Layout Help

[shinobi]

Hey guys ive decided to learn how to make a layout for text based games.

if you want to teach me the basic PM me and ill send you my E-mail address we can talk on msn

thank you

[Zero-Affect]

let me get this straight, You've decided to learn something but haven't actually thought about doing research you simply think posting here and asking for someone to help will do?

ask.com is your friend mate why not use it.

[bladewolf2010]

go to w3schools and php.net and learn how to do some stuff if you don't understand it don't bother coding XD but if you need help ask :P i think i messed that up but. We'll help ya but not do your whole site

[Guest George || Apollis]

@bladewolf

If he is looking into layouts, and he means design aspect, why would he first go to programming tutorials? How does that make any sense?

I suggest Psdtuts as a main resources, get your skill there and try things yourself. You should buy or get free brushes, patterns and styles if you do not know how to make them. By doing this you wont be making cruddy templates :thumbsup: Good luck

[bladewolf2010]

oops XD I read that wrong, it still apples the psdtut's not programming

[Djkanna]

@bladewolf

If he is looking into layouts, and he means design aspect, why would he first go to programming tutorials? How does that make any sense?

I suggest Psdtuts as a main resources, get your skill there and try things yourself. You should buy or get free brushes, patterns and styles if you do not know how to make them. By doing this you wont be making cruddy templates :thumbsup: Good luck

Because programming knowledge can help with designing layouts?

I mean if you don't know what a un/ordered list is used for then you cannot exactly make a layout with a menu, as you'll never be able to make that design a reality no?

Yes I know I used 'programming' and a html element together shoot me.

[NarutoPRG.com]

Really, PhotoShop would probably be the best software to use. But It cost too much. I myself use GIMP. It's free and not far of from PS. :)

Learn (x)HTML & CSS.

[Guest George || Apollis]

GIMP is Nothing close to what photoshop can do. Picture gimp as making the empire state building diagram while photoshop can actually *bam* create the empire state building. (was a bad example). Photoshop has many more extended features and if your making layouts, use photoshop, not gimp :\

[NarutoPRG.com]

GIMP can do everything PS. All PS has different is easy to-do feature's.

[Guest George || Apollis]

1: Layer size vs Canvas size.

The biggest wtf is the strange fact you can have a smaller layer size than canvas size. Try this: Create a new document (400×400), then go Image->Canvas size (500×500). Now for some reason you cannot actually paint outside the original 400×400 area. You need to then increase the layer size before you can use it. The more recent version of Gimp lets you automatically set all layers to the canvas size when you increase it – remember an older version where you had to do it one by one – but the question still stands: why on earth do I have to do this in the first place?

The only possible utility for this ‘feature’ I can think of is to limit the drawing area when painting, but since there are at least half a dozen other ways of doing this that do not require constant attention, and also let you create a boundry area that isn’t a rectangle, that can’t be it. I suppose there may be a technical reason for it, but I’ve yet to see a single other graphics program require this so that can’t be it either. It’s annoying micromanagement for the sake of annoying micromanagement, it serves no purpose, yet it is a major feature of the program.

2: Layer groups

Imagine a non-heirarchical file system. That is you can only store files in / and nowhere else. It would be a nightmare, wouldn’t it? That’s what Gimp is like. In Photoshop you can create groups that layers can be placed in. If you create a button made out of half a dozen layers you put them in a group called ‘button’, and can treat all layers like one – moving them, hiding them etc. Want another button – just copy the group, change the title layer and you’re done. Doing any of the above with Gimp takes an order of magnitude more time in finding and copying the mass of unsorted layers. Fun.

3: Non-destructive effects & layers

Possibly the biggest feature missing from Gimp is non-destructive effects. For example if I want to add a drop shadow to something in Photoshop you just click the effects button and select ‘drop shadow’. Any future changes to the layer automatically update the effect, with the added bonus that it is on the layer itself, and does not require a new layer for the effect. To achieve the same action in Gimp you’d need to go the throught the bother of copying your original layer, filling it with black, offsetting it and then blurring it. Any change to the layer or if you want to tweak the effect require redoing the whole lot, rather than just changing the settings or layer. The same also applies to the other effects such as strokes, glows, bevels, gradients etc. What takes seconds in Photoshop can take hours to achieve in Gimp.

