Graphics Request

[drekmonger]

The idea is that they be used as small abstract images, as a bonus conveying the general ship compliment of a fleet to the user at a glance. If all you really want is an abstract shape, then I'd advocate using the stylized triangle from bdaddy's orginal mock-up.

In addition, since we basically have no real artist, we can use the larger versions as placeholders for ship graphics in various places (the fleet "screen", the battle screen, the sitrep, etc).

Anyway, I'm hoping that someone will eventually come up with something better.

edit: never played wing commander. I suspect the resemblance is due to the fact that I chose generic video game spaceship shapes.

second edit: Looking at the image, it's obvious that I'll have to do touch up work on the images for them to look ok small. If you decide you need these bitmaps as smaller images let me know.

[tsev]

The idea is that they be used as small abstract images, as a bonus conveying the general ship compliment of a fleet to the user at a glance. If all you really want is a triangle, then I'd advocate using the stylized triangle from bdaddy's orginal mock-up.

In addition, since we basically have no real artist, we can use the larger versions as placeholders for ship graphics in various places (the fleet "screen", the battle screen, the sitrep, etc).

Anyway, I'm hoping that someone will eventually come up with something better.

edit: never played wing commander. I suspect the resemblance is due to the fact that I chose generic video game spaceship shapes.

This might be something that merits further discussion...as to whether or not the icon should show what the fleet consists of.

Can you post these icons as greyscale images? We will color them the color of the empire that owns them. Also, I suggest a solid color outline of the icons.

Oh, and I like the nebulas

[drekmonger]

the grayscales remain at http://www.drektopia.com/fleeticons.rar

Although looking at them now, it appears that "white" isn't at a full 255,255,255 as I orignally intended. If you need them to be pure white or some gray value, give me the RGB code and I'll try to render them as such.

The nebula is one of 512x512 decorations in the same rar as the starfields.

edit: way ahead of you on the outline: All the images have a black outline.

[tsev]

the grayscales remain at http://www.drektopia.com/fleeticons.rar

Although looking at them now, it appears that "white" isn't at a full 255,255,255 as I orignally intended. If you need them to be pure white or some gray value, give me the RGB code and I'll try to render them as such.

The nebula is one of 512x512 decorations in the same rar as the starfields.

edit: way ahead of you on the outline: All the images have a black outline.

I think that in order for the colors to match the empire's color exactly, the majority of the icon will need to be pure white (255,255,255). However, feel free to add some texture and stuff with other shades of grey.

Also, I was thinking of, if we use the method of displaying an icon that represents the makeup of the fleet.....suppose your enemy has a fleet that you know of, but you don't know what kind of ships are in it. We may need an "Unknown" icon to represent this state.

[tsev]

No, we're doing a universe map, with many galaxies. Once you select a galaxy, it opens up a galaxy map where you can select systems. Inside those systems you have planets. When you select planets it shows a regions map, wherein you can select constructed cities. Inside those cities we will need a screen to allow you to subdivide it into zones.

Don't forget when you click on individual citizens and you can live out their lives a la the Sims.

[Zanzibar]

Shouldn't we have different ship graphics for each race in the game, or is it a bit too early for that sort of thing??

[jbarcz1]

This might be something that merits further discussion...as to whether or not the icon should show what the fleet consists of.
Oh, and I like the nebulas

I personally agree with tsev. I'd probably be confused by it. When I see the colony icon I would tend to think "Aha! defenseless colony ships! Scramble three of the old Mark Is to have a turkey shoot with them!" I would be very disappointed if it were actually 4 colony ships escorted by a mark IV.


BTW, for those who didn't know, I'm coding the fleet managment window.

[Zanzibar]

Please read this thread for a possible neat idea on where ship design (and thus, graphics) might be headed.

[Aquitaine]

This is an official developer board. Please do not introduce anything from Brainstorming here. There are plenty of ideas on where combat might be headed, but until we actually hold the discussion on where it might be headed, let's not make any assumptions about it that will affect anything else.

Aq

[Impaler]

Perhaps if theirs some way to indicate Addition types of ships Beyond the first most prominent kind. Like a smaller version of the other icons or a plus sign or something. Maybe its just something you need to mouse over the fleet to bring up (I like to see LOTS AND LOTS of info when I mouse over)

[tsev]

Perhaps if theirs some way to indicate Addition types of ships Beyond the first most prominent kind. Like a smaller version of the other icons or a plus sign or something. Maybe its just something you need to mouse over the fleet to bring up (I like to see LOTS AND LOTS of info when I mouse over)

Mouseover info is a high priority in the map design document. I just didn't go into detail about what will be in it.

[tzlaine]

Here is the current progress on the main map and side panel. We need nebulae to spice things up, some more interesting stars, and better icons for pop, industry, research, mining, and farming. Let me know as soon as you can if you have or can make anything along these lines.

Obviously, most of this is just placeholder stuff. The (+1) and (-1) are just there so we can see what they look like (and they should probably be a better color -- I'm no artist), the progress bars are meaningless without anything to produce, etc.

[iamrobk]

IMO it looks a little crowded and hard to understand, but then, I haven't played it yet so I can't judge.

[miu]

I did some fleeticons. Five side-viewed ships that show characteristics of their races,
artnouveu-aestetician/elfish-race ship,
animeish ship from sketching I did before,
bloky-human ship,
cybernetic ship,
parasite/insectoid ship.
Zip file has them in 64x64 and 32x32, 24-bit png files. Tried to make them differ in shapes so that even when in really small resolution they would be recognizeable. Made in freehand/photoshop. I wasnt certain what would be best format to submit these, but they are easily modifiable. I did quite sketching for each of them and though now low res, I have plans to turn those in 3d-models once we get to that point, but for 0.1 I hope these will be suitable enough

I think best ways to show fleet when selected, is by highlighting it, and with little corners to the icons. Problem is that if I put those corners to the same picture with the icon, they'll be tinted to same hue as the icons, which isnt desirable effect. Should the corners be codedrawn? or with another picture that has hole inside in which center these fleeticons would be drawn? other ideas?

Picture to show them all: http://users.evtek.fi/~k0201783/fleeticonsall_small.png
Icons on the map in the spirit of drekmonger: http://www.evtek.fi/~k0201783/fleeticonsmap.png
zip: http://www.evtek.fi/~k0201783/fleeticons.zip

.Miu

[Tyreth]

Those icons look pretty nice miu