Turbo Memoirs - Updated 5.28.07 - "Desktop Art"

PCEngineFX · 05/28/2007, 03:13 PM

Hello all,

Turbo Memoirs has been updated as of 5.28.07!

- New "Desktop Art" section
- Tweaked site layout

Enjoy!

Keranu · 05/28/2007, 04:23 PM

Those pictures are absolutely fantastic! I really love the HuCard tiled floor in the PCE pic! The Turbo Express looks super snazzy as well!

PCEngineFX · 05/28/2007, 05:12 PM

Glad you like Keranu! Just some trivia about the PCE image - I had to use 98% of all of the US HuCards to make that tiled floor (almost had to dip into my dups and JPN HuCards as well but I didn't want to).

And of course, you should know what the background is in the TE image...

Joe Redifer · 05/28/2007, 08:51 PM

That's really cool! I love the depth-of-field changes (the distance is blurry). That always makes the subject of a photo stand out. You've obviously got a nice camera setup, especially to keep things super-sharp at the highest widescreen resolutions!

Keranu · 05/28/2007, 09:30 PM

Wow, you practically used all the American HuCards? Were a lot cut out from the photo? I bet it took a long time to put those back in their cases, that is if you have already done so!

Turbo D · 05/29/2007, 05:35 AM

Very nice dude

keep up the good work!

NecroPhile · 05/29/2007, 11:05 AM

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 05/28/2007, 05:12 PMI had to use 98% of all of the US HuCards to make that tiled floor (almost had to dip into my dups and JPN HuCards as well but I didn't want to).

Very nice images indeed. That HuCard tiled floor must have been a real pain in the backside to set up - just one little nudge, and the whole dang thing would be misaligned. Which game(s) were deemed unworthy for use? I would have left out Deep Blue, or at least not given it such a prominent spot.

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 05/28/2007, 05:12 PMAnd of course, you should know what the background is in the TE image...

Alright, I'll take a stab at it. Is it the inside of one of TZD's flyers?

MrFulci · 05/29/2007, 11:46 AM

Not exactly TZD"s flyer, it was their catalogue!

46 pages (I think). I may scan all the pages sometime, and post a link to the album inside the, "::Drool::" thread.

NecroPhile · 05/29/2007, 11:53 AM

I don't remember any layout pages like that in the catalog - the only part that I recall is the pages that had three or four games per page with a short description.

MrFulci · 05/29/2007, 12:00 PM

Wait, I had to look at that picture again, I was going off memory of when I looked at the picture a few days ago. (sometimes not a good thing).

Yeah, that's the inside poster of one of the flyers.

PCEngineFX · 05/29/2007, 12:18 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 05/28/2007, 08:51 PMThat's really cool! I love the depth-of-field changes (the distance is blurry). That always makes the subject of a photo stand out. You've obviously got a nice camera setup, especially to keep things super-sharp at the highest widescreen resolutions!

The camera I'm using is the Canon ERS 10D:

It's a older SLR camera (only 6 megapixel), but it had a better lens for depth-of-field than the Sony camera I used for the Turbo Memoirs gallery section. The raw photo size of the desktop art images were taken at 3072x2048.

Just another small piece of trivia about the desktop art images - all of them have been airbrushed to a certain extent. I don't have "photo perfect" NEC systems in my collection (my PC-FX is probably the cleanest looking console out of them all) but otherwise all of my NEC consoles have scratches or discoloration on them. The PCE image I had to pretty up the most - if you saw it in person it looks yellow, there are black marks all over it, and there is a large 2 inch hole in the right side of the system (that's why you will never see that side in any of my photos).

Quote from: Keranu on 05/28/2007, 09:30 PMWow, you practically used all the American HuCards? Were a lot cut out from the photo? I bet it took a long time to put those back in their cases, that is if you have already done so!

Yeah I put them all back the night I took the photos....and I wasn't looking forward to doing that! Sucks because the week before, I organized all of my US Hu's in alphabetical order...now they are all disorganized!

In the final PCE photo, due to cropping you probably don't see about 5 additional games on the table. Games that did not make it due to being in unopened boxes were: Raiden, Psychosis, Order of the Griffon, Neutopia II, Magical Chase, Impossamole, Ghost Manor, Darkwing Duck, and Bonk 3.

Quote from: guest on 05/29/2007, 11:05 AMVery nice images indeed. That HuCard tiled floor must have been a real pain in the backside to set up - just one little nudge, and the whole dang thing would be misaligned. Which game(s) were deemed unworthy for use? I would have left out Deep Blue, or at least not given it such a prominent spot.

