Custom Arcade Unit

Step 1.

The first thing you need to do is download the Arcade Tutorial Pack, unzip and open up both of the .psd files that are inside of it.

Step 2.

Next you'll need to find an image that you'll want to use for the arcade unit. In this example I've used an image of a model in some lingerie, because the arcade unit will be used for a game called "Cat Fight" which pits two scantily clad babes in a death match, mortal combat style. I've included the image I'm going to use in the download pack. If you'd like to use your own image, that's fine. Or just go ahead and open up the "chick.jpg" image that's included in the download.

Step 3.

Go ahead and copy the image you're going to use to your clip board. Do this by pressing Ctrl + A to select all, then pressing Ctrl + C to copy it.

Minimize the image, as we'll need to use it again a couple more times. Now move over to the .psd file called "arcade.psd". This is where we'll set up most of our images.

Step 4.

Once the arcade.psd layer is active, create a new layer. And press Ctrl + V to paste your image onto the new layer.

Step 5.

Drop the opacity of this layer down to 30 Percent.

Using the move tool, position your image over top of piece of the arcade unit that will be the side.

Make sure that the image covers the entire area of the arcade unit's side piece. If you need to resize the image, press Ctrl + T to open up the transform tool, and drag one of the corner nodes while holding shift (this restrains the proportions so you don't distort your image.)

Step 6.

Once you're happy with the position press and hold Ctrl and click on the layer that contains the side of the arcade unit (the layer named "layer 1" in the .psd file).

This will make a selection of arcade unit's side piece:

Step 7.

Now go ahead and bring the opacity of the layer with our image on it back up to 100 percent. Go to "select->inverse" to invert the selection, and tap "delete" to delete everything that we won't need.

Step 8.

Now deselect by hitting Ctrl + D, then select everything with Ctrl + A and copy it to your clipboard, with Ctrl + C.

Step 9.

Okay now we're going to jump over to the other .psd file, and apply the side of our arcade unit. So go ahead and maximize the "arcade_unit_blank.psd" file. Create a new layer above the layer named "side panel"

Press Ctrl + V to paste in the image onto this layer.

Step 10.

Okay, now the magic begins. Press Ctrl + T to open up the free transform tool. You'll notice that this makes a square around our image with nodes (little boxes) at the four corners.

Now hold down the Ctrl key, and grab the node in the bottom left corner of the image and match it up as best you can with the back bottom corner of the arcade unit.

Do the same with the front bottom corner node. (While holding Ctrl) click on the corner node, and match it up as best you can.

Next grab the top left node of our image, and do your best to match up the top.Use the Top right node to make adjustments as well. Just keep fooling with it, until you get it right on target.

Once you're happy with the position press ENTER/RETURN on your keyboard, to finalize the transformation. You'll notice the free transform box will disappear.

Okay this is a good spot to save your work....

Step 11.

Now open back up the image we're using (in my case it's the "chick.jpg" image), and copy it to the clip board again. (Ctrl + A to select everything, and Ctrl + C to copy it). Minimize this image again.

Step 12.

Back to the arcade.psd file (the one with all the flattened pieces of our arcade unit.) Create a new layer, and once again paste the image (Ctrl + V) onto a new layer.

Drop the opacity down to 30 percent again, so we can see what we're doing.

And again just like before using the Move Tool (press V on the keyboard to select this tool) position the image over top of the front panel (where the coin slots will be).

Once you're happy with the position hold down the Ctrl key and click on the layer with the front piece of the arcade (this will be the layer named "layer 2").

This will make a selection out of the front piece of our arcade unit.

Go to "select->inverse" to invert the selection and tap "delete" to delete everything that we won't need.

Step 13.

Now bring the opacity of this layer back up to 100 percent.

Step 14.

Press Ctrl + A to select everything, and press Ctrl + C to copy the clipped image to the clipboard.

Step 15.

Now lets go back to the "blank_arcade_unit.psd" file again, and create a new layer about the layer named "base/front".

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on this new layer, press Ctrl + V to paste in the image for this piece of the arcade unit.

Step 16.

Just like before press Ctrl + T on your keyboard to open up the free transform tool.

Start with the bottom left corner, hold down the Ctrl key, and match it up with the corner of the arcades front/base corner

Next match up the bottom right corner of the arcade

Once you're happy with the position, go ahead and press ENTER/RETURN on your keyboard to complete the transformation.

This is a good spot to save your work.

Step 17.

Alright, maximize your full image again (in my case it's "chick.jpg") and copy it to the clip board again. Ctrl + A to select everything, and Ctrl + C to copy it to the clipboard, and minimize this window again.

Step 18.

Go back to the "arcade.psd" file create a new layer, and press Ctrl + V to paste the image into the new layer. And drop the opacity down to 30 percent.

Step 19.

Press 'V' on your keyboard to get out the move tool, and move the image over what will be the front top piece of our arcade

Step 20.

Once you're happy with the position, go ahead and hold down Ctrl and click on the layer with the arcade front piece in it. (this is the layer named "layer 3")

This will make a selection of the arcade top front piece:

Go to "select->Inverse" to invert the selection. And tap "delete" on your keyboard to delete the section of the image that we don't need.

Bring the opacity of this layer back up to 100 percent.

Step 21.

Press Ctrl + A to select everything inside of this layer, and press Ctrl + C to copy it to the clip board. Minimize this window and move back to our working "blank_arcade_unit.psd" file.

Step 22.

Create a new layer directly above the layer named "top/font"

Step 23.

Press Ctrl + V to paste the image onto this new layer

Step 24.

And just like we've done before, press Ctrl + T to open up the free transform tool. And while holding down Ctrl grab the node in the bottom left corner of our image, and match it up as best you can with the bottom left corner of the arcade units top front piece:

Next do the same with the bottom right corner of the piece:

and do the same with the top left corner, and the top right corners of the image....

Once you're happy with the position press ENTER/RETURN on your keyboard to complete the transformation.

The entire arcade unit should now look like this:

Pretty nifty if I do say so myself.

Step 25.

Now you'll just use the same techniques to apply a screen to our game. Just use the techniques I've taught you in the previous steps to create the screen for the arcade.

Just make sure you paste your image directly under the layer named "shine" and directly above the layer named "gameScreen".

Here's what I ended up with:

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial, and have learned some things about using the free transform tool to add realistic perspectives to your images.