Giveaway: M2:TW signatures.

[Shahed]

Greetings All !

Last December I made some signatures for myself, as I noticed I'd taken hundreds of screenshots during one month of playing this game. Don't even ask me how MUCH space that took up on HD.

Anyway I posted some of the shots at the .org and with a few I made myself some sigs, and here they are.

If anyone wants to use them please feel free to do so.

Be aware that my GFX card is old and the quality isn't that great but if you like one, go right ahead and use it. Remember to check if the size is 500*150, 10KB max (as per the forum rules).

If you do use it I'd prefer if you uploaded it to your own imageshack, photobucket etc. But if you have to just copy the link and paste it.

As my favorites are Turks, and I love horses, most of these images reflect that. Some have my name on them, this can easily be removed in Photoshop though, so help yourself if you want to.

I've added a brief description of what's happening in each shot, in case it's not obvious to all.

Salute ! and GAME ON !!!

GALLERY 1

On campaign in the Arabian desert.


Mercenary Bedouin in action.


What the enemy sees, on the horizon.
An all cavalry Turkish army, note the number of banners.


Celebration.
Aftermath of the battle. Not a single enemy soldier stands.


Encircled
The final moments of an enemy army.


Flanked !
Missile cavalry streaking past the right flank of an enemy army. Moving to the rear, shooting all the way !
(Needs resize. 500*150, 10KB max)


LEADING THE FORMATION !


Yeni Ceri.
Raining missile fire on the advancing enemy.


Tekbir !
The call of fate. Yeni Ceri charging an enemy position.


Kapikulu.
On the march.


Armenian mercenary cavalry ambush.


Pride of the Sultan, the standard of the Turk.


Form lines ! Ready the charge !


Unrelenting under fire!
Turkomen attack an enemy artillery postion.


Solitude of the unknown soldier.


Sultan's Guard.


Awaiting the order to STRIKE !


I think my wife is in the enemy army !


Break ranks ! Fire at will !


Ambush !
A enemy army in column desperately seeks to survive.


Silent & deadly.


Mongol raiders.


Mongol raiding party, at the steady.


Displaying our colors.


Last vision of an enemy infantryman.


Shoot to kill !.
Missile cavalry flanking, shooting and encircling enemy cavalry.




































Thanks for sig, Moriendi !

[edyzmedieval]

You are worthy of your status, Sinan.

[Shahed]

Thanks for the compliment EDYZ, status means little to me.

I am very grateful for the recognition I've received from this community over the years.

If I can share, help or make someone happy that's worth more to me than any status.
Sounds corny, I know !



Added commentary for each shot.

I should buy a better card/PC and get into GFX heavy. I love Photoshop, not that I'm any good at it though (LOL!).

I've also posted this at the twc:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...69#post1697469

But I posted here first, so you guys would have first choice.

[Brutal DLX]

Nice shots! I always seem to forget to take screenshots myself.. probably because I'm too focused on directing my forces...

[Shahed]

HAHA ! Thanks DLX.

Well as you know I love screenshots, so I'm usually doing that in between orders ! Multitasking ya know ? !!! ;P

Sorry some are slanted, I might figure out how to change that, but I don't know how right now.
I'd do you an HRE one, but my GFX is le suck. I fried the one I took those screens with and now I have some junk in here, might still be able to pull it off. Do you want one ? You'd probably be able to do a better screenshot than me. You have a better system.

[Brutal DLX]

Multitasking? What's that? I'm a click-by-click guy, but don't tell anybody

Probably I could do it, but then I don't use signature pics anyway, I just admire the nice scenes, so don't do HRE ones just for me!
Btw, are you able to get into the MP lounge by now?

[Shahed]

Nope, have'nt tried again. I'll try again and let you know.

[LegioScythia]

Amazing Screenshots !!

[Shahed]

Thanks.

I wanted to test one here. Unfortunately I can't get this below 10KB (as per the forum rules). It looks best at about 130Kb. Still trying to improve the text also.

