TorchModders => Suggestions & Feedback => Topic started by: Wolven on August 10, 2014, 06:04:18 am
Title: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 10, 2014, 06:04:18 am
I'm working on the colors and over all design of the Joomla portal. There's a bunch of new things I need to learn, so it might take a while to get it right. The front page might change a lot while I'm experimenting.
I'll go with a very simple layout design for the front page for now, then add components as I go along.
I'm experimenting with what color palette to use, I want something dark and muted which does not have too sharp/bright contrasts. I'm thinking grays, brown, orange and blue. Right now I'm using the color palette (http://http://tango.freedesktop.org/Tango_Icon_Theme_Guidelines#Color_Palette) from The Tango Desktop Project (http://http://tango.freedesktop.org/Tango_Desktop_Project).
I'm not happy with the theme for these forums. Eventually I'll have to create/edit a theme to fit the look of the website, but for now I'll just add a few themes, so users can pick their own for now. If you find a phpBB theme you like, let me know and I'll add it to the pool.
Edit: I've changed the max size of the avatar image to 100x100 px and increased the byte size allowed.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 10, 2014, 08:19:15 am
Ooh just saw the theme change on these forums - nice! :D I like it a lot
Agree with keeping things on the dark side (MUCH easier on the eyes :D ). Did you still want me to work on some more Steampunk-themed logo studies and splash images? Here's the first guide-image I did...
(hmm spoiler tags dont seem to work yet...)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 10, 2014, 09:01:25 am
I've added a few themes to the boards. You can choose among a small selection. You'll find it under the User Control Panel --> Board Preferences
Here's a quote from a post I made in the previous board, regarding the look.
Quote
I'm still thinking we should go for a bit Steampunk like theme. Torchlight is very Steampunk in it's design already, particularly the engineer and the dwarfs. So I'm thinking, we're Torchlight modders, which means we are (software) engineers of sorts. Thus the Steampunk theme of the Engineers fits perfectly. Runic also use this in GUTS with the Engineer splash screen.
What I envision is that the website could look sort of what a Torchlight Engineer website would look. With a muted color palette, using, brown, grey, black, orange and blue.
The new logo looks cool and is very Steampunk, but in my view it's a bit too "feminine" and leans more towards the romantic cowboy/western style of Steampunk. Perhaps if you use it as a base and add some elements to it. A few more gears or something. I'm thinking more industrial and closer to the Torchlight Engineer class, Steampunk. if that makes any sense? Like this website (community) is a Steampunk workshop rooted in the Engineer class.
I'll try to find some Steapunk images I like the look/feel/style of, to give you an idea of my aesthetic preference. I'm no trying to over ride you, or force ideas up on you here. Just trying to add ideas to our common creative pool and see what comes out.
Edit: BTW. There's nothing wrong with the current logo, using the Torchlight font. But the texture and colors could perhaps be changed to something like rusted/brown metal with rivets or similar. Might be cool with some added Steampunk elements too, like gears, hoses, wires, etc.
Found some cool fonts, which might be worth looking into: http://www.howtogeek.com/72406/desktop- ... unk-fonts/ (http://www.howtogeek.com/72406/desktop-fun-steampunk-fonts/)
Some other good stuff from the same site: http://www.howtogeek.com/70072/desktop- ... ation-set/ (http://www.howtogeek.com/70072/desktop-fun-steampunk-customization-set/)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Slacker on August 10, 2014, 10:03:07 am
Quote from: "Phanjam"
Ooh just saw the theme change on these forums - nice! :D I like it a lot
Agree with keeping things on the dark side (MUCH easier on the eyes :D ). Did you still want me to work on some more Steampunk-themed logo studies and splash images? Here's the first guide-image I did...
(hmm spoiler tags dont seem to work yet...)
I think that looks awesome. Perhaps you can make a sig out of it, if it doesn't get used.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 10, 2014, 12:32:27 pm
The Wiki colors are quite good now Phanjam. Looks like a nice start template we can work on later.
