GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Jul 7, 2004 8:59:15 GMT -8
I am considering using actual screen grabs of what the Gruntzer community considers to be the very best Custom Level in each graphics set as the background image for that Custom Level grouping. One requirement is that we have permission from the Custom Level designers to use their images, so that may be a problem. I have designed CLz for all of the graphics setz, and could use my own ... but I'd like to display part of the very best examples available. So I need your help in deciding what images to use as backgrounds for: Graphics set | Custom Level name | Rocky Roadz: | The Rock | Gruntziclez: | Imaginiceon | Trouble In The Tropicz: | A River Runs Through It! | High On Sweetz: | A World Of Sweetz | High Rollerz: | Ali Baba | Honey, I Shrunk the Gruntz: | Get Those Toyz Outta My Kitchen! | Miniature Masterz: | Little Tribes | Gruntz In Space: | Asteroidz |
To make your own list, just copy what is in the code box below into your reply, then fill in the blanks! [table][tr][td][center][b]Graphics set[/b][/center][/td][td][center][b]Custom Level name[/b][/center][/td][/tr][tr][td]Rocky Roadz:[/td][td] [color=Red]The blanks[/color] [/td][/tr][tr][td]Gruntziclez:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]Trouble In The Tropicz:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]High On Sweetz:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]High Rollerz:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]Honey, I Shrunk the Gruntz:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]Miniature Masterz:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]Gruntz In Space:[/td][td][color=Red]The blanks[/color][/td][/tr][/table] Part of my personal criteria for my selections is the size of the puzzle; a very good small map puzzle will display more of the Custom Level than I can of a very good large map puzzle. So for a large map puzzle, I may be asking for your input as to what part of the map to use for the background image.
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Gamer
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Post by Gamer on Jul 7, 2004 12:35:43 GMT -8
Do we want the best level for game play or for graphics? I would assume graphics would be the only important part since most people couldn't identify the level the screen shot came from (though that might be an interesting scavenger hunt for the future!)
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Jul 7, 2004 14:17:45 GMT -8
I believe that my selections would qualify either way ... game play, or graphics. The only problem I have with many of my selections, is that any screen grab would show not much more than a tenth of the entire map. "Asteroidz" and "A River Runs Through it!" are notable exceptions.
I believe that each person should simply choose what "best" is for themselves ... just vote!
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Mar 21, 2009 20:28:36 GMT -8
I have changed (many of) the Custom Level background imagez ... again. I have selected one of the very best (IMNSHO) puzzlez by eight different Designerz. As time goez by, these will change ... as particularly great mapz (and associated puzzlez) are released. Graphics set | Custom Level name | Designer | Rocky Roadz: | Stoned! | Tomalla | Gruntziclez: | Purim | Gaby | Trouble In The Tropicz: | ConquestOfGreenGruntzCastlle | Guenter | High On Sweetz: | A World Of Sweetz | Paul | High Rollerz: | LetsDoTheTimeBomb | SpaceGoo | Honey, I Shrunk the Gruntz: | GermWarfare | Oldone | Miniature Masterz: | GentlemenOnlyLadiezForbidden | GooRoo | Gruntz In Space: | DecoyAhoy! | Gamer |
To make your own list, just copy what is in the code box below into your reply, then fill in the blanks! [table] [tr][td][center][b]Graphics set[/b][/center][/td][td][center][b]Custom Level name[/b][/center][/td][td][color=00FFFF][b]Designer[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Rocky Roadz:[/td][td]Stoned![/td][td][color=00FFFF][b]Tomalla[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Gruntziclez:[/td][td]Purim[/td][td][color=FF0000][b]Gaby[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Trouble In The Tropicz:[/td][td]ConquestOfGreenGruntzCastlle[/td][td][color=00FFFF][b]Guenter[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]High