Reverse-Engineer a Game

So this week we have been working on remaking an existing game.  The idea is that you can learn a lot of programming -- and a lot about what you don't know yet.

Today [Friday] I am at the doctor, so please work on your assignments.

Finally, please email me your deviantART address so I can grade your Photoshop projects!  (Which I should have done before grades were due yesterday)  :D

Photoshop: Java Game Cover Graphic

Today and tomorrow we will be creating a Title Page / Splash Page graphic and a "Game Over" page for one of your video games.

COVER PAGES:

• To begin, find the size of your "World" in your program.  I typically use a 640x480 or 800x600 world, but (as in the Breakout example below) I do sometimes vary.
• Open Photoshop and do FILE > NEW...
• Enter the size of your document (in pixels NOT inches) with a resolution of 72
• I usually start with a background color by choosing a color and filling the background with the "fill bucket".
• Then I find a font that I like that fits with my game style.
• Only then do I begin looking for royalty free graphics that I can use on my cover.

Sometimes I do game Title Pages and Game Over pages in sets:

Finally, here are two different examples of a Game Over screen.  The red one is a standard text screen and the green one has a "Winners Circle" platform where I move the winning tank at the end of the race.

Get a deviantART Page

One way of showcasing your work and getting feedback from others around the world is to create a deviantART page.  While your Blogger portfolio is a chronological, streamlined way for me to grade all of your projects, a deviantART page gets you attention, feedback, etc.  It also provides a backup of your photography and allows you to connect with others who have similar interests or styles.

After you have created your page, update your profile.  You can use a picture of yourself or one of your projects as a profile picture if you would like.

Next, go to askgriff.deviantart.com and follow me.  That will let me follow you back and I can send you a Llama badge for making it that far!  :)

Next, upload your projects.  Give good descriptions and choose the best category for each.

Finally, send me an email (griff@kvusd.org) with your deviantART page address.

Photoshop: Facebook Cover Photo

Today we will be creating a cover photo for a Facebook page:

• Width: 851 Pixels (NOT Inches)
• Height: 315 (NOT Inches)
• Resolution: 100 PPI (Pixels Per Inch)

Here is the cover photo I created for my Facebook:

 Notice, however, that you have to keep your profile picture in mind when designing your picture:

Photoshop: Collage Wallpaper

Today and tomorrow we are going to build a collage that we can use as a computer wallpaper. The collage must have a theme, include several images, have some sort of text (i.e. a title), and fit the dimensions of a typical computer screen.

You will have the next two days to build your collage.

1. Create a new Photoshop document using your choice of the following dimensions:  (Dimensions from W3Schools 9/19)
1. 1366x768 (18.7% of computer screens use this resolution) 
2. 1024x768  (13% use this resolution)
3. 1280x1024  (11.5%)
4. 1280x800 (10.7%)
5. 1440x900 (8.1%)
2. Sometimes it's better to fill your canvas with a certain color (i.e. black, blue, or green) to serve as a base for your pasted images, although you can create some interesting collages by using a textured background or even an image (i.e. the example showing Asian writing).
3. Begin finding images [within your theme as well as being classroom appropriate] and save them to a folder on your Thawspace or USB drive.  Make sure the images are large enough that you don't have to stretch them on your canvas.
4. Begin "pasting in" images and dragging them to the best fit on your canvas.
5. You may want to use a soft, feathered brush as an eraser and soften the edges of your images.
6. You may also want to try adjusting the opacity on some of your images [layers] to help the layers "melt together" better.
7. You may even try a color gradient overlay with low opacity for some interesting effects.
8. Choose a font that fits your theme, and place a title on your page.
9. Choose a small font and put your name on your new artwork.
10. Try some layer styles (drop shadows, bevel & emboss, stroke, etc.) to improve your text layer.

Finally, make sure you save your file as a PSD (Photoshop Document) as well as a JPEG, then upload the JPEG to your Blogger portfolio.

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Here are some examples of Photoshop collages:

Photoshop: Adjusting Levels

ADJUSTING LEVELS

Next we are going to work with the LEVELS command in Photoshop:  

1. Click on the image below, then right-click it and select COPY.  
2. Open PhotoShop 
3. Select FILE > NEW
4. PASTE
5. Go to IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > LEVELS   **
6. Drag the "white triangle" and the "black triangle" to the ends of the "mountain".
7. Check/Uncheck Preview to see the difference.

