Toby Gui Works
by Tom Feni · 04/12/2007 (9:22 pm) · 18 comments
Well after the 4th revision and fine tuning I have come up with a gui layout I think works.. I hope... :)
It still needs more work, mainly color schemes and font style but at least I have the layout so its easier to change things when I need to..
and on to the pics.. :)
Next up.. make some more levels.. :)
Yay!
TomFeni
It still needs more work, mainly color schemes and font style but at least I have the layout so its easier to change things when I need to..
and on to the pics.. :)
Next up.. make some more levels.. :)
Yay!
TomFeni
About the author
Recent Blogs
• Farewell Freebies• Vimeo can take a flying leap.
• Another video
• New Game idea
• Toby Updates for August
#2
But thats just me.
04/12/2007 (9:56 pm)
hmmmmm i think the text is too hard to read for kids still.But thats just me.
#3
04/12/2007 (10:25 pm)
nice! keep it up. go toby go. 
#4
I love the progress on this game, can't wait till it's done ...
04/13/2007 (12:48 am)
I think i have to agree with Ramen, depending on the age group your going for ... Arial tends to be easier for younger children to 'decipher' .... I love the progress on this game, can't wait till it's done ...
#5
What is the age group by the way?
04/13/2007 (1:13 am)
I don't really like the look of the text and the layout myself, maybe something like Jazz Jackrabbit?What is the age group by the way?
#6
Comic Sans and Chalkboard are two good fonts to consider. Even though Comic Sans is fairly over used - it really works with a target of younger kids.
Looks like it's coming together!
04/13/2007 (1:40 am)
I commented last post as well. The best choice for a font - if any young kids are being targeted - if something that looks like the handwriting they are being taught in school.Comic Sans and Chalkboard are two good fonts to consider. Even though Comic Sans is fairly over used - it really works with a target of younger kids.
Looks like it's coming together!
#7
How is everyone getting their tags embedded? I tried copying and pasting mine over, and it's not working. :/
04/13/2007 (2:35 am)
It just keeps going and going... oh wait, that's a bunny. Oh well, the turtle will win anyways, everyone knows that. ;)How is everyone getting their tags embedded? I tried copying and pasting mine over, and it's not working. :/
#8
I have it all named and just save the new texture ideas in and I dont have to change the gui's as much.. :)
I am trying ariel right now and will do comic and some others and maybe do a new plan later to see which looks better..
anyways.. off I go to work away my free time.. :)
TomFeni
04/13/2007 (2:47 am)
Hey guys.. thanks for the ideas.. I am using the format as a base.. all the fonts and colors will probably change, but the format is where I will keep it at..I have it all named and just save the new texture ideas in and I dont have to change the gui's as much.. :)
I am trying ariel right now and will do comic and some others and maybe do a new plan later to see which looks better..
anyways.. off I go to work away my free time.. :)
TomFeni
#9
04/13/2007 (2:52 am)
Thanks Tom. :)
#10
Blue Key = 0; Yellow Key = 0; Red Key = 0; Bubbles = 0
Why not use icons so kids don't need to be able to read?
Same with the front screen. Maybe a 'play' arrow on the start button and a 'X' on the exit button. I know my kids always find this easier when playing games on the internet.
04/13/2007 (8:25 am)
Instead of:Blue Key = 0; Yellow Key = 0; Red Key = 0; Bubbles = 0
Why not use icons so kids don't need to be able to read?
Same with the front screen. Maybe a 'play' arrow on the start button and a 'X' on the exit button. I know my kids always find this easier when playing games on the internet.
#11
My only suggestion is brighten up the colors a little. Kids respond great to bright vibrant colours. Although it appears to be aimed at kids, I know many adults who would be just as into it as their kids :).
Steve L,
but then that doesnt encourage learning to read does it? Starting with reading skills at a young age certainly wont do any harm :).
Chris
04/13/2007 (9:19 am)
Looking great Tom, its good to see kids games, I've considered working on games for that age group in the future.My only suggestion is brighten up the colors a little. Kids respond great to bright vibrant colours. Although it appears to be aimed at kids, I know many adults who would be just as into it as their kids :).
Steve L,
but then that doesnt encourage learning to read does it? Starting with reading skills at a young age certainly wont do any harm :).
Chris
#12
Oh, is there gonna be a pause/menu button or time text, if so, where do these go in the current setup?
