UFO:Alien Invasion
Development => Artwork => Topic started by: RaXaR on June 19, 2007, 08:19:57 pm
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Hi guys, I was playing around with the GUI a bit. I haven't made an interface for a game before so I thought I'd give it a shot. I think I could make it look a bit better if the GUI was alpha-channel enabled. Please give crits and suggestions, since I have no idea if I'm the right track or not :wink:
Thanks.
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu.jpg)
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Hi guys, I was playing around with the GUI a bit. I haven't made an interface for a game before so I thought I'd give it a shot. I think I could make it look a bit better if the GUI was alpha-channel enabled. Please give crits and suggestions, since I have no idea if I'm the right track or not :wink:
Thanks.
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu.jpg)
It looks impressive, but I don't like how the green glow follows the exact contours of the metal bracket. The glow should be forming a straight-edged rectangle around the menu options.
I'm also not too keen on the ships in the background, they clearly don't resemble any of ours. I'm not sure about the blue 'UFO' text, I can't decide whether I like it or not.
That's about all I've got right now.
Regards,
Winter
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you are on the right way imo - but as winter said already: the shop doesn't fit - the menu looks ok, but not super - the same opinion as winter here - all in all i like the design
alphachannels can always be simulated like we did that in the current menus where the globe in the background shines through
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Thanks for the response Winter/Mattn, I will keep at it. I'm aware that the Ships don't fit, but I couldn't find any concept images on the forums (albeit I didn't look very long). So if you have some reference for me I'm sure I could make it fit. Also, I tried simulating transparency, but it messed up on other menus since I'm using a different backdrop for almost each menu and the buttons aren't all in the same position. I would like to try my hand at texturing any models that needs Texturing, but I don't know if this is the right spot to place this question.
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That font is slightly different from the one the game uses, isn't it? I think it's better than the logo you can see in the top left of this forum.
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That font is slightly different from the one the game uses, isn't it?
Hi BTAxis, it's the same font just in a different case. I was tinkering a bit today, and this is what I came up with. The image is from Photoshop this time 'cause I couldn't get transparency to look right in-game. I used the MD2 model of the UFO Fighter model. I have to say who ever made the model did a very nice job :wink:.
Here's my latest attempt and please let me know if I'm getting warmer or colder , thx. :D
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu2.jpg)
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I like it. That swarm of UFOs looks really menacing.
'Course, that's really not how it works in the actual game, but the image is impressive.
The menu is a lot better too. If you can get it to look like that ingame, it would be great.
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I like it. That swarm of UFOs looks really meancing.
'Course, that's really not how it works in the actual game, but the image is impressive.The menu is a lot better too. If you can get it to look like that ingame, it would be great.
Coolness :) I'm glad you like it. I would be happy to make the ingame GUI use a similar color scheme, but I'm' going to wait until the GUI supports alpha-transparency. Round about the same time I'll also make the majority of the sources available. Also, is there an easy way to modify just the GUI layout?
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OMFG. I saw that image and my first impression was ZERG SWARM! Sick, nasty, evil... wow. :) (Pretty, btw)
I really like the menu look you've got there. The single green beam sets it off nicely like a holographic display.
The swarm might be a bit... overwhelming though. I see that and expect to be playing a high speed, high impact RTS style game. It'd be a cool screen if the intention is to keep going along the concept of 'campaign steps' instead of switching to the new model. When the aliens finally do start invading heavily, that'd be a beautiful background... and the gameplay style has already been imprinted into the player so there's no misleading.
Although after the gameplay style is imprinted, that would probably induce some serious fear. *gig* *giggle* *chuckle* *Maniacal Laugh*.
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Hehe, thx for the complements Wanderer, I have to agree, there is maybe too many ships, I was chasing the "Invasion" bit there. UFO:AI is welcome to use the backdrop where they see fit. I am also eager for any alternative ideas for the Menu Backdrops etc. Laters. :)
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One idea I would like to offer is putting a number of carrier UFOs (say, ten in total, at various distances from the viewer) there, busy unloading their passenger UFOs. It probably wouldn't look as overwhelming as this, but there'd still be enough ships to justify the word "invasion".