On Sweetz:[/td][td]A World Of Sweetz[/td][td][color=00FFFF][b]Paul[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]High Rollerz:[/td][td]LetsDoTheTimeBomb[/td][td][color=00FFFF][b]SpaceGoo[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Honey, I Shrunk the Gruntz:[/td][td]GermWarfare[/td][td][color=00FFFF][b]Oldone[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Miniature Masterz:[/td][td]GentlemenOnlyLadiezForbidden[/td][td][color=FF0000][b]GooRoo[/b][/color][/td][/tr] [tr][td]Gruntz In Space:[/td][td]DecoyAhoy![/td][td][color=1010FD][b][i]Gamer[/i][/b][/color][/td][/tr] [/table] Part of my personal criteria for my selections is the size of the puzzle; a very good small map puzzle will display more of the Custom Level than I can of a very good large map puzzle. So for a large map puzzle, I may be asking for your input as to what part of the map to use for the background image. But I have also done multiple screen grabz of large mapz, and pieced them together into a complete map image, then re-sized them down to 1024 pixelz wide. Since most Gruntz Custom Levelz are not in a 4:3 width to height ratio, that meanz that the re-sized map may be either too long, or too short to exactly fill a 1024X768 pixel screen. Too long(?) ... shorten the map to 768 pixelz tall; too short(?) ... there will be a green band at top and/or bottom of the screen. So to give your next Custom Level a better chance to be a 'featured' background image, a 32 tile by 24 tilez map (1024X768 pixelz) would be a step in the right direction. Failing that, design in a 4:3 ratio!
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Aug 2, 2009 16:02:50 GMT -8
All right, Gruntzerz ... a little help, here! I have made some changez in the Forum menuz, to use the mapz from the various threadz "View the map!" entriez, eliminating duplication of backgroundz. My effort on updating the Gruntz Extraz CD-ROM revealed that everything I used to include will no longer fit on a CD-ROM! By eliminating the Backgroundz (Custom Level imagez only) from the Backgroundz folder, I hope that I can get everything onto one CD once again. (No such luck ... the master file is 868MB ... 168MB too large ... 284MB of that is the Custom Level thread supporting filez!) I have already eliminated the Monolith Productions, Inc Gruntz Level Editor help file, since the on-line GLE manual is on the Extraz CD. Back to the 'help' topic; Designerz would be a big HELP to me if they provided a JPG image of the entire map of their newest (and (obviously) greatest!) Custom Level when the CL is submitted to me. That way, when a CL is released, I can quickly replace the background image for that graphicz area. I have created quite a few JPG imagez of Custom Levelz in support of the threadz ... my method: - Turn the Statz box off, for maximum screen size view
- Alwayz move the STATZ image bar to the lower right-hand corner of the displayed area
- Position the Gruntz screen at the upper left-hand corner and Prt Scrn, Save as A1.jpg
- Move the displayed screen to the right, slightly overlapping the previous image (the STATZ bar)
- Prt Scrn and Save as B1.jpg
- Repeat as often as necessary until the entire right edge is displayed, (Save as <Z1.jpg)
- Re-position to the upper left-hand corner, and scroll down to slightly overlap (the STATZ bar)
- Save as A2.jpg
- Scroll right (overlapping) and continure Prt Scrn/Save as until <Z2.jpg is stored
- Re-position to the upper left-hand corner, and scroll down to slightly overlap A2.jpg
- Save as A3.jpg
- Scroll right (overlapping) and continue Prt Scrn/Save as until <Z3.jpg is stored
- repeat until <Z#.jpg has been SAVEd
- I use PaintNet (donationware!) to merge all of the piecez into one large map.
- Open A1.jpg and expand the map size to the actual pixel size of the Custom Level (alwayz Tilez wide X 32 and Tilez tall X 32), with the top left pixel being the 'anchor' for the extension
- Merge B1.jpg with previous resultz and move the image into its proper place (left edge overlapping the STATZ bar of the previous image)
- Work left to right, top to bottom, merging until all imagez are in their proper place
- Somewhere along the way, do a Save as YourCustomLevelName.jpg and do all of your mergez into the new image ... never SAVE over your A1 thru <Z# imagez ... you will regret it!
