NOSTALGIA FIX
Game Packaging
Dragged Outta The Vault
BY KUSTOM KULT
Been meaning to do this for a while now...
Ever wish you could show some of your previous work that you dig but it's a little crusty- just becuz? So be it.Honk if you recognize any of these cobweb dipped nuggets of nostalgia, some that were created while Eric Ruffing & Dave Parmley (enshrined in the picture above) were the 2 headed monster that roamed the 13THFLOOR and beyond.
BUNGIE
Game Packaging
ERIC RUFFING
MYTH: THE FALLEN LORDS
MYTH II: SOULBLIGHTER
Hellz-yeah! BUNGIE made killer games for the Mac!
Young game developer genius Alexander Seropian, after seeing our packaging work for EA, asked us to work with him on developing a title design and game package design for his new game, MYTH: THE FALLEN LORDS and following that success, MYTH II: SOULBLIGHTER. We worked very closely with Alexander to finesse these packages- super-cool to team with "the man" on these. Tried to find the illustrator's name for credit here- so perfectly executed for the game- still looking..."The Downfall Of My Productivity"
"This game was the beginning of the downfall of my productivity." Invisible Dwarves dangerously hurling Molotov cocktails (sometimes at themselves- hence the danger) and blitzing Berserkers of the "Light Units" battle the "Dark" Wights, Ghouls and Soulless and beware Soulblighter with his unholy speed... AND you could "play over the internet for free!" Ha! Good times!Still one of my favorite game title design opportunities to date. I could draw this kind of lettering all frrriggin' day long.
Next came along the precursor to HALO...
MARATHON
MARATHON 2
MARATHON INFINITY
BUNGIE Went Off the Hook Again!
Widely regarded as the spiritual predecessor to the HALO franchise, Alexander slapped us Mac gaming addicts upside the head with MARATHON, MARATHON 2: DURANDAL and MARATHON INFINITY, one right after the other. I was then, at that point in the project, barely able to deliver any rounds of revisions for the package designs on time due to the "time-suck" beta versions of the games Alexander had been feeding me like a strung out Heroin addict waiting for my next sweet fix... I remember talking on the phone and telling him this and his only reply was, "gooooooood.Back In The Glory Days
Back in the glory days (before the tail completely wagged the dog- insert, "big giant evil companies that sell the games in mass distribution & had the game biz by the nards," here) when game boxes could be as unique as the games themselves and be designed in any shape and form and ohhhhh what a cool opportunity to invent and explore that was... This was a great opportunity for Eric Ruffing, co-founder of 13THFLOOR to shine with his product design background. Dave & Eric worked up 3-D, as in cut out board comps, with Alexander and developed the concepts for both the package form, and how the graphics related into the form. Serious fun.
"Somewhere in the heavens... they are waiting"
Gotta be stoked about this painting they commisioned for the new game, MARATHON, from Alexander Seropian and his amazing peeps back in BUNGIE Heyday. Remember, this is pre-HALO... Still tracking down this illustrator to give him props here.
MARATHON TRILOGY
Box Set
Minimalist Design Vibe
Final effort in the series was a MARATHONTrilogy box set that slid apart from the die-cut MARATHON Icon in the middle. Coooool thang. Really liked the minimalist design vibe with a strong series statement, using a visual language that is immediately recognizable from the 3 original box designs in both layout and color stories, yet unique to this box.Here also, below, are some feature icons for the game, including a prelim version of the MARATHON icon- note the different proportions and the "ball-like sphere, eventually changed to flattened & beveled in final- gotta love the "NETWORK PLAY" theory. I wish I had more images of the back of box design to show. I'lI hunt around online...
Super-stoked to have been a part of this gaming legend, THANKS ALEXANDER! Eric & I really enjoyed the entire process of developing this box series design. It was an honor to work with Alexander and his team of brilliantly twisted talent. Dang, I spent so many long hours deep in this game play... it is genuinely amazing that I got any real work done- or that these package designs ever got to production!!! Seriously!!!
EA
Game Packaging
DAVE PARMLEYPersonal Stokes
Below are a few of my favorite game packages that were developed with EA or Electronic Arts as they were known back in the day... Nancy Fong and Nancy Waisanen Art Directed most if not all of these- thanks guys! We did a lot of great and fun projects together. I definitely appreciate having had the opportunity to work with you and your team!Still be digging more out of the vault...
Bragging Rights
Got some bragging rights on the US NAVY FIGHTERS packaging- Dave won an award from EA for "Best Game Package Worldwide." Stoked! Modern warfare flight sims are krayzee nutty cool to play- if you can get through the novel first, known as the manual, for game play. 
POP ROCKET
Game Packaging
DAVE PARMLEY
TOTAL DISTORTION
These guys at POP ROCKET out of San Francisco had it going on- way ahead of their time with this gaming madness. Joe and Maura Sparks were a fountain of creativity & quite brilliant in their craft- Dave had the opportunity to work closely with both of them through every phase of development. Super fun to work with them and get the sneak peek of the beta portions of each game segment at each design meeting.Rock Poster Vibe
Understanding this new horizon in gaming inspired the design direction to arrive at this nutty box art. A rock poster theme prevailed from "Rock Star' theme game content- tough to nail down a single character as a focus for the box front since there were so many through out the TOTAL DISTORTION gaming adventure- this guy stuck out as most striking visually so we went with featuring his mug. Joe provided a high-rez render that I used both high contrast and grain effects in different extremes, which had to be separately done on different portions of his face to hold enough recognizable detail, and then composited back together for this effect. And era fonts prevail.
Sign Up For Our Email Newsletter!
Get What's What From The Kult
You're all signed up- stoked and thanks!