"Database" for user-made billboard artwork

[Bearcat9948]

Hello everyone! I had this idea today when browsing through the "Custom Billboard Resources" thread. The premise is this: on this first post of this thread, I will have spoilers which are named after artwork collections created by all of you. The spoiler will contain the name of the collection along with the theme. So for instance, you might find one spoiler for a collection called "Madagascar by @Danny_zoo ". You could also have "Berlin Zoo by @Swjosdotschka ". I thought this would be an easy way for people to share artwork that they've created, but don't mind other people using it. This way we'll also make sure that if you're an artist, you will have credit for what you've made. You don't have to put a watermark on your artwork since I'll make sure you are named in the title of each collection, but if you'd like to that's not a problem either! So, here are the rules:

• I'll only take work submitted to me by DM on the forums
• I'll only take work if it's something that you have created yourself. No submitting artwork from others
• I'm not going to create collections for fair-use or non copyright art, but you can link it in a separate post if you'd like
• I will do my best to update this post at least once a week
• I won't make a "collection" unless you can provide at least 3 things to include in it, just to cut down on having a huge number. For the same reason, I'm not going to make a "Cheetah collection", "Rhino collection" and "Lemur collection" for one user, they would all just go into "Standalone Animals by ...." if that makes sense. Otherwise, if you'd like certain things to be grouped together, just let me know.

Spoiler: Animal Infographics by Atiggerx33

Link to dropbox

Spoiler: Food Menus w/ Price by violetdragons (Reddit)

Spoiler: Animal Infographics by violetdragons (Reddit)

Public Google Drive Link

Spoiler: Carnivora by Ulysse

Spoiler: Animal Infographics by nomashawn

Spoiler: Animal Infographic Videos by trueheavyweight/Spidercamp (Reddit)

Public Google Drive
Please read "README" document the first time you access! Thanks

 

[NL_Mutso]

Maybe Frontier could add an extra category to the "Your Creations" section of this forum: Billboard Art.
I think that's using a forum more effectively.

 

[Bearcat9948]

Maybe Frontier could add an extra category to the "Your Creations" section of this forum: Billboard Art.
I think that's using a forum more effectively.

For sure, that could work. I'll just keep up with this idea until that time comes though

 

[Atiggerx33]

I'll definitely post a collection when I can. Currently I've given up because the colors I'm using when making the signs are for some unholy reason not the colors that are showing up in game. Made two signs with the exact same color (just a generic modern theme; but I plan on branching out into more region themes as well); one appears super washed out in-game, the other appears really dark in-game. At first I thought the washed out one was using a lit screen (that'd make sense) but nope... even after double and triple checking that I'm using identical screens they're different shades, and neither are the actual shade I used. Can't be a lighting issue either since even placed on top of each other (90% overlapping) they're completely different shades.

I made them in GIMP, used color picker to double check I used the exact same color; exported them to the exact same file type (JPG) using the exact same export settings. Opened with the default Windows image software they look identical (I mean they have different text and pictures but background color is identical); in game they aren't even close to being the same color. It can't be something I did or my computer since they both look right outside the game; so it must be some sort of bug and it's driving me nuts.

I intend to resume work on them tomorrow. Here's a link to a dropbox (files too large to post); let me know if people are interested in an entire set of these signs. When I'm done I'll also probably post the set to reddit, and organize into more folders when I have more files (Theme, videos, etc.)

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[PaulaM]

I'll definitely post a collection when I can. Currently I've given up because the colors I'm using when making the signs are for some unholy reason not the colors that are showing up in game. Made two signs with the exact same color (just a generic modern theme; but I plan on branching out into more region themes as well); one appears super washed out in-game, the other appears really dark in-game. At first I thought the washed out one was using a lit screen (that'd make sense) but nope... even after double and triple checking that I'm using identical screens they're different shades, and neither are the actual shade I used. Can't be a lighting issue either since even placed on top of each other (90% overlapping) they're completely different shades.

I made them in GIMP, used color picker to double check I used the exact same color; exported them to the exact same file type (JPG) using the exact same export settings. Opened with the default Windows image software they look identical (I mean they have different text and pictures but background color is identical); in game they aren't even close to being the same color. It can't be something I did or my computer since they both look right outside the game; so it must be some sort of bug and it's driving me nuts.

I intend to resume work on them tomorrow. Here's a link to a dropbox (files too large to post); let me know if people are interested in an entire set of these signs. When I'm done I'll also probably post the set to reddit, and organize into more folders when I have more files (Theme, videos, etc.)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ojnflr5r6vs0o1t/AADZA09TZ0h_TCBScrDU6cKta?dl=0[/U

Thanks! I grabbed both the aardvark and buffalo.

 

[MewMew]

I'm having the same color issues with my signs as well, even after looking at planet coaster tutorials on color settings etc (use sRGB IEC61966-2.1 for your color settings) they are still going from beautiful crisp color:

to really washed out in game:

Could just be how to game deals with color not sure. Turning up the contrast and saturation makes them much more readable in game but wish we didn't have to do that.