I had to use a real steady hand while setting up that HuCard background. I'm glad everyone enjoyed the image - sounds like maybe people want more of just the HuCard background eh? Oh, and I wasn't really paying that much attention to which HuCard's were in what place...so Deep Blue just got lucky.

Quote from: guest on 05/29/2007, 11:53 AMI don't remember any layout pages like that in the catalog - the only part that I recall is the pages that had three or four games per page with a short description.

You are right, it was not the catalog. It was from the flyer that unfolded into a large Godzilla poster.

nat · 05/29/2007, 12:33 PM

Great stuff, Aaron.

They're all so good I can't decide which one I want to use for my desktop.

Maybe I'll use OS X's handy "random pick" feature and let the OS choose for me on a daily basis!

Seldane · 05/29/2007, 07:58 PM

No 720p wallpapers?

I am using the Super Grafx wallpaper. It was really nice. Too bad the console was so dusty. I recommend cleaning the case in water.

Keranu · 05/29/2007, 08:09 PM

I've been using the PCE one for the past couple of days. Those HuCard tiles are just too slick

.

esteban · 05/29/2007, 08:29 PM

Woo hoo, I just saw this for the first time. Nice

PCEngineFX · 05/30/2007, 02:43 AM

Quote from: Seldane on 05/29/2007, 07:58 PMNo 720p wallpapers?

I am using the Super Grafx wallpaper. It was really nice. Too bad the console was so dusty. I recommend cleaning the case in water.

Dusty? There are only a few visible dots here and there. The rest is the texture of the case.

Seldane · 05/30/2007, 11:25 AM

It's pretty dirty on the gravely texture on the lower right corner, next to the "buttons".

esteban · 05/31/2007, 12:01 AM

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 05/30/2007, 02:43 AM
Quote from: Seldane on 05/29/2007, 07:58 PMNo 720p wallpapers?

I am using the Super Grafx wallpaper. It was really nice. Too bad the console was so dusty. I recommend cleaning the case in water.
Dusty? There are only a few visible dots here and there. The rest is the texture of the case.

Seldane is crazy

. I'm using the SuperGrafx picture for one of my monitors (and TG-16 for the other), and the SGX picture is the most professional of the bunch, hands down. The contrast, the lighting, the composition... everything is perfect. In fact, the very little bit of wear-and-tear that is visible simply adds to the character of the SGX, IMO.

I like the TG-16 one as well, but it is not high-contrast like SGX, plus I can see where Aaron added the shadow (and he left an extra "rubber stamp" mark below the shadow).

I love the other ones too (they are way cuter!), but I find the TG16 & SGX images work best as desktop images (since they are low-key).

Ultra Luigi · 05/31/2007, 12:14 PM

Wow, this desktop art looks awesome. I really like the PC Engine one.

Joe Redifer · 05/31/2007, 07:50 PM

I am using the TG-16 one as my desktop right now. I am not finding the "rubber stamp" mark unless you mean the part in the lower right where it is slightly darker than the rest in a small spot. Doesn't look like a stamp mark or slide, though.

Turbo D · 05/31/2007, 08:23 PM

I'm using the awesome supergrafx one.

PCEngineFX · 05/31/2007, 08:29 PM

Quote from: stevek666 on 05/31/2007, 12:01 AM
Quote from: Pcenginefx on 05/30/2007, 02:43 AM
Quote from: Seldane on 05/29/2007, 07:58 PMNo 720p wallpapers?

I am using the Super Grafx wallpaper. It was really nice. Too bad the console was so dusty. I recommend cleaning the case in water.
Dusty? There are only a few visible dots here and there. The rest is the texture of the case.
Seldane is crazy . I'm using the SuperGrafx picture for one of my monitors (and TG-16 for the other), and the SGX picture is the most professional of the bunch, hands down. The contrast, the lighting, the composition... everything is perfect. In fact, the very little bit of wear-and-tear that is visible simply adds to the character of the SGX, IMO.

I like the TG-16 one as well, but it is not high-contrast like SGX, plus I can see where Aaron added the shadow (and he left an extra "rubber stamp" mark below the shadow).

I love the other ones too (they are way cuter!), but I find the TG16 & SGX images work best as desktop images (since they are low-key).

What shadow and mark are you talking about? I should tell you that I didn't add any additional shadows to any of the images....

EDIT: Oh, I see it now. You guys have your gamma/contrast up way too high

I didn't make that mark in the lower right side of the image...that was part of the background texture I used and if you have a properly calibrated monitor, that should not show up (my monitor is calibrated only because I do graphic/photo work, so don't worry if yours isn't.)