[Shahed]

Another two (note cannnot be used on .org due to sig limits)
Images are from Cypel's gallery at the TWC. I'm just playing around with them.

England
Quote is from Divine Comedy.


HRE
Quote is from Ferdinand I.


Does anyone know a lot about Photoshop? I'm looking for a mentor.

[Shahed]

Hey people! Need some feedback. Let me know how I can improve.
Don't be shy now girls.... !!!



If anyone wants a sig, fire away. I'd like to give it a try.

Also does anyone know how I can reduce the above image to less than 10KB ? Thanks in advance.

[R'as al Ghul]

Also does anyone know how I can reduce the above image to less than 10KB ? Thanks in advance.

Check your TWCenter thread.

Does anyone know a lot about Photoshop? I'm looking for a mentor.

PM me if you like.

R'as

[sapi]

Hey people! Need some feedback. Let me know how I can improve.

Okay

Well, the first thing I'd say is take the initial pics on much higher settings.

It really doesn't matter how laggy the game is, as you can always pause it to get the pics smoothly.

I'd also advise a border around the sig, and maybe less of the white 'glow' effect around the top, if that's your doing...

[Shahed]

Thanks a lot R'as. Thanks sapi, I'll try it with less glow and border. I think that's a good idea.
I wanted to make it look like the "light of death" as reported by those who have come back from the edge of life. ;)

Will repost.

[Shahed]

OK I just did this one. These are Heavy Turcoman Horse Archers from the Broken Crescent Mod.



I'm working on the HRE sig, reducing the glow is fine. However I can't figure out how to add a border... yet.

[Snite]

Excellent stuff. I'm tempted, but I would prefer to use my own creation were I to make one.

Very good work Sinan.


Snite

[Shahed]

Thanks.

Well if you want to use or improve any that are here, please help yourself.
I'm learning Photoshop, what a great program. Am a newbie though and it takes a while to get grips.
There are also a lot of screenshots here which you can use:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=33

I'm using some, with permission.

Salute !

[Ars Moriendi]

Excellent shots, Sinan. You have something of a pro photographer...

About your questions :

smaller size - open the image in IrfanView (you have it, don't you?) and save as jpg - it will open a dialog box letting you adjust the compression level, just drag the slider to the left, about 50-60 should do it for a 500x100 pic.
If that's not enough, remember that jpeg compression works best when :
- the image has large portions of a single color (so use "emptier" screenshots)
- there's fewer colors (adjust color tone until you get it)
- not many sharp edges (blur it a little)
You'll lose sharpness and quality, but eventually anything will fit in 10kb - see samples below.
The last image is one of yours, brought under 10 from 32kb. It doesn't look as good, but it's okay for a sig. The text isn't very readable, so you might want to use thicker/larger fonts and better contrast for the quotes.

borders - well just drag a rectangle in whatever color making sure the size fits the image and the fill is disabled ; for more elaborate borders, you could, for example, crop out the inside of an image, leaving just the outer 5-10 pixels on each side ; then place it over your picture setting the inside color (black, white, whatever) to be transparent. Or do something else entirely

EDIT : I forgot about his - I have a question of my own : Does anyone know how to get the camera lower than it's default minimum height ? Some screenshots need to be taken almost from the ground level.

NOTE : I don't plan to use the images below so if anyone wants them, they're yours. If you want to customize them, send me a message and I'll post a clean version (without text & my name on it)

[Shahed]

Very impressive sigs. Thanks for the tips !
Can I have this one in clean version please ?



You can zoom a lot closer. You'd have to install the unofficial 1.20 and enable the movie cam. I've read some conflicting reports about how well it works. I don't have a link handy but will do a search and repost.

[sapi]

@Sinan - sorry it took me a bit to reply - didn't notice the thread yesterday

If you want to add a border in photoshop, create a new layer, select all (ctrl+a), edit > stroke > outside (1px) should do it.

