I'm having a hard time with this project

[Einhander]

There is a lot of confusion, I hate to be a nuisance for asking for help with things that probably seem basic to others. I have been watching a couple of instructional youtube videos and trying to copy them. I have searched on this site too.

I was able to print out a couple of covers, one for PS2 and the other for NES. They are too big. The NES one is only a little big, but still too big. I set it at Legal Size Paper, am using Legal paper too. 100 percent. They came out wrong. Are they both supposed to follow the same instructions?

Also, I'm not quite sure how to align the paper 100 percent in line with my new paper cutter. It seems like there is always some edges that need some more trimming at the very least. I can't get to the small spots I missed.

Having said all that, the universal cases won't arrive till Monday but I'm trying to practice first so that I know what I'm doing and I don't seem to know what I'm doing quite yet. Please help give me advice if you can. Would love to have a mentor.

[Arseen]

About the cover being too big, only thing I acn think is that you might have fit to page option on, take it off.
Also the new UGCs seem to be bit smaller so you might need to trim bit extra (I don't have them so I can't be more spesific).

As for trimming it takes practice.

[Einhander]

About the cover being too big, only thing I acn think is that you might have fit to page option on, take it off.
Also the new UGCs seem to be bit smaller so you might need to trim bit extra (I don't have them so I can't be more spesific).

As for trimming it takes practice.

Well what do others do? Also, what size do I use for my DVD sized games? Is there instructions on here? Can't seem to find much.

[SheriffHarv]

The first couple of covers I did I found were too big as well.  After doing about 150 of them now I've gotten it down to a science.  I trim the top and bottom right along the colour line.  The front edge I trim about 1mm off and the back I trim about 2mm off.  Then I end up with a prefect fit. I don't actually measure it, I've gotten good a eyeballing it but those are the approximate measurements. Depending on the cover though and how close they got to the edge with some of the writing, I have to reverse it or make adjustments so I don't cut off anything important.

I use legal size, Presentation Paper- Matte paper, set the print size to 100% and use a crafting paper cutter to trim off the excess.  But basically like Arseen says, it just takes practice.

[Einhander]

The first couple of covers I did I found were too big as well.  After doing about 150 of them now I've gotten it down to a science.  I trim the top and bottom right along the colour line.  The front edge I trim about 1mm off and the back I trim about 2mm off.  Then I end up with a prefect fit. I don't actually measure it, I've gotten good a eyeballing it but those are the approximate measurements. Depending on the cover though and how close they got to the edge with some of the writing, I have to reverse it or make adjustments so I don't cut off anything important.

I use legal size, Presentation Paper- Matte paper, set the print size to 100% and use a crafting paper cutter to trim off the excess.  But basically like Arseen says, it just takes practice.

well I made a PS2 cover at 100 percent and it was probably 25 percent too big. Even if I trim it's going to look funny. But this also goes for the NES one that I printed out. Is there a guide on here that tells me the percentages? I can't just do this by guessing and judging, I want the exact dimensions though.

[Arseen]

The first couple of covers I did I found were too big as well.  After doing about 150 of them now I've gotten it down to a science.  I trim the top and bottom right along the colour line.  The front edge I trim about 1mm off and the back I trim about 2mm off.  Then I end up with a prefect fit. I don't actually measure it, I've gotten good a eyeballing it but those are the approximate measurements. Depending on the cover though and how close they got to the edge with some of the writing, I have to reverse it or make adjustments so I don't cut off anything important.

I use legal size, Presentation Paper- Matte paper, set the print size to 100% and use a crafting paper cutter to trim off the excess.  But basically like Arseen says, it just takes practice.

well I made a PS2 cover at 100 percent and it was probably 25 percent too big. Even if I trim it's going to look funny. But this also goes for the NES one that I printed out. Is there a guide on here that tells me the percentages? I can't just do this by guessing and judging, I want the exact dimensions though.

Then there is something wrong with the dimensions.

Try this:

1: Open the cover in MS Paint (the paint that comes with every windows).
2: Check properties of the cover. If DPI is 300 all is as it should be. However if DPI is somethging else: divide the DPI it's shows with 3 to get the scale you need to print at.
For example the most common wrong DPI of 96. 96 divided by 3 is 32 -> print at 32% scaling.
3: Check that: You are using Legal size paper and your computer knows it, orientation is landscape, the margins are as small as possible, scaling is 100% (unles the DPI was wrong), fit to page is off, centering is on on both Horizontal and Vertical.
4: Print from paint.

Did this help?

[sheep2001]

I suspect that fit to page is selected when you print.

Make sure the cover is at 300dpi, scaling at 100%, and turn off fit to page.  Should print perfectly every time.

[Arseen]

I suspect that fit to page is selected when you print.

Make sure the cover is at 300dpi, scaling at 100%, and turn off fit to page.  Should print perfectly every time.

I already suggested that... twice.

[sheep2001]

I know - but he didn't want to listen to you - so i tried in English English, rather than Finnish English! 

[Arseen]

I know - but he didn't want to listen to you - so i tried in English English, rather than Finnish English! 

OK I thought you were black socked.

[sheep2001]

No, I'm wearing red socks today. 

[Arseen]

No, I'm wearing red socks today. 

In Finnish black soccked means jealous.

[Einhander]

The first couple of covers I did I found were too big as well.  After doing about 150 of them now I've gotten it down to a science.  I trim the top and bottom right along the colour line.  The front edge I trim about 1mm off and the back I trim about 2mm off.  Then I end up with a prefect fit. I don't actually measure it, I've gotten good a eyeballing it but those are the approximate measurements. Depending on the cover though and how close they got to the edge with some of the writing, I have to reverse it or make adjustments so I don't cut off anything important.

I use legal size, Presentation Paper- Matte paper, set the print size to 100% and use a crafting paper cutter to trim off the excess.  But basically like Arseen says, it just takes practice.

well I made a PS2 cover at 100 percent and it was probably 25 percent too big. Even if I trim it's going to look funny. But this also goes for the NES one that I printed out. Is there a guide on here that tells me the percentages? I can't just do this by guessing and judging, I want the exact dimensions though.

Then there is something wrong with the dimensions.

Try this:

1: Open the cover in MS Paint (the paint that comes with every windows).
2: Check properties of the cover. If DPI is 300 all is as it should be. However if DPI is somethging else: divide the DPI it's shows with 3 to get the scale you need to print at.
For example the most common wrong DPI of 96. 96 divided by 3 is 32 -> print at 32% scaling.
3: Check that: You are using Legal size paper and your computer knows it, orientation is landscape, the margins are as small as possible, scaling is 100% (unles the DPI was wrong), fit to page is off, centering is on on both Horizontal and Vertical.
4: Print from paint.

Did this help?

I use Mac though. Do I need to use a program for macbook? Or can I just print as is and make the adjustment in preview? Also, do I change the pct on DVD as opposed to NES?

[Arseen]

No clue about Mac, but vast majority of our covers should be print ready.
Some might have screwed DPI.

[Einhander]

No clue about Mac, but vast majority of our covers should be print ready.
Some might have screwed DPI.

Well the cases come tomorrow and everything has to be correct because you don't want the sides of the cases even to be altered in size. Just the slightest difference can make it or break it. I tried to download photoshop, paint, and not sure what's going on, won't let me open up. So I'll see if it displays DPI. I'm sorry, not really tech savvy with computers.