Critic my logo animation!

[Jakerpot]

Hi everyone, today i'm posting a animation i did for our amateur developers team, Creative Studios!  Down there is the logo animation, i will make the title appear below it in a fade in transition animation, that later, i will post there. I think it's creative don't you think? Please comment!

[cosmicr]

This will sound harsh, but I mean it in the friendliest way;

Firstly, why is the name of your team Creative Studios? Do you actually have a studio? Apart from being a fun exercise, do you really see a good application for your logo animation? It does look neat, but what does it actually mean? Are the shapes symbolic of anything? When you think about logos for companies, although its subconscious there are actually meaning behind the symbols. Take for example, the Dreamworks SKG logo. Its nested in clouds, we associate clouds with sleeping, and hence dreaming. A better example, is the Sierra logo. Its a abstract picture of the mountains in the Sierra Nevada.

[Ghost]

I agree with cosmicr, but I'd like to add some suggestions: You see to have the C in the logo, and that drop of liquid is very well executed. Exchange the blue square with a blue cup, and you already have added a "hey, I dig that, they're into AGS games!!!" factor.

The initial construction of the C, however, isn't that catchy. The colours look a bit random, and you lose a lot of screen space there (only have the square is made into the C)- a fullscreen letter might look better.

[Jakerpot]

thank you for commenting:

cosmicr: No, i don't have a studio, but, is that a rule that you have to had a studio to have it on the name? Well, the studio will have to be creative if you follow this kind of reasoning, don't it? But if my "studio" isn't creative? I can't name it this way? It's just a name. A name, just that. From the dictionary: Studio, an artist's workshop. So, technicaly, yes, i have a studio! 

Ghost: Thank you, but can't you help me a little more saying how can i improve it?  What have to change?

Do you (everyone) think i should change the name for something like creative games or creative productions? Thank you!

EDIT: It's a 320x240 game, i will add the words "Creative Studios" below it, so it's full screen 

EDIT 2: cosmicr, the shapes are trying to show a "develop" effect to the logo.

[InCreator]

It's too long.

[Jakerpot]

Sorry InCreator but i desagree, besides you can skip it, core design, sierra and othere great developers have + or - the same duration of this, if you see for the first time it isn't so long, for the 3 or time, it can be, but then just skip it.

[LGM]

You've asked for critique here... For your own sake just take it and try not to justify yourself every 5 seconds. These guys are making some very valid points, just thank them and do what you want.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Here's the wrinkle with the 'you can skip it' argument:

If the logo takes too long and everyone skips it, no one ever sees your logo, thus:
 
1.  You've wasted time and money/effort on something very few people will watch.

2.  You've defeated the purpose of a logo, which is to present your company name in a memorable way.


About the logo itself:

It makes no sense to me in the context of the 'Creative Studio' name.  A square that splits in half, one side presumably filling with water and then dripping some into a box?  Your logo should incorporate your studio name somewhere rather than to try and 'justify' the company name. 

[Ghost]

Ghost: Thank you, but can't you help me a little more saying how can i improve it?  What have to change?

One idea- look at this font here: http://www.dafont.com/roman-grid-caps.font and use it as a base to construct a C. Then have the rest of the studio name (reative Studio) scroll out of the C, to the right. Don't do the water-filling at all, and keep the animation short, and then have it run past you a couple of times. If you're still not tired of it, chances are good your players will look at it at least once, which is enough to justify the work.

[Layabout]

It doesn't really have that 'wow' factor. Fram a graphic design standpoint, it's a bit bland, and nothing in it complements the name 'Creative Studios'. Creative Studios itself is a rather uncreative name to be honest.

If I were you, I would start from scratch. mindmap, brainstorm, whatever, think of what you do. You make adventures, you make art, you make retro games. What words or ideals do you get from this. Write them all down. Combine words, change the pre/suffixes. Make stuff up.

Logo wise, come up with something that is memorable and inspired, get it critiqued, rework it, get more critique, etc. When you are truly happy with your branding, then you can move on to auxillery things like animating your logo. It looks to me like you have skipped pretty much every step of design and branding, going with the first name that popped into your head.

Sometimes branding is intentional, sometimes unintentional. Look at the AGS Blue Cup. It just started off as a badly drawn sprite in the default game, now it is AGS' logo and branding.

[Darth Mandarb]

I've never been a big fan of names like "Creative Studio" or "Clever Design" or anything like that ...

I think, if you have to say you're creative, it steals a little from the over-all image you might be trying to go for.  Not to mention, from my perspective, a name like that actually feels UNcreative. (just read what Lay said ... I agree with him here)

However ... since you weren't looking for crit on the name of your studio, but on the animation, I'll offer up some on that.

The lines moving around at the beginning are not [at all] interesting and take away from the piece.

The water filling the C and then dripping down would work FAR better with just that part (though I'd suggest making the C a more interesting designed font (like was suggested alread))  A few scan-lines could form the C (though done FAR quicker than the opening as you have it now) and then the water fills up, drips down, then ... something.

I don't know ... I think you might have a good start here but, as is, it's not very appealing.

[Nacho]

I think that the creators of the "Total war" series are "creative studio", or "creative assembly" or something similar already...

[Babar]

and the guys that made my soundblaster were Creative Labs.