[Shahed]

NP bro. Got it ! Thanks :D
I got a sig request in the meantime. I want to finish that one first as it's a "delivery".
After I finsih that I'll come back to that HRE sig and improve it.

[Ars Moriendi]

@Sinan : I'll post that image in this thread as soon as I get home... which unfortunately could be a few days from now (I'm writing this from somebody else's computer).
Don't lose patience, I'll be back.

[Shahed]

Thank you Moriendi. There's no rush at all, take your time.

[Shahed]

I've just done this for someone. If anyone's got pointers on improvement I'm all eyes and ears. All feedback most appreciated.

[Fußball]

Very nice signatures both Moriendi and Sinan. I believe I like heroes die alone the most of your signatures Moriendi. And Sinan, I had no idea you played the Turks...

Tschüß!
Erich

[Shahed]

Danke !

LOL! :D What's your favorite faction ? favorite unit ?

I've played Turks forever now. Actually I'm now looking forward to Abbasids, and SELJUKS (!!!!) in the Broken Crescent mod.

[Fußball]

I play HRE, but you probably assumed this already. My favorite unit is most definitely Gothic Knights. Like I stated in the favorite unit thread in the entrance hall, there is something about beautiful heavy armor coupled with powerful steeds and a lance!

Just guessing by your signatures, you seem like a calvary man yourself. What is your favorite Turk unit? ^^

Tschüß!
Erich

[Shahed]

Yes that's true, they are very majestic those Gothic Knights. I always build Armories everywhere whenever I play a Catholic faction, I like playing the HRE too, I LOVE those 2Handers, Forlorn Hope, Gothic Knights. Set those up with a few Basiliks and just enjoy the show...lol.

AUGEN AUF !!!!


In early Islam it was considered unmanly to offer yourself such protection, when the armor of God was omnipotent. Well fortunately they changed that sometime later. But there are some heroes who fought and defeated Byzantines, Paladins, Crusaders, without any armor at all. In fact even at Saladin's time there are illustrations of warriors without armor, generals even. They did fine anyway. Later they were armored too, it's a myth that they did'nt use armor, but it's fact that it was'nt to Gothic or full plate level.

I'm a cavalryman for sure. I like mobility and range, so horse archers would have to be it. I guess Mongol Heavy Horse Archers, Turcoman Horse Archers, Khan's Guard, Mamluk Archers. I get bored walking around.

Actually my vanilla favorites have now been eclipsed by Broken Crescent units such as Heavy Turcoman Archers, the various Persian very HEAVY (in fighting skill) cavalry. Just too many to name. Have a look here and here if you are interested (image heavy links).

Tschüß! ... und bis bald !

EDIT: Added some stuff and deleted the other thread reference as I saw you already posted there.

[Fußball]

Yes that's true, they are very majestic those Gothic Knights. I always build Armories everywhere whenever I play a Catholic faction, however check the other thread about what happens when you upgrade some cavalry to full plate. It loses some of it's flavor. I like playing the HRE too, I LOVE those 2Handers, Forlorn Hope, Gothic Knights. Set those up with a few Basiliks and just enjoy the show...lol.

I know that very well, as I posted in the thread, I had a Teutonic Knights' guild headquarters in Hamburg with an armory capable of producing full plate. Though I love the more streamlined look the DFK gain from full plate.

AUGEN AUF !!!!

...Ich komme! Any Oomph! fans will catch that.

I

n early Islam it was considered unmanly to offer yourself such protection, when the armor of God was omnipotent. Well fortunately they changed that sometime later. But there are some heroes who fought and defeated Byzantines, Paladins, Crusaders, without any armor at all. In fact even at Saladin's time there are illustrations of warriors without armor, generals even. They did fine anyway.

I did not know this. You learn something new everyday, thanks.

Tschüß! ... und bis bald !

Tschüß! ... und machs gut! Bis bald auch.
Erich

[Ars Moriendi]

For Sinan :



Image is not compressed to <10kb, you'll do that after adding your text.