Joe Redifer · 05/31/2007, 08:39 PM

Mine is properly calibrated as well, but since I use a Mac it has somewhat brighter gamma. It's just that my monitor is really, really good, and I have to look close to see it. I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been looking for it. Thanks Steve... thanks a lot!

Keranu · 05/31/2007, 08:59 PM

I can't see a shadow and I doubt my monitor is properly calibrated, haha. My monitor is so messed up right now that I have wavy lines on the side from a wireless phone that interfered with it I think.

nat · 05/31/2007, 09:21 PM

Can't you degauss it to get rid of that, Keranu?

Keranu · 05/31/2007, 09:34 PM

I've tried but it really doesn't do anything. I've read that you should move any objects causing it, like speakers, away from your monitor but I've tried that and it's still been all wacky for the past couple of weeks now. It seems to be more wavy when I open stuff up like Opera or a window.

esteban · 05/31/2007, 10:01 PM

Quote from: Keranu on 05/31/2007, 08:59 PMI can't see a shadow and I doubt my monitor is properly calibrated, haha. My monitor is so messed up right now that I have wavy lines on the side from a wireless phone that interfered with it I think.

Another possibility, perhaps, is that your video card is getting too hot. I thought my old display was having problems, but it turned out that a fan had failed and the video card was too hot.

Of course, it might very well be interference from other electronic devices.

Keranu · 05/31/2007, 10:27 PM

That could be a possibility since my video card likes to act funny with cables not firmly plugged in. If I wiggle my monitor cable around, it seems to change the frequency of the waves on the screen and also makes the screen yellow sometimes or gets loose and turns off.

esteban · 05/31/2007, 10:54 PM

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 05/31/2007, 08:29 PMEDIT: Oh, I see it now. You guys have your gamma/contrast up way too high I didn't make that mark in the lower right side of the image...that was part of the background texture I used and if you have a properly calibrated monitor, that should not show up (my monitor is calibrated only because I do graphic/photo work, so don't worry if yours isn't.)

Hey

. I would have sworn you added a shadow where the rectangle is on this image (and that you accidentally left a brush stroke / stamp pattern where the circle is).

Yes, I am insane

. Thank you.

PCEngineFX · 06/01/2007, 10:08 PM

Sorry Steve...I didn't add the shadow...that was all in-camera.

esteban · 06/02/2007, 09:18 PM

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 06/01/2007, 10:08 PMSorry Steve...I didn't add the shadow...that was all in-camera.

Wow, the edges of the shadow are really harsh -- that's why I thought it was manipulated. Did you play around with the brightness / contrast prior to / after taking the photo? Is it possible the effect I see is an artifact from compression (creating the 1280px wide .jpg)?

I'm just curious

.

Joe Redifer · 06/02/2007, 10:26 PM

Call me crazy, but I bet he has a light bulb of some kind off in the upper left direction. It's called "lighting the subject". The shadow is a natural result of the light being in that direction and probably not too far above the TG-16. It looks fairly professional to me, and very nice. I'm sure they were all taken in RAW format, as RAW kicks ass over JPEG.

esteban · 06/03/2007, 12:47 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 06/02/2007, 10:26 PMCall me crazy, but I bet he has a light bulb of some kind off in the upper left direction. It's called "lighting the subject". The shadow is a natural result of the light being in that direction and probably not too far above the TG-16. It looks fairly professional to me, and very nice. I'm sure they were all taken in RAW format, as RAW kicks ass over JPEG.

Joe, clearly I was talking about artifacts that were produced when he made the jpg's in the image-editing software of his choice (my bet's on PhotoShop), not the original images he took with his camera (which are probably RAW).

Second, if you inspected the rectangular area I highlighted, you'd see how pixelated and choppy the shadow edges are. I was just curious

.

Joe Redifer · 06/03/2007, 01:49 AM

Well remember that digital cameras are still FAR inferior to film cameras. Digital cameras use a CCD that is based on video CCDs and as a result they have shitty dynamic range, which means the blacks can get really grainy.

Keranu · 06/03/2007, 02:19 AM

Totally agreed! It's funny because as I was reading at this post, I was look at some digital camera pictures I just took and hated how you can't take a nice dark picture with them.

esteban · 06/03/2007, 02:43 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 06/03/2007, 01:49 AMWell remember that digital cameras are still FAR inferior to film cameras. Digital cameras use a CCD that is based on video CCDs and as a result they have shitty dynamic range, which means the blacks can get really grainy.

Indeed.... but, that said, I have never seen such disparate regions in the same photo. I have seen discrepancies before, but they always were within an "acceptable" range of noise.

