This tutorial is also available on my web site. The template packages mentioned in the tutorial include a template for the front CD cover, the back insert (front and back), a template for ESRB ratings, and a few different icons for "Jumppack Compatible", etc.
This tutorial is designed to help people use the templates I have provided for creating custom DC CD Covers. The templates are sized properly to print at 600 dpi.
The template packages that have been included are available for JASC's Paint Shop Pro and Adobe PhotoShop.
Creating a Dreamcast CD Cover
(using curt_grymala's templates)
1) Download the appropriate Template package:
PaintShopPro Templates
PhotoShop Template
2) Open the "DC Cover Template" in the appropriate program (Paint Shop Pro or PhotoShop).
3) Make certain that you select the "Put Your Content Here" layer from the layer pallette. If you wish, you may make all of the other layers invisible.
4) Design your Dreamcast CD Cover overtop of the flourescent green background.
5) Turn on (make visible) the appropriate layers. The layers are as follows:
"White Crescent" - This is a white version of the classic crescent that generally appears on the left side of the CD Cover.
"Black Crescent" - This is a black version of the item described above.
"Orange Triangle" - This is the orange triangle (symbolizing the "power on" indicator on the DC) that usually appears at the edge of the crescent.
"T for Teen", "E for Everyone", "AO for Adults Only", "eC for Early Childhood", "M for Mature", and "RP for Rating Pending" - These are the ESRB rating symbols.
6) Merge all of the layers in the project.
7) Save the image with a unique filename. Make certain that you save the file in a format that will retain its resolution settings (these images are set at 600 dpi, and will not print correctly unless they are printed at 600 dpi).
8) Open "Back Cover Template".
This template will be used for the inside and outside of the back cover.
9) Begin by turning on either "White Dreamcast Overlay" or "Black Dreamcast Overlay" (depending on which crescent you used on your front cover).
10) Make sure you activate the "Put Your Content Here" layer, so that all of your new content goes on this layer.
11) Design the inside of your back insert.
12) Merge all of the layers in the project.
13) Save the image with a unique filename. Make certain that you save the file in a format that will retain its resolution settings (these images are set at 600 dpi, and will not print correctly unless they are printed at 600 dpi).
14) Open "Back Cover Template" again.
15) Make sure that "Put Your Content Here" is the only layer that is currently visible.
16) Turn on the "Sidewalls" layer.
17) Turn on the "DC Sidewalls" layer.
18) Make sure you activate the "Put Your Content Here" layer, so that all of your new content goes on this layer.
19) Design the outside of your back insert.
20) If you wish to insert an ESRB rating on the back cover, follow these steps:
a) Open "ESRB Template".
b) Make sure that "Background" is the only visible layer.
c) Turn on the appropriate layer that corresponds with the rating you wish to use.
d) Merge all layers.
e) Select the entire image, and copy it to the clipboard.
f) Activate "Back Cover Template" again.
g) Activate the "Put the ESRB Rating Here" layer.
h) Paste the ESRB rating on that layer, and move it to the desired position.
i) Activate "ESRB Ratings Template" again.
j) Close the file, without saving it.
21) Create a new image, and add your title on a white background.
22) Rotate the title image 90 degrees to the right.
23) Select the entire title image, and paste it (preferably transparently) onto the "Put Your Title Here" layer of the "Back Cover Template".
24) Move your title to the appropriate area on the left side of the back cover.
25) Copy your title to the appropriate area on the right side of the back cover.
26) Merge all of the layers in the project.
27) Save the image with a unique filename. Make certain that you save the file in a format that will retain its resolution settings (these images are set at 600 dpi, and will not print correctly unless they are printed at 600 dpi).
Note: The Dreamcast font (used to write "Sega Dreamcast" and used within the icons that symbolize VMU use, Jumppack Compatibility) is very close to "Myriad Roman".
