Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:20 am
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Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
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Re: Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:07 am
Nice! That's a pretty interesting workflow for converting pictures. GIMP has put me off in the past with its semi-confusing UI, but some of those features seem quite useful.
Re: Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 12:06 pm
Well, I'm going to say something personal now. I hate GIMP 
I tried to like it and I couldn't. It had these several windows floating on the desktop and it was terrible but I hear that they changed it later.
But everything else was bad too, very weird and contrary to your intuition. Just try to draw a circle, or read let's say here https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Circle-in-Gimp
Here you are using it more like a converting tool, not a drawing tool and you found your way of working with it. Which is nice.
But just in case, there is also this tool called BMP2SCR, you know?
I tried to like it and I couldn't. It had these several windows floating on the desktop and it was terrible but I hear that they changed it later.
But everything else was bad too, very weird and contrary to your intuition. Just try to draw a circle, or read let's say here https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Circle-in-Gimp
Here you are using it more like a converting tool, not a drawing tool and you found your way of working with it. Which is nice.
But just in case, there is also this tool called BMP2SCR, you know?
Re: Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 12:34 pm
I think that The Gimp is more of a conversion tool than a drawing tool - it's name stands for Gnu based Image Manipulation Program, after all.
I'm finding at the moment it's being far superseded by Krita, but I've still not got around to learning Krita.
By the way - can the mods please move this to the Graphics section? I feel it would be more at home there. (newbie mistake)
I'm finding at the moment it's being far superseded by Krita, but I've still not got around to learning Krita.
By the way - can the mods please move this to the Graphics section? I feel it would be more at home there. (newbie mistake)
Re: Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 12:59 pm
It's a standard rule that Open Source projects have atrocious user interfaces, since most people at that level of programming haven't the faintest idea how to design a user interface that makes sense to an ordinary human being! 
Re: Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 1:37 pm
Sadly - it is kinda true... I still use them though. A good UI is harder than you think - Blender is now able to employ ONE full-time UI professional, and that's the exception (though Blender is like the pinnacle of weird bad open-source UI)
Re: Tutorial - Create a ZX Spectrum-style loading screen on The Gimp
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:41 pm
It's true that bmp2scr and other screen editors offer a much quicker method of converting images, but this presentation was very entertaining. Is the white talking mask an original thing? It reminded me of the Magic Mirror character seen in some cartoons. I wish we had games with such character animations, plus AY8912 digitised speech.
Your method may be considered complicated but no one can say it's not precise. Some of us convert images, slap them to our games or demos and call it a day. Your method is slow but the results are better.
What about the pictures that show up on the top-right corner once in a while? Are those images converted with the same method? I can't remember if I've seen them before or not.
Is the white talking mask an original thing? It reminded me of the Magic Mirror character seen in some cartoons. I wish we had games with such character animations, plus AY8912 digitised speech.Your method may be considered complicated but no one can say it's not precise. Some of us convert images, slap them to our games or demos and call it a day. Your method is slow but the results are better.
What about the pictures that show up on the top-right corner once in a while? Are those images converted with the same method? I can't remember if I've seen them before or not.