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Johnny

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Posts posted by Johnny

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Wow, I haven't done tech borders in a while, but you guys wanted tutorials, so here it comes. (BTW, this is my first graphics tutorial ever, so bear with me...)

     

    To get a tech border, like this one:

    Posted Image

    Follow these steps.

     

    STEP 1 -- Make your outline

    Using the "Polygonal Lasso Tool" (you can find it by holding down the left click on the "Lasso Tool"), hold shift to make straight edges, and create a selection similar to this one:

    http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

    Tip - You can also make it slightly more rounded by changing the feather level before you make your selection. 1-5 should be the limit though.

     

    STEP 2 -- Select outside and fill

    When you have your selection, inversely select by going to "Select" --> "Inverse". Then, use the "Paint Bucket Tool" to fill the selection with any color (doesn't matter, I usually use black.) You should end up with this:

    http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

     

    STEP 3 -- Add shadow

    Now, enter the "Layer Style" menu by double clicking the border layer. Go to the "Drop Shadow" tab and use something similar to this:

    http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

    Tip - You can play around with these settings to get different looks or even a different shadow color.

     

    STEP 4 -- Add bevel

    Then click on the "Bevel and Emboss" tab and use similar settings:

    http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

    Tip - You can't see much now, but this is a highly variable option, and you'll probably want to go back and change it later.

     

    STEP 5 -- Add contour

    Then you can click on the "Contour" subtab and use something like this:

    http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

    Tip - Like bevel, this is also a highly variable option. You can get entirely different looks by changing this a bit.

     

    STEP 6 -- Add a pattern

    Last step is to add a "Pattern Overlay". Click that tab, and use whatever pattern you like. I chose these settings:

    http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

    Tip - You can create your own patterns from images by opening the image and going to "Edit" --> "Define Pattern" to use whatever pattern you like.

     

    That's the end of the tutorial, but definitely not the end of possibilities. You can do tons more things to spice up whatever image you are adding this to (in this case, I'm using a sig size). After you make your border, you can add another sub-border underneath, an image, and maybe some text. After I did some simple stuff for about 5 minutes, I ended up with this, one of my new favorite sigs:

    Posted Image

     

    Remember, steps can be added, dropped or replaced to get different styles entirely. Try experimenting to get one you like. I even learned a new trick while making this. If you use a circular or rectangular selection on the border, then right click and choose "Layer via Copy" you can get something like the bubbles on the right or the square on the left

     

    If you see any errors or have any suggestions to better the tutorial, I'll try and do so.

    *BTW, this tutorial is done in Photoshop CS. Things may vary in different versions, but you should be able to get the same result.

     

    Before anyone asks, for the final sig, the bottom border, I made that look by deleting selections of the border's outsides, to make it look "stringy" or whatever.

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Wow, big response...

     

    @ moonwitch - Well, most of the stuff I do is spur-of-the-moment, but I guess I could try to do some tutorials... (The tank one was kinda complicated, but mebbe.)

     

    @ choetry - Actually, those are probably among my least favorite... >.<

     

    @ sparticuss - Well, I suppose I'd consider myself a graphic designer...but I'm not professional or anything...

     

    @ Ralphie - Yeh, many of them I don't really like all that much, but I figured I should post them all anyway. And the video -did- go at normal speed, but I have no idea why it doesn't anymore...it's weird...

     

    @ leiaah - Johnny is cowboyish? Since when? Anyways, I think I used a tutorial for that one, I believe I found it on http://www.pixel2life.com/ try searching for "video sig".

     

    @ mobius - I like abstracts a lot too! ^-^

     

    Okay, I'll see if I -might- be able to start on a tutorial or two sometime today. But no guarantees. I still have some Bruce Lee movies I recently downloaded to watch. =P

  7. Posted · Report reply

    Hope you don't mind my taking your numbering :P

     

    Uno - Hmm, I think modifications actually make Xisto stand out from the rest of the other hosts who use the generic Invision Power Boards. Don't you? :D

     

    Dos - Try contacting one of the admins for your idea...it just might work :D

     

    Tres - What you do on your computer is your business :D

     

    Cuatro - You don't know whether you have a firewall or not?? (kidding) :P

    [hr=noshade][/hr]

    I appreciate you taking the time to look at this forum from a professional standpoint, and I don't care what you have to say (just keep it clean) because you, and everybody else, have a freedom of speech. :)

    68820[/snapback]


    Un - I agree, a lot of the mods here are useful (and appealing), but there's a point where it just gets to be too much, you know what I mean?

