Not The Actual Events - Physical Edition variations

[sick among the pure]

Yeah, I wish I had gone through with the second order so I could have one still sealed for display (because this package, once opened, is very anti-display). Took photos of my pages, I'll upload them later.
Even though I knew what I was getting, I still really enjoyed the experience, and the final product is awesome. I really like the idea of picking up some frames and framing these individually.

[BRoswell]

Details on mine...

Envelope: black with fine layer of dust on it
Album credits: black cardstock with white typewriter lettering, horizontally oriented
Trent & Atticus: clear plastic or film
Branches/Bones: light blue cardstock framed by purple/black splotches and dirt smears, lyrics in black typewritter lettering arranged in a rectangle in the center
Dear World,: white/grey cardstock with a background that almost looks like fingerprints, lyrics in pixelated lettering (like from an old computer), water stains and dirt smudges all over
She's Gone Away: black cardstock with touches of orange and white streaks and scratches, lyrics in Downward Spiral font
The Idea Of You: white cardstock with dirt smudges, lyrics in album font
Burning Bright (Field On Fire): white cardstock with large dirt smudges on the left side, a red/blue (3D?) pattern swooping down from top left to the lower third of the page, then to the right, no discernible lyrics, just a large strip of smudged letters or numbers from top to bottom, with a line of smudged letters of numbers next to it running down from the top to the halfway point of the page

[Ryan Tollefson]

So can all of this "charcoal" be brushed off, or does it leave a mark(s). Just wondering if the artwork can be cleaned up.


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[BRoswell]

So can all of this "charcoal" be brushed off, or does it leave a mark(s). Just wondering if the artwork can be cleaned up.

I had to wash my hands twice to get it off, so I don't know how easy it would be to remove it from the contents, which is probably the point.

[Art Vandelay]

So can all of this "charcoal" be brushed off, or does it leave a mark(s). Just wondering if the artwork can be cleaned up.


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My guess is rather then trying to brush it off get a can of air for cleaning electronics and shoot it with that, if you brush it off, you smear it into the paper.

[kevinbeetle]

The Mark Has Been Made

[Ryan Tollefson]

My guess is rather then trying to brush it off get a can of air for cleaning electronics and shoot it with that, if you brush it off, you smear it into the paper.

That's what I was thinking too!


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[sheepdean]

Anyone taken a black light to it yet? Or checked it under glow in the dark conditions etc?

Yaknow, just in case

[sick among the pure]

a red/blue (3D?) pattern swooping down from top left to the lower third of the page, then to the right, no discernible lyrics, just a large strip of smudged letters or numbers from top to bottom, with a line of smudged letters of numbers next to it running down from the top to the halfway point of the page

Are you sure you can't read ANY of the lyrics? On mine, there were phrases that seemed very intentionally bold and readable.

I remember specifically being able to read:
-something, one or two words, can't remember, and my photo isn't completely clear on what it was-

"field on fire"

"burn motherfucker"

"I am free"


And that I thought was the coolest part. The ideas from the song driven home.

[patj825]

That's what I was thinking too!


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I say embrace the mood and smear it in really good!
And... who want's to bet excess soot is going to end up on ebay?

[Ryan]

from two dummies on yt. gives you a good impression.
got mine this afternoon, will open it next weekend.

Watching those guys gave me malaria.

[Ryan]

The Mark Has Been Made

Just like we imagined.

[BRoswell]

Are you sure you can't read ANY of the lyrics? On mine, there were phrases that seemed very intentionally bold and readable.

I remember specifically being able to read:
-something, one or two words, can't remember, and my photo isn't completely clear on what it was-

"field on fire"

"burn motherfucker"

"I am free"


And that I thought was the coolest part. The ideas from the song driven home.

Nope. Couldn't make out a single word on it. I thought maybe it was intentional, like how the space for lyrics to "The Ritual" on NiggyTardust just says "The Writing's On The Wall".

[sick among the pure]

Nope. Couldn't make out a single word on it. I thought maybe it was intentional, like how the space for lyrics to "The Ritual" on NiggyTardust just says "The Writing's On The Wall".

Using my (really old) iPhone and a magnifying glass light:

(Sorry for how big the pic is, doing all of this from mobile)

Edit to update:
Some more iPhone 5s photos I threw on Instagram to show my color variations. Going to talk to a local framer in a few days about ideas for framing these, I want them to have as much of the powder still on them as possible for ~authenticity~ and also because that's part of the ~aesthetic~ of these pieces (only semi-sarcastic, because this is 1,000% an art style that I love, and everything about these cards reminds me of the things you find when exploring abandoned buildings, including the black dust... except this black dust isn't a major health hazard) and when I do I will probably have the capability to get decent photos of them (set them all out flat and use a real camera with natural lighting instead of 2 lights with different color temperatures).

https://www.instagram.com/the_wretched/

[BRoswell]

Using my (really old) iPhone and a magnifying glass light:

Interesting. Mine is all sealed up in a plastic bag again, so I will have to take it out again at some point to double check, but I honestly can't recall seeing that on mine.

[sick among the pure]

Interesting. Mine is all sealed up in a plastic bag again, so I will have to take it out again at some point to double check, but I honestly can't recall seeing that on mine.

Shit, it's ARG time.

But seriously, I think it's awesome that there are so many variations, from cardstock and ink colors to (possibly?) actual (text etc) printed info. Well worth $12 (considering that came with the digital files) and waiting for.

[paul_guyet]

Here's what I got.
LOVE the "Reptile" lyrics.

