All of those mockups

[Joseman]

Hi

I see on a lot of threads a lot of mockups to recreate games like they will look like on cpc, or all the sprites of an arcade game / other machine, ripped and converted to the cpc resolution and palette...

my question is, what software on pc side and cpc side is the best to do this things? how many time is necessary to convert a screen from another machine to cpc with good results?

Regards
Joseman

[TotO]

Hi

I'm using Paint Shop Pro.

Time depending of the complexity. You may done some tries before giving a nice result.
PacMan screens/sprites take me around 2 hours. (but I can redone it in 15mn now)

But more complex games can take days. Pixel ratio 1:1 to 2:1 (mode 0 port) need more work.
And, in many cases, the source picture have much colors... You have to reduce to 16 by using the nearest matching or doing a dithering and doing pixels adjust to recover lost details.
You have to take care about the computer technical limitation (like "8x8" pixels tiles by working with a grid)

For me, drawing a mock-up is like programming a little demo. (a part of a dream)
It's not a 10s "fast resize", but a proff of concept that can really be used if the game was done.

[tastefulmrship]

my question is, what software on pc side and cpc side is the best to do this things? how many time is necessary to convert a screen from another machine to cpc with good results?

Personally, I use PAINT SHOP PRO 7 on PC to 'convert' a picture to 160x200 or 320x200 (by using RESIZE and CANVAS SIZE). I use BMP-Converter on CPC to 'convert' the PC picture to a CPC format, then ADVANCED ART STUDIO on CPC to retouch it. Sometimes, I'll even use MSPAINT to do some fine-touches before moving it to the CPC environment.
This explains why all my mock-ups are fecked-up and amateurish!

I can go into more detail if you want (with an example picture), but I think there are more talented artists/programmers here that will do a better job than I ever could (both in explaining the process and DOING the process!)

Good luck and I look forward to your graphical masterpieces! ^_^


EDIT: What TotO said! Listen to him! Top bloke!

[TotO]

A nice trick for working with the good palette when drawing first in true color with nearest colors was to use the posterise effect.
It allow to specify the number of values for R, G, B components and exactly match the final colors.

For example, you have to enter:
- 3 for CPC
- 4 for SMS / EGA
- 8 for MD / ST
- 16 for CPC+ / Amiga

[tastefulmrship]

A nice trick for working with the good palette when drawing first in true color with nearest colors was to use the posterise effect.
It allow to specify the number of values for R, G, B components and exactly match the final colors.

I copied the palette colours from JavaCPC and created a .pal file in PSP7.
Converting from 16-bit to 32 (possible) colours is then a little easier!

[TotO]

I'm using a 27colors pal file too.
But it's interesting, when the source got to much near colors, to posterise a bit using 4, 5, or 6 value before working.

For machines mock-ups who need more than 256 colors space, you can't use the palette first.
At the end, you got some 16 colors palettes but if you try first to define palettes, you lost the optimal colors use...
But it's another story! (see my PM)

[tastefulmrship]

I'm using a 27colors pal file too.
But it's interesting, when the source got to much near colors, to posterise a bit using 4, 5, or 6 value before working.
And for machines mock-ups who need more than 256 colors space, you can't use the palette first. (but it's another story)

Juggling when to 'inject' the CPC palette to a mock-up picture on PC is tricky. (Trial & error and constant UNDO/REDO)


@Joseman & anyone with a few hours to spare
Here are two versions of the ELITE logo; one in BLUE and one in YELLOW.
http://www.gamerdna.com/uimage/RTq8ASI/full/elite-4.jpg - BLUE & BLACK background
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fr/5/5e/Elite-logo.png - YELLOW & WHITE background

Using any means at your disposal, see if you can get them both onto CPC screens? MODE 0, MODE 1 OR MODE 2 (stippled). Normal or overscan (using JavaCPC).
If you need CPC applications, then we can supply links to CPCPower, CPC-Rulez, etc where you can download them all!

And to anyone else with some time on their hands, see what results you can come up with.

[Joseman]

Hi

Thanks for all the tips!


For my first attempt what do you think on using gimp instead of psp, only for being free soft.

