N64 Vertical Cover Thread

[ShoothimNow]

Clarky64, no offense as I love the covers, I just... think the backs are really really really really really plain...  Can't even read the write wording.  Everything is too bright and vague IMO

[sheep2001]

maybe use a thin black 'stroke' around the white text on the back to make it pop a bit more.

I was about to use the RR64 cover, but the logo on the spine is a little rough, and the front (especially the logo) needs a clean - Back text says 'complete on never-before seen-tracks' instead of compete, also, it says rareware LOGOG instead of logo in the back legals.

would be great if you could fix those little bits as i need that cover myself 

[clarky64]

I think you guys forget that once these are printed out and stuck in a UGC case your really not going to see these slight outline issues with some of the images.

My bad on the COMPLETE typo, I'll change it.

The LOGOG error is not of my own fault. This has been set in the template.

With regards to the white text, PRINT THE COVERS OUT!!!

To be honest guys, if you don't like em, don't use em. Like I stated in one of my previous posts, I'm happy with them and I'm making them for my own use but just thought I'd share them.

PLease also bare in mind that I am making these at work, when I'm actually supposed to be working so I can't check these to the full 110%.

[sheep2001]

mate, we're not trying to be assholes - hell i've had more covers rejected due to small mistakes/quality issues than most - but this site is all about quality and consistency, and i always appreciate the pointers others have given me.  we were just offering some minor enhancements to get the covers up to site standards - i'm not going to print out covers and waste ink if i know it could be improved on with a couple of seconds work.

edit:  and it would be great to have another PAL cover creater on the site - there aren't many of us.

[clarky64]

Yeah I appreciate that some people are always going to nit-pick

The typo's that is purely my error. Except for the LOGOG one, that was on the template.

The blandness of the back cover!? I don't have time to sit and make each cover look all pretty. As long as they have the same text as the original box and a few screenshots, why does it matter. Surely thats consistant enough?

The prob is, you all sit here and look at the covers on a PC screen at high res. The reality of it is, once these are printed off, you lose loads of quality anyway and then you go and shove em in a UGC, these very tiny defects aren't even noticable. I print on a high quality laser jet printer with matching glossy photo paper, so I don't have these issues with not being able to read the white text.

Anyway, I'll redo the Ridge Racer cover. I noticed that I also left on the (only for N64) section which I would like to remove.

Res Evil 2 (like or lump it  )

http://www.box.net/shared/o3dc1k840b

[ShoothimNow]

I guess I would just rather have a more interesting background picture that is tinted yellow, I don't know.  I won't print these out due to the fact someone will make better and replace yours.  I was trying to help out, but if you want to be a douche about it, ok.  Lets review the other covers on this site compared to yours











compared to yours









- This one I like, but add a shadow to the white text

In comparison, just to be more of a dick that you think that I am, your covers are NOT going to be accepted, and infact you are going to be denied as you are missing the information on the lower right corner of each cover.  The truth is harsh.  Love the covers, but they can be greatly fixed.  Maybe not greatly, but your attitude sure can be.

Again,

Clarky64, no offense as I love the covers, I just... think the backs are really really really really really plain...  Can't even read the write wording.  Everything is too bright and vague IMO

Actually, no, I dont like the Mario Party cover.  in compares to this one
-
You will note that the back is completely gold and no colors other than white --> gold

[SonicAdvDX]

You will note that the back is completely gold and no colors other than white --> gold

Actually, I've been meaning to get some advice on that...

I understand that I should probably greyscale the image first, before putting it behind the semi-transparent gold/green layers in the templates for the backs and spines, but how do you guys achieve that fantastic POP of the lights against the dark hues. Whenever I place an image behind these layers, they always turn out sort of dulled and subdued by the color of the overlapping layer, instead of really being accentuated, like the back of Mario Tennis, for instance. It's sexy as hell! But, I can't seem to get the contrast right. I'd really appreciate just the commands you go through to get that. 

As for clarky64, yeah, people are going to nit-pick. That's the point of this website having quality control. Our cover archives would run rampant with crappy covers if we didn't seek perfection in our collection. But, you shouldn't feel offended. I personally have made probably over 40 covers for all different systems and have purposely not uploaded them or submitted them to the forums because I KNOW that they don't meet the quality control, simply because I just want to slap a cover together for my collection that the site doesn't have, and not really worry about the details.

There's nothing wrong with doing that, but if you're not going to worry about meeting the quality control standards of the forums, then just go ahead and keep your covers off the site. (And I mean that in the nicest way possible.) You won't get your feelings hurt by constant nit-picking, and you'll have all the covers you need for yourself. Honestly, just do what I do. Keep them to yourself, unless you KNOW you've made a perfect cover. Simple as that. 

[shenske]

You will note that the back is completely gold and no colors other than white --> gold

Actually, I've been meaning to get some advice on that...

I understand that I should probably greyscale the image first, before putting it behind the semi-transparent gold/green layers in the templates for the backs and spines, but how do you guys achieve that fantastic POP of the lights against the dark hues. Whenever I place an image behind these layers, they always turn out sort of dulled and subdued by the color of the overlapping layer, instead of really being accentuated, like the back of Mario Tennis, for instance. It's sexy as hell! But, I can't seem to get the contrast right. I'd really appreciate just the commands you go through to get that.  

