Create the NS2 minimap icons

Runteh

I think you'll soon realise when one of your team mates suddenly turns into some claw marks, or an alien into bullets. They will also stop moving.

I know things have to be intuitive, but you are guys are taking it too far.

You also have to remember the icons will be telling a story as they move about the map, you'll see aliens confront marines and then icons change. It really will not be a problem.

If they were static however, it would be.

I have sent this off to UWE, waiting on feedback. I know when they get close they could begin to 'blend' but I think with icons this size and in greyscale, it is always going to be a problem. I'll see what I can do though.

<img src="http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/5571/marinemap.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Asraniel

nice. Some icons might need some work, for example the fade. But i like the overall style.

Tig

here's where i'm goin with mine. 5 color with transparency.

<img src="http://www.nicholashillyard.com/images/ns2_skyfalls/minimap_icons_nkh_large.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Runteh

I know the Fade doesn't look like it is moving forward, it is swiping. But the point is that you can see a massive 'claw' so can quickly see 'ah, that is for sure a fade'.

Same for some of the others, for instance the Crag/Whip/Hydra are all side shots. I guess it does not matter so much as they have 360 attacks. But from above they look nondescript.

Also, as soon as you see anything with text on it tells you - 'time to worry'. Because you know they have gone up a tier, or have got an advanced armoury.

EDIT: Just seen your post TIG. Is that in 300 DPI? Drop it to 72 for our monitors :P I like the way you have done the different Tiers.

Tig

runteh have you tried making those into 32 x 32?

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1826075:date=Jan 21 2011, 08:09 PM:name=Runteh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runteh @ Jan 21 2011, 08:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826075"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I know the Fade doesn't look like it is moving forward, it is swiping. But the point is that you can see a massive 'claw' so can quickly see 'ah, that is for sure a fade'.

Same for some of the others, for instance the Crag/Whip/Hydra are all side shots. I guess it does not matter so much as they have 360 attacks. But from above they look nondescript.

Also, as soon as you see anything with text on it tells you - 'time to worry'. Because you know they have gone up a tier, or have got an advanced armoury.

EDIT: Just seen your post TIG. Is that in 300 DPI? Drop it to 72 for our monitors :P<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

sorry, thats my workin res, it will be accurate when it gets dropped to 72 32x32 (easier workflow for me to overlay high res model captures)

edit: and thank you, i was going to rip you off but i remembered a graphic design professor yelling at me and telling me that an icon isn't an icon if you have to use letters (not saying i don't like your idea, i do, i think its easy to understand).

Runteh

Those are in 32x32 on that image. I know it doesn't look it, but they are.

Funny how placing them on a larger frame and further apart makes them look bigger.

Here they are:

<img src="http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4544/joniconspsd.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

16x16 (Text = No)

<img src="http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9379/1616m.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

aeroripper

Call me strange, but I like the look of the old NS1 minimap because:

1) Marines are blue, kharra are orange. I liked it how it distinguished the color differences between teams.
2) The old style also matched the team colors on the scoreboard, and were both unified. At least when an enemy player had LOS of the enemy. Otherwise it was greyscale.
3) Having green and red for the minimap may make it more readable, but it isn't as interesting in my opinion than the old color scheme. Obviously readability is very important (especially for newer players), but I think the old color scheme looks better.

You probably don't need a lot of detail for the icon (especially at 32x32), just the highly visible silhouette outline.

For reference:

<a href="http://img638.imageshack.us/i/ns1minimap.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/5668/ns1minimap.th.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

TuTLook

Marine [player]icons should be the same from NS1, IMO. Which means using the same circle-with-an-arrow-or-whatever-it-was-indicating-the-direction-he-is-aiming. For HAs it could be a square instead of a circle. For JPs, maybe a triangle...

For dead teammates/enemies, why not a green/red (a little bit faded) "X" ?

McGlaspie

@Tig: Nice Tig. I like where you're going with those. The armory icons are particularly good at getting the point across, imo. The boxes around the CS and Hives seems, awkward. Regardless, good work and well done. *thinks* What about applying the dashed line method to the icon itself? Instead of the border/box surrounding it? Hmm, not sure how that would look once resized.


@Runteh: Your Fade icon is confusing imo. The other aliens are perfect examples of their profile. The Fade just doesn't mesh with them. The Marine icon kind of shares the same problem as the Fade, but it's no where near as pronounced. Did you just capture a screen of each model and do an outline/overlay of them? Also, using the text in the icons isn't very user friendly (for new players). Again, this is all my own opinion. I'm not trying to state anything like it's a fact.

Runteh

<!--quoteo(post=1826080:date=Jan 22 2011, 01:17 AM:name=aeroripper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (aeroripper @ Jan 22 2011, 01:17 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826080"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Call me strange, but I like the look of the old NS1 minimap because:

1) Marines are blue, kharra are orange. I liked it how it distinguished the color differences between teams.
2) The old style also matched the team colors on the scoreboard, and were both unified.
3) Having green and red for the minimap may make it more readable, but it isn't as interesting in my opinion than the old color scheme. Obviously readability is very important (especially for newer players), but I think the old color scheme looks better.

