Hacking Widescreen USB Loader Cover Images

[icebrg5]

Id use the widescreen.


I just got done playing around with the loaders i use.

I used the ultimate loader V7 widescreen and everything looks fine.
Then i went into the official loader by waninkoko and all my images were cut down in size and looked like crap.

 

[donnyp]

Kosaic, to answer you 3 previous questions for the other thread, are as follows:

WHAT size covers needs to be used for widescreen now? (16x9) NTSC
WHAT size bg.png is required for widescreen ?
Is version 7.1 for a flat cover image? Or the one that is slightly rotated?

1. I think the general size for widescreen covers is 120x225
2. to creat proper 16:9 backgrounds you must first create you image at 853x480 then when its all finished, resize it (or save it) at 640x480
3. I believe the pictures need to be different based on which background you choose. I know that ?Neorame? (not sure on the user) created a newer 3d template which uses the slightly roated pictures, while the rest of the bg's should use the regular flat cover images

I hope that answers your questions.

 

[antiaverage]

Djatz can do this himself from his side with GD Library. I can write a PHP script to serve up all his images in whatever re-size format you want. That's all the work that is necessary. It's much better to just do this server side, no one has to do anything by hand or download anything from his website to start doing the work.

CODE

All I have to do is fill in the values for some of the variables which you all are still thinking about.

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300

 

[icebrg5]

What size should i use for widescreen 120x225 or 120x220


I did have the standard images on my SD card but when i used the Ultimate Loader Widescreen it automatically resized the ones used to 120x220.

Now if i use 120x225 wont those just get resized again or not?
Or should i just use 120x220.

Im going to have 2 seperate folders for covers.1 for the regular official loader and one for widescreen.

 

[donnyp]

What size should i use for widescreen 120x225 or 120x220


I did have the standard images on my SD card but when i used the Ultimate Loader Widescreen it automatically resized the ones used to 120x220.

Now if i use 120x225 wont those just get resized again or not?
Or should i just use 120x220.

Im going to have 2 seperate folders for covers.1 for the regular official loader and one for widescreen.

For USB loader V7 They tried implementing freeimage into the coding to automatically resize images to fit the widescreen versions. They ran into problems with free image with ripping games from the drive and the loader taking too long to load images and such. also the file sizes were much larger. So thus using V7 it would have automatically resized all your images as you stated.

For V7.1 they removed free image from their code and now none of your images will be resized. If you would like to use the widescreen version, then you must resize all of your own pictures yourself.

so if you use V7.1 then NO your images will not be resized again. I have been using 120x225 and have had great luck with that size.

Hope that explained it for you.

 

[evvil]

What size should i use for widescreen 120x225 or 120x220


I did have the standard images on my SD card but when i used the Ultimate Loader Widescreen it automatically resized the ones used to 120x220.

Now if i use 120x225 wont those just get resized again or not?
Or should i just use 120x220.

Im going to have 2 seperate folders for covers.1 for the regular official loader and one for widescreen.


Try both and let us know what looks better, we can't do everything for you guys. In V7.1 id doesn't resize anymore so this is why we need them hosted, and it also reads 2 separate folders, /images and /wimages bu default.

QUOTE(donnyp @ Apr 16 2009, 10:31 PM) I have been using 120x225 and have had great luck with that size.

Thanks am going to test this size myself now

 

[icebrg5]

i was using 7.1 when they got resized and it saved them that way on my sd card afterwards.

i used ultimate loader first and everything looked just fine.
Went to you the official loader from waninkoko that i have a channel for and all images were cut off because they had been resized.

For both loaders it was looking at the same images folder.

 

[evvil]

i was using 7.1 when they got resized and it saved them that way on my sd card afterwards.

i used ultimate loader first and everything looked just fine.
Went to you the official loader from waninkoko that i have a channel for and all images were cut off because they had been resized.

For both loaders it was looking at the same images folder.


move all resized images to a folder called wimages on the root of your sd, delete all images from the images folder (except bg.png if you have one) re download 7.1 as it has been reposed a few times http://sharebee.com/b2872d07
and try again

Djatz can do this himself from his side with GD Library. I can write a PHP script to serve up all his images in whatever re-size format you want. That's all the work that is necessary. It's much better to just do this server side, no one has to do anything by hand or download anything from his website to start doing the work.

CODE

Thank you! I have forwarded this info to djtaz to see what he thinks.

 

[antiaverage]

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300
However, while you get the proper squash in height, the width will stretch too much
So you want to instead decrease the width to 3/4 of what it was, or 75%
So if the standard box size is 160x225, then the actual widescreen prepped box size is (160*75%)x225 or 120x225

Edit: Either way, it's more about what looks good, and now we're leaning towards 125x225...

I put up a script on my server which accesses Djatz's server to give you this:
http://bluetain.com/dropspace/resize.php?c...c&id=RSPE01

http://bluetain.com/dropspace/resize.php?console=wii&type=ntsc&id=RSPE01

The original image is this:
http://www.theotherzone.com/wii/ntsc/RSPE01.png

http://www.theotherzone.com/wii/ntsc/RSPE01.png

You can change the variables in the first URL to suit your needs for now, but I'll take that script down soon, so don't go relying on it. Djatz should be doing this from his own server.

