The splash screen font sucks !

Cham · Post #61by **Cham** » 02.10.2006, 13:46

selden wrote:Unfortunately, having a reddish nebula like the Triffid in the background makes it appear that Saturn is on fire -- not exactly a desirable astronomical image

Well, Celestia is a hot app, isn't ?

Chuft-Captain · Post #62by **Chuft-Captain** » 02.10.2006, 15:21

selden wrote:...makes it appear that Saturn is on fire...

Hydrogen fire! :wink:

Boux · Post #63by **Boux** » 02.10.2006, 18:51

Cham wrote:
selden wrote:Unfortunately, having a reddish nebula like the Triffid in the background makes it appear that Saturn is on fire -- not exactly a desirable astronomical image

Well, Celestia is a hot app, isn't ?

For any splash screen, to be /very/ hot is a must

Otherwise, it is just plain boring.

Johaen · Post #64by **Johaen** » 20.11.2006, 01:44

Johaen wrote:The one problem I have with the current splash is that it's always on top of all the windows. When I click on a window behind it, I can control that window, but the splash screen is still on top. With my new PC it's not so much of an issue, but my old PC took sometimes close to a minute to start up Celestia, and having that splash screen ontop of all the other windows was sometimes annoying. Just my 2 cents

I'd just like to restate my frustrations with this aspect of the splash screen. Is there any way to change this behavior, so that when I click on a background window, or maximize a window, or drag a window ontop of the splash screen, that window is ontop of the splash screen? Or maybe this can be a change to 1.5?

Post #65by **selden** » 20.11.2006, 12:59

Until the problem is fixed, you might consider eliminating the splash screen entirely: rename or delete Celestia/splash.png

Post #66by **Christophe** » 20.11.2006, 13:22

... or start Celestia with the -s switch.

Johaen · Post #67by **Johaen** » 20.11.2006, 13:49

selden wrote:Until the problem is fixed, you might consider eliminating the splash screen entirely: rename or delete Celestia/splash.png

But I like the splash screen, lol. It's just every once in a while, I don't want to see it ontop of everything else.

Christophe wrote:... or start Celestia with the -s switch.

What's that?

Post #68by **Christophe** » 20.11.2006, 14:38

Johaen wrote:
Christophe wrote:... or start Celestia with the -s switch.
What's that?

It's the command line switch which disables the splash screen. To use it you need to edit the Celestia shortcut. Right click on it, go to 'Properties', add -s at the end of 'Target' :

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files\Celestia\celestia.exe" -s

Cham · Post #69by **Cham** » 04.12.2006, 05:24

I just replaced today the logo.png file with a custom one. On a large screen, it's impressive ! Try it, and tell me if you like or not :

http://nho.ohn.free.fr/celestia/Cham/Di ... go.png.zip

In Celestia, it doesn't show as large as the file as seen in a picture viewer. It's reduced in some way, so it should work even on a medium (or small ?) screen.

speedfreek · Post #70by **speedfreek** » 05.12.2006, 20:19

I worked with type for over 12 years as the studio manager of a signmaking company, and I have to say I am sick of the sight of Arial, Helvetica and similar looking fonts.

To me, Chams splash screen looks excellent, except for the fonts used. The first one seemed too generic (Arial etc), and the second rounded version was even worse (made me think of childrens books and learning the alphabet!).

Here are a few examples of some serif and sans serif fonts that might work well.. or might not!

I particularly like the Copperplate Gothic, myself!

Cham · Post #71by **Cham** » 05.12.2006, 20:50

I don't agree at all with the use of the fonts with serif. The only caracters set I like, in the message above, is the last (Trebuchet), but without the texture inside and the emboss style. This is really becoming ridiculous. I had a formation in graphics design (a long time ago, before I decided to switch to theoretical physics), and what I've learned there is still usefull to me. Like I already said in this thread before, we're not talking about some printed material. We're talking about a computer program showing stuff on a screen, so the constraints are NOT the same as for printed stuff. The Celestia logo (and the splash screen) is closer to a movie title, than a book title, for example, especially if you run the program on a LARGE SCREEN (like I do). When I run Celestia, it's much more like watching a movie than reading a magazine !

