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View Full Version : MiniDash Color Screen "Contest"


ShelGame
01-13-2007, 04:04 PM
OK, I'm trying to build a hi-res color screen for MiniDash - but I suck at graphics. So, here's a screenshot of my 1st try at a color screen for MD. Here's the "contest" (in quotes because you don't win anything if I pick your screen): take this screenshot, and make it look as cool as you can - 3D effects, shading, whatever.

There are a few rules, though. You can change the size of the screenshot, you can't change the resolution, and you can't move any of the controls around.

Have at it...
ShelGame
01-15-2007, 01:27 PM
Anyone? How about some pointers on how to give it more "depth". Palm OS doesn't seem to support partial transparency. So, any shadows would be permanent, so to speak...
Mario
01-15-2007, 02:19 PM
I'll try and work on it later.
ShelGame
01-15-2007, 04:45 PM
I actually have a copy of Paint Shop Pro 9.0. I've just never really figured out how to use it. I did a little with some of the 3D effects today. It's still not where I want it to be, but I'll post my updated screenshot tonight, too.
ShelGame
01-16-2007, 10:27 AM
OK, here's my 1st attempt at a 3D look for the MiniDash Screen. Comments?
mcsvt
01-16-2007, 10:30 AM
I like that color combo. Think it looks good as well.

Graphics and me don't go so well and I don't have Photoshop anymore. Sorry I can't help.
DodgeZ
01-16-2007, 10:50 AM
do you need each item as a picture or do you use want the whole thing?
ShelGame
01-16-2007, 11:26 AM
do you need each item as a picture or do you use want the whole thing?

I was really looking for ideas/concepts. If you want, though, here's the overlay and sprites in a .zip file.

Keep in mind, the background on the sprites has to be transparent to display correctly on MD. I can set any single color transparent, but PalmOS can't do partial transparency like windows can. Makes shadows a little harder to do but still possible.
ShelGame
01-16-2007, 11:29 AM
I like that color combo. Think it looks good as well.

Graphics and me don't go so well and I don't have Photoshop anymore. Sorry I can't help.

The beveling on the gauges isn't as smooth as I'd like. I don't know if that's a limit of Paint Shop Pro, or the base bitmap, or just my lousy skills...
DodgeZ
01-16-2007, 11:47 AM
I was really looking for ideas/concepts. If you want, though, here's the overlay and sprites in a .zip file.

Keep in mind, the background on the sprites has to be transparent to display correctly on MD. I can set any single color transparent, but PalmOS can't do partial transparency like windows can. Makes shadows a little harder to do but still possible.

How are you doing transparent in BMP? Can it be in GIF or PNG?
DodgeZ
01-16-2007, 11:51 AM
like this...
ShelGame
01-16-2007, 12:12 PM
How are you doing transparent in BMP? Can it be in GIF or PNG?

I'm not - I specifiy it in the compiler. The OS handles it from there.

It has to be .bmp....
ShelGame
02-03-2007, 10:48 PM
I was thinking of something more along these lines. What do you guys think?
Frank
02-03-2007, 10:59 PM
That looks most excellent! And to think you were going to have a contest!
mcsvt
02-03-2007, 11:52 PM
Yeah Rob, that does look good, nice soft lines :nod:
TurboBuggy
02-03-2007, 11:58 PM
dude, awesome, nuff said :D
ShelGame
02-04-2007, 08:19 AM
That looks most excellent! And to think you were going to have a contest!

Yeah, I was hoping someone else would do it so I wouldn't have to figure it out... :)

Actually, I found a really nice piece of software for this type of thing - Real-DRAW Pro. It's got a 30-day trial, and only $55 to buy.
Darkapollo
02-04-2007, 01:27 PM
so.. uh.. where can we GET mini dash? the link in your other thread is down :-p
I just put the breaks on the shadow yesterday and SHE NEEEEDS to hit the street.

Id also like to give it a go at making a screen for minidash, but I would need a template (IE marks for where the gauges have to go)
ShelGame
02-04-2007, 02:44 PM
so.. uh.. where can we GET mini dash? the link in your other thread is down :-p


You can't right now. I accidentally killed the B3 download, and I can't re-build it due to all the changes I've made. So, you'll have to wait for B4. Should be this week. I'm real close to fixing all of the LM/T2 SMEC coms issues.

The hi-def color screen above will have to wait for B5. It's bigger than the Palm resource limit, so I have to get creative about integrating it into MiniDash...