What would be the interest in something like this?

lefty_hurler · 04-01-2003, 01:03 PM

I'm a computer programmer for a living. I had a very interesting idea last night.

I know there was a huge buzz around the mods forum involving the creation of face packs using a program called FaceGen to fill rosters with fictional player photos. The problem with this is: a) it's a lot of work and requires a healthy knowlege of Photoshop and b) the program is trialware (costs $400+) and plants a logo on each face's forhead.

So I wrote a very basic program that can take my hand-drawn, black-and-white bitmap, divide the face into three quadrants and shade areas based upon user preference. Basically, this program will allow the user to control the coloration of:
1) The helmet
2) The bat
3) The gloves
4) The uni
5) The skin tone

Then, the following can be overlaid (using many different varieties):
1) eyes
2) nose
3) mouth
4) facial hair
5) accessories

Then the user can select from one of the many background photos.

Below is are two examples of a player picture I generated using my program:

The colors for the bat, helmet, uni, gloves and skin tone were automatically filled in by my program based on my input. The eyes, nose and mouth were placed from external .bmp's which I created.

Now, my question is this: Would there be a large enough interest in a program like this to justify my time writing it? The program would be relatively simple to create. The eyes, noses, mouths and accessories would take a bit of time. My goal would be to have an exponential number of player photo variations available and also to have the program autogenerate photos singularly or by the tens or hundreds.

My dilemma: I'm not a horrible artist but my ability is somewhat limited to cartoon-ish drawings. Would anyone be opposed to having cartoon characters filling their lineups? Would anyone with graphics experience and a knowledge of Photoshop be interested in helping out with such a project?

Rockpile · 04-01-2003, 01:12 PM

I think that looks really cool. It would be a GREAT addition to OOTP to be able to have a program like this!

chinaski · 04-01-2003, 01:14 PM

I like the idea. Im not sure if id ever be into using the cartoon'ish style player photos, but this project has alot of possiblities.

personally, im not too big on the facegen models either.

Ktulu · 04-01-2003, 01:29 PM

Sounds pretty cool. I would definately give it a try.

scprideandms · 04-01-2003, 02:05 PM

I like it

suurimonster · 04-01-2003, 02:17 PM

Great idea - I like the style, especially good for fictional leagues. However, I would suggest dropping the bat - personally I don't want to go through 5000 player photos sorting out pitchers from batters. Just go for some generic poses without positional reference I will use it in a second.

And how about an option just to create a random assortment of x photos? That would be perfect.

tcblcommish · 04-01-2003, 02:29 PM

that looks great, I know I would use it!!

D Love · 04-01-2003, 02:48 PM

I haven't followed the facegen thing, but perhaps you could combine both- use your program where you can select helmet colors, etc. and place them on these facegens so that the logo is removed from everyone's forehead by means of the helmet...

Rose14 · 04-01-2003, 06:34 PM

In the words of Jeff Spicoli: "AWESOME! TOTALLY AWESOME!!"

I love those. It's certainly a lot better than the dude with the ? over his face on every player screen (or nothing at all), and there is just enough detail to give each player his own "personality."

I would LOVE to incorporate portraits like those into my game.

LivnLegend · 04-01-2003, 07:02 PM

Hey, it's something.
Which is better than nothing!

I am sure something like this would find an audience.
I'm not a big fan of the Facegen pictures although it has been awhile since I looked at them. Perhaps they've made amazing progress since the early days of those very unusual looking faces

I still prefer real pictures of real people. It's harder to find them but that's why I put together a face pack for everyone to use of "anonymous" type players.

Rockpile · 04-01-2003, 07:05 PM

Again, Ill say that I think they are great. The face gens looks really cool too, but I think that these cartoonish pics would be GREAT in a fictional league. I've seen guys with MLB players and the logo blurred out and that kind of takes away from the fiction of the league.

I like the bats. I like to see that "action" quality in the pics and wouldnt mind sorting through pics for pitchers and batters.

BrandonJ33 · 04-01-2003, 10:30 PM

I would *love* to be able to use a program like this for the fictional league I'm setting up. I've always been a fan of cartoonish, fictional baseball games with funny/unique player names. I'm thinking Baseball Stars 2 for the NeoGeo and all the Super Bases Loaded games... man, I love the names for Bases Loaded characters.

Anyway, I'd definitely use this if there were a wide number of face parts available, ability to mirror the picture to depict left-handed or right handed batters, and if there were a separate picture template for pitchers. I don't mean to sound picky and overexpectant (that a word?), I just think those features would be great.

Cuss16 · 04-01-2003, 11:12 PM

do it do it do it!!

