C++ Game Development (PEader's Worklog)
My trials and tribulations in getting back in to game development. Such as which engine to use, what compiler and other things of such important magnitude. 
Two dimensional boredom with a GIMP
I've been messing around with the GNU Image Manipulation Program(GIMP) for a couple of days now and am getting the hang of the spandex MOFO. It took me a few days to get up to speed with the interface and locate familiar menu options. This involved reading the first three chapters of Grokking the GIMP.
All I can say is that this book is boring beyond belief. Fair play to the author for making it free and all but man is it dull. So what are my thoughts on GIMP so far? The interface has gotten better because the menus are now less complex, easier to navigate, and more like the menus in other programs, but, there are still niggles that persist such as not being able to preview filters/effects in the live window. This means to check out a filter you have to apply it, undo it (if it's not correct), and go through three layers of menu to run the filter again. There is a shortcut but this functionality is a must in all graphic editors.
So what's the verdict? After three chapters I am able to do what I can do in Paint Shop Pro(PSP) however I am unsure of my ability to figure out new things in GIMP as I would in PSP. Also the single document interface is quite annoying. I can see how it would work in a window manager with multiple desktops but on MS Windows it just means you have to go hunting for the dialogs everytime you want to do something (if you have more then GIMP open).
I don't know if I should continue with GIMP and learn new skills or if I am happy enough to just mess around with what I have. I mean do I really need to be uber elite and learn to improve the tonal range of my photographs or can I just use textures I scavenge on the internet? I think I'll bang away at it for another while and see what happens.
Although in comparison the amount of time it took me to learn to use (i.e. figure out) PSP on my own is no doubt much more then the few hours it took to get up to the same level in GIMP but is it a good thing that I couldn't just apply my knowledge from PSP into GIMP or that I could learn it so quickly (with a book)?!
You know this journal is pretty fucking boring. Why did I write it?
p.s. I came across a web site called PortableApps.com where they have lots of applications which can be run direct from USB keys. How freaking awesome is that?
P.P.S. I promise that the next worklog entry will be more entertaining then a barrel of knives and thai prostitutes smothered in hot sauce. Also, you can count on more cursing you fucks.
All I can say is that this book is boring beyond belief. Fair play to the author for making it free and all but man is it dull. So what are my thoughts on GIMP so far? The interface has gotten better because the menus are now less complex, easier to navigate, and more like the menus in other programs, but, there are still niggles that persist such as not being able to preview filters/effects in the live window. This means to check out a filter you have to apply it, undo it (if it's not correct), and go through three layers of menu to run the filter again. There is a shortcut but this functionality is a must in all graphic editors.
So what's the verdict? After three chapters I am able to do what I can do in Paint Shop Pro(PSP) however I am unsure of my ability to figure out new things in GIMP as I would in PSP. Also the single document interface is quite annoying. I can see how it would work in a window manager with multiple desktops but on MS Windows it just means you have to go hunting for the dialogs everytime you want to do something (if you have more then GIMP open).
I don't know if I should continue with GIMP and learn new skills or if I am happy enough to just mess around with what I have. I mean do I really need to be uber elite and learn to improve the tonal range of my photographs or can I just use textures I scavenge on the internet? I think I'll bang away at it for another while and see what happens.
Although in comparison the amount of time it took me to learn to use (i.e. figure out) PSP on my own is no doubt much more then the few hours it took to get up to the same level in GIMP but is it a good thing that I couldn't just apply my knowledge from PSP into GIMP or that I could learn it so quickly (with a book)?!
You know this journal is pretty fucking boring. Why did I write it?
p.s. I came across a web site called PortableApps.com where they have lots of applications which can be run direct from USB keys. How freaking awesome is that?
P.P.S. I promise that the next worklog entry will be more entertaining then a barrel of knives and thai prostitutes smothered in hot sauce. Also, you can count on more cursing you fucks.
(Posted on October, 24th 2006, 21:31)
Comments
Rincewind said:
Haha, your logs are always written so solemnly. 
So where's the 2 dimensional boredom your title promised? Or did you mean the post itself?
p.s. No applications should be dependent on the windows registry / official installation with files all over in strange directories. It's so annoying.
So where's the 2 dimensional boredom your title promised? Or did you mean the post itself?p.s. No applications should be dependent on the windows registry / official installation with files all over in strange directories. It's so annoying.
(Posted on October, 24th 2006, 22:14)
Dennis said:
So all this time you spend using this program... was it worth while? I mean, you learnt how to use a new menu and program that basically does the same as PSP?
(Posted on October, 25th 2006, 10:55)
PEader said:
Well, was all the time I spent learning PSP worthwhile? Some reasons for it being worthwhile are that it is free, open-source, has equivalent functionality to Adobe Photoshop i.e. more then PSP, and free updates for life.
(Posted on October, 25th 2006, 14:20)
yonni said:
Are you sure GIMP has the equivalent functionality of photoshop?
Considering photoshop is comercial and therefore has to compete for clients' money (not to mention the fact it is regarded by many as the best image manipulation program and is used by countless professionals), are you sure GIMP can compete with that?
I'm not saying you're wrong, I just think that you'd be better off staying with PSP as you already have it and know how to use it comfortably, also that it is professionally and comercially made.
Considering photoshop is comercial and therefore has to compete for clients' money (not to mention the fact it is regarded by many as the best image manipulation program and is used by countless professionals), are you sure GIMP can compete with that?
I'm not saying you're wrong, I just think that you'd be better off staying with PSP as you already have it and know how to use it comfortably, also that it is professionally and comercially made.
(Posted on October, 25th 2006, 19:20)
PEader said:
Yes, I am sure. Since when does commercial mean better? I want to do more then PSP allows me to do.
The more I use GIMP the more I like it and it seems much nicer once you have a virtual desktop installed.
The more I use GIMP the more I like it and it seems much nicer once you have a virtual desktop installed.
(Posted on October, 25th 2006, 21:36)
MadMax said:
Funnily enough I've been playing around with GIMP quite a lot lately. I basicaly use it on one desktop since I learned how to dock the tools I use most commonly into the nice tabbed browser at the bottom of the main GIMP window the rest of the space on the desktop I use for the image. Also most stuff has a small preview window, would be better on the main image but still it's useful.
If you want feel free to contact me and I'll help with what I can.
If you want feel free to contact me and I'll help with what I can.
(Posted on October, 25th 2006, 23:37)
Moogle said:
This is so boring. Luckily there are hot thai prostitutes in the near future.
(Posted on October, 27th 2006, 23:45)