** The biggest problem with making changes to your image in this fashion is that it "destroys" the original.  One way that photographers get around this is to make a copy of the "layer" and then work with a copy.  An easier way is to use an "Adjustment Layer".  If you click the black/white circle at the bottom of the "Layers" tab, you can add an "Adjustment Layer" to the current image.  This will allow you to change many different settings (color balance, exposure, hue/saturation, etc.) while leaving the original image intact.  Try using this with the Levels adjustment to do the same thing.

In the following examples, we will use the Adjustment Layer with Levels, but we will also explore things like Hue and Saturation.  (Click the image for a full-size copy to use)

As you can see, simply playing with the levels, tone, and color balance of an image can give you a better photograph.

Digital Photo Editing & Manipulation

Today we will be discussing how "the media" uses programs like Photoshop to alter images for advertising or even news.  We will also discuss the ethics of such manipulation, and prepare for some basic image alterations for a mock client.

Below is a video (from Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty) which demonstrates how much the print media (magazines, billboards, etc.) rely on PhotoShop.  It also does a great job of demonstrating why young people today have difficulty living up to the images they see in magazines and advertising.  Even supermodels get Photoshopped before they are "good enough".

And this one:
And one for the guys: And how about a real-time video editing selection:

Here are some examples of Photo Manipulation in the media:

So when did "photo manipulation" begin?  Many people think it's a new invention which arrived with the invention of programs like Photoshop, but although technology has made photo manipulation easier it has been around almost since photography was invented.  Look at the following examples:

This well-known portrait of Abraham Lincoln was done around 1860.  It is actually a combination of Abraham Lincoln's head and Southern politician John Calhoun's body.

This well-known picture of General U.S. Grant atop his horse at a Civil War camp is actually a composite of three separate pictures.  (Click to view larger picture)

The big question is to decide when it is appropriate to manipulate a photo and how much manipulation should be done.  Are you removing a pimple from the tip of someones nose or doctoring a photo to make someone appear more guilty?  Are you removing a power line or a distracting road sign to improve the image, or are you removing wrinkles from someones' face for an anti-wrinkle cream?  Here are some more examples:

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge.


Another big question is should the news be able to create images to illustrate their stories?  Sometimes they are altered, sometimes cropped, and sometimes created outright.  So when is something "news" and when does it cross the line to become entertainment?

These two magazine covers used the same photo and sat on news stands the same week:

The same two magazines had these covers depicting the McCaughey septuplets.  One magazine (in this case, Newsweek) decided that they needed to replace Mrs. McCaughey's mouth with another that was more attractive.

Sometimes the same company can release the same picture -- and decide to "fix" it.

Here are some examples of when the news takes things out of [or put things into] the picture:

Iranian Missile Launch Test

Brad & Angelina were "caught together", although the photo's shown  were taken at different times and in different places -- Brad Pitt was in the Caribbean in 2005 and Angelina Jolie was in Virginia in 2004.

The $2 Bill was changed to reflect ethnic diversity in 2009.

When an actor is known for his facial expressions (including wrinkles) it seems silly to Photoshop them out.

Here's an example of the same student from the same picture using 3 different laptops from 3 different advertisements.

In this example, National Geographic gained some dubious recognition when they "created" the cover of the magazine by Photoshopping together pyramids into a more aesthetically pleasing photo.

These photos of deceased soldiers (released by the Army in 2008) were later retracted when it was discovered that they were identical -- with the exception of the name and face, obviously.

Israeli newspaper Yated Neeman removed two female cabinet members from a photo of Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres -- and replaced them with male cabinet members.

Malaysian President Jeffrey Wong Su En produced this doctored photo as evidence that he had been knighted by the Queen of England.

Egypts newspaper Al-Ahram published this photo in which Egyptian President Mubarak was moved to the leadership position appearing to lead the group of world leaders.

This picture claiming to be Sarah Palin was printed in many newspapers during the last election.  I saw it in a San Francisco newspaper as recently as last Summer.  It was later revealed to be doctored.

Claiming a Rabbinical modesty code, Orthodox newspaper Der Tzitung removed pictures of women from this photo of President Obama's situation room during the take-down of Osama Bin Laden.

Here are a few pictures showing some editing/manipulation (click to view animation):

Sometimes they simply piece together parts of the same celebrity to create the shot they are looking for.

There's a quickly growing collection of "Photoshop Fails" which display examples bad Photoshop work -- typically unfinished or unnoticed problems.  Usually just the result of lazy designers.

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