Icons to define a units traits and resistances

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Melon
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Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Melon »

Here's a (hopefully) original idea that I've had for a while now:
Why not simplify the units description on the right-hand side of the screen using icons? That is to say that instead of writing out words such as "undead", "strong" or "loyal", whichever it is the unit happens to be, the game will draw a single small icon. The said icons will be a simplified representations of the trait that they replace, a crown for loyalty, a skull for the undead. Rolling ones mouse over the icon will reveal further info much in the same way as rolling over the text does now.

What does this accomplish?
It greatly compresses the space used to describe a units traits. I've been noticing for a while now that units with many traits at once will have their list cut off at some point, so instead of getting the full list of traits you will only get the first two or three. This has become increasingly important with the various custom campaigns, factions and eras the community has developed over the years. Since most of these projects use non-standard units to at least some extent, quite a few have their list of traits cut short. The current approach to the situation simply does not allow enough room for an undead, loyal, intelligent, regenerating skirmisher wearing a suit of jewel-encrusted-fire-proof chainmail.

What I suggest:
Using two rows of 16px icons with a couple of pixels in-between will provide us with a maximum of 12 traits.
I suggest using the top row for the units inherent traits and the bottom row for any extra traits the unit picks up over the course of the campaign (For example the suit of armor or the scepter from Hair to the Throne). Aside from that, a few icons can be used at the bottom of the screen to show the units resistances.
The imagery on the icons should be simple and symbolic, so that even someone who is very new to the game might get the gist of what is being said. It may also be a good idea to color-code the major traits.

Here's a quick mock-up of what I've described:
Attachments
icons.png
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eisfrei
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by eisfrei »

The Resistance Icons have been discussed before. I can't find the topic know. But the Icons suggested were White and little and very simply. It wasn't used because a symbol like the hammer can't represent all the possible attacks for impact...
other than that - cool idea. good explaination. great mock-up.
All in all, I like it :)
Possible spin: the second iconrow could just show up, if something was picked up, because it doesn't happen that much and it takes up space.
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eisfrei
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by eisfrei »

Found it:
http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic. ... a&start=15
But it's about the attack types for the attacks - not for the resistences. But you could use them for it aswell.
Sorry :oops:
Last edited by eisfrei on August 26th, 2008, 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ken_Oh
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Ken_Oh »

I'm all for the traits section, but the resistance part cuts into the ever-scarce span of attack description space.
AI
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by AI »

The attacks section already has a max length. Try observing an SX game where a unit gets 4+ attacks, the surplus will simply fall out of the invisible box.

In any case, this would require authors of new traits, abilities and damage types to create images for them...
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Mirion147
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Mirion147 »

Or there could be a universal generic image for user made traits...
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Ken_Oh
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Ken_Oh »

AI wrote:The attacks section already has a max length. Try observing an SX game where a unit gets 4+ attacks, the surplus will simply fall out of the invisible box.
Oh, I thought this was a bug (a bug I was hoping might soon be fixed :( )
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Melon
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Melon »

AI wrote:The attacks section already has a max length. Try observing an SX game where a unit gets 4+ attacks, the surplus will simply fall out of the invisible box.

In any case, this would require authors of new traits, abilities and damage types to create images for them...
You're right, but as Mirion said there could be a generic icon for these sorts of things until they get sorted out, a question mark perhaps. Personally I wouldn't mind doing all the icon myself if there's any sufficient interest. I'd even go ahead and do the icons for the traits in all the more prominent user made-made factions and eras.

As for the resistances, perhaps you're right, there might not be enough space using the current method. There are a few ways around it though that I can think of:
1: Include a scrollbar for the section listing attacks.
2: Include a "more info" button at the bottom that will display the units resistances rather then his attacks.
3: Further simplify the interface and make everything smaller (Not a preferred method as this will make the unit information panel look too cluttered up)
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eisfrei
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by eisfrei »

I don't know whether this is usefull. but I've edited Jetryls small white attack icons for the 6 damage types. (lower ones are the new ones) The only Problem I see is in the "holy" attack wich is know called arkan. But what is it really? Or wich symbol could we use to represent it. Some esoteric symbols like a pentagramm ?? :?:
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Attack Icon Update
Attack Icon Update
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Blarumyrran
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Blarumyrran »

colored icons would be both prettier and more recognizable (especially the orange/blue/white for fire/cold/arcane).
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eisfrei
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by eisfrei »

Syntax_Error wrote:colored icons would be both prettier and more recognizable (especially the orange/blue/white for fire/cold/arcane).
but also bigger...But your right with the colors...
I would vote for a scrollbar if the attack list gets too long.
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Mirion147
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by Mirion147 »

How does that simplify it? your adding another image. If you mean for the image to tell you what the attack will be, why not have the same resistance images?
AI
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by AI »

Ken Oh wrote:
AI wrote:The attacks section already has a max length. Try observing an SX game where a unit gets 4+ attacks, the surplus will simply fall out of the invisible box.
Oh, I thought this was a bug (a bug I was hoping might soon be fixed :( )
I do believe it is a bug, or at least a misfeature.
Melon wrote:
AI wrote:In any case, this would require authors of new traits, abilities and damage types to create images for them...
You're right, but as Mirion said there could be a generic icon for these sorts of things until they get sorted out, a question mark perhaps. Personally I wouldn't mind doing all the icon myself if there's any sufficient interest. I'd even go ahead and do the icons for the traits in all the more prominent user made-made factions and eras.
You making icons for everything would work, but a generic icon would be terribly uninformative.
Melon wrote:As for the resistances, perhaps you're right, there might not be enough space using the current method. There are a few ways around it though that I can think of:
1: Include a scrollbar for the section listing attacks.
2: Include a "more info" button at the bottom that will display the units resistances rather then his attacks.
3: Further simplify the interface and make everything smaller (Not a preferred method as this will make the unit information panel look too cluttered up)
1: Scrollbars in side/top bars/panels are generally a bad idea, they're supposed to be things you quickly get information from
2: A more info button is mostly useless, as hovering your mouse over the hitpoints already gives that info
3: I'm not sure what could be made smaller without making things the needed information harder to see.

hmm, newer posts...
the white icons look good, but I'm indeed not sure what 'arcane' damage should look like...
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eisfrei
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by eisfrei »

I simplified it more IMO. (I know the attack symbols don't match the damage type)
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icons-1.png
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eisfrei
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Re: Icons to define a units traits and resistances

Post by eisfrei »

And a other possibility
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icons-2.png
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