Erol Otus
Encyclopedia
Erol Otus is an American
artist
and game designer, known internationally for his contributions to the fantasy RPG
genre, most notably for the early Dungeons & Dragons
franchise. Called "legendary" by RPGnet, he is also known for his artwork on the multiple award winning Star Control II
as well as providing the voice for one of the character races, the Chmmr, in the same game.
(D&D) franchise, creating full covers as well as many interior illustrations for TSR
materials. For example, he created the cover for the first version of the D&D manual Deities and Demigods and illustrated the Cthulhu
pantheon within.
Otus has also provided cover art and interior illustrations for Goodman Games
, Oracle Games (in particular Alma Mater - The High School RPG) and the Arduin
series. More recently his art will be featured on the covers of the new Hackmaster
edition and issue #8 of Fight On!.
, Star Trek: Generations
, Mail Order Monsters
and Star Control II
. Star Control II was named by IGN
as the 17th best game of all time and by Gamespot
as one of the greatest games of all time.
of Erol Otus).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and game designer, known internationally for his contributions to the fantasy RPG
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
genre, most notably for the early Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
franchise. Called "legendary" by RPGnet, he is also known for his artwork on the multiple award winning Star Control II
Star Control II
Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters is a critically acclaimed science fiction computer game, the second game in the Star Control trilogy. It was developed by Toys for Bob and originally published by Accolade in 1992 for PC; it was later ported to the 3DO with an enhanced multimedia presentation,...
as well as providing the voice for one of the character races, the Chmmr, in the same game.
Role-playing games
Otus was a prolific contributor to the early Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
(D&D) franchise, creating full covers as well as many interior illustrations for TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
materials. For example, he created the cover for the first version of the D&D manual Deities and Demigods and illustrated the Cthulhu
Cthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
pantheon within.
Otus has also provided cover art and interior illustrations for Goodman Games
Goodman Games
Goodman Games is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Goodman Games is best known as the publisher of the Dungeon Crawl Classics series of adventure modules, as well as the Dragonmech and the award-winning Etherscope role-playing games, and has...
, Oracle Games (in particular Alma Mater - The High School RPG) and the Arduin
Arduin
Arduin is a fictional universe and fantasy role-playing system created in the mid 1970s by David A. Hargrave. It was perhaps the first "cross-genre" fantasy RPG, with everything from interstellar wars to horror and historical drama, although it was based primarily in the medieval fantasy...
series. More recently his art will be featured on the covers of the new Hackmaster
HackMaster
HackMaster is a role-playing game produced by Kenzer & Company, being a revised expansion of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. It started out as a fictional game, a parody of the most ludicrous aspects of D&D played by the characters of the Knights of the Dinner Table comic strip by Jolly R. Blackburn...
edition and issue #8 of Fight On!.
Video games
Otus has also provided illustrations, production design and voice overs for computer games such as The Last NinjaThe Last Ninja
The Last Ninja is an action-adventure game developed and published by System 3 in 1987 for the Commodore 64. As the first in the Last Ninja series, it set the standard for the unique look and feel for its sequels: Last Ninja 2 , Last Ninja Remix and Last Ninja 3...
, Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: Generations (game)
Star Trek Generations is a first person shooter with adventure game and strategy game elements by Microprose, based on Star Trek: Generations, the seventh film in the Star Trek film franchise.-Story:...
, Mail Order Monsters
Mail Order Monsters
Mail Order Monsters is a 1985 computer game created by Paul Reiche III, Evan Robinson and Nicky Robinson and published by Electronic Arts for the Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit family home computers....
and Star Control II
Star Control II
Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters is a critically acclaimed science fiction computer game, the second game in the Star Control trilogy. It was developed by Toys for Bob and originally published by Accolade in 1992 for PC; it was later ported to the 3DO with an enhanced multimedia presentation,...
. Star Control II was named by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
as the 17th best game of all time and by Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
as one of the greatest games of all time.
Homage
In the Dungeons & Dragons adventure module "A4: In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords", part of the treasure on the slaver ships is a series of paintings by a supposedly famous Drow Artist named "Ool Eurts" (an anagramAnagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
of Erol Otus).
External links
- Erol Otus'
- The Erol Otus Shrine (a fansite)
- The Original Erol Otus Gallery of Miniatures and Art (used with permission)