Outpost Universe Forums

Community => Feedback/Suggestions/Problems => Topic started by: jcj94 on March 21, 2011, 05:59:33 PM

Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 21, 2011, 05:59:33 PM
Well to vote, you have to see the new one.  

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/normal_OPU_Header_%232_3.JPG)


You will have to zoom in, but I can shrink the image down for use as a header IF it gets approved.
This is actually the Thumbnail of it.  It would take up to much room as it normally is.

go here (http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/displayimage.php?pid=248&fullsize=1) to view the actual header at its full size

and the old on:

(http://outpostuniverse.net/images/frontimg.jpg)

Well Which is better?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: BlackBox on March 21, 2011, 06:58:18 PM
The image you posted doesn't even have a correct aspect ratio so everything looks squashed vertically. I'd prefer not to use images on the website that don't even look right.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 21, 2011, 07:00:38 PM
Well close the post...

I guess I need something better than paint to try and do this in.
    Whatyah say? wait until summer when:
         1: more people are on to vote
         2: I have more time to make this better (its really a kind of rough draft)
         3: I have a better tool to manipulate the images the way I want.

 
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: CK9 on March 22, 2011, 12:50:32 AM
To be (brutally) honest, yours looks very unprofessional.  It is overly cluttered with action and detracts from the overall appearance.  The nice thing about the current header is that it gives you a small taste, just enough to encite curiosity.  The only thing I would really change about it is to use some PHP coding to select from a number of in-game images.  That way, you get a bit of the varied flavors and potentially more of the overall image.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 22, 2011, 05:25:24 AM
Quote
To be (brutally) honest, yours looks very unprofessional.  It is overly cluttered with action and detracts from the overall appearance.  The nice thing about the current header is that it gives you a small taste, just enough to encite curiosity.  The only thing I would really change about it is to use some PHP coding to select from a number of in-game images.  That way, you get a bit of the varied flavors and potentially more of the overall image.
I fully agree with that. Don't resize anything, keep units their original size. Keep one scene per header image (which is selected by a php script). Take not only fighting scenes but also ones with merely some buildings, maybe ore production or even a few advanced residences next to a nursery.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 22, 2011, 11:55:07 AM
what we need to improve the header:
 Image variance(changing images from colony games and multiplayer. NOT just the action, but some of the building)
 a red planet image OTHER THEN mars photos.
a classy title. use lynx or Denmark font. MABIE bank Gothic bt
 clickable(takes you to downloads page or home page)

this sound about right?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Freeza-CII on March 22, 2011, 12:33:14 PM
hmmmm. I think if you were to have a image with buildings of OP2. I would use a animated image of the buildings. So it doesnt look so stagnate. I wouldnt make battle scenes animated to much going on. Whats wrong with mars photos. Its suppose to resemble new terra with out looking horrible.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: CK9 on March 22, 2011, 04:38:23 PM
Did they use mars for the intro video?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Zardox Xheonov on March 22, 2011, 04:55:54 PM
I don't think they did, so what im understanding ck9 is that you don't want mars either? would we all rather have an original looking planent (not mars) but still look good and just like new terra?
 
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 22, 2011, 05:38:23 PM
well new terras image looks more like an orange gas planet, so if we can find an image or two of that we SHOULD be able to have a better image

CK9: no, they used a photoshop quality image that was unique.

freeza: agreed. any way of getting the images though? in full gif format. the art veiwer cant do that. only stillframe
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 22, 2011, 06:24:44 PM
Quote
freeza: agreed. any way of getting the images though? in full gif format. the art veiwer cant do that. only stillframe
You could capture videos of games and convert parts of those videos into gifs. This seems to be very involved and may require you to use advanced software for video editing and conversion.

The idea is great, though.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 22, 2011, 06:56:14 PM
that makes the images low quality. more so on older computers
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 22, 2011, 08:20:16 PM
Quote
that makes the images low quality. more so on older computers
Of course you should do a lossless capture on a modern computer (you can probably keep the framerarte low, since anything far beyond 10 fps will probably make the gif file too big). Otherwise forget it. If jcj's computer isn't good enough, he should ask someone to do it. Or probably ask a few more people, because quite a few videos will be needed.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 22, 2011, 08:30:25 PM
IF we do a .gif,I can fiddle around with some software I have.  The links would have to be overlays done by the site code itself.. i.e. the html code.  We have something like that for a slideshow on our FIRST Robotics website here (http://techfusion-279.com/the_gallery/).

If you guys could do something like that (not as gentle / "kid"ish)  and use multiple images, I could simply do some animated .GIFs of ConVecs picking up Cargo, a cargotruck pikcing up food, and a mine puting ore in a truck and use those.  

But on that, should it be all 3 in one ore 3 seperate .gif files?