I don't think we have carrier models yet, though.
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One idea I would like to offer is putting a number of carrier UFOs (say, ten in total, at various distances from the viewer) there, busy unloading their passenger UFOs. It probably wouldn't look as overwhelming as this, but there'd still be enough ships to justify the word "invasion".
I don't think we have carrier models yet, though.
I fully support this idea. Each Carrier has quite a number of UFOs, and we now have a Harvester UFO model as well (thanks to hoehrer!) that can be used in the shot. The Scout UFO is available as well to provide some extra variety.
I really like the actual interface you've come up with on the second shot, it feels much more open and spacious than the current one, using and even enhancing the background image rather than concealing it. The only things that still niggle at me are the background and the blue 'UFO'. Maybe you could give us some example shots of what it would look like in other common colours as well as the standard green, and then we could make a decision. (I have a feeling it would look good in red, but I could be wrong.)
It's almost like architecture, really -- you've got the same amount of space, it's just how you use it.
Regards,
Winter
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I like the image, too
Coolness :) I'm glad you like it. I would be happy to make the ingame GUI use a similar color scheme, but I'm' going to wait until the GUI supports alpha-transparency. Round about the same time I'll also make the majority of the sources available. Also, is there an easy way to modify just the GUI layout?
have a look at the ufo script files and read the wiki article about our menu scripts: http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/UFO-Scripts/menu_%2A.ufo
i still don't really know why you need real alpha tranparency. Why not just fake it as we're doing it, too at the moment. Can you give me an example where you really need it?
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One idea I would like to offer is putting a number of carrier UFOs (say, ten in total, at various distances from the viewer) there, busy unloading their passenger UFOs. It probably wouldn't look as overwhelming as this, but there'd still be enough ships to justify the word "invasion".I don't think we have carrier models yet, though.
Cool, I'll start playing around with concepts for a carrier ship, be warned though, my texturing skills are extremely crappy :D
I fully support this idea. Each Carrier has quite a number of UFOs, and we now have a Harvester UFO model as well (thanks to hoehrer!) that can be used in the shot. The Scout UFO is available as well to provide some extra variety. really like the actual interface you've come up with on the second shot, it feels much more open and spacious than the current one, using and even enhancing the background image rather than concealing it. The only things that still niggle at me are the background and the blue 'UFO'. Maybe you could give us some example shots of what it would look like in other common colours as well as the standard green, and then we could make a decision. (I have a feeling it would look good in red, but I could be wrong.) It's almost like architecture, really -- you've got the same amount of space, it's just how you use it.
Thx for the thumbs up Winter, I'll get to work on these ideas for multiple ships and carriers, I'll also post some color variations of the "UFO" ... Red does sound interesting.
Laters :)
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I like the image, too
Coolness :) I'm glad you like it. I would be happy to make the ingame GUI use a similar color scheme, but I'm' going to wait until the GUI supports alpha-transparency. Round about the same time I'll also make the majority of the sources available. Also, is there an easy way to modify just the GUI layout?
have a look at the ufo script files and read the wiki article about our menu scripts: http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/UFO-Scripts/menu_%2A.ufo
i still don't really know why you need real alpha tranparency. Why not just fake it as we're doing it, too at the moment. Can you give me an example where you really need it?
Glad you like it Mattn, I'll take a look at the menu scripts, thx. One place where I'll definitely need it, is in game (during missions), for the GUI to not clutter your view or "be in the way", transparency is very good. Then there is also the possibility of animating the menus a little bit (simple left/right/up/down movements). Another reason is that the layout I'm envisioning will not have the buttons sit in the same position on each menu node, and there will be more variety to the background images. Therefore it means that I'll have to create separate images for each and every button, this eventually leads to larger file sizes, difficult large scale GUI reworks etc.
