Posted By
Csabo
on 2024-08-16
13:13:12
|  Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
This is something that I never considered until I took a closer look at it: on commercially produced C=16 and Plus/4 cassettes, which way should the text face on the spine?
I've looked through many covers, and it seems the vast majority has the text rotated "right". I mean, like this (let's call this one "right"):
This appears to be the "standard". One notable exception is Deltasoft, it looks like most (but not all) of their cassette spines have the text rotated "left".
Any thoughts on this? Also, in terms of covers... If you had the chance to design your "dream game cover", what would you include/exclude? Are there any covers for existing games where you thought "This is really well done"?
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Posted By
Crown
on 2024-08-16
14:28:19
| Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
This is most likely dependant on country/language habits, and coming from trends established earlier like on books. Most English books have the text rotated to the right, while most hungarian books have the text rotated to the left. There are occasional exceptions to the rule as well, where it is rotated to the other direction ... Also there exist books where it is not rotated at all.
Strangely DVD's are usually rotated to the opposite direction, at least in Hungary, but I'm sure that there are examples of exception.
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Posted By
gerliczer
on 2024-08-16
15:47:56
| Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
Is there something in the making? I wonder when can we expect the Italian bootleg copies? 
But to be somewhat on-topic, I checked some music album tapes and mostly they follow the layout in the picture.
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Posted By
siz
on 2024-08-16
16:09:33
| Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
I don't have my casettes at hand (neither computer nor audio) but I have audio CDs and they are mixed. Most of them are (as you called) rotated to the right. I prefer the orientation by Commodore as that is the original one and that seems to be more widely used.
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Posted By
SukkoPera
on 2024-08-16
17:04:27
| Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
Can't say much about +4 cassettes, but most music cassettes, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, books, etc. I've seen are like the picture, I think the reason is that if you lay them down on the table with the cover facing up (a relatively "natural" position) you can still read the title on the side. It would be upside down otherwise.
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Posted By
Crazy
on 2024-08-22
00:35:44
| Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
Summer Events went left. Anco put C16/Plus4 at both ends of the spine so it can be displayed upside down to fit in with the rest.
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Posted By
orion70
on 2024-08-22
02:56:30
 | Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
Yep unfortunately most cassette spines are written with this orientation, which is a shame because I keep them in a box (well, a metal suitcase actually), and must put them with the cover facing "behind" in order to be able to read the spine.
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Posted By
Lavina
on 2024-08-22
05:05:15
 | Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
Maybe this question is related to a rather professional game review circulating on the dark side of the Web?
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Posted By
siz
on 2024-08-24
08:25:12
| Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
@Lavina: I'm pretty sure it is. 
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Posted By
SVS
on 2024-08-29
13:56:33
 | Re: Cassette spines - which way does the text face?
The correct orientation is (unfortunately) the left rotation. This came from the books rules in the libraries. I agree that in this way the books in a pile have the main cover under the book, but somebody in the 19th century decided so.
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