CR-Free Pet Pictures for quest mode

[Rob Cashwalker]

MSE's card frame images are stuck at a particular low-quality resolution. (150 dpi) MSE resizes the card art to fit the template size, which is based on the low-resolution. The exported images will be scaled as specified in the view options, but don't get much better in quality.

My templates (kidmagic for anyone that cares) used 300 dpi original cardframe artwork.

Isn't that icon just the icon from Urza's Saga on top of the Antiquities icon? I know it's not exactly, but how would a lawyer look at it?

[Chris H.]

I'm creating the artwork at much higher resolution though, so I'll be able to scale up the card. The artwork will then be at optimum quality, unfortunately you'll have some blur on the text. It shouldn't be too noticeable though and I'll do what I can to minimise the damage.

The Lanczos 3 algorithm is great for scaling down pics to a smaller size and you do not loose much detail in the process.

With regards to the down-scaling, I'm not familiar with the Lanczos 3 algorithm. I normally just use my graphics editor and optimise the settings.

I'll post high and low res, and if you feel your method would be better, than just apply to the HQ cards and post the new LQ ones. (Then explain the Lanczos 3 algorithm to me so I can use it in future )

`
Rob states that he has some good looking card frames that he created for himself, you may want to check them out.

My graphics program of choice gives me a selection of algorithms. I read somewhere on the forge forum that the Lanczos 3 algorithm gave good results.

I know that the Lanczos 3 algorithm looks good, tastes great and is less filling

[moomarc]

Where can I get the kidmagic frames? And is the active area for artwork the same size (approximately same ratio at least) because my artwork is designed for the current frame?

But high res starting frame would be ideal so I'll just adjust the artwork if necessary.

[DennisBergkamp]

Whoa, this looks beautiful, moomarc Keep it up!

[moomarc]

Isn't that icon just the icon from Urza's Saga on top of the Antiquities icon? I know it's not exactly, but how would a lawyer look at it?

I hadn't even noticed the possible link to Urza's Saga. It should still be fine though. When I realised that the anvil was similar to the Antiquities set icon I found another reference anvil to work from. In terms of anvils they're about as different as they get while still being recognisable at set icon size. The overall shape is more tapered with a lower casting to the curved tip.

The hammer is sufficiently different too. Its rendered in two pieces, not just one and is far more simplistic. Also it lies flat, not at a tilt like Urza's Saga.

And considering that it was initially created purely from my head then modified further to make it more different from the original icon, its overall safe. They don't hold a copyright on all hammer or anvil iconography, just their particular ones.

I'm confident that its legally safe, but I'll design something new if everyone would prefer.

[friarsol]

The hammer is sufficiently different too. Its rendered in two pieces, not just one and is far more simplistic. Also it lies flat, not at a tilt like Urza's Saga.

Am I missing something? Saga's icon was Two gears? Where is there a hammer there? I think a Hammer and Anvil is significantly different than Antiquities Anvil. I doubt anyone will be confusing that symbol for anything that exists in Magic.
Edit: Oh you guys are talking about Legacy. Man was that confusing.

[moomarc]

Just to clear the confusion with the expansion symbols, it was Urza's Legacy with the hammer. I've reworked the symbol slightly so its more distinguishable at smaller sizes too. Then attached here is the icon comparison.

[moomarc]

My templates (kidmagic for anyone that cares) used 300 dpi original cardframe artwork.

I found your old template for MSE but I personally think the sans-serif fonts are too different from existing cards making them look akward. So I've just plunged in and created new frames from scratch in photoshop. Not as quick to template the cards, but great for overall quality.

While I was at it I adjusted the frame shape just a little, so here's the HQ version with new frame. I would love to have posted it with an image from another iteration of the plant, but its not quite done yet...

[Rob Cashwalker]

The font is easy enough to change though.. the whole point of kidmagic was that it was easy to read for a 4-5 year old.... The core of those templates are all my ability and effect icons.

That frame is sweet! The icon's cool too.

[Chris H.]

So I've just plunged in and created new frames from scratch in photoshop. Not as quick to template the cards, but great for overall quality.

While I was at it I adjusted the frame shape just a little, so here's the HQ version with new frame. I would love to have posted it with an image from another iteration of the plant, but its not quite done yet...

`
That HQ pic looks great. Thank you.

I used my graphics editor to scale it down to 200 x 285 using Lanczos 3 and it looks pretty good for a LQ image.

Granted, I use a high end shareware app found in the mac world and I am sure that Photoshop has additional controls beyond what is found in GraphicConverter.

`

[DennisBergkamp]

Are there any opinions as to whether I should change the rarity indicated by the set icons for different tiers of the pets, or just leave them all as commons?

I think it's a great idea to give increasing levels higher rarities... maybe common - uncommon - rare - mythic? Or common - uncommon - uncommon - rare? Assuming there's 4 levels for the plant that is (I can't remember).

[moomarc]

Apologies to everyone waiting for these. Real life work has been keeping me rather busy and occasionally with a night's less sleep. But I am still working on these in between. Should be able to post the plant walls within a week.

I used my graphics editor to scale it down to 200 x 285 using Lanczos 3 and it looks pretty good for a LQ image.