EDIT: I can only use my software that I found so save video as an .AVI file.  I don't know if I can figure out a way to convert .avi to .gif
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: CK9 on March 23, 2011, 01:58:09 AM
you don't even need to do a vid.  There are programs that allow for rapid-screenshot capture (I think either Camtasia or Fraps has an option for this, but there are others that are made specifically for the function).  You could use that, set up a hotkey OP2 doesn't use, and take a series of screenshots that show the animation.  Or, unless I'm thinking about howw the images are done incorrectly, you could build them from the game files and combine them into a finished image be using the PHP image functions.  I played with this type of thing a bit a LONG while back, and someone who actually knows what they are doing could easily make it look nice.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 23, 2011, 07:50:59 AM
I was thinking of real in-game scenes, not just a convec loading and unloading stuff (that'd be boring). Now I'm seeing one little problem: You have to either make a loop or switch to another gif if one has played through in order to make it look nice. Probably the latter, since the first cannot be done with most scenes, e.g. fighting scenes. That'd however increase the amount of data that needs to be transferred... not so much hope for this nice idea :(
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: CK9 on March 23, 2011, 12:20:43 PM
and that's why static images work better
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 23, 2011, 03:44:26 PM
So, more focus on the fight scence?

Could we setup a slide show in the site?  

I could mod SEVERAL images as use for a header, just simple OP2 Screenshots, while still useing our current header.  If we do THIS, tough, the html coding would be needed to setp the different header at different times.  Again, in a link in one of my earlier post, i have a link to what my teams website area has done for us, and the slide show they have done was all in the website, those aren't gifs.

I can EASILY make a header with 2 battle images and a building image

I'll post when I can
 
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 23, 2011, 04:43:43 PM
After thinking some more about it I believe that too much animation would be rather irritating. I say: Choose one image when the site is loaded and keep that. (BlackBox's signature is a nice example)
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 23, 2011, 05:07:59 PM
hmm... yeah. loads one image form a small database(or just a random variable attached to images :P) and loads it up to the header
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 23, 2011, 07:46:05 PM
Well to do that then we need some header images.  

How about we keep our old one AND have some new ones in there for a little flavor?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 23, 2011, 09:14:49 PM
Quote
Well to do that then we need some header images.  

How about we keep our old one AND have some new ones in there for a little flavor?
i vote for this idea until we find the newer ones MUCH better
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Zardox Xheonov on March 24, 2011, 07:50:32 AM
I secound the idea, g00d idea, above.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Spikerocks101 on March 24, 2011, 12:13:11 PM
Can we just not change anything for a bit. I actually never minded the OPU header as is. >_>
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 07:25:51 PM
Here is one

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/normal_Scene_1.JPG)

and another

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/normal_Scene_5.JPG)

and another

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/normal_Scene_2.JPG)

and ANOTHER :P

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/normal_Scene_3.JPG)

and yet ANOTHER

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/normal_Scene_4.JPG)



So, Like them or not?

Used with express permission from a particular member, hope he likes what ended up happening to them.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 24, 2011, 07:34:31 PM
bit small, but the ones without half of the battle being acid clouds are good
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 07:39:16 PM
Grr, I'll add full images..


STARTING NOW!!

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/Scene_1.JPG)

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/Scene_2.JPG)

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/Scene_3.JPG)

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/Scene_4.JPG)

(http://gallery.outpostuniverse.net/albums/userpics/11642/Scene_5.JPG)


There, now they're larger.  Happier ECC?

Oh btw, happy spring?  Even though it's still snowing where I am.  <_<  
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 24, 2011, 07:55:06 PM
bigger is better ^^

get a few more plymoth images in there. in fact, a plymoth vs eden battle would be best
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 07:57:40 PM
Well maybe if you'd take some screen shots of some plym vs plym or plym vs eden...

and YOU GUYS ARE SO LUCKY

the OP2 fullscreen actuall PLAY area (not the side bars, buttons, and borders), is 808 pixels wide.  The OPU header is 800 pixels wide.

I just need some more screenshots (casts a glance at his old supplier).  If the guys who gave me those ever played Plymouth, than MAYBE we'd have some.


 
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 24, 2011, 08:05:38 PM
I'll get a few of the cold war mod b mission that has a few good battles in it. OR i could do eden population and cheat to get 40 some odd opponents to attack at once(i ALMOST lost that battle)
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 08:10:07 PM
Quote
i could do eden population and cheat to get 40 some odd opponents to attack at once(i ALMOST lost that battle)
LOLWUT?

Cheats?

For EDEN POPULATION?

*Explosion* my mind have bean blown
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 24, 2011, 08:19:03 PM
all the in game cheats where removed long ago. i use something i made about a year ago.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 08:27:21 PM
Aww sadface.  Would it be wrong to hunt through my attic for 1 the ORIGINAL Op2 disk and 2, for other OLLLLD games?