I know there are more pressing matters that is requiring the coder's attention, the transparency isn't urgent right now, there's still a lot of work to be done to complete the GUI. Please don't see it as me demanding anything, although I think I am being a little persistent :wink:
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Here's a quicky for the color variations. Let me know what you guys think ... I'm off to try and build an Alien Carrier :) (Edit: Oops, left one pic out.)
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu2a.jpg)
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu2b.jpg)
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu2c.jpg)
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu2d.jpg)
(http://www.meccanine.com/ufo/MainMenu2e.jpg)
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I really like the actual interface you've come up with on the second shot, it feels much more open and spacious than the current one, using and even enhancing the background image rather than concealing it.
I agree with that. One of the things I like about this look is what it says to me. I imagine sitting in a little bubble in space... watching the invasion start pouring in, and then a small display popping up in front of me with the AI quoting "And now whatcha wanna do about it?"
The only things that still niggle at me are the background and the blue 'UFO'.
I personally like the Blue UFO... but we've already seen that my tastes aren't mainstream. :D I'm confused though... what background are you mentioning here? The starscape?
[EDIT] Alright, you're right Winter. The other colors look better. I'll shaddup now. :)
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No, I still like the blue one best. Green for the menu, though (the blue one is alright too, but green looks best in my opinion). Like in the first version of this shot. Red clashes too much with the overall green theme, and yellow just looks silly.
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i like the yellow and the blue one - but not the red ones....
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those screens are awesome, maybe the starting screen can rotate between the classic GIU and this one randomly at every launch of the game ?
I prefer the blue one, yellow and dark red one are definitly not good.
edit - Im not sure if Earth can accomodate such amount of aliens :shock:
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I'd prefer the GUI to be always the same, depending on the settings the user has chosen.
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Very nice menu-graphics you got there 8)
Just so this isn't missed: We already have a carrier model made by winter:
http://ufoai.ninex.info/gallery/crafts-and-heavy-equipment/ufo_carrier.jpg.php (Warning: It probably looks better on a different background.)
http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/ufoai/ufoai/trunk/base/models/aircraft/ufo_carrier/
Werner
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Well, let RaXaR give it a try anyway. I can't say I'm too hot for that design; it doesn't really fit in with the other UFOs. Still, I wasn't aware of this, so sorry for the misleading information.
[edit]
All right, that set me off wondering what I expected from a carrier. I think for me it would look a bit like a Battlestar, except with larger launch bays, and four instead of two. They'd also be more closely positioned to the central structure. The central structure would have a bridge-like thing up front and a large engine section stretching from the central area to the back (the FTL drive, the thing that makes this UFO unique).
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Well, let RaXaR give it a try anyway. I can't say I'm too hot for that design; it doesn't really fit in with the other UFOs. Still, I wasn't aware of this, so sorry for the misleading information.
[edit]
All right, that set me off wondering what I expected from a carrier. I think for me it would look a bit like a Battlestar, except with larger launch bays, and four instead of two. They'd also be more closely positioned to the central structure. The central structure would have a bridge-like thing up front and a large engine section stretching from the central area to the back (the FTL drive, the thing that makes this UFO unique).
I don't want to derail too much, so maybe we should pop carriers off to another thread, but considering a Carrier has many fighters in it, it's kinda unrealistic we'd be able to fit one of these 'landed' on a map. It'd be around... what... 2.5 tiles per fighter + 1 tile per scout * 20 ships + the carrier itself? That's around 40-50 tiles, nevermind the height. The engine would roll over and die in tears.
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A carrier wouldn't carry 20 ships, though. More like 8-12, of any size (just because a UFO is smaller doesn't mean the carrier is able to carry more of them than of larger UFO types). Of course, that's still far too large to fit on one map. That's why I imagine the carrier missions to fully take place inside the carrier.
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I personally like the Blue UFO... but we've already seen that my tastes aren't mainstream. :D I'm confused though... what background are you mentioning here? The starscape?
Yeah, I'm just not a fan of the 'billion zillion UFOs' concept.
[EDIT] Alright, you're right Winter. The other colors look better. I'll shaddup now. :)
Personally I like the second screen from the top best, the red text has a lot more urgency to it than the very cool and serene blue. Although I too would prefer the menu glow to be green.
