Request: A good GIF animator.

[Carlos]

I'm looking for a skyscraper banner for my site, its 120 x 600, and the banner is going on a black Ops site called www.blackopsforum.com

So, if this is you, I would like a PC to discuss this.

 

[anotheralias]

I'm looking for a skyscraper banner for my site...

Are you looking for animation software or someone to do an animation? If it's the latter, you can PC me - I'll take a shot at it.

 

[Paul B]

Moved to Resource Requests.

 

[Elizabeth]

If you are looking for an animation software and are on a PC (not a mac) the best FREE one is by Jasc. Can be downloaded from here: Animation Shop Download
Top post by Willy, follow the thread here: PSPUG Forums › Activity Center Forums › Animation Shop › Animation Shop Download if needed.

 

[Carlos]

Well, I am currently

Are you looking for animation software or someone to do an animation? If it's the latter, you can PC me - I'll take a shot at it.

Its the latter, I need someone to do a GIF animation. The thing is, I'm trying to advertise www.mw2boards.com

The owner of www.blackopsforum.com gave me a working prototype:

Not exactly enticing, is it? So, I'm looking for someone that makes an attractive banner than that.

 

[anotheralias]

Not exactly enticing, is it?

Well, it wouldn't draw me in - but then I'm not a guy.

I'll be happy to do one - I'll take a look at their site and see what I can come up with.

 

[Carlos]

Well, it wouldn't draw me in - but then I'm not a guy.

I'll be happy to do one - I'll take a look at their site and see what I can come up with.

Just keep in mind that Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) and Black Ops are two different games. Its [both] part of the Call of Duty franchise. The reason why I'm advertising now is because I'm going to be buying a MW3 website in the future, to coincide with next year's MW3 heat.

 

[glorify]

Have it for the pc. Anyoe know of a good alternative for mac?

 

[anotheralias]

Just keep in mind that Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) and Black Ops are two different games. Its [both] part of the Call of Duty franchise. The reason why I'm advertising now is because I'm going to be buying a MW3 website in the future, to coincide with next year's MW3 heat.

I had a look at the ad for the new one, wow the graphics are incredible. Who knew war could be so beautiful? However obviously I can't copy their graphics, and I couldn't do something similar without a file size of about 3 billion MB, (even if I were good at that kind of art, which I am not), but really all you want is something that gets attention so here's my concept - rough draft; just the animated part.

View attachment 5625

 

[Carlos]

Looks good!

You're good at the abstract lookin' stuff.

 

[anotheralias]

I should have added, you can tell me if that's not what you had in mind. I've been through hundreds of brutal critiques, I can take it.

Otherwise, I'll start working on making the billowing flames actually look billowy while keeping the file size small. (Which - oddly - is fun for me.)

 

[Dean]

I'm curious. How do you think it would look with the animation much slower?

 

[anotheralias]

I'm curious. How do you think it would look with the animation much slower?

It's only five frames, so... not good. But this is just the rough draft, for the concept - I'll probably up it to ten frames and see what the file size is.

 

[anotheralias]

Or, in the event that you didn't actually want to wait a week while I fiddled around with this -- the quick and dirty versions. They ain't pretty, but they ought to stand out.
View attachment 5657 View attachment 5658

 

[Carlos]

It looks nice, but the character that you have in there - is from Black Ops. I'm advertising a Modern Warfare 2 website. There's a lot of images online - http://www.google.com/images?q=modern warfare 2 images&um=1&hl=en&biw=1144&bih=649&tbs=isch:1,isz:l&source=lnt&sa=X&ei=-ADZTOrgDIWmsQPku4SwBw&ved=0CAcQpwU

And yes, you can use images, just, that you can't claim to have done the images, etc.

The thing I wanted was a orange border and a rotation of these images - I could have said this before, but it'd be too much to ask, and just now you asked me to tell you if that's not what I had in mind...so this is me saying so.

And don't think that I don't appreciate what you're doing, in fact, I appreciate it a lot.

Anyhow, here are the images to use:

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/wp...09/modern-warfare-2-wallpaper-5-1920x1200.jpg That guy needs to be put into the banner!

http://www.slashgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/callofdutyMW21.jpg I'd choose the guy running at the screen on the right...But work with what you can here.

You can use the logo I have on the site if need to be....I want to capture the MW2 orange/green feel.

I don't really know what to say during the rotation of images - I know "Join Today!" is one of them.

*Brainstorms.*

Guides. Videos. And of course put www.mw2boards.com at the bottom of each image/rotation.

 

[anotheralias]

It looks nice, but the character that you have in there - is from Black Ops. I'm advertising a Modern Warfare 2 website. .

Oops I am so sorry, I did get that mixed up - I thought you were promoting the Black Ops.

A rotation of images will be a pretty large file size... so long as you're going to have a large file size anyway - would you rather have it in Flash? I mean it's no problem to do it as an animation, I'm asking just in case. (There are disadvantages to Flash, I know.)

Meanwhile, I'll do what you requested up there.

 

[anotheralias]

(just quoting you so you know to look)

Okay first of all there is almost literally no work at all involved in rotating or transitioning images - I just stick them in the frame, the software does the rest. So I'll be happy to do whatever you like there.

However. You should know that the file size increases with each image added to the rotation, so unless you're really in love with an image transitioning to "join now" you might want to have that as static information at the bottom, along with the board name.