This tutorial is also available on my web site. The template packages mentioned in the tutorial include a template for the front CD cover, the back insert (front and back), a template for ESRB ratings, and a few different icons for "Jumppack Compatible", etc.
EDIT (added some images) - Here are some previews of the covers that will be generated when you use the templates I provided. The flourescent green areas are the areas in which your design would appear. These images have been resampled to 72 dpi to appear properly on your computer monitors.
This is the front cover (the crescent that appears on the left can be black, as well as the white one that is shown).
This is the inside of the back insert (the overlay that appears on the left side can be white, as well as the black that is shown).
This is the outside of the back insert.
List of Files Included In Template Package
DC Cover Template - This is a template that can be used to design all panels of the front cover insert booklet. To design a panel, other than the front panel, simply turn off all of the layers, except "Put Your Content Here".
Back Cover Template - This template is used to design the front and back of the tray insert. To design these images, please follow the tutorial above.
ESRB Template - This template is used to create all of the ESRB ratings. The template I have included already contains all of the current ESRB ratings. If you wish to make a custom ESRB rating, then I suggest using this template for placement. All of the ratings I have included were created using "Franklin Gothic No. 2", "Arial Condensed", and "Franklin Gothic Condensed" as the type faces. The letters in the center of the rating are rotated at a 20 degree angle.
1-2 Players.png - This is the symbol used to show that 1 or 2 controllers can be used.
Jumppack.png - This is the symbol used to show that the app/demo/emu/game is compatible with jumppacks.
NTSC.png - This is the symbol that is used to show the app/demo/emu/game was designed for use on NTSC televisions.
Standard Controller.png - This is the symbol used to show that the app/demo/emu/game was designed for use with a standard controller (as opposed to the fishing rod, lightgun, keyboard, etc.)
VGA Cord.png - This is a symbol that shows the app/demo/emu/game supports use of the VGA cord.
VMU Compatible.png - This is a symbol showing that the app/demo/emu/game is compatible with the Visual Memory Unit.
If you are wondering why I included those particular symbols, here is the reason: The tray insert that I used to determine proper placement happened to be "Star Wars: Episode I Pod Racer", and it had those particular symbols on the back of it. I should be adding more symbols to the package later.
Acceptable Image Formats
JPEG - JFIF Compliant (*.jpg, *.jif, *.jpeg)
Paint Shop Pro Image (*.psp)
PhotoShop (*.psd)
Portable Network Graphics (*.png)
This format converts pixels per inch to pixels per centimeter, but it appears to maintain the proper size
SciTex Continous Tone (*.sct, *.ct)
Tagged Image File Format (*.tif, *tiff)
Windows or OS/2 Bitmap (*.bmp)
Windows or OS/2 DIB (*.dib)
WordPerfect Bitmap (*.wpg)
ZSoft Paintbrush (*.pcx)
This file format only supports 2 colors, but it will retain your resolution settings
Unacceptable Image Formats
Amiga (*.iff)
Compuserve Graphics Interchange (*.gif)
Deluxe Paint (*.lbm)
Dr. Halo (*.cut)
GEM Paint (*.img)
This format saves it as a greyscale image anyways, so you probably wouldn't want to use it
Kodak FlashPix (*.fpx)
Macintosh PICT (*.pct)
MacPaint (*.mac)
This format has limitations on colors and size of image, so you wouldn't want to use it anyway
Microsoft Paint (*.msp)
This format has a 2-color limitation
PC Paint (*.pic)
Portable Bitmap (*.pbm)
This format has a 2-color limitation
Portable Pixelmap (*.ppm)
RAW File Format (*.raw)
This file format is not user-friendly at all.
Sun Raster Image (*.ras)
TrueVision Targa (*.tga)
Windows Clipboard (*.clp)
Windows Enhanced MetaFile (*.emf)
Windows MetaFile (*.wmf)
Windows or CompuServe RLE (*.rle)
This file format has color and size limitations[/i]
Edited on 12/14/2005 to fix broken links and images
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