 

[jcp011c]

Having the same issue @MewMew but I figure it's just my graphics settings or graphics card. it doesn't look as crisp as I'd like it to, but it's not quite as washed out as your pictures.

 

[MewMew]

Alright! I have figure out my issue! My files weren't actually saving in the sRGB IEC61966-2.1 Color Profile. Once they were saved in that they showed up perfectly in the game!
I don't know how to help do this in GIMP but that's probably where the issue is coming from. If anyone is using Adobe Photoshop it's easy to change to this in your documents color settings.

 

[PaulaM]

Alright! I have figure out my issue! My files weren't actually saving in the sRGB IEC61966-2.1 Color Profile. Once they were saved in that they showed up perfectly in the game!
I don't know how to help do this in GIMP but that's probably where the issue is coming from. If anyone is using Adobe Photoshop it's easy to change to this in your documents color settings.

Can you give a quick tutorial on how to save them with this color profile? I tried converting it then saving it but it still shows up faded. I have an old version (CS2) of Photoshop. And with GIMP you can download the color profile from this page: https://www.color.org/srgbprofiles.xalter at the very bottom (sRGB2014.icc). I tried it with GIMP using that and it didn't work either.

 

[Bearcat9948]

-snip

Those are great!

 

[Atiggerx33]

Those are great!

Thanks Bearcat! Also there should be no issue with me hosting them anywhere because I got the images off of creative commons and everything else is from the Zoopedia.

I'm already up to Arctic Wolf. I'm doing them all in alphabetic order, it's easier that way. After I'm done with the main signs I'll work on little mini "fun fact" (intended to be used as small 1m) signs and then more little videos like I did for the Aardvark with the little tongue thing. Concept being you would have the main sign front and center and then multiple smaller signs at key areas (like the aardvark tongue video would be best placed at a viewing area closest to the termite mound IMO). It's gonna take a while, but I just did 5 signs in about an hour or so. I'm disabled and home 24/7 so it really shouldn't take too long!

After that I'll begin considering additional signs for species about unique features with information taken from various sources (like someone suggested a sign on Mandrill bums, which are actually quite interesting) so I'll get more in depth signs on unique features animals have.

 

[Atiggerx33]

Alright! I have figure out my issue! My files weren't actually saving in the sRGB IEC61966-2.1 Color Profile. Once they were saved in that they showed up perfectly in the game!
I don't know how to help do this in GIMP but that's probably where the issue is coming from. If anyone is using Adobe Photoshop it's easy to change to this in your documents color settings.

Thanks downloading now to see if it works.

Worked perfectly! It defaults to the "washed out" one but they're more true to color on lit screens (I thought a lit screen would wash out color more; but it seems to be the opposite). Looks like I'm back to work on making more billboards! Edit: Just got them all to appear darker by choosing "saturation" as the Color Intent option. So for anyone who thinks their work still looks washed out with GIMP on top of doing the Color Profile set the Intent to saturation. People don't use it much normally because when you print out your image it can look a little wonky; however, since these images are not at all intended to be printed out it's not like printer-wonkiness matters.

When it comes time to make themed boards I could do with some suggestions. I'm pretty good with figuring out how to do things, pretty bad at the actual creativity portion! My generic billboards are roughly based on an example I found of an education board at the Bronx Zoo (my favorite zoo). So even if somebody just gives me pictures of themed billboards from their favorite zoo (African Theme, Asian Theme, etc.) that'll work lovely. May take me some time to perfect it (the first billboard always takes the longest), but once I figure out exactly how to do it with the first one the speed starts to pick up.

I'm no GIMP expert either. I'm learning as I go. GIMP is the best free image software out there so I highly recommend it (worst comes to worst and you just can't do it... well it was free) So for anyone who thinks they can't do it, it's really not that hard; go into it expecting to be a bit confused; it's a bit like learning a foreign language. Once you figure out how it works it gets a lot simpler and you can do pretty much anything. Expect things to seem needlessly complicated at first, they aren't really it just seems that way because they're just as complex as they need to be to do the complex things GIMP can do.

Also I recommend preparing all billboards on the largest size suggested by the game (so for "wide" take the size from wide large which is 1824x1024. Designing on a bigger space is just easier (you can see what you're working with easier); second, if you design on the smaller space and then ever want the sign on a bigger screen the image may look bad when you enlarge it. Rather it look really nice when it's shrank down than look crummy when you make it bigger. My signs look equally good when displayed on a 1m screen (text is a little hard to read, but it displays nice) as they do on a 32m screen. I'm not sure why I'd ever want to put a typical animal sign on a 32m screen; but if I wanted to (or somebody else who downloads my files does) it would still display beautifully. The 32m screens will have their uses, I just doubt it's gonna be in education sign style works.

 

[Atiggerx33]

Thanks! I grabbed both the aardvark and buffalo.