Thats because you are not supposed to use the semitransparent green & yellow parts. They are there as placeholders to remind you what color to use. I thought if i made the layer transparent then people would know to delete it. It seems though that everyone misinterpreted that and started using full color images behind the layer.  I have directions on how to make the colors "pop" as are requesting earlier in thread.  (in fact i think i may have quoted myself a few times reminding people   )



EDIT: Here it is again

Its really simple, first off you'll want to duplicate your "spine layer" just in case the new colored spine isn't perfect you can give it another shot.  

In Photoshop:
Image => Adjustments => Gradient Map...

Then a little colored box will pop up. Click the area where the colors are and a new little window will pop up.  In this new window there are little selectors where you can choose a new color.  You will only need three selectors (one on the far right, one in the middle and one on the far left).

Far Left (Dark Green)
if you want to go into greater accuracy you can mimic my exact colors i use.
When you click the far left selector to choose a color you can enter color values (numbers).
R: 20,  G: 61,  B:18

Middle (light green)
R: 71,  G: 192,  B: 82

Far Right (white green)
R:196,  G: 255,  B: 184

That was kind of the advanced version but its not too hard to figure out  

[k nice that looks great on mine but what did you do for the yellow?

Same step as before but the selector are in different locations.  You can fidget around with these a lot more loosely than the spine colors.  I often move the selectors around until i get it just right.



Left:
R: 231,  G: 109,  B: 0

Middle:
R: 255,  G: 234,  B: 0

Right:
R: 253,  G: 249,  B: 189


EDIT:
I've been thinking for a while that i should group together all my suggestions that i have been giving members into a guide or FAQ.  Maybe even a cover making 101. Problem is that would take a huge amount of time. What do you guys think is more important, me making a guide or a bunch of covers?  PM me with a response (lets not clutter up this thread).  

[clarky64]

Firstly, chill!

I wasn't blasting anyone in my post. I was merely repeating what I had said in my first post about criticism. I posted these covers to share with others, I wasn't submitting my covers to the site, or atleast I didnt think I was.

I know my covers don't meet the standards of some but I'm happy with them and I just figured that some might like them also. I don't really care if you like them to be perfectly honest, you can always make your own right?

Thanks for the wise comments sonicadvdx. I will keep my covers to myself but if anyone would like to download them still (even to modify them) please feel free to pm me.

I guess I would just rather have a more interesting background picture that is tinted yellow, I don't know.  I won't print these out due to the fact someone will make better and replace yours.  I was trying to help out, but if you want to be a douche about it, ok.  Lets review the other covers on this site compared to yours











compared to yours









- This one I like, but add a shadow to the white text

In comparison, just to be more of a dick that you think that I am, your covers are NOT going to be accepted, and infact you are going to be denied as you are missing the information on the lower right corner of each cover.  The truth is harsh.  Love the covers, but they can be greatly fixed.  Maybe not greatly, but your attitude sure can be.

Again,

Clarky64, no offense as I love the covers, I just... think the backs are really really really really really plain...  Can't even read the write wording.  Everything is too bright and vague IMO

Actually, no, I dont like the Mario Party cover.  in compares to this one
-
You will note that the back is completely gold and no colors other than white --> gold

[irvgotti452]

Take it easy guys these are custom covers. Meaning the creator uses their discretion. If you would like to creatively help then do so. But no negative back-n-forth.

[SonicAdvDX]

Thanks for the wise comments sonicadvdx. I will keep my covers to myself but if anyone would like to download them still (even to modify them) please feel free to pm me.

Nah, I wasn't trying to sound wise with you, man. I was just telling you what I do, so that you could get everyone else off your back. It's just that if you post stuff in the forums, people will tell you they're "not good enough for sites standards" and try to get you to fix it. I just try to save myself that situation by not posting them. That's all. No ill will was meant to ya, bro.

As for shenske, thanks a MILLION for that pro-tip. I won't be forgetting that any time soon!

[clarky64]

Thanks for the wise comments sonicadvdx. I will keep my covers to myself but if anyone would like to download them still (even to modify them) please feel free to pm me.

Nah, I wasn't trying to sound wise with you, man. I was just telling you what I do, so that you could get everyone else off your back. It's just that if you post stuff in the forums, people will tell you they're "not good enough for sites standards" and try to get you to fix it. I just try to save myself that situation by not posting them. That's all. No ill will was meant to ya, bro.

Sorry I didn't mean wise in that sense but as in you made a good recommendation.

Its cool anyway, I only made these covers so that I dont have all my carts laying around and so that its easier to find a specific game.

I've made a few admendments to my covers now so I thank those for pointing out the original obvious flaws 

[TubePowered]

I went ahead and altered my largely-unnoticed custom cover for Mega Man 64 in the way that Shenske specified with the back and spine. I really don't have an eye for this thing so I really would appreciate feedback on this.

[jameshilliv]

The only thing I see wrong with your cover is on the bottom right of the back cover, where it says 1997 Game By Rareware.  I don't know the year this game was released, but I do know that it should say Game By Capcom.

[larryinc64]

The only thing I see wrong with your cover is on the bottom right of the back cover, where it says 1997 Game By Rareware.  I don't know the year this game was released, but I do know that it should say Game By Capcom.

The only thing I see wrong with your cover is that Roll and Robo-Santa Claws are trying to run down Mega Man with that van! Look at him running for dear life!!!