Also, FOR CONSISTENCY, the font used should be close in style to the font used by Celestia to show the information. I admit that the rounded style I used for my splash screen and the logo isn't of the same style, but at least, it's closer than using fonts with serrifs. I just can't understand why you guys are insisting with fonts with serifs. It's simply looking amatteur ! it's so obvious to me and to some friends of mine which are working in the graphical design field as experienced professionals.

Post #72by **t00fri** » 05.12.2006, 20:54

I had a formation in graphics design (a long time ago, before I decided to switch to theoretical physics),

Aha!

Hard to overlook...

Actually, I like your "Monster logo.png" it's just the right size for my screen and the font is cute.

Bye Fridger

Post #73by **Toti** » 05.12.2006, 21:13

Cham wrote:I don't agree at all with the use of the fonts with serif. The only caracters set I like, in the message above, is the last (Trebuchet), but without the texture inside and the emboss style.
(...)
Also, FOR CONSISTENCY, the font used should be close in style to the font used by Celestia to show the information.

I agree.

I just can't understand why you guys are insisting with fonts with serifs. It's simply looking amatteur ! it's so obvious to me and to some friends of mine which are working in the graphical design field as experienced professionals.

It was (sort-of) voted in the dev-list, if I remember well. This was not ElChristou's first choice. But it would be nice to renew the splash screen with every final release, like e.g. Blender does.

Post #74by **t00fri** » 05.12.2006, 21:18

Toti wrote:It was (sort-of) voted in the dev-list, if I remember well. This was not ElChristou's first choice. But it would be nice to renew the splash screen with every final release, like e.g. Blender does.

I agree. That gives a fresh feeling in the cheeks ;-)

Bye Fridger

Post #75by **chris** » 05.12.2006, 21:46

I think a new splash screen would be great . . . Though I already fear the endless heated discussion that graphic design decisions seem to provoke

--Chris

Post #76by **ElChristou** » 05.12.2006, 21:50

Perso I don't have much time so I'll try a new one for 1.6 but I won't promise anything...

Post #77by **ElChristou** » 05.12.2006, 21:55

chris wrote:I think a new splash screen would be great . . . Though I already fear the endless heated discussion that graphic design decisions seem to provoke

--Chris

yep, it's also one of my fear!!

Post #78by **t00fri** » 05.12.2006, 21:58

Since I just saw Chistophe lurking around here ;-)

In Celestia-KDE 1.5.0pre1 (CVS) my splash still shows version 1.4.1! Same for Celestia-gtk, gnome.

Bye Fridger

rthorvald · Post #79by **rthorvald** » 05.12.2006, 22:35

chris wrote:I think a new splash screen would be great . . . Though I already fear the endless heated discussion that graphic design decisions seem to provoke

Well, there are several nice tries in this thread... Why not make it run a little longer, see more suggestions, and then subject a sample of the more interesting ones to a poll ...

Personally, i like very much ElChristou??s unoffical Fridger version:

... Though i would have liked the text a little simpler, that is, not quite so heavily embossed. I do not agree with Cham??s assesment of it??s old-fashionedness: the star map detail adds a historical perspective i find exiting, and anyway, a classic serif font is not old-fashioned at all - classical design never is, if well done, it is more timeless than anything else.

I originally chose that font for the web design because it resonated nicely with the map... But i do agree that a sleek sans-serif font probably does better for a splash screen. Exept that i *like* that the splash has references to the official website: it is a nice touch of branding.

- rthorvald

Cham · Post #80by **Cham** » 05.12.2006, 22:53

The problem with this splash screen is its extreme contrast to what Celestia actually do, graphically. Celestia looks like a MODERN application, with a MODERN interface, almost SciFi or futuristic like. It just doesn't fit with the global feel of Celestia, which isn't like an old fashion compass, sextant and terrestrial globes. That splash screen is too contrasted in style (and I feel the same about the official web page).

By the way, I think that the official splash screen (whatever the version) should be part of the textures folder, as the logo.png is, just for consistency. This could help a bit users to change the splash screen if he/she wants, like what we can do currently. EDIT : hmmm, o well, forget that idea ...