I've changed the default appearance of these boards once again. Sorry about that. You can switch the style back if you like under your User Control Panel. I'll try to refrain from tweaking the look and start focusing on groups and such.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 10, 2014, 08:46:33 pm
Hi Wolven! Thanks for the links. I think I get what you mean now. Will revert with some more studies
hey Hi Slacker! Welcome aboard and thanks for liking the pic :P pls join in on the other threads / we'd love your inputs!
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 10, 2014, 09:02:30 pm
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 13, 2014, 04:10:10 am
I was about to say "nice new phpbb theme!" then I noticed you'd switched back to SMF :D
Yeah the look of SMF is neater, and I like this particular coor scheme - thumbs up!
Am working on the steampunk-themed logo / I hope it'll go well with this look ;)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 13, 2014, 04:14:27 am
=)
Once the logo is ready, I'll use it as template for the color palette to use on the website.
There's a handy tool to do this here: http://www.degraeve.com/color-palette/
Here's an example using TL art. (http://www.degraeve.com/color-palette/index.php?q=http://static.runicgames.com/assets/173/engineer_art01_huge.jpg,6F5842917858A08B6A64808ACF763F,85582CAD7B3CBA9150518A9DFF6400)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 13, 2014, 06:35:42 am
whoah that is REALLY neat! Okay, will finish the logo soon as I can :D
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 15, 2014, 01:14:25 pm
Hi! What do you think of this logo?...
(http://i.imgur.com/weV6Rgz.png)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 15, 2014, 01:55:01 pm
I like it, I like it. 8)
I'd love to see a more cartoony version of it. If you get me? I like the way it looks and the direction it's taking, but to me it's a bit too "hard" and realistic. Does that make any sense? I'd also like to see a background or a badge or banner behind it.
Am I being a dick now? I don't know you in RL and communication can be a bit "flavor less" in the written format, so I'm afraid to come across wrong.
I have a very particular aesthetic sense. (Or so I like to think) And I can get a bit obsessive about details. So I can go on and on about things related to design and art. This is a community, and the logo is for all of us, so I hope more people will comment.
Also. I'm curious Phanjam. What would the logo look like if you made it just like you picture it. You're the artist after all. ;)
Edit: One thing that strikes me, is that tool you've got on the letter H. It makes it a bit hard to read the letter R between the gear and the ting. And it looks a bit like it's supposed to be the letter G instead of C. Spelling TorghModders. Perhaps it could be moved out a bit, closer towards the left edge of the letter H. Giving it a bit more room.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 15, 2014, 03:17:26 pm
I like it, I like it. 8)
I'd love to see a more cartoony version of it. If you get me? I like the way it looks and the direction it's taking, but to me it's a bit too "hard" and realistic. Does that make any sense? I'd also like to see a background or a badge or banner behind it.
Am I being a dick now? I don't know you in RL and communication can be a bit "flavor less" in the written format, so I'm afraid to come across wrong.
I have a very particular aesthetic sense. (Or so I like to think) And I can get a bit obsessive about details. So I can go on and on about things related to design and art. This is a community, and the logo is for all of us, so I hope more people will comment.
Also. I'm curious Phanjam. What would the logo look like if you made it just like you picture it. You're the artist after all. ;) And as far as I know the one who came up with the name. What's in your mind when you visualize the logo for this community?
Edit: One thing that strikes me, is that tool you've got on the letter H. It makes it a bit hard to read the letter R between the gear and the ting. And it looks a bit like it's supposed to be the letter G instead of C. Spelling TorghModders. Perhaps it could be moved out a bit, closer towards the left edge of the letter H. Placing the H and the rest of the letters a bit more to the right. Giving it a bit more room to make out the C shape better.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 16, 2014, 01:02:30 am
No you're not being a dick LOL :D !
Okay let's tackle this one item at a time...
For the "cartoony-ness" do you feel it should appear more "hand-drawn"? I'm trying to understand how you feel "cartoony" should look...
