Adventure Gamers unveils its new logo announcement
One of the most distinctive elements of Adventure Gamers over the years has been our beloved logo. Designed by the legendary Bill Tiller (best known for LucasArts classics like The Curse of Monkey Island and The Dig, as well as his own studio work like A Vampyre Story and this year’s Duke Grabowski), the logo has always stood as a clear representation of the adventurer’s spirit that defines the site’s vision.
In time, the logo’s golden statuette rose to individual prominence by becoming our actual Aggie Award. No longer merely a McGuffin for adventurous treasure seekers, it became the most coveted treasure of all each year. (An acknowledgement given to developers, but clearly rewarding us all!)
Needless to say, the logo has long since become an integral part of AG’s very fabric… and yet, like many older things, it was beginning to show signs of age. Lost to history was the original artwork, leaving us only with small-scale versions to use in display. And as both the genre and the website have continued to grow and expand and diversify, our creaky old symbol was beginning to buckle under the pressure of modernization.
So we had a choice: to update, or not to update? Do we fix what ain’t broke with a new logo altogether, merely slap a new coat of paint over the flaking and peeling original, or maintain the status quo (we do know how much adventure gamers love clinging to tradition!). And if we did decide to forge ahead, who could we trust to do as good a job as Bill did originally?
The answer to the latter was the easiest to resolve: none other than Bill Tiller himself, who graciously agreed to design an updated version! In consultation with AG staff, the end result is more than we could have hoped for. The replacement logo represents the best of both worlds, maintaining the spirit and general style of the original while also adding and enhancing certain elements and giving it a level of unprecedented polish in glorious HD.
And so, without further ado, we are pleased to unveil the new and improved Adventure Gamers logo.
So what’s different this time around? Who better than Bill to describe the changes personally, along with the thought processes behind them.
The skull idol is now the main focus, as it represents the ultimate goal of adventure, which is the reward.
There are now three characters instead of two, of varied ethnicities. The man on the right symbolizes marshal grit and preparedness, and with his machete and rope he is ready to surmount any obstacle. The woman in the forefront is a Mesoamerican. She too wants to navigate through dangerous territory, her torch representing a shining light into dark, mysterious places. In her other hand is a ceremonial staff which represents faith and the more magical or spiritual aspects of so many games. The third man holding a map is a Turkish scholar who stands for exploration, scholarship and intellectual pursuits – the need for knowledge to solve puzzles and mysteries.
The jungle setting represents hindrance and challenge, as well as hidden places that need to be explored. Vampire bats in the upper right pose danger, and the monkey on top of the idol represents humor. The compass arch represents exploration, the ruin walls support the Mesoamerican theme, and the vampire god at the bottom is a dire warning of danger. The adventure title is a nod to Indiana Jones™, perhaps the modern-day epitome of the adventurer.
Overall, the scene is supposed to evoke the adventure serials and movies of the ‘30s-‘50s.
So there you have it: the stunning new Adventure Gamers logo from a legendary video game artist, and the rationale behind its thoughtful design. We trust you enjoy it as much as we do, and just like its predecessor did, may this version lead the way to many more years of extensive genre coverage!
