Making PDFs

[KageRyu]

Ok, this is a question for Gry and Battlestar, and those of you out there profficient and compiling fan made PDFs. Couple questions actually.

1) What are some of you primary sources of graphics, and how much re-editing do you do to them?

2) What program/s do you use to compile the initial material?

I ask because I have hug stockpiles of information from across the web and other sources that I am looking into compiling into a fan made supplement, with expanded background and material. I noticed in the various stats books there were illustrations from WEG products, screen caps from the various cartoons & movies, production stills, and shots of models and such. So I guess I was wondering if those were taken/made yourself, or if they were DLed or scanned from various sources and edited?
I also was curious as to what program or combination you use to arrange and edit the initial text and graphics before compiling it to a PDF? I am using Microsoft Word from Office 2000 myself, was just wondering if their was a better or prefered way?

I want to try to make my fan supplement look fairly compatible with the Stats books released here, for purposes of continuity (I also like how they have the clean lines and imagery of the books that were done by WotC, while preserving D6). As a gamer for many years, i know graphics and imagery are an absolute must (as just collections of stats and backgrounds gets blands...and players always want to know what something looks like). I am going to start with a couple small projects first, then see how it goes (A planet Guide, and a Corporation book for Pre-Empire).

Thanks guys
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Battlestar]

Well I'm kinda new at this as well. But what I use is Word then I convert to pdf. As for the graphics I usually use downloaded pics from the net.

I'm not very good as making graphics from scratch so when the time comes I'll be looking for somebody to design a cover but I'd say that won't be anytime soon as I just started to compile the data.

Hope this kinda helps.

[KageRyu]

Yeah, Word's what I have been using for my various sourcebooks in other games (like my Macross Game). I was planning on converting it all to PDF when finished. I figured I'd probably use graphics from various online sources, scans, books, etc... Was just seeing if I was heading in the right direction. I hope to upload/make the final available to the board.

I am going to make some custom graphics and images, but that is very time consuming.
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Battlestar]

Yeah that can be consuming.

So far I have compiled 259 entries for my Era sourcebook. I think its gonna be a big one

[Hellcat]

For compiling a PDF I've been using Print Shop 15 and compiling things first as a newsletter then saving it as a PDF when I'm done. For the images, the first one I did by myself (Extracts from the Web Volume 1) I used images from the material I had downloaded which went into the making of the PDF. The one I'm working heavily on right now (my Dark Forces Sourcebook), I'm using images largely gotten from the Multimedia, misc subcategory, games sub-subcategory, Jedi Knight section. These I crop out the banner material at top and the reddish strip at the bottom and then adjust the contrast and brightness a little. I also grab images from the offical sites for DF/JK some of the games and some fan sites. The planet I used in the following image is actually Sullon, which I got off KyleKatarn.com:



The starfield I created using a few real starfield image I took off the net The main one I used several times other, fliping them this way and that so as to get the basic image I wanted then I added the planet pic and the other two starfields to finish it all off. I then turned them all to B&W in PS15. The cover image is just taking the Dave Dorman coverart to Dark Forces: Jedi Knight (which can be found on the Dark Horse website) and cropping out just the pic. The HC version is better than the TPB version cause you get the whole pic and don't have to crop it to loose the title.
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[KageRyu]

A Dark Forces sourcebook? Sounds spiffy. Can't wait to see your take on the dark trooper armor.
Print Shop? Not a program I am familiar with. I'll have to research it and weight the probability of of using it versus what I am doing in word. Is it generally easier to compile a PDF in than with Word?

As for the graphics, then it's generally acceptable to the fan made community if I mix orriginal art with work DLed, and gleaned from existing sources, stills, and scans? Cool. Just need to crop and resize. I recently found a ton of cool pictures and information on different types of Mandalorian armor I can incorporate into my Mandalorian sourcebook.
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Hellcat]

I wouldn't know if it's easier to compile a PDF in PS15 than it is in Word since I don't have Word. At one time all I knew Print Shop to be was a greeting cards, banners, and poster making program. But that was back in the late eighties/early, early 90s. The second version I ever used allowed the user to make the cards and posters, along with labels, buisness cards, and calendars. PS15 is the lastest version I've used, though I doubt it's the latest version there is, and it gives me the ability to pick from twenty-four different categories which allow for hundreds of different projects all together. Greeting cards, calendars, buisness cards, signs, envelopes, cd labels, mailing labels, fax covers, photo albums, t-shirt transfers, newsletters, certificates, postcards, booklets, letterheads, resumes, etc. I can take any of them and then when I'm done with the project, I have the option of saving it as a PDF. It also gives me thousands of images within the program to choose from.
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