A banner or badge is good to suggest strength/stability. I'll look into that. Maybe a brace or some other "structure" on which the word seems to be mounted on?
I don't think I have a set idea of how this should be rendered. I liked this direction because it implies the way our mods are sometimes like Frankenstein monsters cobbled together from who-knows-what :P Generally I like hard-edged/realistic art, but that's just me.
Oh and just a study (as we may move in other directions from here), but would this rendition answer the thing about the C-clamp looking like a letter G? ...
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 16, 2014, 03:31:48 am
OK, good. :)
Yes I guess I mean more hand drawn and a bit softer textures. In my mind it's very close to the original art in Torchlight, that kind of cartoony. I'd also picture the same kind of color palette, brown, orange and blue.
I just picture something simple as background, but just go with what you find in your study and do what feels right. Some structure or simple machinery which it's connected to sound cool.
It's defiantly a big improvement to readability with that tool upside down. It reads much more like a C now. However the logo as whole doesn't flow quite right. When I try to read it, buy just scanning my eyes across it quickly I can't make out what it says. My vision always seeks the middle of the word with the where the letters C,H, M and O are. Because most of the "weight" or boldness is in that area.
I think there are too many elements going on with all the gears and the tool. It looks much better in a dark background though, like it's meant to be. When it's in your signature in the Runic forums it's easier to read, it still doesn't flow quite right.
There are some "rules" to logo design and I found random website witch sums it up quite well: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/06/12-essential-rules-to-follow-when-designing-a-logo/
Bottom line. I think it needs to be simpler, or with less elements. It has to work in just black and white too, and in small size.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 16, 2014, 06:36:07 am
I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is and do an attempt at this myself.
I don't know how to draw, but I like to goof around with Inkscape (http://www.inkscape.org/). Here's what I came up with as a start.
Edit: Did some tweaks to it. moved the word "Modders" closer to "Torch", Added some gradients and a drop shadow.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 16, 2014, 07:58:31 am
Hey thanks very much for that link Wolven, it was a good read.
But even more helpful were your renditions which you shared; they really give me a better "look inside your head" ;) I can see a new way of proceeding now which may get us what we want. Will revert soon as I can. Thanks!
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 16, 2014, 11:59:26 pm
Is this art style any closer to what you had in your mind? Does it do anything fo ya? :P
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 17, 2014, 02:33:16 am
Yes and no. You've created a cool and dynamic logo. But I think we should use the Torchlight font. (Or at least a more fantasy like font) Like you did in the previous study, or like I've done in mine. Maybe it's just because I'm getting so used to the logo we currently have that I can't picture using any other font.
Don't get me wrong. I like the logo, but it looks too modern, or "tech" like. It makes me think of First Person Shooters games like Counter Strike, or similar. It just doesn't speak "GUTS", "Torchlight" or "Steampunk Engineer" to me.
Some inspiration maybe?
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 17, 2014, 03:36:58 am
Okay, I've got something in mind now ;) thanks!
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 17, 2014, 06:11:21 am
Is this any closer? Am still working on a nice back-plane for this...
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 17, 2014, 06:51:50 am
Yes! Now we're getting somewhere. That's more the direction I'm thinking.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 17, 2014, 02:52:03 pm
Woot! Im glad :D
Now for that back-plane...
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 17, 2014, 07:35:58 pm
Okay here's a low-quality study with a back-plane...
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 18, 2014, 03:53:17 am
Still a bit unsure about the wing shape, but the texture it has is great. I'd like to see that texture on the letters, but perhaps a bit more rusted and brown in color. I'll come back with more feedback when I've got time to study it properly.
Edit: The back plane needs to be wider than the letters, and the wing shape give a slight air force vibe?
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 20, 2014, 01:24:12 am
Hiyya Wolven! Below is a different backplane study.
This doesn't have your suggestion yet for the rusted letters. But rusted letters on a rusted backplane is gonna be difficult to read :o Anyway will do studies trying that next ;)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 23, 2014, 06:43:55 am
Here's another study for a different backplane design...
