Create Your Own Trainer Card

*Doctor Oak* · 11th March 2007, 10:21 PM

Uh... I don't really want to post this in advertisement, but I did want to bring it to peoples' attention as I'm sure there are a few people here who would be interested in it...

Anyways, for the last fortnight or so I've been working on a script that lets your create your own Trainer Card online, without the need to sit down and create one yourself or ask someone to make one for you. I've been wanting to do something like this for quite some time but I had a bit of free time a few weeks ago to experiment with image functions in PHP and finally got around to it.

I always figured that something like this would be ideal for a lot of people to have access to, since there are quite a few people that don't have the tools, knowhow, ability or time to make Trainer Cards but would still want them - especially NOW, with Diamond/Pearl/Battle Revolution and them being ideal ways to share your Friend Codes and show what team you use.

Obviously there are restrictions to it, right now there's only one Trainer Card Background to use (but there will be more templates available soon, I promise), and you can't use your own custom Trainer Sprites (see down a little bit for more info on that) but for the ease of use and speed of use (takes mere minutes to make a card), as well as the free hosting, I think it's a fair enough deal - and obviously most people bothered by that will probably use their own designs more (though with this being so quick to do, I'd say there's even a use for this for those people).

As for not being able to use your own custom Trainer sprites, there is a way around that, as I've started up a project on the Pokecharms Forums for people to submit Trainer sprites to use in the program (info available here) which should not only satisfy those wanting to use their own custom sprites (if they're GOOD anyway) as well as building up the list of Trainers available for everyone to choose from.

The tool is available here: http://www.pokecharms.com/trainercards/ and there's more info on there too about the system.

Soo..... yeah... I really hope this wasn't too spammy/advertisey but I also hope people have fun trying this out and hopefully will use it to make Trainer Cards for their sigs with. :)

Mukubird · 11th March 2007, 10:42 PM

Dude, this is fricken awesome.

If you like, I could do some templates you can use for it, since I did used to make them for people.

Lucky Lucario · 12th March 2007, 03:17 PM

Thats crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although why do you have to put your wii friend code.

Wolvorn · 12th March 2007, 03:54 PM

That's fantastic, I've always wanted someone to do something like that. One comment; changeable backgrounds would have been nice.

paperfairy · 12th March 2007, 06:36 PM

Pretty cool. There are some things I dislike, such as the ugly disclaimer at the bottom. Perhaps it should be replaced with a logo in the corner?

Otherwise, very nice.

*Doctor Oak* · 12th March 2007, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by Spambot Starly

Dude, this is fricken awesome.

If you like, I could do some templates you can use for it, since I did used to make them for people.

If you have some templates you want to submit to use in it, that'd be great. I'm fine sorting out my own ones, obviously, but the more the better. For comparison purposes if nothing else, this is the base image used right now:

To adapt a new template into being used takes a fair bit of mucking around and a lot of trial and error, so although there definitely will be new templates available down the line, they wont be in batches - maybe one every month or so at best.

Originally Posted by Lucky Lucario

Thats crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although why do you have to put your wii friend code.

A) It's not your Wii Friend Code, it's your Friend Code for Diamond/Pearl or Battle Revolution. Rather obvious if you ask me.
B) You don't have to put it in, if you leave the field blank it will simply put in 0000-0000-0000 as a default.

Originally Posted by Wolvorn

That's fantastic, I've always wanted someone to do something like that. One comment; changeable backgrounds would have been nice.

See above, on their way, albeit slowly.

Originally Posted by Sailor Paperfairy

Pretty cool. There are some things I dislike, such as the ugly disclaimer at the bottom. Perhaps it should be replaced with a logo in the corner?

Otherwise, very nice.

It's not so much a disclaimer as a "Make your own Trainer Card like this at this address:" sorta thing. I really don't think a logo would be as useful for that, which is why I went with simple text at the bottom. I dunno, I think it stands out enough for people to take it in and hopefully visit the site themselves to make one but blends in enough that it doesn't really attract your attention away from the main focus of the card... but maybe that's just me being used to seeing it after a fortnight... Anyone else got any views on that subject?

Incidentally, as it has been asked a few times, Shiny Pokemon will be made available soon(ish). The reason they aren't included right now is 'cos each of the Pokemon portraits used (that's two for each Pokemon, 986 images) has to be made individually and manually (there's simply no way to do it automatically, any attempt to do it would end up with belly shots of most Pokemon...) and I wasn't really up for doing another 986 right after doing this lot just for shiny Pokemon.

When I have a few days down the line where I can devote a good clear couple of hours a day to get it nailed, then the shiny Pokemon will be included to choose from. For now, though, I think it's a less essential 'extra' more than anything else.

Mukubird · 12th March 2007, 09:47 PM

I do have this template, which I made modifications to:

That dark gray part in the right is where the trainer sprite will go.

DarkEliteKaren · 12th March 2007, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Saint Oak

It's not so much a disclaimer as a "Make your own Trainer Card like this at this address:" sorta thing. I really don't think a logo would be as useful for that, which is why I went with simple text at the bottom. I dunno, I think it stands out enough for people to take it in and hopefully visit the site themselves to make one but blends in enough that it doesn't really attract your attention away from the main focus of the card... but maybe that's just me being used to seeing it after a fortnight... Anyone else got any views on that subject?

It looks fine to me. I think it looks just as you said: enough for people to notice it, but not so much that it takes away focus from the rest of the card.

Absolutely wonderful idea, by the way. And it all looks great. n_n

Joey · 12th March 2007, 11:49 PM

This thing is really awesome. I'm having a lot of fun just messing around with it.

One thing I'd suggest is more trainer options. The ones from the GBA era would be great. It would also be helpful if instead of just DP trainer 1, 2, ect, you could name them Ranger Female or Youngster. It was kind of hard looking through the whole list just to see what they were.

~~NutriSweet~~ · 13th March 2007, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Spambot Starly

I do have this template, which I made modifications to:

That dark gray part in the right is where the trainer sprite will go.

Nice!
Well, I'll have to say, this is the first trainer card maker I've found that has all 493 Pokemon...

*Doctor Oak* · 13th March 2007, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Joey

It would also be helpful if instead of just DP trainer 1, 2, ect, you could name them Ranger Female or Youngster. It was kind of hard looking through the whole list just to see what they were.

I might do that when the English versions come out. I didn't do it this time 'cos I didn't really know what most of the Trainer Classes were meant to be... ^^' lol.

Yodester · 13th March 2007, 11:47 AM

Hey looks cool. I'm going to try it. Trainer card topics ALWAYS catch MY eye. I do my own trainer card work as you probably have seen in the Artist's alcove.

EDIT: Here is mine. It's pretty good! One Suggestion. Just try to lable the trainer sprites so it's easier to find ;)
http://i13.tinypic.com/4cu9a15.jpg
It's cool!

Sui Kune · 18th March 2007, 04:34 PM

Oh wow, this is awesome. o.o I especially love the different options for the Pokemon sprites.

I do have a suggestion, though: if possible, could there be an option to have no Trainer sprite, so people like me could just edit their own sprite in without having to submit it for everyone to use? Probably a stupid suggestion, but I had to say. ^^;