Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Thu Feb 28, 2013 9:59 pm

Gimp wrote:I found some of my old contributions from a previous incarnation of the forums.

Image Image Image Image
Let me know if you find any others and I'll add them in although that :puke: one made me go :wtf:
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by Zigit » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:55 am

Hi- I'd like to help with this project. Here's what I've got so far..
Image

Just resized and cleaned up from the comic...
I'm not sure though how much time I'm going to have in the next couple weeks (sewing projects galore) so I thought I'd post this so people could work on it.

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by WearsHats » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:06 am

What about adding the word "forum" to the banner at the top of the page?


(Still planning to pitch in on icons when I have the time and energy...)
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:45 pm

Hrmm... how about something like this:

Image

(It's still pretty rough, but I like the idea of using things from the comics for the icons, and using the fonts from the comic as well where applicable.) If anyone can improve upon this or can clean up Zigit's awesome little axe more I'd appreciate it. The buttons probably need to be a bit bigger too...
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SccrD25 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:44 pm

*Drool*

Could they maybe have different colors (IMEs) per sub forum?
Or is that too much?

Edit:
And we could vote on the IMEs!
Last edited by SccrD25 on Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:57 pm

That may be technically feasible... but it would most likely be a pain in the ass. We'll probably just go with something that just looks good.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by RocketScientist » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:15 pm

To replace the ones with the hand axe? Yeah, I think those will work nicely. What is the font?

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SccrD25 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:18 pm

SeeAMoose wrote:That may be technically feasible... but it would most likely be a pain in the ass. We'll probably just go with something that just looks good.
Very understandable. Y'all have made a wonderful place so far, thanks for all the work!
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:27 pm

I went with Death rattle, the other primary one used in the comic is anime ace. I'm on a tablet so linking and quoting is a pain, but there are links in the first post of the transcriptions page in the translations forum. I also think the axe really does need to be cleaned up a bit more.

I also wonder how all of these new icons will lock with the current forum theme... we might need a different color scheme and background images in order to make it look good.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:19 am

WearsHats wrote:What about adding the word "forum" to the banner at the top of the page?


(Still planning to pitch in on icons when I have the time and energy...)
I've been thinking about this and I tried my hand at adding a metallic looking "Forum" to the title... but it didn't come out well. I just had a thought though, perhaps we could make "Forum" appear like an IME.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by WearsHats » Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:58 am

I had a thought. Oh no! Duck and cover!

We don't have to base new icons off the existing set. There's no reason that an axe has to be replaced with an axe or a helmet with a helmet or even a round shape with a round shape.

I'd been trying to think of how we could replace the topic shields. Sure, the Shield of Wonder is a cool item which happens to be a circular shield, but it's not something that really suggests too many permutations. I liked the suggestion of Klik instead, but, again, I was at a loss for how to have Klik signify things like which topics you've posted in, which ones have new posts, which ones are stickies, etc. I even considered changing from Kilk to Junior, but couldn't quite see how that would fit in. (Junior for the ones where you've posted, Klik for the ones where you haven't? It doesn't seem right.)

But then, with that realization, I started over. How do most forums signify those things? By changing the icon color and adding glow effects around it. (Incidentally, that's exactly the problem I have with the shields we have now - the "sticky" color looks too much like the "new posts" color.) So what is there in the comic which changes color? MinMax's new armor.

So how about an icon set based off one of MinMax's gauntlets? Have a hand pointing towards the topic. And then have it change color based on the situation. We'd have to choose colors and tints with an eye towards accessibility for colorblind members, but that shouldn't be too hard. Traffic lights have the red tinted a little orange and the green tinted a little blue so as to be clear to red/green colorblind people. I'm sure we could find a way to tint the blue for blue/green colorblind people. Or we could just not use blue.

We could even change the position of the hand. Pointing to the thread if it's one you've posted in, fingers closed if it's one you've never posted in, rotated to point up if it's a sticky. Maybe even add a purple IME glow around the hand if it's a "hot topic" (one with a certain minimum number of replies).

How's that sound? Any other ideas? I can't draw it myself. I might be able to go through all the pages with MinMax wearing the armor, clip out the gestures that seem good, and recolor them. But I'm betting there's someone else here with more skill than I.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by thinkslogically » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:05 am

that would be cool...

the other thing we have is IMEs. Could either use a bunch of different colours like that (e.g. Complains' IME-reading sword) or use eyes (e.g. normal = nothing new; willowed = posted in; IME glow= new posts).

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by WearsHats » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:32 am

Statuses which can (but don't necessarily have to) be indicated:

Threads:

Announcement
Sticky
Locked
Unread posts
You have posted in this thread
Topic moved
Hot topic

Forums:

Unread
Contains subforum (read or unread)

We'd have to have icons to indicate any possible combinations of the above. We could use the same images to indicate sticky or announcement, but we'd still have to have something to indicate a locked announcement thread in which you have posted and which has unread replies since you last checked it.