The basic steps then will be something like this?:

1: take a snapshot of the screen of the game whatever arcade/console/computer

2:reduce to 160x200 (talking on mode 0)

3: select the pixel ratio? 1:2? only horizontal? how is this step performed on psp / gimp?

4: use the posterise effect reducing to 3 R,G,B values (or this step is better before the pixel ratio?)

5: use a predefined rgb palette with the real cpc colors (copied from an emulator)

6: correct / improve the screen manually to achieve a better look on the cpc resolution (this step depends on the ability of the user)

7: transfer to cpc using "bmp-converter" or similar program (what's the best?)

Well, sure this is not the complete correct steps or correlative steps?

@tastefulmrship is really necessary the use of the advanced art studio? :S, you work on emulator or real cpc? too bad for the eyes spend hours changing a screen on a real cpc i think! :S

[tastefulmrship]

@tastefulmrship is really necessary the use of the advanced art studio? :S, you work on emulator or real cpc? too bad for the eyes spend hours changing a screen on a real cpc i think! :S

It's a personal choice, I guess. I prefer to see what the picture looks like with 'correct' CPC colours and retouch accordingly. It depends on how good you are with your PC art-package. Even MSPAINT has a decent 8x zoom and colour-dropper. Whatever works best for you!

I use WinAPE 2A18 almost exclusively.
As none of my pictures are meant to be used or taken seriously, it doesn't matter if they look bad on real hardware!

[TotO]

You can buy PSP 7, 8 or 9 for less than 10$ on ebay
It's really better and intuitive than Gimp for doing pixel work. But you can use it for that.

On CPC Old, the posterise effect setting to "3" can't be used before finding nearest colors first, else you will lose to much gradians.
So, skip this step for now... (except if you are doing CPC+ port with setting to "16")

For resizing the picture to 2:1 ratio, you have to do like that :
- Resize 50% x 100%
- Do you picture job and color decreasing (with or without "trame" like linear or diffuse floyd steinberg gradian)
- Resize 200% x 100% at end

[MacDeath]

Iuse paint.net... it's free and simple, and quite enough to do such lowpixel job.

[Joseman]

I copied the palette colours from JavaCPC and created a .pal file in PSP7.
Converting from 16-bit to 32 (possible) colours is then a little easier!

Is possible to have a copy of this .pal file for psp7? 

[TotO]

Here a picture with the linear palette that I'm using. (not a "true" CPC palette)
You can go to  "Image / Palette / Save palette" to store it for futur uses.



Else, you can build your own by using 00/7F/FF (0/127/255) values for each RGB componants.
- Create a new picture (Index 256 colors palette)
- Go to "Image / Palette / Edit palette" and enter the folowing values
- Save the palette from "Image / Palette / Save palette"

Code Select Expand


00 00 00
00 00 7F
00 00 FF
00 7F 00
00 7F 7F
00 7F FF
00 FF 00
00 FF 7F
00 FF FF

7F 00 00
7F 00 7F
7F 00 FF
7F 7F 00
7F 7F 7F
7F 7F FF
7F FF 00
7F FF 7F
7F FF FF

FF 00 00
FF 00 7F
FF 00 FF
FF 7F 00
FF 7F 7F
FF 7F FF
FF FF 00
FF FF 7F
FF FF FF


[tastefulmrship]

Is possible to have a copy of this .pal file for psp7? 

No probs. (attached)

[MacDeath]

while we're at Mockups topic... there my last one...


What Gauntlet3 could/should have been provided the graphics were ported from C64 instead of Lame SPeccy Monocolour version.

Needless to say, on PLUS the Amiga/ST palette would be used over this kind of pixelisation.

Or wouldn't be that different...

Just less saturated Browns and perhaps 2 greys (a proper grey gradiant then...but would need a bit of additionnal re-work...) for a few details...

Such kind of game may be fun in mode0... as an isometric game, Mode0 can be great...



There you can compare the CPC mockedup version and the C64 "attribute clashes Grey and brown only" version... 

I dream about a game called Diablet 3D... it would be a cross between Gauntlet3 and Diablo but on CPC/PLUS...

[TotO]

Nice work!
Great colors use for this mock-up.

I always find stupid to display the game name "in game"...
We are olds and dumbs, but all players don't get alzheimer. 

