Loading screen/HUD design contest

by eihrul on 12/27/2008 21:23, 109 messages, last message: 02/01/2009 00:20, 42662 views, last view: 07/03/2024 01:48

So, something I'd like to try for the next release is to make the loading screens less ugly, and for extra credit, maybe the HUD too - although that seems unlikely.

I'd appreciate if anyone with actual graphics design skills - since this excludes me - would like to take a stab at this and submit it here. The winner, of course, gets the thing included in the next release. Losers, well, there is no consolation prize. :)

A note: I would also like to change the branding from "Sauerbraten" (which most people find too weird a name) to just "Cube 2", so if any new logos are made and such, having "Cube 2" would be preferrable over "Sauerbraten".

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#23: Re: My attempt...

by Blindabuser on 01/02/2009 02:23

Here's an updated version of my logo proposal: I've changed the perspective of the cube, improved the render quality and changed the "C²" size/font, according to mrpiddly's suggestions.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?6d3d443afa.jpg

Hope you'll like it. :)

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#24: Re: ..

by Quin on 01/02/2009 03:12, refers to #21

mrpiddly: To me, my first reaction is one of total unrecognition, it isn't until I inspect it closer that I realise it is the Cube logo. The recess on the inner cube shows up more like a diagonal criss-cross rather than a 3d illusion.

eihrul: LOL, how true.

Blindabuser: I think you've head off on the wrong track personally, we still need the Cube insignia, and it should probably look more like art than something copied from the game environment itself.

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#25: Re: ..

by Quin on 01/02/2009 03:14, refers to #21

mrpiddly: Crap, realised what the problem is - it's the lack of an edge/outline on the outer vertices.

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#26: Re: ..

by mrpiddly on 01/02/2009 04:02, refers to #22

Thanks everyone for the input. All images I post are WIPs until otherwise noted.

That last render was altered in photoshop to better reveal the bump mapping (the purpose of the render), resulting in the "blown out" effects mentioned above.

I will try either adding an outline/bevel to the model or using an ambient occlusion map to add depth around the logo. I am keeping the basic design however, as it was intended to be an abstract representation of the insignia. (if I wanted it to be an exact copy, I would have just modeled the insignia in "true" 3d)

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#27: ..

by mrpiddly on 01/02/2009 07:11

Here is a proof of concept render using an indent on the model and additive material on the indented polys to better define the logo:

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/2111/testmaterialssauer06dt2.jpg

A bridge between the upper right 2 sections of the 5 intersecting paths might create a better illusion of 3d but since that area is so small, details like that may not be visible from far away.


Another option would be to remove the "background" polys as seen below:

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/3118/testnobacksauer07au4.jpg

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#28: Re: ..

by Quin on 01/02/2009 08:56, refers to #27

Think you may have misunderstood me, while those approaches do indeed make it look better, the problem I was referring to was how the "lines" bleed into each other regardless of depth as highlighted in this image:

http://img61.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cubepiddlylogo01pi7.png

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#29: Re: ..

by demosthenes on 01/02/2009 09:23, refers to #28

In other words, take a step to the right.

Yes, I realize it isn't fully 3D, so that's probably pretty hard.

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#30: Lightheartedly

by Quin on 01/02/2009 11:47

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/qreeves/Stuff#5118569403537152162

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#31: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/02/2009 14:23, refers to #24

@ Quin:

eihrul said: "I would also like to change the branding from "Sauerbraten" [..] so if any new logos are made and such, having "Cube 2" would be preferrable over "Sauerbraten". [..]

So I should also clarify, the main elements it needs are:
1) a prominent Cube 2 nice looking logo/graphic/whatever of some sort" [..]

...which makes me think that there has been a misunderstanding. About the concept of "new logo": for every company I have worked, each time I've been asked to make a "new logo", it always meant a completely new creation, from scratch. Vice versa, a "redesign" is a renewed version of the _same_ logo. A hint about that wouldn't have hurt, guys. ;)

Quin said: "[..] and it should probably look more like art than something copied from the game environment itself."

Regardless of the results, which may be questionable, what I've made (I refer to my second attempt) is a cube with rounded edges using the in-game editor, then exported to *.obj and refined/textured in Blender plus a textual logo made in Photoshop which got me busy for the last three days. I'd find it reductive to relegate everything to just "something copied from the game environment itself". Also, it all depends on the goal one wants to achieve.

In my opinion, a logo partially built within the Sauerbraten editor itself, would help showing the very potential of the game engine. I'm so convinced about this, that my original idea was to make the cube incomplete, as if it was under construction, with rows of bricks flashing from inside. As an example, despite its age, the screenshot at: http://sauerbraten.sourceforge.net/ speaks for Sauerbraten and its features much better than wordy, technical explanations.