4: User interface

It is widely accepted that Gimp has one of the worst user interfaces in known history. It has got a little better recently, that is the ergegiously bad UI problems have been tamed, but while each revision of Photoshop has seen gradual improvements and refinements to the UI, Gimp has pretty much stayed static.

5: Last but not least – the name

Even if it didn’t have a complete lack of features people still wouldn’t use it simply because of the name. I could create the best, easiest to use distro, but if I called it Penix virtually nobody would use it. Sure it’s funny, but it’s horribly unprofessional and having a name that most people would be embarassed to say to a client is certainly not going to help your cause!

Now, I admit that I am being a bit harsh – and that if you had not had experience with Photoshop – then there would be nothing significantly wrong with Gimp. However when comparing the two Gimp simply cannot compete with Photoshop on a professional level and the points I have made are just the tip of the iceberg. If I felt it was necessary I could fairly easily write up at least a dozen more points (such as type handling, exporting, colour management, actions, plugins, workflow etc etc etc).

Sure, having a graphics package that could only really referred to as a, at best, toy is fine – but stop trying to pretend it has even the slightest glimmer of a chance at being considered pro app simply because it’s FOSS as it isn’t. The first version of Photshop I remember using was 5.0, and it still has more features and is better than Gimp and it was released over a decade ago, leaving Gimp as, at least, ten years behind the competition.

Copyright & All rights reserved to: http://piestar.net/2009/03/01/gimp-sucks/ (Gimp Sucks)

[shinobi]

help

Hey

just a few questions if you dont wanna answer please dont reply ...

1.Hey how do i do a template in ... using coding or just do it on PS.

2.after doing it on PS how do i put all the login info on .

:S

[NarutoPRG.com]

Like I said. GIMP is like PS. PS makes it abit easier.

@ 3: Non-destructive effects & layers

Possibly the biggest feature missing from Gimp is non-destructive effects. For example if I want to add a drop shadow to something in Photoshop you just click the effects button and select ‘drop shadow’. Any future changes to the layer automatically update the effect, with the added bonus that it is on the layer itself, and does not require a new layer for the effect. To achieve the same action in Gimp you’d need to go the throught the bother of copying your original layer, filling it with black, offsetting it and then blurring it. Any change to the layer or if you want to tweak the effect require redoing the whole lot, rather than just changing the settings or layer. The same also applies to the other effects such as strokes, glows, bevels, gradients etc. What takes seconds in Photoshop can take hours to achieve in Gimp.

( Possibly the biggest feature missing from Gimp is non-destructive effects. For example if I want to add a drop shadow to something in Photoshop you just click the effects button and select ‘drop shadow’. ) Wow?

( Any future changes to the layer automatically update the effect, with the added bonus that it is on the layer itself, and does not require a new layer for the effect. To achieve the same action in Gimp you’d need to go the throught the bother of copying your original layer, filling it with black, offsetting it and then blurring it. Any change to the layer or if you want to tweak the effect require redoing the whole lot, rather than just changing the settings or layer. ) No you do not. With GIMP(2.6+) The layer also Automatically by it self. You will not need to copy, smudge, blurring it. When you are in the DROP SHADOW effect in GIMP, it gives you options, what you think will suit the design. Same option still apply's in the Layer menu.

Like I said. GIMP & PS, are nearly similar. PS make it easier & quicker.

[Djkanna]

One thing,

Get Adobe Photoshop Cs4/5 working on Ubuntu (for example) then come back and tell me GIMP is crap ;)

[Lilith]

Shinobi, I know that the Gimp/Photoshop Debate isn't what you were looking for. The point is, start with a graphics program. (I myself use a program that is never discussed here, and not even available for purchase anymore, but I love it and thats what matters) DJ Kanna is right, the more you know about coding, the better layout design you can create.

