Aaron Acaster reflects on the process of designing the cover and contents page for a video game magazine. He began by looking at other magazines for inspiration and settled on a blue background. He featured images of GTA V characters and the game's logo. For the cover headline, he advertised video game cheats to attract readers. For the contents page, Aaron tested different designs before landing on featuring recognizable video game characters incorporated into the title and adding screenshots to draw the eye.

1. Production Reflection
Aaron Acaster

2. Process
To start I looked for inspiration
by looking at other game
magazines. I realised that most
magazines have a clear clean
background either white or
black. They are covered in
information and pictures, so to
start out I found a blue
background with a paten on it on
google. I used the smudge and
the blur tool to give it a wavy
effect. I think that effect looks
better than just a plain white
background however it isn’t too
eye catching that it takes away
from the images featured on the
cover.

3. ProcessI decided I wanted to
have the GTA V
characters on the front,
but I didn’t want them to
be the main story. So I
got individual images of
the main characters, rote
scoped them and placed
the three of them at the
bottom of the page.
I like the “hitman” font so
I decided to use it for my
title. I think that the red
stroke looks good and
suits the style of the text.

4. Process
On my practice covers I decided
that I liked the idea of the new
“hitman” game being the main
focus so I found an image that I
liked and that suited the style I was
going for. I used the magic wand
tool to remove the background.
Then I decided that it looked a bit
strange by its self, so I thought it
would be a good idea to use the
hitman logo so fans would instantly
recognize it and it fills up space
too. I wanted to have the red
outline on it because it makes it fit
In with the text better.
I also wanted to feature a story
abut GTA V some ware, so I came
up with a mini headline that I think
will interest people to read more.

5. Process
I decided that the GTA characters looked a bit out
of place by themselves. So I put the games logo
behind them. Doing this not only fills up the space
but it also attracts fans of the franchise to buy the
magazine. I moved the “trophy guide” headline
down so its more in line with the logo, so people
know its part of the same thing.
I then wanted a bigger main story, so I thought it
would be a good idea to advertise the fact that all
the best video game cheats will be inside. I put this
right up at the top so people see it first. I made the
word “cheats” bold so it catches peoples eye. I
think that this is a good headline to put at the top
because even if you don’t plan on using the cheats
it’s a good way to get people to buy it because they
might want to see if some of their favorite
childhood cheats have been featured. The list wont
satisfy everyone, so it leaves room for discussion
witch is what the magazine is about.

6. I decided to overlay the “crime pays” headline over the
gta logo because it looks more in place.
I wanted a massive incentive to buy the magazine. So I
gave readers a chance to win a limited edition GTA V
ps4. I have the word “win” in massive letters almost as
big as the title. With white text placed over a black
background. I put a black stroke on the word however
because I think it looks more professional that way. I
found an image of a ps4 and put a green circle around
it with a black stroke on it too. I decided green because
that color is the same color as the GTA logo. I decided
that having a black stroke on the text also makes it
stand out and makes it more professional.

7. I then decided that since hitman is the
main feature on the magazine, that I
should have the games title and a pull
quote featured so new fans of the
franchise know what it is. I found the stars
online and planned to change the color of
them, but last minute decided that I looks
good how it is because it contrasts well.
The “Hitman” text was a bit too wavy, so I
used the rubber tool to simply rub out
part of the dot of the “I”
I had a hard time spacing each article. I
couldn’t quite get it right, so eventually
made some of the text smaller but to
make the “crime pays” headline blue with
a black stroke to make stand out.
After that I just had little details to put on
that makes it look more professional.
Things such as a barcode, the issue
number and the price.

8. Before I even started making the
inside, I looked on the internet at
other gaming magazines for
inspiration. I looked at how they laid
out the text and how they
incorporated images to make the text
mean something.
I then started production on the big
image I wanted to create. Originally I
found a picture of a cartoon looking
city skyline. I rote scoped an image of
hitman and image of Diana.
I wanted to feature a pull quote some
ware, but at this point I wasn’t sure
where.

