25-09-2000 05:33									#1
	Opening Screen Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Hi All,
With not muuch happening around here I thought I'd much around about and see if I can come up with an opening.
I managed to get something scrapped togeher http://members.nbci.com/acchiron/head.jpg http://members.nbci.com/acchiron/head2.jpg http://members.nbci.com/acchiron/head3.jpg http://members.nbci.com/acchiron/head4.jpg

Like any of these? Maybe a combo of these?
I like head 2 anyway.


BTW: It appears clicking on the link doesn;t work too well. If it doesnt, copy the address and then paste it in the browser. then it shoudl work
[This message has been edited by heardie (edited September 24, 2000).]

	25-09-2000 12:44									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I think these were quite nice. The colors seemed to be ok to me. Number 2 was quite nice, but perhaps the skull and the lower cannon should be removed, and we should have a photograph or a painting (or several) in the empty space below the title? Something appropriate, like war pictures or archtitecture, or something.

By the way, I remember that the title comes from a book. Should someone find out, do we need a permission from the author? Though I think at least here in Finland you can "steal" a name from a book or something, since usually the book titles are not trademarks or anything. Well, perhaps you can't write a book with the same name, but... I think it would be ok for a computer game to have the same name as a book, but might be worth checking. At least we should mention the author about our intentions.

	28-09-2000 20:21									#3
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Here's one for you, we have the guns represented by the cannon, and we have the germs represented ( I guess) represented by the skull, but what for the steel?

Perhaps we add a hammer & sickle emblem in there and that would provoke some thought also I think.

------------------
Peace and trust can win the day despite all your losing
-Led Zepplin

	30-09-2000 18:46									#4
	Got spare money?

I suppose is the openingcreen when starting GGS? The (left, big) gun looks really really great. Have you made this by your own? I think we should use this one in any way.

As I like experimenting with this kind of graphics, I think I'll make one (or more) too. For now: I like head4 the most, as I don't think that $ is very good at it's place here (unless it's more integrated in the rest of the header).

'Till later.

	01-10-2000 08:04									#5
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Okay, there were just something I whipped up. I think when Elmo mnakes something it will be great. he seems to haev very good visual ideas and design.

	30-11-2000 23:53									#6
	Inflate your Upload Space

It's been a while since the last post here (30 september!), but I finally get my Photoshop running (after installing Win2000 again) and I had some creative thought.

The results are here (GIF picture) or download the zip file with the original Photoshop file here and see for yourself. You might notice the combination of modern (colors, lines) and classic (font types, background textures) styles. This is done intensionally of course.

I am only looking for some better photo/image material that I can use now. I'll look on the net, but if you have something for me, don't hesitate to [mail=eric@pekok.demon.nl]mail it me[/url]. And feedback is also welcome to!

Well, that's it for now, to be continued...
[This message has been edited by ElmoTheElk (edited November 30, 2000).]

	01-12-2000 03:50									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Coooooooool!

You're good, man. You are good.

But for those of us who don't have 24 inch screens, could you make the res a bit smaller?

------------------
"It ain't broke, so BREAK it."
- Raingoon

GGS Website

	01-12-2000 05:18									#8
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Thanks. About the resolution: It's just 1024x768 so I think this is pretty normal, especially when our game will be released.

While I am already using 1280x1024
Anyway: I also uploaded a new version which is even a lot cooler I think. It's over here. And the ziped Photoshop image here.

'Till later...

	01-12-2000 10:22									#9
	Got spare money?

Damn thats nice. Also with the new DX wrapper it is easy to display an opening image, though the buttons may not yet work. Nice Work

	01-12-2000 16:27									#10
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Res:
Oh, ok. I use 1024x768 too. It's just that it didn't fit into my browser window.

The new screen is even better! Fantastic!

------------------
"It ain't broke, so BREAK it."
- Raingoon

GGS Website

	01-12-2000 21:43									#11
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

That - is definitely something. Cool!! Just what I thought the opening screen should be like. Please mail me a .bmp version of it to amjayee@kolumbus.fi (the latest version) and I will put it into the UI demo I'm working on! I'm using res 800x600 right now, but I will switch to 1024x768 just for that... anyway I think we would have done that eventually.

	03-12-2000 06:18									#12
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Impressive pictures.
But I think white background makes them a little too web-like. Perhaps a color of stone or wood would be better.

	03-12-2000 06:20									#13
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Hmm. I just played with photoshop. It actually looks better with white one

	03-12-2000 23:26									#14
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

No, I think we definitely need to keep the white color. It is great that way. Also I think that the UI could be made somewhat similar in style - not so "machine-like" as most games have, but rather like a beautiful history book or something. Stone and wood and textures like that are nice, but they must not be over-used - they are too "noisy" for the eyes. Just in some smaller details, I think.

	04-12-2000 01:26									#15
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Actually I think the white background is pretty nice. I am not sure, though. It may be even better without it.

But I actually like the webbish look of it. Actually I am really, really impressed with it. It is even better than the website.

Therefore I was wondering whether maybe the website should be redesigned, to have the same look as that screen? It would be pretty cool to have the same design on our website and in the game, to show the webishness of our project.

