GRO cold turkey

[timma827]

hey guys :D

so its been what like 4 weeks or so since the last beta session closed? and while anxiously awaiting the next session i couldnt just stop gaming so ive mostly been playing tribes ascend, and the occasional minecraft game(:

i was wondering what you guys have been doing while waiting too? :D
doesnt have to be videogames ofc, just anything youve had to do while waitng for gro

[SinGamingZone]

Played Guild Wars 2 beta, enjoyed / enjoying it quite well. (It is on for a few more hours, I hope I can have all it's benefits)

Best wishes,
Sinful

[Klaue_]

* playing alot of Civ5 and ArmA2 with my buddys
* discovering Twitter
* working on an interaction-methodology for our university-smarthome
* wondering about ppl
* watching the whole big bang theory series again
* waiting for next minecraft release so all mods will work in MP automaticly :D
* not actively waiting for another beta session but looking forward to it :)

[Big_Ghost_Daddy]

Mostly working for school...

Started with Creation Kit (mod development tools for The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim).

Waiting for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier PC release...

BigGhostDaddy

[SinGamingZone]

Just finished this, thought someone might be interested, it's not even the final version but this is something that I can work from. (Everything is done by me except the character obviously)

Hope You like it:

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120611/GRO3_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

PS.: Why I posted this? Well, I've been doing this in my freetime, while I couldn't play neither GRO nor GW2.

Best wishes,
Sinful

[Big_Ghost_Daddy]

Just finished this, thought someone might be interested, it's not even the final version but this is something that I can work from. (Everything is done by me except the character obviously)

Hope You like it:

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120611/GRO3_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

PS.: Why I posted this? Well, I've been doing this in my freetime, while I couldn't play neither GRO nor GW2.

Best wishes,
Sinful

Your image isn't loading...

BigGhostDaddy

[SinGamingZone]

Your image isn't loading...

BigGhostDaddy

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120611/GRO3_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

Here is the link.

Ideas of what should I redo or add to it are appreciated. Since currently I have no idea what should I change. Only the font type is what I'm really unsatisfied with, but that is something that requires much more boring work to find a normal or create an own one.

[Klaue_]

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120611/GRO3_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

Here is the link.

Ideas of what should I redo or add to it are appreciated. Since currently I have no idea what should I change. Only the font type is what I'm really unsatisfied with, but that is something that requires much more boring work to find a normal or create an own one.


Some general opinions:
I did graphic editing myself around 10 years ago.
You may face the problem that you are focusing to hard on one aspect of the art.
May it should serve a purpose like a wallpaper?
Or shall it look very intense?

My advice is, dont get narrowed by such things.
If its in the ende not the way you wanted it from the start, thats just fine, that every time the case in a creative process and a good thing because you learn while doing.
You can easily make things ugly or even destroy them with overdoing focusing one one aspect like effects, purpose, polishing etc.


Detail impression:
* keep with one tone of blue, i prefer the "classic" GR green or the new (GRO/GRFS) cyan.
* i dont like the "windy" effect on the text and the outline of the character
* maybe add blur effect
* the background is too bright for my taste, also maybe a touch of cyan would do nice to that to give the whole picture an overall more greenish/cyanish look

The outline of the character could be illuminated very intense that would give him an optical effect to stick out more in comparison to the huge text.
Here is an example like i mean it, did this a long time ago, in my opinion the shine should be even more intense on the character to outline him:

http://s7.directupload.net/images/120612/4dgkgt4d.png


Overall i like the concept an with a bit of polishing this could be a nice wallpaper.

[SinGamingZone]

Is this more like something that You'd think of? These are almost the same, one is with the "Intel Fields" that say Oracle and Sniper Rifle and one without. If You don't like the one with the Intel Fields, please tell me some suggestions, because I'd like to keep them, but I'd also like to make it better. (IMO the font I used there is terrible, but I can't think of anything else)

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120612/GRO_-_Recon_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120612/1053660525GRO_-_Recon1_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

Best wishes,
Sinful

[Klaue_]

Is this more like something that You'd think of?