This is the code:
CODE

 

[icebrg5]

I thought that 7.1 got rid of the resizing bug? So shouldnt all my images stayed the orignal size?
And that was the current dol i was using.

I created two different folders now anyway.One for widescreen and one for regular.Hate to do it that way but if its going to resize them every time then i have no choice.

 

[evvil]

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300

The way widescreen works in all home brew its that it just stretches images horizontally, so our 640x480 backgrounds get stretched to 853x480 in widescreen mode. There is NO way currently to do proper widescreen with homebrew apps (not even HomeBrew Channel has proper widescreen) But maybe try your math but reducing the size and see what you come up with, we would like to make images smaller not bigger.

But I really appreciate the great idea! this will save much time and effort for all, thank you kind sir

 

[icebrg5]

well i put the new dol in and now it doesnt resize anything so maybe i was using an older 7.1 dol. Hell if i know.

 

[antiaverage]

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300

The way widescreen works in all home brew its that it just stretches images horizontally, so our 640x480 backgrounds get stretched to 853x480 in widescreen mode. There is NO way currently to do proper widescreen with homebrew apps (not even HomeBrew Channel has proper widescreen) But maybe try your math but reducing the size and see what you come up with, we would like to make images smaller not bigger.

I see what you're saying. Here's my re-write:

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300
However, while you get the proper squash in height, the width will stretch too much
So you want to instead decrease the width to 3/4 of what it was, or 66%
So if the standard box size is 160x225, then the actual widescreen prepped box size is (160*66%)x225 or 105.6x225

Which we round to 106x225

 

[evvil]

I see what you're saying. Here's my re-write:

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300
However, while you get the proper squash in height, the width will stretch too much
So you want to instead decrease the width to 3/4 of what it was, or 66%
So if the standard box size is 160x225, then the actual widescreen prepped box size is (160*66%)x225 or 105.6x225

Which we round to 106x225

just stop thinking in 4/3 increase for a sec, this widescreen is not exact.


the backgrounds go from 853x480 to 640x480 in the strech, does this match your calculations, Im looking at 120x225 on my 40" samsung now and it looks good, maybe even a little too squished.

 

[antiaverage]

I see what you're saying. Here's my re-write:

4:3 to 16:9 is a 4/3 increase, so you need to increase the height of the original box by 4/3, or 133%
If the standard box size is 160x225, then the widescreen prepped box size is 160x(225*1.33) or 160x300
However, while you get the proper squash in height, the width will stretch too much
So you want to instead decrease the width to 3/4 of what it was, or 66%
So if the standard box size is 160x225, then the actual widescreen prepped box size is (160*66%)x225 or 105.6x225

Which we round to 106x225

just stop thinking in 4/3 increase for a sec, this widescreen is not exact.


the backgrounds go from 853x480 to 640x480 in the strech, does this match your calculations, Im looking at 120x225 on my 40" samsung now and it looks good, maybe even a little too squished.


If it's a little too squished, wouldn't you want to decrease it's width? Thus, 106x225 would be better than 120x225? Would you mind trying it out on your screen and telling me? I put up a page to do the work for you which I mentioned here:
http://gbatemp.net/index.php?s=&showto...t&p=1914625

We are doing an anamorphic distortion, and since computers have square pixels and televisions have rectangular pixels, it's extra dicey.

106x225

http://bluetain.com/dropspace/resize2.php?console=wii&type=ntsc&id=RSPE01&size=106x225

120x225

http://bluetain.com/dropspace/resize2.php?console=wii&type=ntsc&id=RSPE01&size=120x225

160x225

CODE

http://www.theotherzone.com/wii/ntsc//RSPE01.png

 

[icebrg5]

120x 225 looks great on widescreen

using 120x220 leaves a grey area at the bottom of the box on the background i was using.

 

[antiaverage]

Evvil and I are talking on AIM now, but suggestions from the crowd are welcome. We're thinking 125x225 now:

125x225

http://bluetain.com/dropspace/resize2.php?console=wii&type=ntsc&id=RSPE01&size=125x225

Original

http://www.theotherzone.com/wii/ntsc//RSPE01.png

 

[antiaverage]

Using a wicked cool new game, we are determining what the best size will be. The math says 120x225, but since televisions have rectangular pixels instead of square, it's a bit finicky. So, here's our awesome game:

And when we stretch it:

We then display it on a 16:9 television and see if the square has equal height and width. If so, we've found the proper size.

 

[evvil]

ok guys I finally fount the perfect size for widescreen, thanks to antiaverage for all the great ideas, help, insight and info, your awesome bud!

This is 130x225 on a 40" samsung, the dotted square is a perfect square in photoshop!

 

[dsfanatic5]

I would definitely like to see auto-downloading of 16x9 covers, since I only use my widescreen for my Wii. I really hope that a uniform size can be agreed on, and used consistantly amongst all loaders with 16x9 settings.