I want to underline that mine were neutral remarks: I didn't have any high expectations but a wish to offer my modest contribute, with the goal of updating the image of the game, and get rid of the "tech demo" feel.

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#32: Re: ..

by Quin on 01/02/2009 17:01, refers to #31

Please be aware that I am just offering my own personal opinion and that it carries absolutely no weight on what gets chosen. My intent was only to provide constructive criticism to help you evolve the content, I understand your points.

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#33: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/02/2009 17:25, refers to #32

Quin, you are welcome: discussing ideas and opinion is what makes a good community, and this is one of such. :)

Unless further, more explicit hints will come from the devs, I'll leave my logo proposal "as is", by now: I'll look forward to see if things will get more defined on the way, otherwise.

Also, more people might join the contest and show better ideas: I do hope so.

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#34: Re: ..

by eihrul on 01/02/2009 18:15, refers to #33

This is really something where I think the players really needs to give their opinions, moreso than the devs. After all, they are the ones who always point out Sauer's lack of polish, so they are sort of defining what they feel is polished. :)

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#35: Re: ..

by tentus_ on 01/02/2009 18:23, refers to #34

As a player (and as a designer), Blind's design is my favorite so far (this one: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?6d3d443afa.jpg ). However, I'm worried that if it was used, the player would suffer gamma shock when switching from the bright background to the (generally) dark environs of Sauer.

I'm still kicking around some ideas of my own, should have something to show by monday.

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#36: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/02/2009 21:20, refers to #35

@ Tentus: first of all, many thanks for your appreciation. I'm looking forward to see your logo too, of course. :)

Concerning your worries: I understand, however the image is transparent, so it could be adapted to (almost) any background, with some tweakings. For example, here I've added a metal texture with rust around the logo: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?8af08c1ecb.jpg

However, I still find this one as the best choice, for Sauerbraten: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?07897b8267.jpg

I'm sure the forum will agree... let's organize a Sauerbraten LAN party (meaning that we'll play and eat sour roast all together, with some fine wine! XD

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#37: ..

by mrpiddly on 01/02/2009 23:01

Two higher resolution (2048*1600) renders, one with the textures and the other with just materials:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3638/testrender10xy6.jpg

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1542/testrender07ah2.jpg


I am fixing the problems with the reflections, as well as scaling up all textures to 2k and eliminating UV distortion. I need someone else's opinion, but i kind of like it more without all the textures.

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#38: Re: ..

by demosthenes on 01/02/2009 23:59, refers to #37

Adding the red line (as a white one consistent with the rest of them, of course) will help the illusion, IMHO:

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5427/exampleqs7.png

But I like blindabuser's logo best so far. :)

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#39: ..

by yoopers on 01/03/2009 01:07

I like the lettering and style of Blindabuser's 'Cube 2' image best, combined with the iconic logo from mrpiddly, assuming they can be put together. I'm not so wild about the 3D cube for reasons I can't quite articulate, which I realize isn't terribly helpful, but there you have it.

It seems to me that there's no need to subtitle 'Cube 2' with 'Game & Engine'. The subtitle distracts from the really cool thing going on above it with the 'Cube 2'. If one downloaded looking for a game, then it's a game, if one was looking for an editor, then it's an editor. :-]

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#40: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/03/2009 16:38, refers to #39

Hi yoopers, I'm glad that you appreciate my attempt. Although I like mrpiddly's nice logo too, I don't quite find my lettering stylistically compatible with it, but I understand your point of view. :)

Concerning the sentence below "Cube 2", it's a slogan/description: the basics of marketing. When you sell a product, the first needful thing is a quick way to inform people concerning what your product is all about, and its main features. You know: not every gamer out there is neither supposed to know Cube 2, nor to read the docs (and we all know this issue very well. :P)

But well, I've just placed it there to make the logo look more "serious" and have it say something more than its own name. It can be replaced or removed, of course. ;)

Thanks for your feedback.

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#41: ..

by eihrul on 01/03/2009 20:42

Apparently Aard still wants Sauerbraten in the title somewhere. So I guess the best compromise is: have Cube 2 be the main heading, but where normally we might have the "game and engine" sub-text, we put "Sauerbraten" in that small print instead.

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#42: Re: ..

by yoopers on 01/03/2009 21:56, refers to #40

Hey Blindabuser, your point about mrpiddly's logo not being stylistically compatible with your lettering makes sense to my graphically-challenged mind. I was basically trying (and failing) to state the adage, "less is more" and it seemed to me there was some common denominator between your two works that could be cultivated to reach that "least best fit." But this may just be an example of why I should stick to programming. ;-]

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