Messages

[Farl]

Yeah ... I am not overly thrilled with the quality of the image.  I had hoped that, in the year 2008, we'd have better image quality since they're spending billions of dollars on this and my 200 dollar digital camera can take better images than this.  However, for me, it's not the quality of the image it's the substance of the image that amazes me.  I would totally agree with the scientist(s) that the "science" (experiments) of these missions are FAR more important than the images ... however, to keep the public interested (and thus maintain their funding for the science) I would argue top-notch images are required.  Meh ... I'm happy with anything really.  I'm just glad we're doing it!

Something about the thought of where/what that actually is just blows my mind.

It's rather interesting to see the different levels of interest (to down-right not caring) something like this engenders.

Farl - hah!  Nah I was sober and operating during normal business hours when I saw this picture!  And it was drunk, chatting on msn, at 1:30 AM!!!

MrC ... thank you for that link!  Another one added to me "kick ass photos" collection!

[This is one of the most amazing photos I've ever laid eyes on.]

I know some of you care about this kind of thing ... but I came across this earlier and was completely blown away.

This is one of the most amazing photos I've ever laid eyes on.

That's the Phoenix lander descending to Mars.  That's a photo of something from earth descending on another planet.  Simply incredible.

Does anybody else find this as amazing as I do?  Thought it might be an interesting topic to discuss.

Or not.

Shame Andail ... I wanted to meet!  Perhaps next year

Crayons are a lot of fun ...

however ... Hashbrowns and champagne go together just like water and oil!!

Well I'm sure you're all sittin' around thinking, "Darth will finally be attending his first Mittens!"

Definitely.

I got a new phone yesterday ...

And OF COURSE the new phone has a "much improved all-new-fandangled" power cord connection.  So, OF COURSE, I have to buy a new adapter for my car.  So ridiculous.  I owned my other phone with it's (FAR inferior) power cord for almost 2 years and never had a single problem with it so it does make sense that this new phone would require an all new, and much improved, power cord.

Normally I would complain to the people about this ... but of course, since customer service is now a dead-art form nobody cares and wouldn't listen anyway.

I am moving to Japan.  I have heard that customer service is great over there and that they're all incredibly polite!  Now I just need to learn to speak Japanese ... can't be too hard right?  But wait!  If America is any indicator all I really need to do is move over there and insist that THEY speak MY language!  I can't lose!!

How much do you get paid if we visit those links?

However ... if you want/need feedback on the graphics (other than "looks good!") please post in the Critics Lounge for that!  Just use this thread for updates on the progress/production of the game!

Sounds interesting enough!

However ... if you want/need feedback on the graphics (other than "looks good!") please post in the Critics Lounge for that!  Just use this thread for updates on the progress/production of the game!

Good luck!

I don't like a lot of web2.0 crap either!  Good to hear I'm not flyin' solo on that route!

As for a macOSX look ... well 2 things.

1) I was doing design like that quite a bit before them and
2) I will give that to mac, they do make things pretty!!

Glad it helped!  If you need anything else ... you know my number

I didn't spend as much time on this as I would have liked (and the shadows were done by eye with no lines for perspective or anything!) but it's late, and my eyes are aching to close!!



I intentionally made the shadows darker than I normally would have just to show the different light source idea (a light post to the left of the screen)

I must apologize ... but for some reason I cannot find the PSD (and I did save it) for this ... so if you like it and/or want to use this edit you'll have to recreate it on your own (to get the layers I mean!)  I don't know ... this just gives the light/shadows a more consistent feel (to me).  Less "pillow" shading.

Hope it helps.

[The PSD File (2.8MB)]

I rushed this a bit (so some colors need to be normalized and such) but I wanted to throw down my idea(s) here.  I really liked what you started with ... I just wanted to punch it up a bit!

The one thing I felt was wrong is that it felt too pushed together (losing spacing and margins).

Here's my take:

The PSD File (2.8MB) if you want to edit/work with it

- moved things around a bit (kept the icons which I liked!)
- added a web2.0 type reflection to the icons
- put the content together in one section

As was mentioned by pslim I too have some issues with the iconography not really representing the section they're supposed to!  Other than that I think you had a really good start!  I just stuck my nose in   I know I changed it quite a bit so I totally understand if it's too far away from what you were going for!

If you'd like to keep it more like you had it I'd suggest maybe just lowering some sizes and increasing the spacing/margins a bit!

Hope it helped!

I think cleaning up the shadows would really help improve this!  I know you gotta move on, but it would take but a few minutes and would, to my opinion, really help make this better!

The shadows are just inconsistent (with no visual light source to make them so).  The little power outlet (to the left of the door) is casting a shadow towards the wall, but according to the shadowing of the wall that little power outlet should (possibly) be in shadow itself.  If the green 'keypad' thing to the right of the door is the light source it's not clear enough (I mean it doesn't look like it's bright enough to cause such illumination).  Not sure if any of that makes sense!

I am at work now and can't do an edit ... if I have time later tonight I'll throw something together to demonstrate what I mean!

I do not fly out (of London) until late on the 23rd as well ... so I can stay the night of the 22nd in Paris as well!

Come on now, if you're that jealous you can always try and start a trend back home. If you start driving on the left, I guarantee that before long everyone around you will be doing it too.

I tried that already ... for some reason people didn't look fondly on me for it.  So instead I tried to see if I drove on the sidewalk if folk would start walking in the road.  Same result I'm afraid.

[AGA]

Darth, would you still want to drive our car? Are you coming in through CDG airport?
I would drive but I don't think I can without a European license.

I am flying into London and taking the train to CDG (get in around 1300 on 14 August).

I'm more than happy to drive if needs be!  One car, two cars, a van ... whatever!  (though how I'd drive two cars I haven't figured out yet!)  I think the two car idea makes the most sense as well.  It'll be cheaper for all involved and make getting around the chateau that much easier!

AGA - thanks for that link!  I was looking for something like that!

I call shotgun (or driver)!!!

I'm with Lay on this one ...

I like useless rooms only as a "bridge" so to speak.  If you need to get from A to C you must go through B (even though there's nothing there you need).  That kind of "useless" room is okay ... but having room after room (like a shop on the street that you have no need to go into) is rather pointless.

While having a FULL world to explore is nice and very neat, if you can easily get lost in it you're likely to lose players.  Many times I've just walked away from a game if I'm stuck wandering about trying every door, every window, etc. with no clear idea where to progress.  I don't mean make it so simple a monkey could do it ... I just don't like when there is NOTHING to indicate what to do next.  That can happen if the explorable parts of the game are too vast.

Mandarb is a horse (from a series of books) ... does that count?

Does the chateau have a laundry/wash facility? (I reviewed the site but I don't speak French!)  If I know I can wash clothes while there I'll pack a lot less (clothing).

I'm okay with Van and/or Train ... whatever the "Group" decides!