Granted, I use a high end shareware app found in the mac world and I am sure that Photoshop has additional controls beyond what is found in GraphicConverter.

Haha! You'd think so at the price, but I've been looking around and Lanczos 3 is a feature that Photoshop users have been wanting for ages because of its excellent downscaling with detail retention. Alas, they usually resort to the various freeware products that incorporate it. Photoshop is limited to bicubic which tends to lose a lot of the sharpness in favour of a smoother image. Also a great algorithm if the subject is right. But for this I think it might be best if I upload the HQ cards and you convert to LQ (if that's fine with you).

Are there any opinions as to whether I should change the rarity indicated by the set icons for different tiers of the pets, or just leave them all as commons?

I think it's a great idea to give increasing levels higher rarities... maybe common - uncommon - rare - mythic? Or common - uncommon - uncommon - rare? Assuming there's 4 levels for the plant that is (I can't remember).

The plant wall actually has 6 iterations as far as I can tell. I personally think that we should avoid mythic rarity as they're still bought pets. My proposal for the rarities is this:

Code: Select all

Crocodile
1/1; None; Common_______________________________________[b_1_1_crocodile_pet.jpg]
2/1; None; Common_______________________________________[b_2_1_crocodile_pet.jpg]
3/1; None; Uncommon_____________________________________[b_3_1_crocodile_pet.jpg]
3/1; Swampwalk; Rare____________________________________[b_3_1_crocodile_pet_swampwalk.jpg]

Plant Wall
0/1; Defender; Common___________________________________[g_0_1_plant_wall.jpg]
0/2; Defender; Common___________________________________[g_0_2_plant_wall.jpg]
0/3; Defender; Uncommon_________________________________[g_0_3_plant_wall.jpg]
1/3; Defender; Uncommon_________________________________[g_1_3_plant_wall.jpg]
1/3; Defender, Deathtouch; Rare_________________________[g_1_3_plant_wall_deathtouch.jpg]
1/3; Defender, Deathtouch, Tap: Gain 1 life; Rare_______[g_1_4_plant_wall_deathtouch.jpg]

Wolf
1/1; None; Common_______________________________________[g_1_1_wolf_pet.jpg]
1/2; None; Common_______________________________________[g_1_2_wolf_pet.jpg]
2/2; None; Uncommon_____________________________________[g_2_2_wolf_pet.jpg]
2/2; Flanking; Rare_____________________________________[g_2_2_wolf_pet_flanking.jpg]

Hound
1/1; None; Common_______________________________________[r_1_1_hound_pet.jpg]
1/1; Haste; Common______________________________________[r_1_1_hound_pet_haste.jpg]
2/1; Haste; Uncommon____________________________________[r_2_1_hound_pet.jpg]
2/1; Haste, Gets +2/+0 until EOT if attacks alone; Rare_[r_2_1_hound_pet_alone.jpg]

Bird
0/1; Flying; Common_____________________________________[w_0_1_bird_pet.jpg]
1/1; Flying; Common_____________________________________[w_1_1_bird_pet.jpg]
2/1; Flying; Uncommon___________________________________[w_2_1_bird_pet.jpg]
2/1; Flying, First Strike; Rare_________________________[w_2_1_bird_pet_first_strike.jpg]

(I included token file names just to confirm that I have them all correct. I've seen the final plant wall named g_1_4_plant_wall somewhere on the forums so let me know if that's the correct name instead.)

If you want to have mythic rare pets I'd incorporate it some other way, perhaps as a quest reward. That way it would fit better flavorwise. The quester could meet a strange hermit after some advanced quest who sells/gives him strange seeds that effectively upgrade the plant wall to the deathtouch-lifegain version. You'd have to remove it from the bazaar, but it is extra incentive for doing longer quests.

[Chris H.]

Apologies to everyone waiting for these. Real life work has been keeping me rather busy and occasionally with a night's less sleep. But I am still working on these in between. Should be able to post the plant walls within a week.

I used my graphics editor to scale it down to 200 x 285 using Lanczos 3 and it looks pretty good for a LQ image.

Granted, I use a high end shareware app found in the mac world and I am sure that Photoshop has additional controls beyond what is found in GraphicConverter.

Haha! You'd think so at the price, but I've been looking around and Lanczos 3 is a feature that Photoshop users have been wanting for ages because of its excellent downscaling with detail retention. Alas, they usually resort to the various freeware products that incorporate it. Photoshop is limited to bicubic which tends to lose a lot of the sharpness in favour of a smoother image. Also a great algorithm if the subject is right. But for this I think it might be best if I upload the HQ cards and you convert to LQ (if that's fine with you).

`
We understand how our real life can get busy at times. Take as much time as you need.

Once you finish the HQ pet pics I will be glad to downscale them to 200 x 285. As a temporary solution I included a link with the old style pet pics that Dennis Bergkamp created so many months ago.

The old style pet pics archive found in the newest beta release has been downloaded a number of times. People are interested in the pet pics.

[moomarc]

Thanks Chris. I'll definitely be continuing with them! They're just too much fun. I don't often get to work on things like this for real clients.

-Marc

[DennisBergkamp]

I think the image should be "g_1_4_plant_wall" for the last level of the plant (I added the deathtouch for the 1/3 version to be able to differentiate between one with and without deathtouch).