Probably the question is a bit silly but, anyway:
Is Wizards developing a consistent color coding (in the bands and spines) for supplements? As in: PHB blue, MM green and DMG dark crimson-y?
So far, Adventurer's Vault is blue (consistent with the items now-players' info thing) and the FR books have their own color band (gold). Now I check the November releases from Wizards and Martial Power looks to have brown bands and Draconomicon blue ones, but I guess those illustration may be placeholders.
Are the color codes part of the product design or just a book-by-book layout aesthetics issue?
Ha! This was the first hit when I Google searched "color code to D&D 4e spines" in 2016. It's been almost 8 years, did anyone ever figure out a pattern?
I sold off all my 4e stuff a few years back, but I stumbled across this picture and wondered if there was any method to their madness.
Follow-up question: Does Pathfinder have a coding to the spine colors?
I think...
Blue=Players
Green=Monsters
Burgundy Red=Dungeon Masters
Red = Magazine
Dark Dark Grey almost Black = Super Module
Purple = Class options extension
Various Campaign settings also had their own color setting for example
Tan brown with hint of green = Forgotten Realms
Black = Dark Sun
It's been a while, but I think that boils down the basic colors on the spines they had.
No idea with Paizo or Pathfinder. I look at the books but I cannot discern a pattern with them, employees of Paizo would know far better than I on this.
Meanwhile, 5th edition only has black spines with white text and red logos. I would say that makes it hard to organize, but since they only print 3-4 hardcovers a year....