What represents YOU?

[Jordan Deam]

Ahoy, user reviewers!

We're making some tweaks to the way we display Guest Reviews, and we wanted to get your input. You may have noticed that we use the same the same image link for every guest review, which looks like this:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/global/media/images/articles/article/6001/box.png

Looks pretty snazzy, but unfortunately doesn't say much about the game the writer is reviewing. So we're looking to come up with some kind of graphic that we can lay over a game image. Sort of like the play button in this image:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/global/media/images/articles/article/6035/box.png

A play button is a quick visual cue that a review has a video aspect to it, but what if we want to indicate that a review came from one of our community members? What kind of image says to you, "This review came from an Escapist forum-goer"?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

~Jordan

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

Granted, this mock-up isn't very well-polished, but it almost conveys what I'm trying to suggest.

The emblem in the center should be made much more transparent, and the edges could very easily be smoothed out, but this is a functional representation of what I'd like to suggest. Which is a small circular emblem that looks like the current guest review icon. The mock-up is this:

Hopefully that conveys more or less what I'm suggesting.

 

[scotth266]

I like NewClassic's idea, but I'd prefer a square icon in the upper right corner. Thataways most of the image stays completely visible, while still showing who made the review.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Well, let's say we don't want to use the current image of the person's silhouette. What image suggests "Escapist community" to you?

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

I like NewClassic's idea, but I'd prefer a square icon in the upper right corner. Thataways most of the image stays completely visible, while still showing who made the review.

This, it would be more appropriate than sticking an image on top of the box art.

 

[hopeneverdies]

Maybe the avy for who wrote the article in the right hand corner
Use the guest review picture if that applies

 

[ryai458]

im not sure what your getting at but the (e) is a pretty obvious escapist thing and since its a community web site..

 

[Agayek]

I don't have a pic handy, and no time to look for one, but I was thinking the fancy "e" used in the escapist logo, transparencied over the boxart for the game. If nobody's got any better ideas when I get back home in a couple hours I'll try to throw something together.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Why not just place the game art where the silhouette currently lies in the user review image?

 

[BlindTom]

A pen coming out of a spaceship on fire piloted by a screaming Elijah wood.

 

[Jordan Deam]

A pen coming out of a spaceship on fire piloted by a screaming Elijah wood.

You, sir, just made my day.

 

[Stegofreak]

My original thought was of a person's side (drawn) where they had a mail sachel with the escapist 'e' on it but that really doesn't indicate the article type well...or at all.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Why not just place the game art where the silhouette currently lies in the user review image?

Well, we do plan on using game art, but we also want to indicate that this review comes from the community.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Why not just place the game art where the silhouette currently lies in the user review image?

Well, we do plan on using game art, but we also want to indicate that this review comes from the community.

Wouldn't the words "Guest Review" right below the game art indicate that it was coming from the community?

 

[Susan Arendt]

Why not just place the game art where the silhouette currently lies in the user review image?

Well, we do plan on using game art, but we also want to indicate that this review comes from the community.

Wouldn't the words "Guest Review" right below the game art indicate that it was coming from the community?

Well, yes, and that may be what we end up doing. We really like the idea of it being a "community" as opposed to "guest" review, but the simple truth is that's just a really long word and hard to elegantly insert to the box. Thus, we thought we'd get your ideas for an image that conveys the idea of the Escapist community.

 

[GoldenRaz]

A small "Escapist" E in the top right corner should point out that it is an "Escapist forum-goer's" review. Just off the top of my head...

im not sure what your getting at but the (e) is a pretty obvious escapist thing and since its a community web site..

...although it's just my luck to get ninja'd, grr! *goes and pouts in the corner*

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

How about using an icon similar to the "Chatty" badge (speech bubble with an exclamation point), and as some others have suggested, just tuck it away in the corner of an image so it's visible but not blocking the art.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

If you wanted to go a sort of humorous route, you could have a sillhouette of a small child, with the words "One of us". Like a B-movie rip off of Village of the Damned themed kind of thing.

EDIT: even better, the small child sillhouette could be dangling a game controller. I'll see if I can put a rough image together.

 

[ultimatechance]

How about the image of one hand from above passing a pencil down to another person's hand? Simple representation of allowing someone else to be the writer.

 

[Sissas]

I think the "e" should appear... what about a silhouette of a person holding a pen and using some kind of hat with the "e" on it? not a cap. something like indy's hat or a helmet or ... i think i spoke too much.