Dargone · 04-01-2003, 11:21 PM

I would be very interested in a program like this

04-01-2003, 01:03 PM	#1
lefty_hurler Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 39	What would be the interest in something like this? I'm a computer programmer for a living. I had a very interesting idea last night. I know there was a huge buzz around the mods forum involving the creation of face packs using a program called FaceGen to fill rosters with fictional player photos. The problem with this is: a) it's a lot of work and requires a healthy knowlege of Photoshop and b) the program is trialware (costs $400+) and plants a logo on each face's forhead. So I wrote a very basic program that can take my hand-drawn, black-and-white bitmap, divide the face into three quadrants and shade areas based upon user preference. Basically, this program will allow the user to control the coloration of: 1) The helmet 2) The bat 3) The gloves 4) The uni 5) The skin tone Then, the following can be overlaid (using many different varieties): 1) eyes 2) nose 3) mouth 4) facial hair 5) accessories Then the user can select from one of the many background photos. Below is are two examples of a player picture I generated using my program: The colors for the bat, helmet, uni, gloves and skin tone were automatically filled in by my program based on my input. The eyes, nose and mouth were placed from external .bmp's which I created. Now, my question is this: Would there be a large enough interest in a program like this to justify my time writing it? The program would be relatively simple to create. The eyes, noses, mouths and accessories would take a bit of time. My goal would be to have an exponential number of player photo variations available and also to have the program autogenerate photos singularly or by the tens or hundreds. My dilemma: I'm not a horrible artist but my ability is somewhat limited to cartoon-ish drawings. Would anyone be opposed to having cartoon characters filling their lineups? Would anyone with graphics experience and a knowledge of Photoshop be interested in helping out with such a project? __________________ "When you reach a fork in the road, take it." -- Yogi Berra

04-01-2003, 01:29 PM	#4
Ktulu Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: BC Posts: 4,710	Sounds pretty cool. I would definately give it a try. __________________ "The ice is getting even more thinner, my friend!"

04-01-2003, 02:05 PM	#5
scprideandms All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: N KY, 25 miles from Cincy Posts: 1,314	I like it __________________ Change your playground + change your playfriends + change your playtoys + change your playtime = Change your life. If you keep on doing what you've always done you'll keep on gitting what you've always gotten.

04-01-2003, 06:34 PM	#9
Rose14 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 76	In the words of Jeff Spicoli: "AWESOME! TOTALLY AWESOME!!" I love those. It's certainly a lot better than the dude with the ? over his face on every player screen (or nothing at all), and there is just enough detail to give each player his own "personality." I would LOVE to incorporate portraits like those into my game. __________________ John Dowd is a eunuch.

04-01-2003, 07:02 PM	#10
LivnLegend Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: 100% pure adrenaline! Posts: 5,624	Hey, it's something. Which is better than nothing! I am sure something like this would find an audience. I'm not a big fan of the Facegen pictures although it has been awhile since I looked at them. Perhaps they've made amazing progress since the early days of those very unusual looking faces I still prefer real pictures of real people. It's harder to find them but that's why I put together a face pack for everyone to use of "anonymous" type players. __________________ Excess ain't rebellion. You're drinking what they're selling.

04-01-2003, 01:12 PM	#2
Rockpile All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 620	I think that looks really cool. It would be a GREAT addition to OOTP to be able to have a program like this!

04-01-2003, 01:14 PM	#3
chinaski Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: end of the bar Posts: 296	I like the idea. Im not sure if id ever be into using the cartoon'ish style player photos, but this project has alot of possiblities. personally, im not too big on the facegen models either.

04-01-2003, 02:17 PM	#6
suurimonster Minors (Single A) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 64	Great idea - I like the style, especially good for fictional leagues. However, I would suggest dropping the bat - personally I don't want to go through 5000 player photos sorting out pitchers from batters. Just go for some generic poses without positional reference I will use it in a second. And how about an option just to create a random assortment of x photos? That would be perfect.

04-01-2003, 02:29 PM	#7
tcblcommish Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 3,444	that looks great, I know I would use it!!

04-01-2003, 02:48 PM	#8
D Love All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 904	I haven't followed the facegen thing, but perhaps you could combine both- use your program where you can select helmet colors, etc. and place them on these facegens so that the logo is removed from everyone's forehead by means of the helmet...

04-01-2003, 07:05 PM	#11
Rockpile All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 620	Again, Ill say that I think they are great. The face gens looks really cool too, but I think that these cartoonish pics would be GREAT in a fictional league. I've seen guys with MLB players and the logo blurred out and that kind of takes away from the fiction of the league. I like the bats. I like to see that "action" quality in the pics and wouldnt mind sorting through pics for pitchers and batters.

04-01-2003, 10:30 PM	#12
BrandonJ33 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mechanicsville, VA Posts: 33	I would love to be able to use a program like this for the fictional league I'm setting up. I've always been a fan of cartoonish, fictional baseball games with funny/unique player names. I'm thinking Baseball Stars 2 for the NeoGeo and all the Super Bases Loaded games... man, I love the names for Bases Loaded characters. Anyway, I'd definitely use this if there were a wide number of face parts available, ability to mirror the picture to depict left-handed or right handed batters, and if there were a separate picture template for pitchers. I don't mean to sound picky and overexpectant (that a word?), I just think those features would be great.

04-01-2003, 11:12 PM	#13
Cuss16 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: BC, CANADA Posts: 2,994	do it do it do it!! __________________

04-01-2003, 11:21 PM	#14
Dargone Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Interwebs Posts: 2,862	I would be very interested in a program like this __________________ I was never one to patiently pick up broken fragments and glue them together again and tell myself that the mended whole was as good as new. What is broken is broken -- and I'd rather remember it as it was at its best than mend it and see the broken places as long as I lived.-Margaret Mitchell