- I usually have my view during mergez at 1200% of the actual size, making it far easier to align the new merged image into previous resultz.
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BattlezM
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Post by BattlezM on Aug 2, 2009 17:59:18 GMT -8
Wow this is much harder than it soundz! (fact I can't get the max res for some reason makes it all the tougher ) I've already completed the map of Checkpoint Turmoil though. (80 x 80 map = 20 screeny tilez for me, I'm sure others would have an easier time with their larger resolutions) Course me not being an expert with this kind of thing, I had some clipz here and there which I had to go back and take more screeniez of those areaz and cover it up as best I could. Also a note to otherz, be wary of borderz that are in the path of thingz like RB areaz, or bodies of gruntz. You'll find that even if you line up the tilez correctly, some of the logicz inside may end up looking impossible (ie, I got half a RB in one area after piecing it together, needed to take another screeny of the entire RB area and cut it out and put it in)
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Oct 26, 2013 6:49:25 GMT -8
The observation was made that the large size of the backgroundz takez a lot of time to load ... the first time, at least. And one never seez the entire map, anyway, so I am searching for the smaller Custom Level mapz to use ... 32 tilez wide by 24 tilez tall being ideal. There aren't very many CLz that come even close to meeting that criteria! Since I am seeing many threadz in my project to fix the broken linkz caused by the updating of the Forum's platform software, I just began checking for possible background candidatez. The first one that I am considering is " Deja-Vu" (the link is to the thread, not the image), which is 32 tilez wide by 25(!) tilez tall ... just one row away from 'ideal'. So I am asking for help in deciding the new backgroundz to be used. Small size (but at least 32 tilez wide and 24 tilez tall) is important, but it is certainly a plus to be graphically pleasing, as well. Perhapz some Designer(z) will take it upon themselvez to create such a level? If so, post an announcement indicating your choice of graphic set using a temporary name of "Rocky Roadz Background" (for example). We can change the thread and puzzle name before it is released.
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Oct 26, 2013 11:19:34 GMT -8
This Forum is designed for a 1024X768 pixel display, which translates to 32 tiles wide by 24 tiles tall ... and there are not many Custom Levelz that meet that criteria. The best choices (IMHO) are: The Custom Level (shortened) names are links to their threads, not to the image maps. Others you may have considered are a bit more than 32 tiles wide (I rejected most of those from my consideration, keeping some because of their appearance) or far more than 24 tiles tall; or were expanded (by me ) to the minimum. "Gruntz In Space" is in the direst need of a small, well-designed puzzle to use as a background image. At least the other graphics sets have some acceptable choices. I tend toward such large maps, that I found it strange that my CLs were the only 32 tile wide maps in two different graphics set ... my "Friendly Fire" puzzles. So those two graphics areas would also be good candidates for new puzzle creations in the 'ideal' size!
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Oct 26, 2013 13:35:18 GMT -8
I am replacing all of the Custom Level backgroundz with (temporary) imagez from the previous post ... except for "Gruntz In Space" (which has no suitable image). When someone indicatez other preferencez, I will replace these temporary backgroundz. At least, they are much smaller in size now, and should load pagez faster.
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Post by SwordGrunt on Oct 26, 2013 14:16:51 GMT -8
Ahhhh, had this been up before, I certainly could've worked on a few very small levelz... I've been finishing the largest level I ever worked on, 80x80, was running out of ideaz already. When I'm done testing this (which is certainly going to take a while), I'll try to think up a 'mini-CL' or two.
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Oct 27, 2013 12:02:47 GMT -8
I chose Gamer's " Fun For Your Feet" as the (temporary) background for "Gruntz In Space", even though it is only 30 tilez wide. That leave a green border on the left and right, but it's not that bad (IMHO). But viewing all of the backgroundz, it is apparent that it actually helps(!) if there is a top border (which cannot be reached) on the map ... bringing more important stuff into view. Something to consider, if you are thinking about creating a puzzle to use as a background.
