Topic: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)

[abstauber]

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It is getting somewhere.

Feel free to add bunnies, chairs and stuff on a separate layer

[selmiak]

I started pushing some pixels for the gIconbar, I'm coming at you CC 

[selmiak]

did I kill this thread? I made an iconbar in pixels, I hope this is killer

[CaesarCub]

It's a great icon bar, the eye and the hand for some reason scream "horror game" in my mind.

[selmiak]

The longer I look at that handthe more it looks like en elephant or a weird junk of pixels, but then I see the hand again 
I wasn't sure if I should add these veins to the eye or not, but since that red color was left over I added it 

[selmiak]

just a note for everyone following this thread but not all the competitions in the form, voting on the iconbar icons has begun already, get you vote in today, it is very easy to do so
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54738.msg636560696#msg636560696

[selmiak]

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest for the iconbar of the template, namely Bulbapuck, CaesarCub, cat, Danvzare, Gurok, Jim Reed, selmiak and TGames. In a tough race CaesarCub won with this entry:

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http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54738.msg636561403#msg636561403



2nd place:
selmiak

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3rd place
cat

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Some quotes from the contest thread that would fit here better

Maybe we could talk about what we liked most about them both. Like the briefcase from selmiak's as well as the border. And the options icon from Caesar Cub's.
It's just an idea. Feel free to ignore it if you think it's stupid.

That's a great idea, Danvzare!
Can we combine your idea and selmiaks? i.e. Have a run off on the top three entries, then combine whatever the top two entries are.

Do you mean Davzares's entry of CC's entry?

I'm glad there is no C:\> in the winning entry and it already has all the different button states, a well deserved winning entry.

IDK if mentioned already, I've noticed some iconbars contain "C:\>", a reference to DOS command prompt. I wonder if Unix users will like these .

Hahaha. Well, when I did the first iconbar I put the C:\> and the disks because I was thinking retro, and all the older games were for DOS, but after a chat I thought it was a good idea to replace them with more modern icons (after all, kids these days don't know what C:\> is and they have never seen a floppy disk).
That is the reasoning behind doing a backpack instead of a briefcase. I don't see many people using briefcases now a days, maybe a box or a bag like the one cat made are better suited. A pouch just seemed too medieval.

I like CaesarCub's icon bar, it has such a nice retro vibe that totally fits AGS and can be used for a wide range of games.
My icon bar, on the other hand, simulates a modern Windows tile view and is probably most useful for Sci-Fi games, but nothing retro. Still, I'm glad that so many people like it
[...]
If you want to use any of my icons to improve other template versions, please just go ahead!

So CC's winning entry shall define the colorscheme of the rest of this template (Skinned sierra). It is the one we defined in this very thread, which is a nice touch I think.

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while we were jamming CC also made some icons already:

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these are coming from the silver palette that was en vogue for a moment there. Also some icons are missing. Shall we tackle the mouse cursor icons next?

Mouse Cursors
*Walk To
*Look at
*Interact
*Talk To
*use Inv
*Pick up
*Pointer
*Wait
*Usermode 1 (Walk to Sprite)
*Usermode 2 (Walk to Sprite)


Do we need a contest or do we jam on CC's already made Icons and expand it and make it fit the yellowish palette? Or do we just make CC do all the missing icons and then lock him back in the closet until there are more pixeljobs available?

Also feel free to further discuss combining various entries from the gIconbar contest and preferably post a picture of what you mean already

[Danvzare]

Also feel free to further discuss combining various entries from the gIconbar contest and preferably post a picture of what you mean already

Alright then, I'll post a picture of what I meant. Here's a quick mockup of combining all the parts I liked of the winning entries:

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Personally I think it could be improved a bit, the hand could be simplified, and the save and load icons could be given a bit more detail. But you get the idea.
I mostly prefer CaesarCub's entry, but there's a few things here and there from selmiak's and cat's entries that I think would really spice things up.
I really want to know what combinations other people have in their heads. Who knows, maybe I chose a particular icon that no one likes.

[CaesarCub]

So CC's winning entry shall define the colorscheme of the rest of this template (Skinned sierra). It is the one we defined in this very thread, which is a nice touch I think.

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I used that palette because it was the base palette we had. I didn't mean to be THE palette.

I personally would desaturate the blue:

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Or maybe change it for a different color altogether:

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Those mouse icons are made using the first iconbar, so I should make an updated version. And while there are more mouse icons in the Template, I don't think they are being used at all, that's why I did not make new versions of those.