[xolotl]

One thing I don't think I've seen elsewhere yet - my "credits" card is printed in landscape instead of portrait, and features more text fuckery than the other ones. Dave Grohl's credit is cut in half so there's a top + bottom, and the bottom half is justified much more to the left than the top, etc. (and the rest of the song credits follow suit)

I should've thought to have someone take pictures but it was too much of a hassle with hands all dirtied up; I'll have to see about reopening it in a day or two if that variant doesn't get posted.

[GentlemanLoser]

One thing I don't think I've seen elsewhere yet - my "credits" card is printed in landscape instead of portrait, and features more text fuckery than the other ones. Dave Grohl's credit is cut in half so there's a top + bottom, and the bottom half is justified much more to the left than the top, etc. (and the rest of the song credits follow suit)
.

Mine looks the same way. I was kind of surprised (and a little disappointed, but my other cards were pretty awesome looking, so whatever).

I took pictures however:
http://thegentlemanloser.tumblr.com/...ine-inch-nails

All and all, I got a pretty good selection of card variants. The only thing I would change would be to get the white-text-on-blue title card and the blue-text-on-red She's Gone lyrics. Hell, anyone want to trade me for them, give me a PM. Though I doubt anyone would actually want the versions of them I have.

By the way, I put the entire thing in that frame. Cheap grocery store frame, but it works. And you can clean the cards off pretty well with paper towels.

[BRoswell]

One thing I don't think I've seen elsewhere yet - my "credits" card is printed in landscape instead of portrait, and features more text fuckery than the other ones. Dave Grohl's credit is cut in half so there's a top + bottom, and the bottom half is justified much more to the left than the top, etc. (and the rest of the song credits follow suit)

Mine was the same way.

[bobbie solo]

from two dummies on yt. gives you a good impression.
got mine this afternoon, will open it next weekend.

I laughed at "NIN paper"

[EndlessLoveless]

I still haven't opened it. I'm a huge nin collector but not the kind who has sealed versions of anything. It's all opened and used but with this.....I can't bring myself to open it yet which is weird for me. I feel like i will somehow regret it. It's very cool though, what I've seen. I love the concept of it.

The whole concept of the album and music is amazing but i fear its an ending. It feels like a goodbye to a certain aspect of nin. I really hope it's not.

[gamecat235]

I still haven't opened it. I'm a huge nin collector but not the kind who has sealed versions of anything. It's all opened and used but with this.....I can't bring myself to open it yet which is weird for me. I feel like i will somehow regret it. It's very cool though, what I've seen. I love the concept of it.

The whole concept of the album and music is amazing but i fear its an ending. It feels like a goodbye to a certain aspect of nin. I really hope it's not.

I felt the same way with the last issue of the Sandman. It actually took me nearly two years to finally read the last issue (even though I picked it up on release day). Like some kind of magic would dissipate once I finally read it.

I haven't received my copy of NTAE yet, but I can't not open it. The whole experience is literally why I ordered the physical edition. But, clearly I'm not in any space to judge, however, I do understand.

[alfonso99]

I still haven't opened it. I'm a huge nin collector but not the kind who has sealed versions of anything. It's all opened and used but with this.....I can't bring myself to open it yet which is weird for me.

I get you. I wouldn't open it, but what if there are a few physical components with a surprise prize?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[Callahan]

Don't think mine has shipped yet, but are you folks cleaning off the paper? or just leaving them in their mess of stuff?

[patj825]

I still haven't opened it. I'm a huge nin collector but not the kind who has sealed versions of anything. It's all opened and used but with this.....I can't bring myself to open it yet which is weird for me. I feel like i will somehow regret it. It's very cool though, what I've seen. I love the concept of it.

The whole concept of the album and music is amazing but i fear its an ending. It feels like a goodbye to a certain aspect of nin. I really hope it's not.

I felt the same way, but... I feel like the opening of it, the creation of the mess, the smearing of the soot all over the cards, the fingerprints, looking and touching everything... it's a essential part of the NIN NTAE experience. I'm going to open mine this weekend. I feel like it deserves my attention. And it's going to be fun.

[patj825]

Is it weird that the fact that it's just a powdery catastrophe and paper makes me wish I hadn't ordered the vinyl and had instead gotten this...thing for me to deal with? I don't even have a record player anymore. This is an awesome disaster they've given everyone. Ten points for creativity.

And another ten points for getting thousands of envelopes of loose powder through the USPS. Who the hell is running that operation?

You're taking for granted the vinyl isn't also going to feature the powdery black soot. How cool would that be?

[implanted_microchip]

You're taking for granted the vinyl isn't also going to feature the powdery black soot. How cool would that be?

As someone who would like to actually play their vinyl record once it arrives -- not cool. Not cool at all. I still haven't sprung for one of those discwashers @eversonpoe is always raving about and I'm certainly not beginning to now.

[mauro995]

This thing might be one of my favourite NIN artworks ever. It's so unique and it's really a whole experience that makes you participate in an active way.
I think it was worth the wait.

[xolotl]

I decided to put together a simple webpage to collate the various versions of all these things, and I've got it up here for the time being:

http://apocalyptech.com/ntae/

I'm sure I'm missing some, and many of the versions could use some higher-res images (I'll be trying to get some images of my own up there over the weekend, though with family visiting that may not happen). I'd especially like to get some good images of the backs of these sheets; there are some fun details in there. Seemingly left-over impressions from other prints, etc... I seem to have a different set of impressions on the back of my credits card, for instance (and I don't seem to have the NIN logo or halo designation on mine, too).

Anyway, enjoy! I'll be keeping tabs on this thread (and the other NTAE thread), and updating as more images are posted.