New banner/graphics

[LFG]

If you clear your browser cache or hit page refresh several times, you should see a new banner and graphics at the top of each page.

The new graphic design features a cut-out and faux 3D Chel'Drak, which I made from a crappy screenshot. The rest of the design, well, it's what I ended up with.

If you don't like the new design, or think it needs an improvement or change, please post your reasoning below. Please cut me some slack, however, I'm not a graphic artist, my clothes don't even match some days.

I need to finalize this design before I fix our other skin, which is the yellow one that nobody uses. I'll make a different raid monster cutout for it.

Again, if you don't like it, explain why and what should be different.

Thanks

[Azealia]

Did you get the mail I sent you a while ago? maybe a week or so, then you would have a nice pic ;)

[LFG]

Originally Posted by Azealia

Did you get the mail I sent you a while ago? maybe a week or so, then you would have a nice pic ;)

Sorry no mail.

[Azealia]

ok, then i will post it here, its just me that was bored one day so I took me the liberty of making you a mascot, I think its pretty sweet, i made it in some colors but the pink is my favorite and i got 2 names not sure what is the best, the names is Flame bear and Flame-A-Lot

http://upload.pbase.com/image/72961961/original

[SanjuNana]

Originally Posted by LFG

I'm not a graphic artist

No offense, but that's obvious.

The main thing I don't like about the new graphics is the "eq2flames.com" text. It looks like someone just took an italicized font and applied a flame filter to it. The dragon cutout is fine, but could probably benefit from a higher res screenshot.

I'd suggest keeping the "flames.com" portion consistent throughout the various sites (keeping the font/kerning the same, and changing only the color of the text), and only customizing the name of each game. Hard to explain in words -- maybe someone can make a mock-up for you. (sort of similar to how stratics.com has their design ... see wow.stratics.com and eq2.stratics.com ... the "stratics" text is consistent between the sites, while the name of the game changes.)

Anyway, I like the Chel'Drak, the "slogan" (Rants, Raves, etc.) is fine ... I just don't like the eq2flames.com part.

[MeridianR]

I agree, I think the eq2flames part could be changed, but I like the other stuff.

[Calthine]

I rather liked the old eq2flames text. it was snappy.

[LFG]

I improved the eq2flames..com part of the graphic - it is much crisper, no jaggys.

The graphic itself is not a filter - it is a text cutout, using a flame style font, from a high res photo of flames. I then applied a inner shadow to make it appear cut out against the black background, and set lighting at 45 degrees, which in my eyes substantially improved the graphic overall. I recognize some people still may not like it, and I may have really bad taste.

So I want to give the following options. Please vote to keep what we have, replace it with one of the examples listed below (I don't like fancy raised graphics in logos and on web banners myself, but after trying each of about 200 Photoshop filters on this, I believe you would agree that the ones below were the only ones that didn't look like pure crap.

The final option, if you don't like the new and improved one now, or any of the ones below, is to PM me your email address and I'll gladly send you the sliced PSD file, because I'm out of creative solutions for this project. So please vote!

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[Caring]

#3 ftw

[LFG]

Ummm, the Web optimized versions of those eq2flames.com graphics will have less "noise" and be less pixellated, so don't choose on the basis of whether you prefer shiny or with noise, assume all will have an evenly blended texture.