Alright then, I'll post a picture of what I meant. Here's a quick mockup of combining all the parts I liked of the winning entries:

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While I like Selmiak's hand icon a lot, we should try to see how it works without all the shading, since the shape and depth is generated with that.
The inventory icon should also be reworked into the style (this one is easier), though I still think a box or something more like cat's bag should be more contemporary.
My idea of the active inventory icon was to leave it empty, so the item could occupy as much space as possible.
With the load and save icons, I went for a folder on my second version, because people now a days have no idea what a floppy disk is. This is the same reason I reworked the C:\> into a power button.

When I have some free time I'll see about making some variations and update the cursors.

[Snarky]

Alright then, I'll post a picture of what I meant. Here's a quick mockup of combining all the parts I liked of the winning entries:

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Not too keen on this. I find Selmiak's hand hard to read (it looks like some weird flipper to me, or maybe some kind of shell), and the extreme perspective really doesn't match the other icons (particularly given the flat-on suitcase), I prefer folders to floppies, and the negative-space thing on the arrows worked in cat's treatment because it was strictly monochrome – I don't think it works at all in color.

Like I said in the voting thread, the inventory icon is difficult because there's no good general-purpose "container" symbol, but I agree with CaesarCub that cat's "shopping bag" is probably the best. It's easy to read (unlike the backpack and even the suitcase) and it's fairly clear what it represents.

Personally I think this:

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... with a version of cat's inventory icon is a great set.

[CaesarCub]

Have a collection of Inventory buttons I don't feel completely good about, and the talk one with "!?" written on it

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[selmiak]

I like #2 and #7

#4 looks like homer s.

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[cat]

I like the talk button with "!?".

From the inventory icons I cannot read #3, #4 and #7, only #2, #5 and #6 are clear to me.

The hand icon still gives me some Mickey Mouse vibe.

[Snarky]

I think #5 is the best, though it could still use a bit more tweaking (particularly to make the handles stand out more clearly). The problem with #7 is that if you don't already know that it's a box so that you can interpret the geometry, it can be completely mystifying. And the suitcase just feels awfully anachronistic to me, particularly with those protectors on the corners: I literally don't think I've ever seen those outside of old movies.

That said, given that most game makers will design their own UI, it's not really such big a deal.

[Danvzare]

I like #2, #5, and #6.
Although it seems to me as though most people aren't too fond of the suitcase, and for pretty good reasons. So maybe it might be best not to choose the suitcase.

I also rather like the "!?" in the speech bubble. It really spices it up.
I'm not so sure about the desaturated blue though. Hmm... maybe it just needs to grow on me. 

With the load and save icons, I went for a folder on my second version, because people now a days have no idea what a floppy disk is. This is the same reason I reworked the C:\> into a power button.

While not everyone knows what a floppy disk is anymore, you can't argue that it's become the universal symbol for saving. I feel as though folder's are a bit more abstract in that regard.

[selmiak]

The washed out blue colorscheme is nice, the other one is very bright. And stonewashed jeans are just sexy!

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I added the ?! to the talk to icon. looks more crowded now.
changed the inventory icon, I like the suitcase.
Then I flipped the hand. I'm righthanded, looks more natural to me with the thumb on this side.
Also I changed the outline color of the toprow set, this seems easier on the eyes to me.

[selmiak]

any opinions on that latest iteration?
Shall we start with a new menu screen?
With a contest or just in this thread?

[Danvzare]

any opinions on that latest iteration?
Shall we start with a new menu screen?
With a contest or just in this thread?

I like it. The colours are a little too washed out for my tastes, and I'm still somewhat more fond of a floppy disc. But I think the former is simply because I need to let it grow on me, and the latter is just personal preference. So just ignore that.

As for what should happen next.
I uh... don't know. It might be a good idea to start a new thread though.

[Snarky]

I like the flipped hand. Still don't like the suitcase. To really judge the colors I'd have to see it in a game.

[CaesarCub]

I like the flipped hand. Still don't like the suitcase. To really judge the colors I'd have to see it in a game.

My bad, I'm left handed XD


As for what happens next, I guess we should start making the new template. Maybe fork/create a new one on github, and put the new parts we have.
Check what things are missing and if the code should be updated or cleaned up a little.

I remember someone offered to recolor the new Roger so he looked less like the Sierra Roger, if that is done, we could add that, and see what is missing.

Personally I think it would be nice to make new fonts and custom sliders as well.
I for one think it would be a good idea to add a GUI for the Quit menu, because the first thing I have gotten stuck with when I first started with AGS was not knowing where the Quit menu was so I could personalise it.