Concerns Regarding Pyra Branding

[purplegoat]

Hi Guys,

I realize that's an inflammatory title but I feel like someone needs to say this! I know it's supposed to be open sourced and the community picked the name, logo, etc. but seriously. I was thinking about it earlier and I'm already on the fence about the Pyra (price) and the branding is so bad I'm leaning toward not getting it. When I realized the branding was THAT bad I realized I needed to say something.

Pyra does not roll off the tongue and the logo is poorly designed (apologies to the designer). The font is bad and spaced incorrectly!

I want to also add that I did not own a Pandora but I absolutely loved my GP2X. I have not been an active member of this board but I spent countless hours on GP32X. I don't come to flame but because I want to better a project that I really appreciate. 

I am a professional artist and wanted to help with the logos but became too busy with my job at the time. I'm not as busy now and I wanted to see this if this conversation can still be had and we can all have an elegant handheld experience.

I know this is probably well overstepping my bounds but EvilDragon, if you are curious and would like to throw some ideas at me for something you might prefer, I'd be happy do a couple passes to help out. I'm attaching a little badge I made from the picture at the top of the forum to show how I feel even the existing information could be used better (notice the change in spacing)

Well wishes to everyone here. TelcoLou smack me if I'm out of line!!

EDIT: I've removed the original badge and attached my formal suggestion.

 

[comradekingu]

I prefer pronouncing it phonetically as it is written, not the English way. Any is fine, and if you can find something that suits you, thats all the better.

The logos that were voted upon _are_ the ones that ED picked. While i agree with you, i also think ED doesn't, he seems to not be that type of person. Instead he is super duper at what he does, and he is very busy doing it.

The kerning is still off on your attachment. In my opinion the A should be a little to the right. Also the R needs to be closed in the same place as the P.  The A a little higher up, with the same distance to the bottom as the two others have to the top. Baseline matching cap height.

Show more of your work. I enjoy learning.

How about some runic looking letters to tie in with the theme of dragons? I know ED likes those, and gothic is out.

 

[dgame]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/zINfRnurR-M?feature=oembed

 

[Granitehead]

The kerning in the title is better than that in your mockup.

 

[Kiga]

IMO the font is ugly but it's one of the best if you want to include "dragonbox" that's why I wanted "dragonbox" to be removed since before "Pyra" was chosen because it's useless and cumbersome.

BTW my favorite font (philosopher):

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

...

TelcoLou smack me if I'm out of line!!

 

[elw3]

 

[purplegoat]

Slightly fixed but clearly I'm unwanted here. I'll leave now.

Kiga, I agree with everything you said
 

and Comradekingu, thanks for your constructive criticism, it still probably isn't right, I'm not a graphic designer so it's not a big deal for me until I'm putting out something final. (edit: it took me around 10 minutes so I was more concerned with gesture)

I think a lot of you are missing the point of what I'm trying to say though.

Shenmue are you he?

 

[TrashyMG]

Some here don't take well to criticism of the project, especially from someone fresh off the street that doesn't know the nuances of the community or the project as a whole. Which is a shame as everyone here was new at some point. Don't let that discourage you from visiting. 

But that said, this is a fairly niche product and intended for a very small group that has unique needs.. It's not meant to be marketed to the masses as they wouldn't really get what it is and why we use it.

 

[purplegoat]

Thanks for chiming in. I've been lurking EvilDragon's forums on and off for what must be a decade now so I was hoping this wouldn't be the response. I appreciate that I'm a newcomer in this particular community and I guess I should have expected the response. I actually expected more direct opposition and less flaming. I guess 4chan's influence took its tole.

That's fair, I'm a perfectionist and one thing that I always loved about the GP2X is that it turned heads was admired by all who interacted with it. I know that's silly at some level but I was in middle school at the time and it felt good to expose people to another side of things. Sort of handing out Linux discs. I'm happy to drop my quest for that reason alone (niche product) if there's no interest (and it seems there isn't).

 

[Null]

one thing that I always loved about the GP2X is that it turned heads was admired by all who interacted with it.

 

[purplegoat]

all males I interacted with as a teenage boy**

 

[elw3]

Thing is you pull out lines like 

Pyra does not roll off the tongue and the logo is poorly designed (apologies to the designer). The font is bad and spaced incorrectly!

and there are already dozens if not hundrets of pages of discussions about the name and logo. 

A very quick browse through the forum should show that, yet you seem to think you can just pop in and pull of the "I can make it better" crap and ignore everyone else. 

 

[purplegoat]

something randomly generated would probably be better. I'm saying I can design something better, not make a better name. And I feel that's fair because clearly no one on this board is an artist

I'm saying after the fact it doesn't settle nicely. I'm trying to bring back to attention something which I feel shouldn't have been accepted

 

[Tenka]

This would have been better received while the polls were still going on.  I don't know if the font style is actually certain right now, since the Pyra label for the forum homepage was added before there was as much talk about styles.  It's too late for the name though.  Sorry, you should have spoken up while people were voting.

Also, sick burns.

 

[Null]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1451610998/

 

[purplegoat]

look, incredibly simple to even improve what's already decided on. what's going on now is simply bad design. strokes, gradients, over saturated etc.

say whatever you like I'm now treating this board like it's /b/ inb4 1&2 

 

[_wb_]

I think the name is pretty much final at this point. I'm sorry you don't like it. I was the one who originally proposed it.

The basic design of the logo is also pretty much final at this point I guess.

Both the name and the logo are the result of quite intensive community input and voting. If you're lurking here for 10 years, you could have said something a bit earlier

However, the specific logo (with the gradient, outline, and the text next to it) that is on the top of these boards, i.e. this:

is not final at all, and as far as I recall, it is just something that ED whipped up quickly just to put something there. Your suggestions to improve it are most certainly very welcome. You may want to pick a slightly less provocative title for your first thread though, if you want to avoid flaming

 

[purplegoat]

Thank you for the info. I hope I haven't insulted you regarding your idea and I'm sorry if I have. I think it's a good idea but I don't think it's successful overall.

As I said, I was busy with my job at the time and was checking less frequently, I put in one very very quick logo but beyond that I had too much on my plate. I'll keep in mind the wiggle room and lack thereof in the semi-final design and final name.

I understand that the title is brash but I really wanted to point out how off I feel it is.

 

[Binky]

I don't think the font has really been chosen yet.

However, the name and logo was the subject of enormous amounts of discussion, design and disagreement. There are hundreds of pages, scores of ideas and variations, culminating in several rounds of voting. Stating that they're no good (in objective terms) as strongly as you have seems arrogant and unreasonable, and is a poor way to (re)join the community.

Having said that, I agree that the branding as seen in this forum's banner is in need of much improvement.

The actual logo, as chosen by the community (at great length) is this shape:

View attachment 10380

...and the name "Pyra"

I think they are quite good, and although some people disagree, they are the best this community, including a fair few arty types, could come up with.

If you want to start a thread discussing a font choice (rather than condemning it), I would expect a far more positive response.