You probably don't need a lot of detail for the icon (especially at 32x32), just the highly visible silhouette outline.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

They can change the colour scheme to whatever they like. I sent grey scale files to them, and they can just layer lock them and change them to whatever colour they like.

juice

This is great, there is even collaboration and sharing of ideas between people.

McGlaspie

<!--quoteo(post=1826080:date=Jan 21 2011, 08:17 PM:name=aeroripper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (aeroripper @ Jan 21 2011, 08:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826080"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Call me strange, but I like the look of the old NS1 minimap because:

1) Marines are blue, kharra are orange. I liked it how it distinguished the color differences between teams.
2) The old style also matched the team colors on the scoreboard, and were both unified.
3) Having green and red for the minimap may make it more readable, but it isn't as interesting in my opinion than the old color scheme. Obviously readability is very important (especially for newer players), but I think the old color scheme looks better.

You probably don't need a lot of detail for the icon (especially at 32x32), just the highly visible silhouette outline.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->You're strange.
...
I agree with you about the color schemes of NS1. It just makes things blend better. Going this route also allows for existing icons to be changed to red when something dies. Or it could blink red when something is taking damage. Yeah, NS1 color scheme definitely is the right way to go imo.

Runteh

<!--quoteo(post=1826084:date=Jan 22 2011, 01:25 AM:name=McGlaspie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (McGlaspie @ Jan 22 2011, 01:25 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826084"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->@Tig: Nice Tig. I like where you're going with those. The armory icons are particularly good at getting the point across, imo. The boxes around the CS and Hives seems, awkward. Regardless, good work and well done. *thinks* What about applying the dashed line method to the icon itself? Instead of the border/box surrounding it? Hmm, not sure how that would look once resized.


@Runteh: Your Fade icon is confusing imo. The other aliens are perfect examples of their profile. The Fade just doesn't mesh with them. The Marine icon kind of shares the same problem as the Fade, but it's no where near as pronounced. Did you just capture a screen of each model and do an outline/overlay of them? Also, using the text in the icons isn't very user friendly (for new players). Again, this is all my own opinion. I'm not trying to state anything like it's a fact.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The default fade from above looks a little goofy and nondescript - the fade is recognisable in game by his big claws. I always thought it looked odd when moving about the minimap in NS1. Unfortunately from above you can't see his big claws.

I let the editor run through some animations, and took snaps when the claw was poking out. I think the icon also has more movement in it, because I snapped them during an animation (similar to the other alien icons I have done).

The icons are designed to be communicative and unique from one another, and as soon as you see the claw on the map - you will know what it is.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, as soon as you see anything with text on it tells you - 'time to worry'. Because you know they have gone up a tier, or have got an advanced armoury.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That is my reasoning for the text. Also you will find that all the building upgrades don't change in form.

It basically adds (the armoury for example) two more icons to remember, that don't look much different from one another and everything starts looking the same.

You are right though, perhaps a +2 +3 might better. If there is anything you can think of just pen it down and i'll have a go.

jamieshepherd

Starting to like Tigs too, I don't think Runteh's work though.. just an outline or silhouette just doesn't look good enough for me =/ the small pixel art style icons seem much more appropriate

luns

<!--quoteo(post=1826080:date=Jan 22 2011, 01:17 AM:name=aeroripper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (aeroripper @ Jan 22 2011, 01:17 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826080"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Call me strange, but I like the look of the old NS1 minimap because:

1) Marines are blue, kharra are orange. I liked it how it distinguished the color differences between teams.
2) The old style also matched the team colors on the scoreboard, and were both unified. At least when an enemy player had LOS of the enemy. Otherwise it was greyscale.
3) Having green and red for the minimap may make it more readable, but it isn't as interesting in my opinion than the old color scheme. Obviously readability is very important (especially for newer players), but I think the old color scheme looks better.

You probably don't need a lot of detail for the icon (especially at 32x32), just the highly visible silhouette outline.

For reference:

<a href="http://img638.imageshack.us/i/ns1minimap.png/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/5668/ns1minimap.th.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

1+
couldn't agree more, simple and effective. It doesn't clutter up the minimap and each icon only represents only the important things needed to see on the map. Plus, vents, names and location all outlined perfectly. please listen to this person!

Mr. Epic

I like the concept of supernorn and tig's attempts (particularly tig's latest), that sort of stylized detail looks great and allows for a good balance between the perceptual properties of shape and texture. I really like the quality of the shapes in Runteh's silhouettes, some of those work really well, but at the resolution we expect and given the conditions NS demands (like many overlapping elements, some similar shapes, etc...) a textured icon is an absolute must. NS1's map was great, it wasn't annoying (color wise) and it wasn't under-informative(detail and texture in the icons)- I say designing the ns2 map in the spirit of the original's is the way to go.

IronHorse

something important to consider:
Marines are defined by their <i>weapons </i>and Aliens by their <i>class</i>.
currently all your designs show which alien class is being used by the enemy, whereas the marines are still just one icon denoting a marine and not whether or not he has a flame thrower. huge handicap here.

i recommend NOT drawing a jp marine, a heavy marine, a flame throwing marine , a gl marine etc etc etc
and instead original circle with an arrow showing which direction for <i>your </i>team and the enemy team is a simple red dot.

