What represents "Interact" better? A pointed finger, or an open hand?

Started by KodiakBehr, Sun 09/10/2011 18:52:01

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Eggie

An open hand that turns into a finger when it's active?
Actually, no. No, that leads to ambiguity as to which finger you use.

I'd say open hand all the way, it could mean more things. And it can go into a bunched up little fist when it's not over a hotspot, I love that. Why is it so angry? Aggressively not interacting with all that grass and shit. Priceless!

selmiak

in case we're talking about a domino simulator a finger would be better, but otherwise, yeah I'm for an open hand too.
But then, when using one item with another the hand should hold the selected item...

Igor Hardy

And now I'm going to propose a brilliant alternative concept that nobody came up with yet...  A fist!


Snarky

I don't like the open hand cursor that e.g. comes with AGS by default, partly because it's so hard to tell where the hotspot is, but also because the hand is just there, it isn't doing anything. I like a reaching hand better than a pointing finger for Interact, though.

Babar

If you have pick-up, then you shouldn't use the open hand. Otherwise, I guess it works.

However, you should clearly mark (with a red pixel?) which part of the hand you have to click over the object.

If you choose the centre of the palm, it could get annoying, especially for small objects, because it hides what the object is.

You could have the active area of the mouse cursor the index finger, but then in that case.....you might as well be using the pointed hand in the first place.

It's a vicious circle :P.
The ultimate Professional Amateur

Now, with his very own game: Alien Time Zone

Turtiathan

a pointed finger that becomes an open hand when it's over something that you can interact with

ShiverMeSideways

Why not something like this?



With the entirety of human language at your disposal, why bother with the symbolistics of pretty pictures? This is why children don't read anymore! :=

kconan

  I like a swiss army knife for an "all purpose" interact icon.  A grasping hand icon makes sense if the character should be grabbing an object.

 

Igor Hardy

Quote from: ShiverMeSideways on Mon 10/10/2011 04:50:04
Why not something like this?



With the entirety of human language at your disposal, why bother with the symbolistics of pretty pictures? This is why children don't read anymore! :=

I'm totally going to use this cursor in my next game!

Radiant


Gudforby

Perhaps it would vary according to what of the swiss army knife tools you would like to use while interacting?

Now THAT'S a game idea.. The Swiss Army dude does adventuring

TomatoesInTheHead

I propose this one, to make it really clear to the player what it's for:



But in all seriousness, this problem is just one more reason to use an interface with only two verbs, assigned to left and right click, you don't need any cursors other than one standard cursor (and maybe one "over hotspot"-variation)

Wyz

I'd go for the open hand, but with the back of the hand towards the screen. I feel it's the most natural position for the hand as it is to pick something up or touch a button or whatever. Other then that, I could see shivers cursor working.  :=
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

Ghost


kconan


Tabata

I'd say (for me) gears are a very clearly sign for "interact"  :)

selmiak

really, when I see gears I'm thinking hourglass -> working...

Tabata

... most of the times when I see the hourglass in games, I can't do anything, but wait  ;)

I meant it like this:

but two of the gears would be enough in a game of course,

like in these examples:

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