Yesterday @reified-systems.itch.io pointed out that Basil's face from this Fawlty Towers VHS collection is nearly exactly The Expression from Disco Elysium, and my mind is blown.
I genuinely think this may be the original inspiration! So many details match up
Here's an addendum to an older page. Aside from Michael Whelan, Clyde Caldwell and Frank Frazetta, turns out this cover also takes from Boris Vallejo and Larry Elmore, for a massive who's who of classic fantasy illustrators. samderboo.com/tracing.php?... #TracingTheInfluence
Haven't gotten all elements yet, but I think it's enough for a comparison now. Lots of elements from a Frazetta b&w illustration for an Edgar Rice Burroughs book, plus a weight lifter by Vallejo. Kicking guy and kneeling guy are still at large. #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...
Paul E. Stinson frequently swiped Boris, so I was sure that was the case for the back box art for Marauder (Atari 2600, 1982). Was finally able to match this to Boris Vallejo's piece Nubian Warrior (1978)
Cool. I know his lizard wizard on the Magic Candle II cover is also inspired by Vallejo's The Magnificent.
Is Metal Morph by Bruce Eagle as well?
Thanks to @samderboo.com I knew that Metal Morph SNES referenced this Frazetta, but now I'm going back through Bruce Eagle's catalog and I see that Bruce referenced the same Frazetta for the dino in the foreground of his box art for Magic Candle III (which I'm sure has plenty more references within)
There's a little bit of Boris Vallejo in this cover, too! #TracingTheInfluence samderboo.com/tracing.php?...
Braindead / Dead Alive. Probably 10 or so? I walked out when the baby was born.
Spear guy has been identified! Shouldn't have been so fixated on fantasy paintings... Not gonna make a new video, but it's updated on the page (might have to do a forced refresh if you've seen the first version.) #TracingTheInfluence
I'd like to post these more regularly, but well, sometimes the day job grinds me down, sometimes I get absorbed in other projects... anyway, here's Sindibad. The boy with the Spear seems also familiar, but I couldn't find a matching reference yet. #TracingTheInfluence
samderboo.com/tracing.php?...
Schrödinger's Aerith
I've wished for Arab-made games about Arab mythology for so long, and despite assisting on the project I still can't believe there's one swinging for the fences this hard. House of Hikmah is something very needed in a time where the world would rather erase us.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZTu...
Transfer Point is now available! It’s a point-and-click adventure game about regret, forgiveness, and email. It was made in World Builder, a Mac app from 1986. You can play it free in your web browser. InvisiClues are available if you need a hint! robotspacer.software/transfer-poi... #MARCHintosh
When I was in high school, I was roped into editing the lit mag since I knew how to type. So of course I abused my position and stuck in a poem about Thunder Force V
The Missing People (1982) was technically "published", but it only sold one copy. It was rescued quite recently by the author from an old disk. I give the history behind the author (who I was able to interview) and play through the game.
bluerenga.blog/2026/03/22/t...
Packy & Marlon, an SNES mascot platformer where you learn about diabetes through the power of elephants
www.hardcoregaming101.net/packy-marlon/
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Never mind that DLSS5 nonsense, if you wanna look at cool before/after comparisons of game art, I've got the website for you. samderboo.com/tracing.php
Since this is an officially licensed product and the likeness seems to correspond with his age at the time, I wouldn't rule out the possibility they took a picture specifically for this game. Otherwise maybe contemporary magazines, but I'd guess you'd have to be very lucky to find it.
Hello @samderboo.com, this illustration of Kyotaro Nishimura looks like it's lifted from photo. I tried to find but failed and it's bugging the hell out of me. Please take a looksee if such source exits whenever you got completely nothing to do. Thank you!!
I fucking love my job. #sounddesign #gamedev
@samderboo.com Here's one for Tracing the Influence from Idol Hakkenden (NES):
Larry King
Thanks! I could be wrong, but my first impression is that it'd be more generally inspired by overall appearance, rather than based on one specific image, though.
Love that city map!
"The 45-second film, made around 1897, was the first appearance on film of what might be called a robot"
HELL. YES.
"Underrated butts of videogames"
[🧵1]
Ninja Gaiden/Ninja Ryūkenden/Shadow Warriors
Tecmo, 1988, Arcade
Not video games turning players into payers since 1977.
Blind Alley No. 419
