Joined: 7/30/2011
Posts: 129
Location: Watching a TAS in the basement...
Hello. I would like to be an encoder.
However, I need help with creating a logo using GIMP.
I have read the Encoding Guide and don't feel it elaborates enough on that topic.
Could somebody help me please?
Joined: 10/28/2007
Posts: 1360
Location: The dark horror in the back of your mind
Hello!
What you're looking to do is create an image (at least the size of the movies you're going to be encoding, if not larger; you may want to create an image for each resolution you'll be encoding at) with:
An indication that the run is tool-assisted, along with a link to the site (these should be the most prominent parts of the logo); and
Some means to identify you as the encoder ("encoded by [...]" and an image are often used).
You don't necessarily have to use GIMP to do this; any image editor will suffice.
Was there something more specific you needed to know?
Joined: 7/30/2011
Posts: 129
Location: Watching a TAS in the basement...
Yes, let me specify a bit more:
I'm having some trouble with the actual editing because I have no idea how to work any image editor. I can't enlarge the image enough to create room for the text.
I'm having some trouble with the actual editing because I have no idea how to work any image editor. I can't enlarge the image enough to create room for the text.
There are two ways around that:
* Create huge logo (e.g. I have 1440x1080 and 4096x3072 ones) and resize it down on encoding (obviously, the text font must be quite large). This unfortunately only works down to about 320x240 resolution and doesn't work for systems with strange aspect ratios (DS).
* Create resolution-specific logo (e.g. 256x224 for NTSC (S)NES). Since resolution is low, you need to decrease the font size to fit the text into image.
Based on some empirical testing, if you want to use full width of image for the texts:
* The URL should be about 1 point font size for every 13 pixels of image width (so about 20 points for 256-wide screen such as NES).
* The text about tool-assistance should be about 1 point font size for every 16 pixels of image width (so about 16 points for NES).
One trick to make halos to make the text stand out from the background:
1) Draw the text using white text on black background
2) Make a copy of that image, set it to be grayscale
3) If desired, colorize the text and background (the background color will be the halo color) in the original image.
4) Blur the greyscale copy
5) Use Colors -> Curves to brighten the greyscale copy a lot.
6) Decompose the original image using RGB decomposition.
7) Compose image using RGBA composition. Use the decomposed R, G and B channels of original image as R, G and B channels. Set the greyscale copy as A channel.
8) You should get image containing text with halos on transparent background. Copy and paste this on top of suitable background picture.
