-=[Tutorial and Templates for Custom DC CD Covers]=-

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-=[Tutorial and Templates for Custom DC CD Covers]=-

Post by curt_grymala »

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).
Image

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).
Image

This is the outside of the back insert.
Image

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
Last edited by curt_grymala on Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by No Name »

How about a little glue?

Thats much better.
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Post by curt_grymala »

When I tested these templates out this morning, I found that I had been given erroneous sizing information for the front booklet. When I searched the web, I found that the size of a CD booklet should be 4-3/4 inches by 4-13/16 inches, (which is what I used for my templates), but when I printed out a trial run, I found that it should actually be 4-3/4 inches by 4-3/4 inches (most commercial booklets are actually closer to 4-3/4 inches by 4-11/16 inches). I re-sized the template image, and have re-uploaded the template packages. I apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have already downloaded the template package, you can easily adjust this on your own. Here is how to do so in Paint Shop Pro (I am sure there is a similar manner in PhotoShop):

1) Open "DC Cover Template".
2) Go to Images-->Canvas Size
3) Adjust the height so that it is 2850 pixels (it should be the same as the width, now).
4) Make certain that "Center Image Vertically" and "Center Image Horizontally" are both checked.
5) Press "OK"

I also added a few more items to my tutorial. They are:

a) a list of the files that are in the template packages, and
b) a list of acceptable and unacceptable file formats.
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Post by X525 »

cool dude.. thnkx for this.. great stuff.. time for custom covers :D


btw.. the photoshop link is wrong.. you're missin the 'o' in photoshop..
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Post by Neopunk »

Me too :D I'm about ready to make my own custom covers :mrgreen:
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Post by curt_grymala »

X525 wrote:cool dude.. thnkx for this.. great stuff.. time for custom covers :D


btw.. the photoshop link is wrong.. you're missin the 'o' in photoshop..
Glad you like it.

As far as the link goes - I guess a mod must have fixed it for me, because it is working now.
Note from mod: You bet I did ;)
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Post by No Name »

Looks like its time for my to get off my lazy ass and actually do some work over at B!CC.
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Post by Andeh »

hey there,
heres my Photoshop template I made which I use for all my covers:
http://pata.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/dc_template.rar
Image Image

That zip also includes a Photoshop file I use with lots of company logos to use in custom covers. I would upload a preview image of it but my isp claims the preview image contains errors so you'll just have to open it for yourselves :P


enjoy :)

EDIT: Oh and if anyone wants the templates for the Dreamcast logo and text, heres the Photoshop file I created:
http://pata.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/dc_logos.rar
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Post by Christuserloeser »

Very nice! :D
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Post by U.2.K. »

Hey thanks for that.

Where are the DVD dreamcast Templates or am i missing something here?
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Post by Joestar »

http://covers.boob.co.uk/ has some DC templates (in Tools)
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Post by curt_grymala »

The links and images from the tut have been repaired. Thanks for letting me know that they were broken.
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Post by Matisfaction »

I made these ages ago. If anyone wants to use them.

Front template

Back template
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Re: -=[Tutorial and Templates for Custom DC CD Covers]=-

Post by Narcissus »

Great tutorials man!
The only limitations we have, are the ones we set for ourselves...
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Re: -=[Tutorial and Templates for Custom DC CD Covers]=-

Post by curt_grymala »

Thanks. I didn't realize people still checked out these tutorials.

Maybe I'll have to look into putting together a few more at some point.
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Re: -=[Tutorial and Templates for Custom DC CD Covers]=-

Post by cube_b3 »

Where is the White Label Back Instert?
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