[Jakerpot]

Thank you all very much, i will use this font as base, thanks Ghost! Did you think i should change the name?  i already searched creative studios and found nothing. Or can i keep it? what you mean scan-lines can form the C? I know scanlines but you mean an animation or the solid logo? I will post here when i make an updated version (or a new on) of it. Thank you again! 

[Misj']

Hi everyone, today i'm posting a animation i did for our amateur developers team, Creative Studios!  Down there is the logo animation, i will make the title appear below it in a fade in transition animation, that later, i will post there. I think it's creative don't you think? Please comment!

I know how much I hate to receive critics (I try to get around that by never asking for it...but still people tend to give it. Grrr, I hate those people), but I agree with most of the things people have said throughout this thread:

1. The animation is too long. Even the first time I was bored pretty fast...it's not an exciting animation, and it doesn't make me curious as to where it's going. So in a game I would skip it if possible. Even the first time it played.

2. I don't understand the rationale behind the logo. What does it mean? - Ok, you've explained the animation (the shapes are trying to show a "develop" effect to the logo), but the logo itself should be functional in a single frame: the image you print on the manual for example. So what does the 'blue C with blue dot' mean? - Again, I have no idea.

3. The name...it's a matter of opinion of course, but to me it's like a car salesman called 'Honest Bob'. I immediately feel cheated, because something inside of me tells me he can't be honest if he's so focussed on convincing me he is. It's like if something advertises as being romantic, it is by definition not. Plus, if the studio is really creative he should be able to come up with something more creative than 'creative', right?

So a little brainstorming-session: Creative...CreaTIFF...Creativ...iv...IV (4 in Roman numerals): CreatIV. Studios, productions...games? - CreatIV games. I'm not saying it's the best name ever, but it's what I came up with based on the word 'creative'. As for a logo...what do I associate with creativity? - Well the first thing I thought about was the golden ratio for some reason, but that was as far as I got...So CreatIV, C-IV, C-4, Dynamite.

Two ideas:
(left: pixel-like dynamite, right: weird artistic C.4 logo)
   

Of course I'm sure you can come up with far more creative, interesting, and exciting ideas than these...so I would advise you to brainstorm a little more (in a small group).

[Jakerpot]

Great ideias Misj! Thank you, i liked CreatIV name, but it's feel a little weird. As you and almost everyone talked, creative games... It's feel soooo uncreative! Ok, and what about Epic Games? Ok changing the topic (and not trying to explain myself much, because this is one of my defects...), i didn't undertand nothing about that golden ratio thing you linked up  But ok, C-4, explosive, cool, i liked it, but i will try to go faster. I'm thinking in erase the animation and add  just a "fade-in" thing. I was on the idead of making a open box with some gears working (inspired by Lionsgate Productions, besides it's nothing to do with it) and then the box closes and on it's cover would be writen Creative Studios, and then the line of the box would desappear. I thought it was a good idea, but i think Misj have a better line of reasoning.
EDIT: Making some research on the number 4 on numerology, i found that characteristics of a person with the number 4, is:
will do the job until it's complete and will work hard the custom way. Interesting huh? I will have some brainstorm here ( ) adn think about it.

[Ghost]

Epic Games is already taken. They made Unreal...

A good way of getting a name is just writing down what you do, and how you percieve what you do: Adventure, Point and click, Pixel Art, Retro, Fun... whatever. Then try to make something catchy out of that. Try synonyms for creative, and also for games. Brainstorm a little: Interesting, Cool, Fun, Blasting, Entertaining... Games, Adventures, Entertainment... see where I'm going?
One thing I noticed in MisJ's design is the 4, which can be read "for"... good for a pun?

To give a biased example, here's how I came up with my "name":
- adventure games are great things
- I am not programming them but making them
- another word for "making" is "crafting"
- adventure games are considered dead and lost
- "Lost Craft"

Thus I found a name.

[Jakerpot]

Yeah, i know that Epic Games already exist (I love unreal and Gears  )  but i was trying to say something like: Creative games is not creative name. Epic games is not an epic name. Did you understanded? I liked Lost Craft, but how will you explain the name on the logo? That's the hardest part, the player will look at your logo and think, why this name? I want a logo that explain it as Misj's said, but not explain in the first look, i want the player to think a little. Thank you!

[cosmicr]

You really shouldn't be arguing the meaning behind words when using sentences like 'did you understanded'.

I'm guessing English isn't your first language, and that you're probably not much older than 14 or 15. Take it from us, most of us know what we're talking about, because we do speak English and we're much older and wiser.

FWIW, Epic used to be called Epic MegaGames and the name probably most likely comes from their first title, Epic Pinball, which would be appropriate. (I loved that game).

Whilst I'd admit that SOME names are just plucked out of the air because they sound cool or whatever, 99% of successful company names have meaning behind them whether you can see it or not.

[Jakerpot]

yeah, you're right, english isn't my native language, i just want make the things clear.Mine another defect... Ok, Epic games, their game are really epic (in my humble opinion), but if their games sucks? Would the name make any influence on it? Like, epic game think they make epic games, hahahaha. I don't want to put a bad impression on players... My focus now is to understand the meaning of "Creative" to use it on my side and make a logo that explain my company name. I wanted to add a little "adventure" characteristic in my logo to make the player think like "Creative games make good adventure games, their logo is cool,it makes me feel interested in playing their games."