I'm looking for a tool to create buttons, bars etc. I'm creating a 2D strategic videogame and I want to create the borders bars, buttons and all the stuff that, for this type of games, is present generally in the right part of the screen.
This type of thing is normally just created in a standard art program, either a vector one such as Inkscape and Illustrator or a bitmap one such as Gimp and Photoshop. All 4 programs have tools for creating rectangles, ovals, etc., and for creating images of specific pixel dimentions.
I want to help design a "sandpark" MMO. Optional interactive story with quests and deeply characterized NPCs, plus sandbox elements like player-craftable housing and lots of other crafting. If you are starting a design of this type, please PM me. I also love pet-breeding games.
If you have access to Photoshop, you can do a lot solely with "Layer Styles" very easily. To be more specific, you'd have to describe what you want to do.
Yeah use photoshop, do a couple of "glossy"button tutorials there are plenty out there. If you know how to make glossy buttons the step to making a simple glossy UI is small.
There are no programs specifically for this task afaik.
Hi guys, thx for the answers.
Yes I've already used Gimp but I was looking for a simpler way. I mean, a program created expressly to create buttons and similar stuff, for example with default base button easily modifiable. Maybe I just need a Big button images set and Photoshop..
Yeah, the thing with Gimp is that, as far as I know, it doesn't have a feature equivalent to layer styles in Photoshop. With layer styles, in PS, you can just make a layer that contains a filled rectangle and then add a drop shadow, a gradient overlay, and beveled edges with basically three clicks and then all of sudden you have something that looks like a button.
Maybe someone who knows Gimp well can post about how you do this in Gimp? -- I'd actually be interesting in finding out about this. Otherwise, If you or someone who is willing to do you a favor is in school, you can buy PS with a student discount.
Indeed those photoshop effects are handy, but not nececary. For a glossy button all you need to do is put down a rectangle, smooth the edges, make a curvy selection of the top of the button and color that brighter. Then outline it with a 1 or 2 px darker color and/or outline 1px and put a metalic gradient on it.
Like i said, watch some tutorials of glossy button they are easy to make, and once you can make buttons you can easily make the rest of the UI, although it will look blend it does work.