I kind of like the idea of willowed vs normal eyes in theory. But when I think about it further, I wonder if having a bunch of disembodied eyes (particularly clickable eyes) might start to feel kind of creepy.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by Wolfie » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:06 am

Threads:

Announcement- Complains of Names/Goblin head... yelling
Sticky - Upward facing gauntlet, IME glow for new posts (so Red Gauntlet with a Blue glow would work)
Locked - Chest
Unread posts - Pointed Finger Gauntlet, Green glow or no glow or an Unlocked chest with IME
You have posted in this thread - Closed Gauntlet or Unlocked chest w/o IME
Topic moved - wooden sign with arrow or Klik pointing
Hot topic -(do we really have to have this one?)

Forums:

Unread - Shield of Wonder glowing
Read - Shield of Wonder, dulled
Contains subforum (read or unread) - leave as the glowing dots


We could use Die's arm as a base for the gauntlet.. just color it differently based on which IME we'd like. Or we could use the spear, Axe of Prissan, Name's sword, or Oblivion
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by gamecreator » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:11 am

Most of those statuses can be combined, e.g. sticky unread thread with your posts.

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by WearsHats » Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:39 am

gamecreator wrote:Most of those statuses can be combined, e.g. sticky unread thread with your posts.
Right. Which is why I'd be inclined to go with:

Threads:

Announcement - Red gauntlet
Sticky - Upwards pointing gauntlet
Locked - Lock or chain added to gauntlet
Unread posts - IME glow
You have posted in this thread - Gauntlet finger pointing
Topic moved - The icon is labeled "topic moved," but that doesn't seem to be what triggers it. I think this needs a closer look
Hot topic - I agree. We can do without it.

Forums:

Read: Klik with arms down
Unread - Klik with arms up
Contains subforum (read or unread) - Smaller Junior appears beneath Klik, arms up or down

Which means you can readily combine them as necessary. A stickied topic in which you have posted which has unread replies would be an upwards pointing gauntlet with finger extended and an IME glow.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by gamecreator » Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:45 am

WearsHats wrote:Topic moved - The icon is labeled "topic moved," but that doesn't seem to be what triggers it. I think this needs a closer look
This is the icon of shortcut that will be added to old location. It can't be combined with anything.

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by Wolfie » Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:46 am

gamecreator wrote:
WearsHats wrote:Topic moved - The icon is labeled "topic moved," but that doesn't seem to be what triggers it. I think this needs a closer look
This is the icon of shortcut that will be added to old location. It doesn't combine with anything.
Currently it's a sword over a board
"This is my therapy dragon, she's for my panic attacks. I attack, everyone panics." (Quote found on http://outofcontextdnd.tumblr.com/)

"If I have a +2 strength sword and I stab you, you won't get a +2 strength, you get wounds" ~Sir Butcher

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:17 pm

I'll post something more substantial soon, but I just wanted to say a couple of things.

First, the main reason I've been using similar images for our icons and buttons is that they happen to be around the same size and shape. Being able to make the icons the same size as the existing ones makes my life a lot easier and eliminates a lot of extra work and potential headaches (at least for someone as uninitiated in web design as myself). Second, I am thinking of making some more substantial changes to the theme, and possibly building one from the ground up (or close to it). It has occurred to me that the current background texture and light green theme may not go well with new icons based more closely on things from the comic (which tend to use bolder colors). I would love to hear suggestions about appropriate background textures and images that can work with a variety of colors and other color themes that could match these new icons well.

Also... I kindof want to incorporate one of the little puffball dragonflies from http://www.goblinscomic.com/05072006/ but I have no idea where would be appropriate.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by Wolfie » Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:19 pm

Could they be used as the "new post" signal instead of the dot and arrow we have now?
"This is my therapy dragon, she's for my panic attacks. I attack, everyone panics." (Quote found on http://outofcontextdnd.tumblr.com/)

"If I have a +2 strength sword and I stab you, you won't get a +2 strength, you get wounds" ~Sir Butcher

"How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them." ~Benjamin Franklin

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by SeeAMoose » Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:12 pm

Maybe... but they're pretty tiny.
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by gamecreator » Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:22 pm

They can be "moved thread" icon.

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by WearsHats » Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:51 am

They could replace the board index helmet. Instead, you click that to get an overview (dragonfly eye view?) of the whole forum.

Incidentally, it took me a minute to realize that there was no wristwatch in the last panel of that page.

I still don't get what the sword and shield icon is for. It only appears on one thread (Best Armor thread in Controversy Lite), even though others have been moved but still show the regular icon. Is it the way that thread was moved? Rather than moving the thread, it was copied and then the extra was deleted?

Also, if you're considering starting over, does that mean different size and shape icons are okay, after all? Or would you rather not mess around that much?

Oh, and any chance we can use the temporary boards as a testing ground for new styles?
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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by RocketScientist » Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:47 am

Wears, it's for the shadow topic left behind when a thread has been moved. The moderator moving the thread has the option whether or not to leave one behind so that people who go looking for it in the old place can still find it.

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Re: Work in Progress - New Icons/Imageset

Post by LAYF » Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:11 am

Id like to contribute something to

SOW for you:
Image

Image

Image

Image

hope it's of use...
-Best regards LAYF

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