Help with Control Panel Overlay Art (with pictures)

[Numbski]

Okay, so the first image is a mockup I did about a year ago of what I wanted to accomplish, and the second is a WIP of what I hope will be the final product.  Before we get too far into this - I'm not really sure I want to cut out the bottom corners - the box I have doesn't have this, which means rebuilding the whole thing.  The *only* reason I'm considering it is the outcry against angled player positions.  By putting that cut in the panel, it places the player parallel the the horizontal axis of the stick, thus removing a little bit of the orientation confusion.

ANYWAY - I remember GameCreature stating at one point that the key to a great layout is to have an element that "anchors" the piece as a whole.  My layout lacks that - even with the big "tien" symbol in the mockup, it really doesn't tie it all together.  Is there anything I can do about this?  I've really wanted to do a Ryu stage layout like this for a long time now, and I'd hate to have to scrap the idea because of lack of cohesion?  Any ideas?

[Numbski]

Just for the sake of curiousity, I copied and pasted the tien element from the old mockup into the png of the new layout.  It's too big and overruns onto player 2's joystick and player 1's buttons, but just for a visual cue as to whether it would help tie things together or not.  I think it looks better, but not perfect.  The players still feel like they're out on on island.

As a quick aside - does anyone know how to generate a decent lightning effect?  I have darkness, fog, and a seemingly ghostly coalesced Tien - I feel like I'm missing lighting for some reason (and of course shadows, a floor that's brighter than everything else, etc - it's still a WIP!)

[walls83]

I would just take the characters out.  I think it would look sweet with just the stage background

[gamecreature]

I'd make the characters bigger - they're getting lost in the background.

[Numbski]

Talk about conflicting posts!  One wants them gone, the other wants them bigger - probably because they're getting lost.

The size is proportional to the size they are in the actual game.  I suppose realism can go out the window.   The issue is that either they need to "pop" or they need to "go away".

[Ginsu Victim]

I agree with both posts. Either enlarge 'em, or lose 'em. The background is cool enough.

[Malenko]

lose the characters, lightly shadow the TEN symbol into the moon maybe?

[Numbski]

Try this - any better?

[Numbski]

Well - I went ahead and had it printed.  Too bad the morons tried taping the thing into a roll with masking tape before I left the store with it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/numbski/archives/date-posted/2008/11/06/

[web.geek]

You should have refused it. Have you taken it back?

[Numbski]

No, they were closed last night.  I sent them pictures this morning and basically stated I needed it re-done.  We'll see how that goes over.  They open in a half hour.

[Numbski]

Speak of the devil.  Just got off the phone with them - they're reprinting it for me today!