9. Firstly I deicide against the previous
background on the main big picture. So I
found another picture, this is less cartoony
and more digital art, I think it fits so much
better that the one used before.
I also added the games logo, just because I
think it looks good placed over the moon, and
the image looks plain without it.
Secondly I created a logo for the “news
station” The logo is simple and to the point. I
did this because in my research I concluded
that a lot of game magazines have similar
things featured in their magazines.
I placed a black bar on the top because it
looks more professional and gives the page a
better look.
I put a little white box with key pieces of
information in it because when looking at
other magazines they do similar things. And I
think it’s a good idea for readers that don’t
want to read the full thing and just want the
specific pieces of information.
I have also put in extra little details, such as the name of
the magazine on the bottom of each page and the article
logo and name in the black bar.

10. This is the finished product. I added a lot of text at the
top of the right hand side page is the article intro so I
put it in bold letters. I also made the first letter of the
first sentence bigger than the rest. I added things such
as the game developers logo, a twitter logo and the
game developers twitter name. This really brings the
whole top section together, without even reading it, it
just looks like its full of information, and with the
addition of the developers name and logo at the very
top, it gets rid of blank space that would look weird.
I decided that a stroke around the pull quote in the
middle looked a little off, so I decided that instead I
would put red boxes around it, this gave it a good
unique look. I also added a white stroke that in my
opinion brings more colour out if the page and
attracts peoples eye to the quote.
At the bottom of the page I have placed the main
piece. Just below the pull quote are screenshots of
the actual game, featuring screenshots gives readers
a chance to see how the game will look and gives
fans an idea of some of the locations the game takes
place in. I decide to put them in the place I did
because readers might want to just look at pictures
and not read, so having the pictures close to the
middle makes it easy for everyone to see right away.
The big piece of text below the two screenshots

11. Before I started making my
contents page, I looked up some
real world examples on the
internet.
I then found an image of a wave
effect and I made it black and
white by using the colour
replacement tool.
I wanted to make the whole thing
black and white because at the
time I thought it looked good.

12. I then started to create a
title. I looked at examples
online for inspiration.
I then thought to add a bit
more interesting I would add
squares around the words. I
did this and it looked a bit
stupid, so I made the first
letter from each word
bigger. Doing this made the
title look more interesting
and professional.
I then realised that it looked
a little bit bland, so I added
other details such as a
Facebook page, a twitter
page and a website. This
makes it look more realistic
and makes it look much
more professional.

13. I decided against the black and white thing, so I
made the wave a blue/ green colour. Doing this
makes the whole page pop out and immediately
looks much more interesting. I then thought that
the title could use something extra. I then
realised that the examples I was looking at online
have some kind of mascot near the title. So I
decided to add recognisable video game
characters to the title. This I didn’t just put them
around the title however, I made them fit in, for
example I have Crash Bandicoot leaning on the
“C”, I also have a sack boy sat on a companion
cube. Doing this would make audience relate
their favourite characters with my magazine.

14. I then realised that I should include in game
screen shots. So I thought a good place to
feature them would be at the top of the page. I
thought this because it would draw peoples
eyes to the top near the text, so they would be
drawn to the text and they should start reading
the it.
Then I made the “discuss” title in the same
style at the main title. This keeps the design
consistent and makes it easier to look at.
Another thing I did to keep the design
consistent is having the page numbers the
same colour as the wave in the background. I
made the actual text clear and easy to read.
The topic is in italics and is a bit more bold and
the description is just normal text.

15. To add the final touches I put
all of the text in the correct
places. I was left with a black
space on the bottom right hand
side, so I thought it would be a
good idea to feature fan art, so
I found images of video game
fans art on the internet then I
filled up the space with them.
This not only fills up the space
however, it also fits in with my
magazine idea of fan
interaction. So it works both
ways.