Loading screen/HUD design contest

by eihrul on 12/27/2008 21:23, 109 messages, last message: 02/01/2009 00:20, 42646 views, last view: 07/01/2024 07:25

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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#43: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/03/2009 22:12, refers to #41

eihrul: "Apparently Aard still wants Sauerbraten in the title somewhere"

Nostalgia, uh? :P
Replacement done (hope it works) and... added a different background texture, just for trying: http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?3c716d3955.jpg :p

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#44: Re: ..

by eihrul on 01/03/2009 22:16, refers to #43

Hmm, what does it look like without those [] brackets around the word Sauerbraten?

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#45: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/03/2009 22:16, refers to #42

@ yoopers: nah, I think different points of view are good, so if the most of the people wouldn't like that "game and engine" sentence, we'd get rid of if, of course... but well, now it seems that the direction is changing again, according to eihrul's last request. ;)

Sorry for the double post, but yoopers one came right after I've pressed "send". :P

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#46: Re: ..

by Blindabuser on 01/03/2009 22:26, refers to #44

@ eihrul: it looks like this:

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?e074156d6b.jpg

In my opinion, the brackets give the logo more "volume" and balance, however the last word is yours.

...now I hope I could finally join a server and have some frag time! XD

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#47: Re: ..

by SephoD on 01/03/2009 23:32, refers to #46

In my opinion the brackets are excessive...
I must say I really like this Logo, and the C2 part is awesome

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#48: Re: ..

by a~baby~rabbit on 01/04/2009 04:56, refers to #47

Whereas I dislike the C2 and the cube - but do very much like the style of lettering (anti-C2 because it's yet another redundant name/abbreviation, e.g. - C2, Sauer, Cube2, sauerbraten...)

- but my opinion is suspect as I'm a programmer not an artist :-)

btw - random food for thought: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Cube2-Compound.html - especially the blue/yellow Escher star

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#49: ..

by JadeMatrix on 01/04/2009 04:59

Ugh, so many polite posters... boggles my mind...

So, my impression is that the art direction (um... lol?) of Sauer/C2 is kinda cartoony-industrial. So I should head that direction. amirite?

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#50: Brackets and sour roast

by Blindabuser on 01/04/2009 15:36

@ SephoD: after looking at it better, I agree with you and eihrul.

@ a~baby~rabbit: the "C2" on the logo isn't meant as another abbreviation (although I understand your concern). It's thought to let people know what the logo is all about, when the cube is shown alone (i.e. on icons).

@JadeMatrix: I think you can choose whatever direction you like, as neither developers nor the people have expressed any hints about it (and there would be more chances to have a richer variety of styles). Concerning the "cartoony-industrial" you're mentioning, who knows: I've just took a look at a bunch of known logos, and took inspiration from them (probably, I've failed... :/)

anonym.to/?http://screenshots.filesnetwork.com/18/others/doom3.jpg
anonym.to/?http://www.machodemonte.com/images/stories/far-cry-2-logo-1402.jpg
anonym.to/?http://www.freakygaming.com/gallery/game_wallpapers/crysis/rough_metal_crysis_logo.jpg

(Links are anonymized to prevent blocking based on referrer).

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#51: Loading Screen

by Blindabuser on 01/04/2009 22:13

Here's a quick attempt for a possible loading screen.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6314/loadingscreenow9.jpg

Note: please, make sure that your browser doesn't automatically resize images.

I've tried not to "dramatically" change the original look and feel, and I've re-used the mapshot frame that can be found within the "Sauerbraten\data" folder and the same texture tile used on the current in-game menus, as an attempt to optimize things, by using what already exists. Credit goes to whoever made them (I'd say makkE, according to the style).

I've resized the loading bar to a more reasonable width/height, and placed everything in a fake windowed environment, to give it a more realistic appearance. Although I'd gladly change the in-game font, I've avoided it purposely until a final logo choice will be made.

