Button Images

[eagledeer]

Hi:

I've been fooling around with the program and Hipshot's and Vegas' excellent F4AF profiles. I'm trying to make my own buttons by screen grabbing cockpit images from F4 and then cutting out the appropriate button. I then use MSPaint to go to 95v95. The only problem is my images look like crap. How do you guys do it? Run the program in high res?

Thanks

[zorlac]

most of the guys with tghe awesome looking images draw/paint the buttons from scratch (I think). I know Ruggbutt does, AND he does them at a high res in the source image files, but not sure how many people just take screenshots, cut, resize and save out.

(but what do I know, I cant draw to save my life...)

[ruggbutt]

Z is right, I'm doing mine from scratch.

[SytRep]

Sorry Dude
Taking the graphics from in game will look rubbish as the screen colours are reduced from 16.7m (32bit) to 30k (16bit). Most of the guys I know use photos and reference material, then either 'fudge' them or draw by hand using a decent graphics package. I personally use Paint Shop Pro X, works well for me altough line drawing is still a bit clunky.
If you have any ideas or wants for switches or panels pass them on, if you PM me with your email address I will send you my current F4:AF profile, which is still a work in progress, it might have what you need though. Vegas has used some of my stuff in his current profile, and has made a pretty good profile for the sim.
'Rep Out

[eagledeer]

Many thanks guys. The screen grabs are looking crappy, but it sure is nice to have a switch toggle and send keys. The toolkit is a great resource. I'm trying to put together an authentic rep of the cockpit with center left aux left panels etc. For now, I'm really interested in getting the ecm switches together. Sytrep, thanks for offering to send me your stuff-I'm actually working off it through the F4 profiles floating around. I'll PM you now.

Here a pic of my crappy work for posterity :

[Vegas]

eagledeer, I don't know what res you are taking that screenshot at, but you're right, it is WAY too jaggie. I must plead guilty to grabbing a few screenshots (at 1680X1050) in FalconAF, then manipulating/touching them up in Ulead Photoimpact 5 down to 95X95. I don't think they look too bad. I know Paintshop Pro is the weapon of choice for most, but I just couldn't get it down. As an example, the gear up/gear down buttons in my profile are full screen grabs, reduced to 95X95 after cropping to square of the exact area I wanted, then adding text. I think text is what suffers most upon a resize, so I add in text after that. I find I have little in the way of artistic "touch", so that's what worked for me. That, and the fact that everyone here is willing to share their work to make things better!

[ruggbutt]

I usually do my profiles in double the size that the finished product will be. So my F15 profile is 1600x1200 at 72 pixels per inch. I also add text at this size. then I'll resize the whole PSD (PhotoShop Document) to half size and do my cropping for buttons and such there. That way, all my crops are the final size.

[eagledeer]

Many thanks for the input guys

[eagledeer]

SysRep:

I've sent you my email, please send me your profile. I have been making progress workingoff of an older profile of yours. The buttons are supurb. I've also been making my own, which are worse. If you have any new buttons made, I can use them to replace mine. When further along and with your permission, I'll then upload my profile.

Thanks

[eagledeer]

Thanks SytRep-the buttons are works of art .