I did indeed make the Carrier model, and one of my main aims was to create a realistic interstellar craft, with both proper FTL and sublight modes. The big green polygons on the top are actually giant engine exhausts, VERY big, considering the whole Carrier is more than 200 metres to a side. It's also got two bombardment cannons on the bottom. The FTL drive is contained in the widening at the centre. We could make quite a nice mission around that, with a big climax around the huge drive unit.
As for missions regarding the Carrier, the idea is to have two of them -- one for the crash site, with a breach in the side of the craft while most of the craft remains off-screen. You would gain entrance through the breach and then play a follow-up mission inside.
Regards,
Winter
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Hehe, choices choices choices :).
Personally, I'm keen on the original green, dark-orange and blue screens. I'm going to wait and see what happens with the Carrier thread before I do more of these. But if the final decision on color scheme is not made by a single individual .. then what about a poll?
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Well, I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard to make different color versions of the GUI. So maybe we could even include all of them and make it configurable in some way.
Polls never helped anyone.
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Add my vote to the blue logo and green menu line. And less UFOs, as already said.
Polls never helped anyone.
Why's that, BTAxis?
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Well, they never did. You always end up with more or less the same amount of votes for all categories so you can't really use it to base your decision on.
Besides, we don't design the game based on democracy. The people who are actively involved in the game's creation are the people who shape the game, and they do so depending on their own views. They do NOT let their views be dictated by polls.
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Well, I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard to make different color versions of the GUI. So maybe we could even include all of them and make it configurable in some way.
Excellent suggestion. This will give the game even more shininess, and no one is offended.
Now we can argue about what the 'default' colour set should be. ;)
Regards,
Winter
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Really nice design, I like it very much (especially the blueish version)!
Would be really cool to do the same overhaul with the rest of the game screens... :roll:
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@ RaXar:
Is the metal frame a 2d sprite or did you do a render of a 3d object?
(I guess the first one :wink: ). If it's a sprite, do you have some rescources where you got it from?
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@ RaXar:
Is the metal frame a 2d sprite or did you do a render of a 3d object?
(I guess the first one :wink:). If it's a sprite, do you have some rescources where you got it from?
Hey rastaman_bey, glad you like it. The frame is rendered to 2D and then manipulated in Photoshop. Unfortunately the resources I got this from is my head, dunno if I could give you a link for that :D But seriously, like I said to Mattn and BTAxis, I'll make the majority of sources available when alpha-blending is implemented in the GUI. Laters. :)
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FYI:
I just found out that it's really easy to use semi-transparent images (e.g. tga and png) for menus. Just use something like this in the menu files:
pic node_name
{
image filename
...
blend 1
}
See also http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/ufoai?view=rev&revision=9333
and
http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/ufoai/ufoai/trunk/base/ufos/menu_hud.ufo?r1=9333&r2=9332&pathrev=9333
and
http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/UFO-Scripts/menu_%2A.ufo#Image
Werner
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Thanks Hoehrer!! :D
I tested it and it works great!
I'll post the links to the Sources of this stuff and the Carrier soon :)
Laters.
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As promised, here's the sources for the GUI stuff that I've done so far. The file is a .PSD file. Again, thanks Mattn for the upload spot ;)
EDIT: Oops, forgot to add the Fonts. One of the fonts come with UFO:AI.
GUI Menu (http://mattn.ninex.info/files/raxar/GUI_Menu.zip) (3.80MB)
GUI Fonts (http://mattn.ninex.info/files/raxar/GUI_Fonts.zip) (41KB)
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Bump!
It's been silent around this for a while. Can RaXaR or anyone else with the required skills make an ingame version of this GUI?
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Bump!
It's been silent around this for a while. Can RaXaR or anyone else with the required skills make an ingame version of this GUI?
Blywulf is still experimenting with new GUI designs, he's been staying in contact with me, and can start doing the art when we settle on something workable.
Mind you, that shouldn't stop anyone else from giving it a go.
Regards,
Winter