Kouji_San

I definitely like the stylized and clean look icons in here!


Good stuff!

Jaweese

I managed to make one icon...
<a href="http://img143.imageshack.us/i/extractoricon.jpg/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2308/extractoricon.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
then I gave up :(

EDIT: Oh, and I like Triggerman's icons!

monopolowa

<img src="http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/9025/ns2mapicons.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Here's my attempt at doors...I went for the top-down approach, and included the locked/welded icons separately in case doors need to be displayed at different angles

Magneto

I just realized something i hadn't really thought about before, should we even know all the details of the enemy team if they're out of sight?

Perhaps it was like this in ns1, i forget, but shouldn't there be a fog of war for when stuff is not in visual/detection range of your team?

By default marines and aliens should have a simple nondescript icon, then when anyone comes into contact the icon changes to their type, so we don't know as onos is coming until its in visual or detection range, also beyond a certain distance nothing should be detected without a radar type structure.

If a player sees an enemy structure and walks off we should only have a ghost image of what was there, until of course its in view again, i suspect it might of been like this in ns1 but if not it really should be in ns2 to make game play more interesting, we shouldn't have intel on enemy positions and structures without the right upgrades or contact.

smokeybeef

<!--quoteo(post=1826178:date=Jan 22 2011, 05:09 AM:name=monopolowa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (monopolowa @ Jan 22 2011, 05:09 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826178"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><img src="http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/9025/ns2mapicons.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I really like those doors, they are simple and clear. Should make sense to newbies.

<!--quoteo(post=1826197:date=Jan 22 2011, 09:00 AM:name=Magneto)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Magneto @ Jan 22 2011, 09:00 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826197"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I just realized something i hadn't really thought about before, should we even know all the details of the enemy team if they're out of sight?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

If it is like NS1, the map will only show icons of things that are currently being scanned or are in visual range of you or your teammates.

Harimau

<!--quoteo(post=1826075:date=Jan 22 2011, 09:09 AM:name=Runteh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runteh @ Jan 22 2011, 09:09 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826075"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, as soon as you see anything with text on it tells you - 'time to worry'. Because you know they have gone up a tier, or have got an advanced armoury.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--quoteo(post=1826079:date=Jan 22 2011, 09:14 AM:name=Runteh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runteh @ Jan 22 2011, 09:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826079"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->16x16 (Text = No)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Could you just add stars instead of text?
No stars: first tier. As you upgrade it, you add stars.

*
**
etc.

Supernorn

Mock up time!

Basing this mostly off the NS1 minimap because it was pretty good.

<img src="http://blackmage.org/supernorn/mapmock.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Koruyo

I dunno, but wouldnt it be better to just give upgraded structures some color highlight same with commander in cc, dead -marine/-alien/-structure? I wonder whats the use of the nade ;O



Other thing i wanted to say...

Some of you made front-views of doors and structures, while it is ok for some structures => if you dont see a way to make a top down view that "works" - its pretty stupid for doors. Doesnt feel right(imagine them on a map view/minimap) - at least for me :( (Even if they look sexy, like they all look in this thread)


PS: WOAHHHH NICE JOB SUPERNORN!!!!! - but a bit too cute and comical for my taste... (at least the gorge and big head marines ^^)

Harimau

I'm not a fan of the marine player icons. They look so bulky, and kinda look like resource towers. What actually gives away that they're marines, for me, is the 'flashlight' area of vision thing.
Also, the untapped resource nodes don't look symmetrical (by rotation).
CC and extractor icons seem to have <b>too much</b> detail, such that I can't tell straight away what they are.
Seems to be mostly circles or squares, no strongly identifiable silhouettes.
Skulk and Lerk have good silhouettes, although I can't agree with the shape of the skulk.
IMO you could have done without some of the detail, especially outlines, and gone with flat colours instead (they'll contrast with the map background anyway). Then again, Runteh's doing that anyway.
I don't even know what that icon under Central Access and in West Wing is.
I hate to criticise so much, 'cause I love the pixel art style, really.

Price

<!--quoteo(post=1826230:date=Jan 22 2011, 05:34 PM:name=Supernorn)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Supernorn @ Jan 22 2011, 05:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826230"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Mock up time!

Basing this mostly off the NS1 minimap because it was pretty good.

<img src="http://blackmage.org/supernorn/mapmock.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
great, i like the old ns1 icons very much, you always know what is what like in your image

CoolCookieCooks

I think the scale of the icons in comparison to the map is totally wrong from these mockups. All of the created icons would look much better if the scale of the map is much bigger to begin with.

jamieshepherd

<!--quoteo(post=1826230:date=Jan 22 2011, 04:34 PM:name=Supernorn)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Supernorn @ Jan 22 2011, 04:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1826230"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Mock up time!

Basing this mostly off the NS1 minimap because it was pretty good.

<img src="http://blackmage.org/supernorn/mapmock.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

This is perfect. Great job