Mainly because most modern updates of games disable cheats.  Here I can understand with people using them online.  But for things that are SINGLE PLAYER ONLY games, why? Just, why?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 24, 2011, 08:48:25 PM
the cheats worked in multiplayer. it was ether disable them, or give up the game
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 09:23:55 PM
Quote
the cheats worked in multiplayer. it was ether disable them, or give up the game
I know they worked in multiplayer.  But For games that only have a singleplayer mode (in all games total) they go and remake them without cheats.  Its like WTF, thats half the fun gone right there.

(OT)  Lets get back on topic.  I need those pics asap.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 24, 2011, 09:32:15 PM
you'll have them tomorrow at best. at worst expect them never. i get distracted easily and things dont get done
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 24, 2011, 09:39:41 PM
Quote
you'll have them tomorrow at best. at worst expect them never. i get distracted easily and things dont get done
I'll hold you to that, and PM you everry daayy.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Venera on March 25, 2011, 06:09:45 AM
i think there are too many acid clouds.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Freeza-CII on March 25, 2011, 07:49:58 AM
I don't like the idea of combat animations as easy as they are to make they just have this way of looking g shabby because the because go away then come back. I would say for any thing animated stick to simple loopable scenes. Trucks loading unloading the colony just sitting there with all the building animation.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: evecolonycamander on March 25, 2011, 11:12:29 AM
Quote
I don't like the idea of combat animations as easy as they are to make they just have this way of looking g shabby because the because go away then come back. I would say for any thing animated stick to simple loopable scenes. Trucks loading unloading the colony just sitting there with all the building animation.
like the Santa walking or consumer factory we have on the home page a couple months back?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: CK9 on March 25, 2011, 11:53:50 AM
didn't see that :/
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 25, 2011, 02:25:47 PM
Nor I

I'd prefer not to do animations for two reasons.

1: Space taken up on site (might not be that significant0
2: time taken to LOAD the site (after all, you don't want to sit and wait 30 seconds for the page to fully load)

.GIF files are actually a lot more difficult to make unless I can find some free/cheap software.  I drained my money buying a Wii and some animation software.  

If you guys know of any "screen .gif recording" software, PM me.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: CK9 on March 25, 2011, 02:38:17 PM
you can always get the free trial of camtasia.  One of the save options is a .gif
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 25, 2011, 02:51:08 PM
Its my screenshots, mostly. No need to make a secret out of that.

I'll give you some more with different scenes when I find some time for that. But first I'd like to know whether people like the idea of displaying different static images.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Spikerocks101 on March 25, 2011, 02:56:40 PM
Well, as long as it adds, not takes away. As far as load times go, we live in a time where nearly every one has cable or something close to it. Loading a couple extra kilobytes wont kill any one. Personally, I prefer less war pictures, and more civil ones (since Outpost 2 is a bit of everything).
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: TH300 on March 25, 2011, 04:04:51 PM
Well, there can be about 20-50 pictures that the site selects from (enough room for civil scenes left). They'll only take up disk space. Traffic won't change, since one header image is transferred per site load.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Spikerocks101 on March 25, 2011, 04:32:07 PM
I was more speaking about the suggestion of a Gif.

Edit: Who made the original picture?
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: BlackBox on March 25, 2011, 05:20:07 PM
The other problem with gif animations is that you are limited to 256 colors, I believe the current image is a PNG file.

It would not be impossible to do something like a slideshow where we cycled through them all as well. Honestly, the entire website could use a redesign to have relevant content, and I've been thinking about it (just need to find the time...)

For the record, to whoever brought it up, the home page never contained any animated graphics.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on March 25, 2011, 08:44:46 PM
Hmm... well Off to go find .gif recording tools.

The only issue I would have had was the loading time.

Anyone want to game when I get back with a steady WiFi connection (better than my hotels, like 20mbps (without a "cap)) and help me record some screen-shots?

I still want some of:

 Plymouth EMP Missile pics/ anim
 Plymouth upgraded units (ESG, and stickyfoam) pics/ anim
 Plymouth building anims
 Eden Building anims
 mine building anim
 Cargo load anim
 Meteor or other disaster pics/ anim

If you guys can get online with me when I get back, and find a decent software, then I'll be able to finish those up.
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: Freeza-CII on April 08, 2011, 06:36:10 PM
http://www.outpostuniverse.net/~freeza/ima...all-letters.jpg (http://www.outpostuniverse.net/~freeza/images/Screens/wall-letters.jpg)

crop that out :P
Title: Should We Change Our OPU Header?
Post by: jcj94 on April 08, 2011, 10:43:05 PM
If we want it 200*800 like the current one, you'll have to shorten the wall distance.  I *might* be able to crop it, but I'm not garunteeing it will look good.  It would be better to redo it and use shorter walls.  (Note: I will attempt at crop resizing, but I won't post unless it looks at least halfway decent