     

    Deux - That's um...actually what this topic was for...X.x

     

    Trois - I suppose so.

     

    Quatre - Well, I have a firewall, but I've set that to let pretty much everything in. It's very probable though that my independent ad-blocker was doing it.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    Honestly, I can't believe that you made this post. Sure, it's just fine that you make suggestions, but this is your first day. I remember when it was my first day (even week) and it took me a bit to get used to the forums. On your first day, it's just kinda ignorant to me critiuquing Xisto. If you're here to get hosted, lol, this is just not a good way to get started. :)

     

    The ads (duh!) are what keeps Xisto running. You can't expect that this service is just altruistic. They have to make money some how. Feel lucky that you don't have to put their ads on your web site. Xisto is among the best hosting services on the Internet, so just learn to appreciate it first, then if you have any recommendations (maybe after a couple weeks experience), then post some suggestions.

     

    Personally, I have nothing to ask from from Xisto except that maybe the cPanel get updated. Everything else rocks!

    68795[/snapback]

    1. I've been on many a webhost before. Bad looks can make or break a guest's first impression. I'm not a newb, I know what's up. Just because it's my first day, doesn't mean I don't know anything. (I actually run a host at http://www.sferahost.com//?gtnjs=1 X.x)

     

    2. I fully understand that Xisto needs advertisements to keep it running, which I am glad for, because noone wants a webhost to die. I was simply asking if they might consider removing one or two, or maybe replacing -two- for a more profitable -one-. Again, I have plenty of experience.

     

    And, to repeat myself, these were just suggestions, nothing more.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Let's see if I can resolve some of these issues. The numerous mods are for time-zone issues. Everyone at this forum are in different parts of the world, and if Xisto recruits moderators from only the US, then there will be no moderators on during day-time in China. Therefore, there will be no moderators to...moderate...the forums during that time (spam will grow). Get my drift?

     

    Shoutbox is there to ask a quick question. If we get rid of that, then there will be TONS of short threads laying around in the forums.

     

    Ads, although somewhat annoying, cannot be removed. You have to think...this is a free service, so OpaQue gets no money out of this. Therefore, the ads are the only source of revenue to fuel this great idea. If they're gone, all member sites will be gone because Xisto will likely have to close.

     

    As for the big blank white box, you probably have a firewall with ad-blocking. The space is for the ads. Your firewall blocks ads. Thus, there is a blank space.

     

    :)

    68748[/snapback]


    Uno - Actually, that's entirely not what I was talking about. I meant mods as in modifications, not moderators. X.x

     

    Dos - Couldn't the site then have a "Quick questions - No points" forum?

     

    Tres - Well, in that case, I ask, would it be okay if I personally blocked them out?

     

    Cuatro - Very probable...

     

    Anyways, thanks for clearing some of that up.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Johnny I need to disagree with you on the arcade army and Kenka issue. Most post to host forums like to provide a community and one of the best ways is through games and activities like you see at the top. In my opinion its a great Idea to have those and they provide much enjoyment to me and what looks likes many members.

    68727[/snapback]


    Yeah, I know, I personally like them myself as well, but like I said, it's really unnecessary for a web host. Trap 17 can just as easily make a second forum for other activities, right?

     

    And another thing I noticed...theres a bar that sticks way out to the right of the forum...can someone fix that?

  16. Posted · Edited by Johnny (see edit history) · Report reply

    K, I'm going to try to beef up the photoshop forum with a few of my graphics projects. Here's a few of my sigs:

     

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

     

    There, that's all of them (I just got back into graphics design a few weeks ago.)

     

    EDIT: Glad I hit preview, I have to post some more in a second post...

