pulses. 3 are in view, and 3 are fired in a volley in game, they also multitarget i believe.
about GfW, that is a microsoft owned brand and all games that display the GfW banner have to be certified by microsoft. this could never be an official cover. im sure if microsoft checked fleetops against their scheme it would pass, they might even charge for the use of the banner.
same with pegi i believe, pegi's ratings body havnt considered fleetops, as its changed from a2 the original pegi rating is irrelevant.
otherwise it looks really nice.
really good workposted on April 24th, 2011, 1:30 pm
posted on April 24th, 2011, 1:54 pm
posted on April 24th, 2011, 2:08 pm
Last edited by Anonymous on April 24th, 2011, 2:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
posted on April 24th, 2011, 2:16 pm
hehe, nice work
posted on April 24th, 2011, 2:50 pm
Looks really nice 
Yup, Tyler, those 'Adapted Photons' are in fact Klingon Pulses to my knowledge
Yup, Tyler, those 'Adapted Photons' are in fact Klingon Pulses to my knowledge
posted on April 24th, 2011, 3:09 pm
posted on April 24th, 2011, 3:12 pm
posted on April 24th, 2011, 3:23 pm
posted on April 24th, 2011, 5:18 pm
well i think the icon was just added for humoristic reasons to look like most other commercial game discs
posted on April 24th, 2011, 5:41 pm
nice work
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