Ok, I think I've bothered enough with my ideas, so I'll shut my mouth. :P

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#52: Re: Loading Screen

by SephoD on 01/04/2009 22:43, refers to #51

An idea...

Blindabuser... what about some bulletholes or decals... this may look a bit "polished" for a fps...

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#53: Re: Loading Screen

by MovingTarget on 01/04/2009 22:45, refers to #51

The background needs to be much more varied. Other than that, not bad.

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#54: Re: Loading Screen

by Blindabuser on 01/04/2009 23:28, refers to #53

SephoD, MovingTarget: I agree with both of you, guys. This was just quick, basic attempt, which can be improved in many different ways.

However, keep in mind that the background will probably have be a small tile (to save loading time and preserve the apperance on different screen resolutions) therefore, every "decoration" (logo and mapshot included) will be an overlayed png, to prevent repeating the same bulletholes/decals over and over.

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#55: Re: Loading Screen

by a~baby~rabbit on 01/05/2009 00:20, refers to #54

I say make us art - and leave it to the devs to worry about efficiency :P

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#56: Re: Loading Screen

by demosthenes on 01/05/2009 00:52, refers to #51

I like the loading bar.

Just a thought for the devs: it would be nice if some read-ahead and size estimation could be done so that the progress bar could progress instead of flashing between 0 and 100. If it's not too much work, that is. Maybe an entry in the config declaring the total size of the map's resources?

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#57: Re: Loading Screen

by Blindabuser on 01/05/2009 01:51, refers to #55

Ok, I've replaced the main texture with a more fitting one, then added some scratches, bullet-holes, decals and other stuff to give it that "torn" look it needs. I hope this version looks better. :)

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/2983/loadingscreen2ie2.jpg

Again, make sure that your browser doesn't automatically resize images. ;)

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#58: Re: Loading Screen

by chris777 on 01/05/2009 02:04, refers to #57

Looking great Blindabuser. The stamp is great. :P I'd like to see a little more dirt, burns, rust etc.

I really like the progress of your screen though. :)

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#59: ..

by Geartrooper on 01/05/2009 03:27

Seconded. Quite an original and interesting perspective.

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#60: Re: Loading Screen

by Captain_Ahab on 01/05/2009 04:08, refers to #57

Every element except the Cube2 logo is facing direct at the viewer (orthagonal?) while the Cube2 logo is 'in persperctive' making it the odd-man-out in the scene.

In order to tie it in the scene better, maybe the "Cube 2 Sauerbraten" should use faked perspective to make it appear on the same plane as the logo. Maybe even make the lettering 3d ( not thick, but just enough to make it not look like the letters weren't cut out of paper).

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#61: Re: Loading Screen

by SephoD on 01/05/2009 12:24, refers to #60

I would also like to see some dirt on the cube itself, looks too polished ;)

But this is definitely looking a lot better, love the stamp!

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#62: Re:

by Blindabuser on 01/05/2009 15:08

chris777, Geartrooper, Captain_Ahab, SephoD, a~baby~rabbit, yoopers and all the people who joined the conversation: many thanks for your appreciation, and especially for your constructive suggestions and criticism. You've helped alot improving my modest attempt.

Now that the "path" I should follow is more defined, I'll take a little pause (mostly since the next days will be quite busy for me). Furtherly, I don't want to "monopolize" this thread: there are other intrepid guys out there (tentus, mrpiddly, JadeMatrix, mIscreant and demosthenes to name a few) who are working at their own logo proposal, so I'll take a chance to move over and leave room for them.

Concerning the last requests/suggestions: yes, more dirt and scratches can be added, and I'll do. Let's just keep in mind that "less is more": too much stuff could make the screen look like a mess. ;)

@ Captain_Ahab: I understand your point, and I've already tried a "full 3D way" but then the logo looks completely out of place. In my opinion, having a 3D element to resume the spirit of the game, together with a beveled, two-dimensional lettering could do the job.

Bye all, I'll be back in a few days. :)

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