Just a thought.

------------------
"It ain't broke, so BREAK it."
- Raingoon

GGS Website

	04-12-2000 12:37									#16
	Remove this text

Of course this is possible! But I have to say that I make new designs very often, but it's not too good to change your website design too often! Let'ss say, we'll wait for the demo release to that or at least several days before, so that we don't make a whole new design like the game, while the game itself has a different design after all.

Thanks for the compliments though. I like the white-background-webbish look too, but that's kindda natrual with my designs because I am a website designer originally (or at least I spended most of my time to that). I'll just try something else too, though.

Just a small thing: do you know I am a really bad painter with pencil and paper? So I quess that isn't neccesary at all! (Or at least not in web designs, it may be in unit design...)

Last thing here: how about the new santa, he's great:

	06-12-2000 02:15									#17
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

Sure thing, Elmo!

I mean, the current website design looks really great. But this new thing you made............

Wow!

------------------
"It ain't broke, so BREAK it."
- Raingoon

GGS Website

	10-07-2001 12:44									#18
	Remove this text

The opening screens look excellent, but I prefer the first one. I'm just not very sure about the way 'Main Menu' is underlined. Other than that, I think it's perfect.

	14-07-2001 13:12									#19
	Increase Your PM Length

What options should there be on the main screen (New game, Saved game etc.)? If, as this post says, there'll eventually be a scenario builder, should the opening screen have an option for that, too?

	14-07-2001 17:53									#20
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Well, just 2 things:

- I am not so happy with it in total. It's too empty. But that's mainly because we need some art for this, which I can't make because I am only good in (web)designs and menus and other 2d stuff. I cannot draw pictures properly...

- We haven't settled this yet if there is going to be a scenario editor in the first release. And if it's, we don't know yet if it will be an option on the main menu. I thing it will be a different program tough, like the map editor in civ2.

	14-07-2001 21:10									#21
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Actually I think Elmo's second screen (the one with the skull) is nothing less than incredible.

I am not sure about the scenario editor. Sure, we would like to have one. But it's pretty far into the future. And whether or not it should be located on the main menu, or somewhere seperately is not really a big issue right now...

	15-07-2001 01:30									#22
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I tried to make an opening screen, but I made these. They look awful, but hopefully I'll soon upload some better ones.
I still think the Elmo's was fine, not particularly empty.

PS. I can't draw much, so I borrowed heardie's cannon.

	15-07-2001 02:59									#23
	Increase Your PM Length

Well Nath, they are not THAT bad. I really like the background. But did you draw that yourself? THe textures are pretty cool actually.

But why did you have the dark square in the top left corner?

	15-07-2001 12:25									#24
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: But why did you have the dark square in the top left corner?

The dark blob in the top left was originally a picture of two cannons, one of which was being blown up (see below). I guess I made it too transparent.

quote: But did you draw that yourself?

I scanned a crumpled piece of paper and edited it.

	02-08-2001 17:17									#25
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Here's something I put together... I'd show you the Photoshop file, but it's 16meg for some reason...

http://www.geocities.com/philoplato_il/ and click on ggs.jpg.

If you choose to click on other things too, there's a 9-month-old picture on mine - I'm the one on the left. ugly.jpg is me in Paris in a bad day when we lost our passports on the same day the ambassador died and the entire thing was on his funeral and so we waited the whole day at the building there instead of seeing Paris. DKA.jpg is an edited scan of something I drew in Grammar and Math lessons a while back

I'm fond of saying a lot of things that have nothing to do with anything. Sorry.

Last edited by Mark_Lipovrovskiy on 02-08-2001 at 17:24

	02-08-2001 20:31									#26
	Tired of ads?

Well, Mark, this is what the ggs image looks like: In other words, it's quite amazing. I would have no objection for using it, but perhaps that would require us to adjust the UI theme so it would look a little like that? Or?

Don't worry about talking about irrelevant things, it's more like a rule around here that people discuss whatever comes to their mind. And, nice to see new people. Welcome!

	02-08-2001 21:15									#27
	Tired of ads?

Gee, thanks

	11-08-2001 00:12									#28
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

It is excellent. The first letter of each menu choice is a little too... um... squiggly, though.
I think this can be used, if necessary with minor modifications.

	11-08-2001 02:48									#29
	Get a bigger avatar today!

Yeah, I thought that about the squiggly letters too... And as much as I hate pixel-twiddling, something may be done.

UI? Yes, UI may be modified for the better
It's too... Square.... :\

	17-08-2001 12:38									#30
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Wow Mark. I am amazed. It looks really neat. Although, as an artist I have some points here:

- First of all, did you draw it yourself? Then you have absolute great drawing skills! It's a very cool looking menu screen.
- Most important: GUI. Did you plan to make a Gui in this syle too? I mean with menus, scroll bars, buttons, pop-ups, etc.?
- About the image itself:I like the style you use (old looking map), but it's just a little bit, eh, colorless. We might (but that may be my opinion only) want some more variation in color use... Don't know what I'd use here though, I have to think about that.

Well, that the first impression. Keep up the good work! Elmo