Plus, the high-contrast SGX image suggests that the camera is capable of doing a better job, as far as dynamic range is concerned, than it did in the TG-16 shot.

I am eagerly awaiting your response, Joe

.

Joe Redifer · 06/03/2007, 04:18 AM

The light might be closer on the SG pic. Also isn't the S00perGrafx-16 a bit brighter than the TurboGrafx anyway?

My responses kick ass.

Keranu · 06/03/2007, 04:35 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 06/03/2007, 04:18 AMMy responses kick ass.

Yes completely agreed.

PCEngineFX · 06/11/2007, 08:34 PM

One reason that the images might not look "natural" is that in addition to touch-up, I put an extra image layer with a custom blending mode on it, so the wallpapers you see on the site are not straight from the camera.

nat · 06/11/2007, 08:51 PM

More, please. I want some PC-FX wallpaper.

Joe Redifer · 06/11/2007, 08:58 PM

Yes, more would be good. Please do the Genesis (model 1)... maybe with Sega CD (model 1) attached. Also do the Sega Saturn (US console with oval power/reset buttons, not round). And the Sega Master System as well. Yeah. I know they're all non-NEC systems, but people who have played NEC consoles have also played the ones I listed, so they should count. I expect new wallpapers up by morning!!!

Keranu · 06/11/2007, 10:52 PM

Pippin Atmark and Vectrex wallpapers please.

Turbo D · 06/11/2007, 10:57 PM

but its the "turbo" memoirs

esteban · 06/13/2007, 11:45 PM

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 06/11/2007, 08:34 PMOne reason that the images might not look "natural" is that in addition to touch-up, I put an extra image layer with a custom blending mode on it, so the wallpapers you see on the site are not straight from the camera.

Aha!

---- moving on ---------

OK, call me crazy, but I'd love to see pictures of the hardware with some of their accessories. I know this is somewhat corny / uber-dorky, but *nobody* has pictures of say.... tg-16 + turbobooster, or pce+backup booster, or duo+mouse...

No, they won't be the sexiest images, but I'd love to have them on my desktop(s). Plus, there is something marvelous about the tg-16+turbobooster (the fact that it resembles a boogie board?) that justifies all the time and energy it would take to make a desktop image of it.

Joe Redifer · 06/14/2007, 12:40 AM

I'd love to see the Turbo with the CD and Super System Card inserted. A picture of a TurboPad by itself and whatnot would be awesome, too. My Mac has the ability to cycle through desktop images (dissolve between them at preset intervals) so having lots and lots of dark pics like the TG-16 and SuperGrafx ones would kick so much ass that I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Since you are not currently logged on to the forums as I type this, I can only assume you're taking more pictures right now. Right?

Keranu · 06/14/2007, 03:26 AM

Quote from: stevek666 on 06/13/2007, 11:45 PMOK, call me crazy, but I'd love to see pictures of the hardware with some of their accessories. I know this is somewhat corny / uber-dorky, but *nobody* has pictures of say.... tg-16 + turbobooster, or pce+backup booster, or duo+mouse...

No, they won't be the sexiest images, but I'd love to have them on my desktop(s). Plus, there is something marvelous about the tg-16+turbobooster (the fact that it resembles a boogie board?) that justifies all the time and energy it would take to make a desktop image of it.

Good idea, but even better would be a Super Grafx hooked up to a SUPER CDROM2 like a couple other people on these forums demonstrated before. Man with fancy lighting and camera quality, that would be awesome

.

nat · 06/14/2007, 12:04 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 06/14/2007, 12:40 AMI'd love to see the Turbo with the CD and Super System Card inserted. A picture of a TurboPad by itself and whatnot would be awesome, too. My Mac has the ability to cycle through desktop images (dissolve between them at preset intervals) so having lots and lots of dark pics like the TG-16 and SuperGrafx ones would kick so much ass that I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Since you are not currently logged on to the forums as I type this, I can only assume you're taking more pictures right now. Right?

That's why OS X is awesome and Windows is lame.

I have that set up at home right now...

NecroPhile · 06/14/2007, 12:53 PM

Quote from: nat on 06/14/2007, 12:04 PMThat's why OS X is awesome and Windows is lame.

I hope this was a joke, as Windows has a photo screen saver too. Windows is lame for entirely different reasons.

nat · 06/14/2007, 01:19 PM

Quote from: NecroPhile on 06/14/2007, 12:53 PMWindows is lame for entirely different reasons.

Are there any reasons why it ISN'T lame?

PCEngineFX · 06/14/2007, 02:19 PM

Looks like I have the ideas for the next update ;)