Anyhow, I look forward to seeing this released after watching it's steady progress for so long :0)
04/13/2007 (12:13 pm)
I think the layouts ok, but the fonts and colours well have to be revised and I think perhaps as Steve mentioned, Icons would be better then text for the bottom box (keys, bubbles) would be better, and if you laid them out on one row, you'd have more screen real estate space.Oh, is there gonna be a pause/menu button or time text, if so, where do these go in the current setup?
Anyhow, I look forward to seeing this released after watching it's steady progress for so long :0)
#14
I am still working on the timed play, along with the saving and some other code.. :)
After seeing Neo's gui idea I guess its time for revision#5 lol
TomFeni
04/13/2007 (11:10 pm)
Thats cool neo! :)I am still working on the timed play, along with the saving and some other code.. :)
After seeing Neo's gui idea I guess its time for revision#5 lol
TomFeni
#15
04/14/2007 (6:02 pm)
Wow, this looks a little simular to the other turtle game. I like the keys better than the text, but for the start, etc... text looks great. 
in game
more to come
#17
04/15/2007 (9:08 am)
Better, although I hope I'm right in assuming the main menu buttons text is not going to be that colour in the final design?
#18
I have a couple of cents I would like to throw in. I know it stinks to get hammered by critiques, but hey it can't hurt. These are things I have noticed making games proffesionally for kids.
1st cent (color)
Make sure that your Value (light/darkness) of the text is the opposite of the background that it is over. That yellow text ontop gets a little lost with the green. I prefer the outlined text version.
And speaking of getting lost, Its really good to realise that around 10% of boys are color blind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blind
You use either contrasting Value elements or Hues(color name) that are complimentary... meaning they face the opposite of each other on the painter's color wheel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_wheel Another good thing to do is to mix strong elements of warm colors (reds, yellows) with (blues and greens) which you have done in a sense, however you picked the two that are analogous (next to each other on painters color wheel) which create more of a sense of one color. nothing wrong with that all because it looks like you dont really want to devide your huds into two distinct parts.
2nd cent
Kids are really attracted to curves. How about throwing more verticle curves in your world to throw off the straight verticle angles? Perhaps take the trees into a 3D program and bend them a little bit at the base so they dont point straight up? Or perhaps do this with your towers? This might be a pain, but could help the overall appeal of your scene. The eye tends to follow these lines, and most of your lines run the eye off the screen. Think of it the way you made your S curve swoop in the Main Menu there. That is a nice use of curves that direct the eye from the top, through the image and down to the bottom. I think your worlds could beneift greatly with just a few major objects that also have these characteristics. This is what makes World of Warcraft so appealing to look at, many the buildings edges have C lines that roll the eyes back into the other elements of the world.
just two cents
04/23/2007 (5:55 am)
This crazy turtle is coming along!I have a couple of cents I would like to throw in. I know it stinks to get hammered by critiques, but hey it can't hurt. These are things I have noticed making games proffesionally for kids.
1st cent (color)
Make sure that your Value (light/darkness) of the text is the opposite of the background that it is over. That yellow text ontop gets a little lost with the green. I prefer the outlined text version.
And speaking of getting lost, Its really good to realise that around 10% of boys are color blind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blind
You use either contrasting Value elements or Hues(color name) that are complimentary... meaning they face the opposite of each other on the painter's color wheel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_wheel Another good thing to do is to mix strong elements of warm colors (reds, yellows) with (blues and greens) which you have done in a sense, however you picked the two that are analogous (next to each other on painters color wheel) which create more of a sense of one color. nothing wrong with that all because it looks like you dont really want to devide your huds into two distinct parts.
2nd cent
Kids are really attracted to curves. How about throwing more verticle curves in your world to throw off the straight verticle angles? Perhaps take the trees into a 3D program and bend them a little bit at the base so they dont point straight up? Or perhaps do this with your towers? This might be a pain, but could help the overall appeal of your scene. The eye tends to follow these lines, and most of your lines run the eye off the screen. Think of it the way you made your S curve swoop in the Main Menu there. That is a nice use of curves that direct the eye from the top, through the image and down to the bottom. I think your worlds could beneift greatly with just a few major objects that also have these characteristics. This is what makes World of Warcraft so appealing to look at, many the buildings edges have C lines that roll the eyes back into the other elements of the world.
just two cents
Employee James Wiley