Still working on studies using rusted letters / needs a new direction for backplanes...
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: gytfunke on August 23, 2014, 07:27:57 am
Oh, I'm getting in on this a bit late. I actually really dug the sprockets and vise design. The new one is good, too, though!
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 23, 2014, 07:30:03 am
This back pane is more dynamic than the previous one. I like it better. It's a bit hard to say anything about the overall look, with the logo unfinished. Perhaps you could show off the back pane and the logo separately in the next study.
I think the gear is a bit big and massive for that back pane, could perhaps be scaled down a little bit? At least on that new back pane.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on August 23, 2014, 10:53:46 am
@Wolven yeah, the more dynamism on the backplane the better - will make more studies, just backplanes as you suggested :) and I agree, the gear is too massive for this backplane / will adjust...
Here's the logo-type in a rusty treatment...
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on August 23, 2014, 10:57:24 am
The letters are looking cool with that texture. But the glow over shadows it a bit. Could the glow be dampened a bit, or the letters made bolder?
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on September 10, 2014, 05:58:08 am
Hi WOlven sorry for this super-late reply!
Here's a study with bolder letters, milder glow and textured more for a rust effect (maybe a bit overdone right now, can be adjusted)...
(http://i.imgur.com/Tjk8Cby.png)
whaddya think?
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on September 10, 2014, 08:06:39 am
Yes. I like it. :)
The texture is as you say, a bit over done with the rust, but I think it's shaping up real good now.
I'd love to see the logo, with just the gear behind it, and no plate. Also could you try making the S at the end as large as the T at the start, so I could see how that would look. It might look like crap, but it could also make the logo a bit more dynamic in shape.
Right now the silhouette is asymmetrical like this: o----o-----
Try this: TorchModderS creating this silhouette: o----o----o
Or as an alternative this: torchModders creating this silhouette: ----o-----
This might not look good at all, I just want to see how it would look. It's easier to play with the silhouette with a word like "torchlight" where the first and last letter is the same. TorchlighT
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on September 11, 2014, 04:35:21 am
Gotcha ;) will do and revert
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Mario Diaz on September 15, 2014, 06:49:40 am
I see somewhere that the color blue it’s imprinted in our brains to mean daytime so if you wanna keep us awake all night… hehe, also I like blue
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on September 19, 2014, 04:26:16 am
Hi All! Some more TM logo studies
@Wolven , your idea to use font-size to "balance" the logo worked quite nicely! I went with the
"0----0----0"
option and the following are variations on that...
Text Only
Text with Gear
Then I thought I'd try something different...
Text with Gear + Ghost effect
Just Text with Ghost effect
I kinda like the ghost effect, kinda "brings it to life" in a way. What do you think?
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on September 19, 2014, 04:34:47 am
Looks great. I like the one with gears and ghost effect best. It makes it pop. We should have both with and without the ghost effect though, in some situations it's nice to have a "clean" version of the logo.
Nice work Phanjam!
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on September 19, 2014, 05:14:32 am
Thanks! Yeah on a light background the ghost effect just doesnt work.
Let me clean it up a little more; i'll be quick i promise!
@Mario Diaz i thought of your suggestion to use blue when i was choosing colors for the ghost effect ;)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on September 27, 2014, 04:53:35 am
Hi All. Here finally are what I hope are good enough to be the final versions of our logo ;)
@Wolven If these are good, I'll send these to you in several sizes for use on the TM sites,and I'll make us some signature cards as well :)
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Wolven on September 27, 2014, 06:13:17 am
I think they look great. Will you also send me version without the ghost effect, so we can see what works best for different places like the forum, wiki, front page, etc.
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: gytfunke on September 27, 2014, 07:54:04 am
Excellent work, Phanjam!
Title: Re: Look and Feel
Post by: Phanjam on September 27, 2014, 08:26:44 am
Thanks very much guys! :P
@Wolven I PM'd you the link to all the image files a little while ago ;)