Just to get this thing moving along (and I'll finish it tonight if you're around and you reply), here are some examples of transitions. You can see the file sizes for yourself - you choose which looks best to you. I can change out the pics with no problem, I just want you to see what your choices are. The other stuff - borders, site name, etc. - are easily added so don't worry about the lack of that right now. I want to get the pic rotation right first - as in, your concept of it.

There are four ways to reduce the file size: fewer pictures, fewer transition frames (if you want transitions as opposed to, just rotating pictures), fewer colors, and smaller image size.

Anyway here are some demos ... on the left, just rotated pics. On the right, rotation and transition.

View attachment 5732 View attachment 5733

 

[Carlos]

Okay, That is good, what you doing in there! Now stretch the images wider and make the images look like they're PART of the ad. I like what you did for the right - faded transition! Now all you need to do is add enticing letters (ahem fonts) and my site logo...

The reason why I ask for this is because when I look at the other banner on www.blackopsforum.com - the one made by xboxbgs, it looks like its smooth, barely even working hard...I immediately thought "That looks like a good ad!" so I look at its file and found that it does gif's very well. But if you have to make a blank second half, at least make it look more enticing like the xboxbgs one. Remember orange borders, orange/green fonts...

Oops I am so sorry, I did get that mixed up - I thought you were promoting the Black Ops.

I never said I was advertising a Black Ops site, I was showing YOU where the image is GOING on. I wanted to show you what the first image [the one I posted] looks like on their site.

A rotation of images will be a pretty large file size... so long as you're going to have a large file size anyway - would you rather have it in Flash? I mean it's no problem to do it as an animation, I'm asking just in case. (There are disadvantages to Flash, I know.)

I've always thought that Flash and GIF's are hand-in-hand. And that Flash is only used for heavy flash use. I never thought flash does better for ads.

 

[anotheralias]

Okay, That is good, what you doing in there! Now stretch the images wider and make the images look like they're PART of the ad.

They're are already 120 wide - wasn't that the width limit? 120x600?

I like what you did for the right - faded transition! Now all you need to do is add enticing letters (ahem fonts) and my site logo...

I want to get the transitions right first, I'll add that at the very last. Unless you want them IN the transition, and then... well I'll still add them last. I want you to approve those seperately, first.

The reason why I ask for this is because when I look at the other banner on www.blackopsforum.com - the one made by xboxbgs, it looks like its smooth, barely even working hard...

Well, here's the file size on that baby, which has 180 frames. If you're ok with that kind of a file size, I can make yours smooth as butter.

I never said I was advertising a Black Ops site, I was showing YOU where the image is GOING on. I wanted to show you what the first image [the one I posted] looks like on their site.

I didn't mean to sound like I was complaining - it was my own fault that I misinterpreted you, I know that.

I've always thought that Flash and GIF's are hand-in-hand. And that Flash is only used for heavy flash use. I never thought flash does better for ads.

Alrighty.

So the questions for you right now:

1. Which pictures do you want me to use - are those ok, and if not please give me specific links to the ones you do want, because I'm not willing to sift through 3000 Google results trying to figure out which ones are actually specifically "wm2" (remember that I don't know just by looking), and ...

2. Do you want them to cover the entire 120x600 area plus fade into "join now" and site name (and to hell with file size). Or, do you want the join/site name on the bottom half of the 120x600 and have it be static throughout. Your call.

 

[Carlos]

They're are already 120 wide - wasn't that the width limit? 120x600?

You answered your own question later your post...I know its 120 wide, but the height was short, ya know small. Yes, I know its for testing, but ya get the point.

I want to get the transitions right first, I'll add that at the very last. Unless you want them IN the transition, and then... well I'll still add them last. I want you to approve those seperately, first.

Alrighty! Yes, I copied an xenforo butter person!

Well, here's the file size on that baby, which has 180 frames. If you're ok with that kind of a file size, I can make yours smooth as butter.

I want the "smooth as butter" via animation the image quality doesn't matter. Professional looking ad = great as butter.

I think the reason why the filesize is huge is because you put in too many images. Hey, I'm not saying its bad, but I'm just saying.

I didn't mean to sound like I was complaining - it was my own fault that I misinterpreted you, I know that.

Ah. I see!

Alrighty.

See, earlier, I copied you!

So the questions for you right now:

1. Which pictures do you want me to use - are those ok, and if not please give me specific links to the ones you do want, because I'm not willing to sift through 3000 Google results trying to figure out which ones are actually specifically "wm2" (remember that I don't know just by looking), and ...

I'll look around right now and edit as I go along....

#1 - http://dakkster.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2-20091109113735278.jpg
Transitions to
#2 - http://www.videogamesblogger.com/wp...09/modern-warfare-2-wallpaper-5-1920x1200.jpg
Transitions to
#3 - http://www.slashgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/callofdutyMW21.jpg

And that'll be all.

You were doing a nice job with the first one...I was going to ask you to do #1 but I thought you'd be confused since the gun is in the way.

2. Do you want them to cover the entire 120x600 area plus fade into "join now" and site name (and to hell with file size). Or, do you want the join/site name on the bottom half of the 120x600 and have it be static throughout. Your call.

At first, I wanted your first option - where the images "covers" entire ad [provided you know where to cut] and to hell with filesize, but I also understand why xboxbgs has theirs "half animation, and half static." So, I think I'll go with the second option if you plan to add special gradients or graphics to the second half of the ad.