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Post by GooRoo on Jul 31, 2015 8:31:17 GMT -8
Once again, I am considering updating the "Sample Puzzles" section of the Home page menu.
Candidate Quests should be as close to 32 tiles wide by 24 tiles tall as possible ... each dimension being the minimum. I would then use the "View the map!" image as the background for its graphics set discussion Board. It has been quite some time since I have tried to do this, so many Quests have been released since the release date of the current samples. Viewing the indices by Release Date from the year of the current sample until the current year will give Gruntzerz interested in participating in this project an idea of newer Quests which should be considered as replacements.
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Post by swietymiki on Aug 13, 2018 5:47:08 GMT -8
Until very recently, I didn't even notice that board background images are still a thing on our forum! That's because on a 1920x1080 display they are only partly visible when you scroll to the very top or bottom of the site, and even there they are obscured by ads. They don't even reach the default green bars on the sides unless you are viewing the forum on a 1024x768 monitor, which is already <5% on the worldwide market. That definitely should be updated (and possibly different levels picked as well ) to a higher resolution, preferably 1920x1080, since that's already the most common display type in Europe and the United States. (Source: United States, Europe)
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Aug 13, 2018 6:28:21 GMT -8
Until very recently, I didn't even notice that board background images are still a thing on our forum! That's because on a 1920x1080 display they are only partly visible when you scroll to the very top or bottom of the site, and even there they are obscured by ads. They don't even reach the default green bars on the sides unless you are viewing the forum on a 1024x768 monitor, which is already <5% on the worldwide market. That definitely should be updated (and possibly different levels picked as well ) to a higher resolution, preferably 1920x1080, since that's already the most common display type in Europe and the United States. (Source: United States, Europe) That suggests map sizes approximately 60X34 tiles. The 60 tiles wide provides many possibilities, while the 34 tiles tall would make maps an unusual size, indeed.
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Post by swietymiki on Aug 13, 2018 6:35:13 GMT -8
Of course the image doesn't have to be the entirety of a level, most of the middle part won't be visible to the viewer anyway. We probably wouldn't find a single Gruntz level that fulfills the 16:9 aspect ratio, but as long as a map is bigger than that, we can cut a part of it. And there is plenty of big maps on our forum to choose from.
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Post by swietymiki on Aug 16, 2018 14:35:18 GMT -8
Together with our Discord server (but mostly benadnam) we prepared a list of 8 Questz that are big enough (minimum 60x34) to have their parts set as new background images for 1920x1080 display. One level in one graphics set per designer.
We tried to select the most recent maps that meet the criteria. The biggest problem was with Rocky Roadz, as there wasn't a single applicable level for that area until 2011, when "3 White Monkeyz" were released. However we didn't quite like the look of this level and decided to pick an older but better map of Gaby; she has plenty of large puzzles in all graphic sets.
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Aug 16, 2018 17:31:46 GMT -8
I presume that it was verified that all of these actually has a game time "View the map!" image ... not just a GLE image with extraneous logic boxes. I have printed out the list, and will begin the process of replacing background images.
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Aug 16, 2018 21:55:50 GMT -8
I am having a bit of a problem locating the place to make changes to the background images. Things are much different from when I last did this, so I am going to have to seek assistant from the ProBoards experts (staff).
Edit: Well, there are no ProBoards staff members online right now, and no one else has even viewed my post, so there will be no answer tonight. I will check again tomorrow soon after I awaken from my much needed 'beauty sleep'.
I can change the links to the Forum Announcements for the 8 graphics area selections, but cannot change the background image displayed when one enters a graphic set Custom Levelz Board. Until I can change the background image, I have no desire to change the links to sample Questz.
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GooRoo
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Post by GooRoo on Aug 17, 2018 6:01:33 GMT -8
I found out where to make the changes, and have changed the backgrounds for Rocky Roadz and Gruntziclez as a test. Try them out, please.
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Post by swietymiki on Aug 17, 2018 6:45:26 GMT -8
It already looks better - the images occupy the entire screen of my monitor. Did you just upload the image or also set the part of it that is displayed?
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