Now as far as I can tell, you can create pure CSS templates. They are coded so that you dont use tables for your layouts. These kinds of templates are (keep in mind this is just my opinion) difficult to learn, time consuming to create,and a royal pain to go cross browser with, but boy do they look good in the end! You are still going to have to create an image library for the template anyway.

Your other option is to design a layout in a graphics program as one package, slice it, (cut it up into little blocks that piece together like a puzzle) and integrate the pieces into the appropriate places. (header.php, mainmenu.php, login.php, register.php) This method is much faster, easier to learn, and still looks good. You can add to this method as your skills get better and you learn more tricks to making things look good, so its a good starting point to keep from getting discouraged.

I would defiantly suggest doing some research on what goes into a layout coding side, so that you can account for it in the development of your graphics.

Good Luck and I hope to see some examples soon ~Lilith~

[DELETE-ME-NOW-]

Some of you are saying go learn photoshop? Im pretty skilled at PS, but that means nothing. Even if i was to make a bunch of stuff in PS, adding it to the correct place in the codes is the hard bit.

I suggest you go learn how to code alot before taking PS tutorials.

[shinobi]

hey !

i totally forgot about this !

ok ill use gimp to create a design then show u ! i acant use ps cuzi dont have it

:) wish me luck

[Jaaaacccckkk]

Could always get photoshop illegally. :huh:

You can find many portable versions on the net, but some people here may not agree, so i'm not going to say much more, just saying a small pointer.

[Redex]

You mean a few people won't agree? Lots of people have got illegal or cracked versions of software so it's not exactly something you should hide behind a shell. Professional people 'used' to use illegal software until they got visited by some people which checked there computers and basically gave them a fine for using illegal versions of softwares - That only happens if you're running a professional business, one which has been registered not a online coding company, that is not what i'm talking about. Basically what i'm saying is, even the software developers understand nobody is going to cough up more than £500 for a piece of software, in this case Adobe Photoshop.

I suggest you 'download' a copy from the internet (a N = 'legal one') , if you're clever enough you should understand me, however i'm not going to directly tell you to do it ;) Gimp is good for beginners so i don't exactly know what everyone is crying about over here? Atleast it's better than MS paint, isn't it? Well it's a start, his just started to learn not like his gone professional (yet), anyway my point is let him start with a simple free program first & then let him get Adobe photoshop and experiment with that later. The main thing is, he starts looking up on some tutorials online and get's a bit more experience in designing etc.

Kind Regards: Redex

[Jaaaacccckkk]

You mean a few people won't agree? Lots of people have got illegal or cracked versions of software so it's not exactly something you should hide behind a shell. Professional people 'used' to use illegal software until they got visited by some people which checked there computers and basically gave them a fine for using illegal versions of softwares - That only happens if you're running a professional business, one which has been registered not a online coding company, that is not what i'm talking about. Basically what i'm saying is, even the software developers understand nobody is going to cough up more than £500 for a piece of software, in this case Adobe Photoshop.

I suggest you 'download' a copy from the internet (a N = 'legal one') , if you're clever enough you should understand me, however i'm not going to directly tell you to do it ;) Gimp is good for beginners so i don't exactly know what everyone is crying about over here? Atleast it's better than MS paint, isn't it? Well it's a start, his just started to learn not like his gone professional (yet), anyway my point is let him start with a simple free program first & then let him get Adobe photoshop and experiment with that later. The main thing is, he starts looking up on some tutorials online and get's a bit more experience in designing etc.

Kind Regards: Redex

Well put. ;)

[shinobi]

stuck

hi guys ive made a start on gimp , i did it all random of what i know and now im stuck on the log in box . how exactly am i suppose to design my own , i asked my friend he says i need to code it ?

any way this is my unfinished "work" http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz248/spyfly12/th_worldwar.png?t=1286397245

its my first go i know ive made a lot of mistakes please tell me how i can improove

thanks

[The Monk]

The image is too small, I can't see any of the text :S

[shinobi]

improvement

hey guys i make this front page using html coding ! found it alot easier on dreamweaver

no idea how to put it on here :(

[Equinox]

You need to have your own site...