It's less stlifing witout it. And you can manage a rupture for a clean text name (4bit centering).

[Joseman]

Thanks Toto!

I'll try to make some screens in mode 0, but I see nearly impossible to achive the same  quality that yours, tastefulmrship, mcdeath...

Here a picture with the linear palette that I'm using. (not a "true" CPC palette)
You can go to  "Image / Palette / Save palette" to store it for futur uses.



Else, you can build your own by using 00/7F/FF (0/127/255) values for each RGB componants.
- Create a new picture (Index 256 colors palette)
- Go to "Image / Palette / Edit palette" and enter the folowing values
- Save the palette from "Image / Palette / Save palette"

Code Select Expand


00 00 00
00 00 7F
00 00 FF
00 7F 00
00 7F 7F
00 7F FF
00 FF 00
00 FF 7F
00 FF FF

7F 00 00
7F 00 7F
7F 00 FF
7F 7F 00
7F 7F 7F
7F 7F FF
7F FF 00
7F FF 7F
7F FF FF

FF 00 00
FF 00 7F
FF 00 FF
FF 7F 00
FF 7F 7F
FF 7F FF
FF FF 00
FF FF 7F
FF FF FF


[MacDeath]

It's not like i'm doing real creation, just modding and re-colouring...

Just wait to see the "brand new" FutureOS...

[TFM]

It's not like i'm doing real creation, just modding and re-colouring...

Just wait to see the "brand new" FutureOS...

You made soo much new icons for it, I don't know even which one to use first. So I decided to make an application which allows to install all the new icons. So you can select which new one you like :-)

[tastefulmrship]

I'll try to make some screens in mode 0, but I see nearly impossible to achive the same  quality that yours, tastefulmrship, mcdeath...

Yeah. I don't think my (lack of) artistic exploits should really see the light of day.
TotO and McDeath are infinitely better than I could EVER be!

Can't wait to see your first image! ^_^

[TotO]

I'll try to make some screens in mode 0, but I see nearly impossible to achive the same quality that yours

Each picture was unique and need to be worked differently, so it's difficult do give you a process.
For "Zynaps" & "CastleVania", I have used the "HDR" theoretical principe.
I have made 2 pictures, one darken and the other lighten.
And after working on the "colors", I add shadows pixels from one and brights pixels from other for making more details an contract.
You have to clean dirty parts, playing with black color and adding pixels details "on hand" by watching the original picture at end.

[tilkau]

Regarding software: Grafx2 is the only software I know that specifically supports wide pixel (mode 0) format. Of course I also recommend it for other reasons, including the ability to quickly flip to/from the 'spare page', and the ability to limit the palette RGB values to a given number of levels (eg. 3 for CPC, 16 for CPC+)

Alternatively, if you want to work with GIMP, find out the DPI in the Display section of the Preferences. It should be a integer multiple of 2, and both X and Y DPI should be the same; if not, lie to GIMP (explicitly set them to the same even number). Then, you can use the 'scale' dialog to adjust the X DPI only (for mode 0), or the Y dpi only (for mode 2) to half of that value.
Provided "View->Dot Per Dot" is OFF, this provides an accurate wide-pixel display.

In either case, when you are done and want to upload it (in the cases of either a mode 0 or mode 2 pic), you need to stretch the result accordingly, as unfortunately the dpi settings are ignored by  browsers. A little experimenting will show what I mean.

[STE86]

ok for those out there who want to use Photoshop (cs2 and above only)...

replace the default PS palette with an amstrad one.set your new document to 160x200 pixelsfind the "aspect ratio" option (it varies in menu position between versions) and set it to 2:1

turn off every anti alias option you can see.

you can now draw in 2:1 pixel ratio, my advice would be to stick to pencil tools only as brushes will always try to have "wet" edges.

you can however get the airbrush to work after a fashion in "splatter" mode pretty much how the ones in old 8 bit art apps worked, by setting the mode to "dissolve" and adjusting the flow rate.

for scaling stuff in this res find "edit preferences" and change "bicubic" interpolation to "nearest neighbour"

the ability to use layers in a graphics app even for 8 bit stuff is incredible. once you have used layers you will never go back to anything without.

Steve