    EDIT 2: Removed some of the ones I don't like...

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Well, let's see... I joined the site about 20 minutes ago, and I noticed how cool and professional the front page looked, but then I saw the forums. The forums are extremely ugly due to overcrowding. This forum looks like it takes mod steroids, seriously.There are WAY too many mods on this forum, and a lot are relatively useless. Overcrowding makes the forum look ugly and unprofessional...My suggestions:Lose the shoutbox. Now.Can some of those ads be removed?The last posts/topics at the bottom can be removed.Those three are the main things that bring the ugly feel to the forums. There are a few other things though, like the portal. That portal is unbelievably loaded with information, which, again, doesn't look professional.Those are just a few suggestions though. And please, don't flame me for "hating", I'm just trying to put up a few ideas on how to make the site look a little better.Oh, also, the arcade mod, army system, and kenka can go. They may be fun, but unecessary for a hosting forum. I'd suggest adding a new forum for that.And why the heck is that big blank white box always there between posts!? X.x

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Indeed. I am totally with you on that one. I cannot stand either shortenings (u, ppl, kno), mispellings (teh winenrs wil recieve 5 pionts!) or "aZn" (Yo I'm sO KrZy N StUfF!).It irritates me to no end. I mean, you don't speak, or write like that, do you? What makes it so hard to do the same on the computer? Is it just because you're lazy?

  19. Posted · Report reply

    Okay, here it is(sorry for double-post, but I can't edit):Anyways, I've posted this on a bajillion different forums, including my own, but I nevr get tired of sharing. So here's my thoughts on Nintendo.Nintendo is THE absolute best game software company there is. The problem is, they suck with hardware. Well, that's one of the problems. The other problem is that they're starting to get lazy (or maybe not lazy, just tired maybe?)Anyways, I honestly do not think that a single piece of hardware Nintendo has made since the SNES is very good. Now, I know what you're saying, the Gamecube rocks, and I have one, and I really do like it, but it, and half of Nintendo's other systems, are just not as good as they could be. It seems like Nintendo is always a step behind, DVD compatibility, handheld backlight, system hard drive, that kinda thing. Oh, and the DS is crap.That said, let's move on to some of the newer software. I must say that Nintendo has absolutely killed Mario sterb026.gif 1232.gif , their mascot, in his 3d games. Paper Mario was good, and the GBA games were good. Zelda: Wind Waker was also a disappointment. While a good game, it was definitely not as good as other Zelda games, and they tried to take a leap with the cel-shading, which resulted in Link not looking as awesome as he should.Nintendo and other companies making games for Nintendo have come out with some pretty great things though too. The Mario games on GBA have been really good lately. Metroid Prime 2, while having a terribly sad multiplayer, was REALLY good in single player. I also just beat Resident Evil 4. That, so far, is my favorite Resident Evil game ever.Basically, what it comes down to, is, Nintendo, every now and then, whips out an amazing game (can't wait for the new Zelda, Metroid Prime, and MegaMan Battle Network.), but they just can't keep it steady. I bought a gamecube for 200 bucks when they first came out (which, by the way, can get you a ps2 and a gc today) and I've gotten some pretty good times out of it, but overall I'd say it was a waste of my money. Not only did I simply pay too much, but I bought the wrong system. I have about 30-40 GC games, and they're all good, but that's about as many as you'll get, compared to the PS2 (Xbox is worse than GC though). That's about the number of good games there are for GBA as well.I personally think that Nintendo should quit making game systems (they're already in the hol) with the fall of GC and DS coming up), and just sit on the side and make games for the competition, like Sega did. Then not only would we only have the good Sega games (Phantasy Star Online, Sonic, etc.), but we'd also have the good Nintendo games (Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, etc.) on only good systems. And then Xbox should die too, but only because it's not getting any good games whatsoever. (Xbox is a really good system, totally underrated)The only problem then, would be for Sony to make that freaking playstation controller a little more visually pleasing. As a matter of fact, the whole system.Those are my thoughts on Nintendo now.*And here I was just gonna post a short little fling about 2 sentences long...

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