Second picture ftw. :)

[Big_Ghost_Daddy]

Personally, I do not really like the "I provide you Intel" text for following reasons:
1. It reads as "I provide" and "you Intel" instead of one sentence, because of the character.
2. You already mention that with oracle.
3. I kinda makes the character less important in your scene. I am studying art (for games) and an important topic was guidelines in an image. Text is usually one of the first 'objects' we see in a painting/drawing/picture. Yours is filled with it, drawing away the focus from the character.

I like the effect you gave him the outline though, gives him a more swift-like character.

Did you paint this or was it photo editing software?


BigGhostDaddy

[SinGamingZone]

Second picture ftw. :)

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm trying to improve myself in editing. I appreciate the feedback!

EDIT: Edited the second picture on my previous post, it had a bit of an issue on the bottom, I fixed it, now it looks just like it should.

Best wishes,
Sinful

[SinGamingZone]

Personally, I do not really like the "I provide you Intel" text for following reasons:
1. It reads as "I provide" and "you Intel" instead of one sentence, because of the character.
2. You already mention that with oracle.
3. I kinda makes the character less important in your scene. I am studying art (for games) and an important topic was guidelines in an image. Text is usually one of the first 'objects' we see in a painting/drawing/picture. Yours is filled with it, drawing away the focus from the character.

I like the effect you gave him the outline though, gives him a more swift-like character.

Did you paint this or was it photo editing software?


BigGhostDaddy

I used a free editing software. But note that the whole picture is made by me, only the character is 'borrowed'.

I appreciate the feedback, here are the reasons of why I've done what I've done:

- The 'I provide You intel' line is around the person just for style, I saw it in an other pic and I really liked it (I take ideas from pictures I've seen in the past)

- The 'I provide You intel' line (again) is mentioned especially, because it's the main role of the Scout class (especially in this picture, because he has an oracle device on his back and eye)

- The 'Intel Fields' (the oracle's summary box and the sniper rifle's summary box) are there, because I thought it'd make it look more futuristic, but since I don't know THAT much about photo editing, I couldn't make it the way I wanted, actually the only thing that bothers me with the 'Intel Fields' is the text font, other than that I'm satisfied with it, (yeah this will sound like I have a huge ego, but) I like my own idea which I "made from scratch", now I'm talking about the DOT thingy that is at the start of the 'intel Fields', I think it looks well, for an idea that came to my mind just like that.

But then again, if You have more suggestions please share them with me, I like to read feedback and it helps me out in editing. And well.. I don't have much thing to do right now.. I love editing, even if I'm not an expert at it.

Best wishes,
Sinful

[Klaue_]

...

But then again, if You have more suggestions please share them with me, I like to read feedback and it helps me out in editing. And well.. I don't have much thing to do right now.. I love editing, even if I'm not an expert at it.

Best wishes,
Sinful


The text in the textbox on the left got a different effects and details from the text on the other textbox.
I find this a little bit irritating, also on the left its hard to read the text.

If you want to, you can improve the glowing/outline effect on the character by addign a thin line of white in the center of the glowing, With a little gausian filtering and transparancy this can increase the contrast and so the shinie effect. Maybe its overdone then, shozld be tested. ;)


For the problem with the huge text. You can reduce the dominance of the text by making it look like an stamp into the background. :)

[Big_Ghost_Daddy]

Here are some links that could be useful:
http://fox-orian.deviantart.com/art/Perspective-Composition-Pt-2-125042592?q=favby:ScalpGoaty/9308078&qo=8 => about composition
http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/ => Allows you to get a font from an image (not always correct).
http://www.dafont.com/ => A good (and large) site for free fonts

BigGhostDaddy

P.S.: I don't know what software you use, but this (http://www.gimp.org/) (=>link) is a good substitute for Adobe Photoshop.