I'm already up to Arctic Wolf; I will add everything I've done to the linked dropbox at the end of each day. They all have an identical theme so they'll look like a cohesive set at the end! I also did fix the shading issue. I even managed to get the exhibit animal signs to be legible on a 1m sign. I recommend using the default for the exhibit info sign and just hiding it and placing the 1m sign over it (so it looks like guests are using the 1m tv); because on the .5m screen I doubt it will be at all legible for you if you were walking through. But if you don't care about actually being able to read the sign than it definitely still looks good on the actual exhibit sign! The text is just not really legible at all; it looks crisp and stuff just too tiny for human eyes. I intend to use it the way I mentioned because I really like the idea of there being legible text.

The only thing I'm going to struggle with is audio when that gets released. I hate the sound of my own voice (I hate the difference between how I hear my voice and what I hear in a recording, it wigs me out). But I'll release some samples and if other people don't hate it I'll be happy to recite the zoopedia info. That'll take a bit longer since I'm sure it'll take multiple takes for me to get it perfect, on top of requiring me to edit the paragraphs together; and if I try to do too much in one day I'll end up getting hoarse.

 

[Bearcat9948]

I'm already up to Arctic Wolf; I will add everything I've done to the linked dropbox at the end of each day. They all have an identical theme so they'll look like a cohesive set at the end! I also did fix the shading issue. I even managed to get the exhibit animal signs to be legible on a 1m sign. I recommend using the default for the exhibit info sign and just hiding it and placing the 1m sign over it (so it looks like guests are using the 1m tv); because on the .5m screen I doubt it will be at all legible for you if you were walking through. But if you don't care about actually being able to read the sign than it definitely still looks good on the actual exhibit sign! The text is just not really legible at all; it looks crisp and stuff just too tiny for human eyes.

I went ahead and made your first two into a collection, if you want me to keep adding them just PM me with the new ones whenever. Thanks!

 

[Atiggerx33]

I went ahead and made your first two into a collection, if you want me to keep adding them just PM me with the new ones whenever. Thanks!

No problem. Would you prefer I just wait until I had the whole set done or update daily?

 

[Bearcat9948]

No problem. Would you prefer I just wait until I had the whole set done or update daily?

You can send me whatever whenever. I'm currently updating and adding in some stuff, so I can do yours as well. I'm trying to really get this off the ground so I'll probably be constantly updating but at some point it'll probably slow down to twice a week or something like that.

 

[Atiggerx33]

You can send me whatever whenever. I'm currently updating and adding in some stuff, so I can do yours as well. I'm trying to really get this off the ground so I'll probably be constantly updating but at some point it'll probably slow down to twice a week or something like that.

And I just realized that not all animals are gonna have an easy "transparent background" under commons for me to use... like babirusas, this threw me for a second with me thinking "now what?". However with the power of Ansel helping me I created a babirusa with a transparent background. And I think it looks pretty good, so it's an in-game screenshot of a babirusa standing there minding it's own business. Most annoying part was waiting for him to sit still, he was released and took off sprinting for 5 mins.

Wanna check out my babirusa sign and let me know if it looks right? Is it too noticeable that I used a "not real animal" but instead an in-game model? If so should I redo the signs I made all with in-game models?

I've updated the dropbox so it has the babirusa billboard file; please let me know if it looks too different. I'm more judgmental of my work, so maybe it's fine and I'm just being obsessive.

 

[nomashawn]

WOW! These all look amazing so far :O

 

[MewMew]

Can you give a quick tutorial on how to save them with this color profile? I tried converting it then saving it but it still shows up faded. I have an old version (CS2) of Photoshop. And with GIMP you can download the color profile from this page: https://www.color.org/srgbprofiles.xalter at the very bottom (sRGB2014.icc). I tried it with GIMP using that and it didn't work either.

I'm using the newest version of Photoshop but I'm sure CS2 still has this option. Under Edit -----> Color Settings------> this will bring up a menu. Under Working Spaces----> RGB there is a drop down menu where sRGB IEC61966-2.1 should be one of the options. This will make anything new you work on automatically be in the correct color profile.

For anything that you have already worked on there should be under Edit------>Convert to Profile------>then you should be able again to choose sRGB IEC61966-2.1 and boom your file is converted. I hope this helped somewhat!

 

[PaulaM]

I'm using the newest version of Photoshop but I'm sure CS2 still has this option. Under Edit -----> Color Settings------> this will bring up a menu. Under Working Spaces----> RGB there is a drop down menu where sRGB IEC61966-2.1 should be one of the options. This will make anything new you work on automatically be in the correct color profile.

For anything that you have already worked on there should be under Edit------>Convert to Profile------>then you should be able again to choose sRGB IEC61966-2.1 and boom your file is converted. I hope this helped somewhat!

That was very helpful! I tried just saving an already made file but it didn't seem to stick so maybe I'll restart with the Color Settings updated.