[Klaue_]

Good stuff daddy.

One thing to add on font/text.
There is a whole sience branche that is engage with researching written language, called typography.

You can do alot of psychological effects and other stuff only with the look of text. Font, style, spacing, bolt/italic, upper-case only and so on.
So if the text should serve a purpose, you can fit it espacially for that.

Tip in advance, little changes can cause much effects, as always. Tiny steps get you closer to your(!) optimal result. Huge steps can flip the effect of some elements just upside down and you have to start over with other elements. (I dont see the basic need for that here.)

Looking forward to the next version. :)

[SinGamingZone]

Here are some links that could be useful:
http://fox-orian.deviantart.com/art/Perspective-Composition-Pt-2-125042592?q=favby:ScalpGoaty/9308078&qo=8 => about composition
http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/ => Allows you to get a font from an image (not always correct).
http://www.dafont.com/ => A good (and large) site for free fonts

BigGhostDaddy

P.S.: I don't know what software you use, but this (http://www.gimp.org/) (=>link) is a good substitute for Adobe Photoshop.

Thanks for the tips, actually the funny things are:

- I use dafont fonts all the time if it's possible, but some are donation based, and that doesn't work for me
- I use GIMP

And also thanks for the tips and ideas, I'll try to make the next version more polished, but a final version is far away, since I said I'm an amateur in editing

Best wishes,
Sinful

[SinGamingZone]

The current state of the picture:

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/120613/GRO6_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

Note:

Major changes:

- Changed the background fog to the one that You can see in the picture, IMO it gives the character a more highlighted look
- In most of the outlines in the picture I added white lines in the middle as someone suggested, it worked out well, it is not a HUGE difference, but it looks much better, so it can be considered as a major change
- I reworked the Intel Fields to a normal rectangle (the previous one was not perfect, it was a bit rotated, because I didn't give so much about it so I just drew it by hand / mouse)
- In the field of the 'I provide You intel' I changed the background to this kind of background which I really like, so that won't be changed furthermore
- Changed the font and the text as well in the Intel Fields - Still under work, suggestions are appreciated
- Made the 'I provide You intel' text a bit darker, but still visible, so it won't take the atttraction away from the character

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions so far, much appreciated, keep them coming! This is a good time killer so I will continue to do this until someone says "I don't think You should change anything else"

Of course I won't change certain things, because I personally like stuff in the picture that I don't want to get rid of, that gives it my personal touch, but of course I'll try to improve it.

Best wishes,
Sinful

[Big_Ghost_Daddy]

I think it improved nicely.

What slightly bothers me now is the 'A' and 'V' in the new font. Since those are the only letters that are replaced by symbols.
Also the green on the titles doesn't really fit (it's a bit too green). I think it might be a bit better with more blue in it, or if it's a bit darker green.

I also forgot this link: http://fontstruct.com/ => to make your own font (if you don't have Adobe Illustrator or another vector drawing program).

BigGhostDaddy

[SinGamingZone]

I think it improved nicely.

What slightly bothers me now is the 'A' and 'V' in the new font. Since those are the only letters that are replaced by symbols.
Also the green on the titles doesn't really fit (it's a bit too green). I think it might be a bit better with more blue in it, or if it's a bit darker green.

I also forgot this link: http://fontstruct.com/ => to make your own font (if you don't have Adobe Illustrator or another vector drawing program).

BigGhostDaddy

That site looks interesting, I'll look into it in the following days. Thanks for sharing it with me.

Btw, yeah, as I stated, the Intel Fields are still under working process, since it just needs so much work to fit the picture and even look good, but I don't want to get rid of them.

I always end up like this. I have something that I'm satisfied with and there's always one thing that I can't make like I want and it messes everything up..

Well I'll try to do my best.

Intel Fields are first priority concerns right now, so I'd really like feedback and suggestions mainly on that part.

Thank You all who helped so far!

Best wishes,
Sinful