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Author Topic: Why does everyone use the default graphics?  (Read 16408 times)

Triaxx2

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #165 on: February 21, 2013, 09:36:27 pm »

Good idea. I've been trying to think 'Floor>Wall' = 'Input>Output'.
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Bumber

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #166 on: February 21, 2013, 09:47:54 pm »

I don't use the default graphics because they're not very easy on the eyes. Dat contrast. I prefer Pheobus'.
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jstead

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #167 on: February 21, 2013, 10:13:55 pm »

I played nethack with ASCII for a couple years before I found out about Dwarf Fortress, so I was more comfortable with the graphics than most. That being said, when I telnet to nethack.alt.org I am playing with my nice terminal font; the default ASCII tileset in Dwarf Fortress is quite a step back from that. So I went onto the wiki and found a nice square tileset I liked and tweaked my colours while I was at it. All ASCII. The tileset I went with had diagonal wall corners, because it makes a lot more sense than right angles.

I wasn't totally happy with the tileset though, so I continually altered it, by just a few pixels each time, until I eventually got to what I have now. So now I have something that I feel delivers the visual information of the game in the best possible way, but in no small part because it's a way that I'm intensely familiar with; I don't doubt others find curses to be the best way for them, due to their familiarity with it.

On graphics: If you can cope with items and terrain features being represented by images of completely unrelated things, if you think that it's worth it to have grass that looks like grass and whatever else your graphical pack does? Well that's just fine. But it's simply not possible to convey the same amount of (unambiguous) visual information with a graphical pack as it is with ASCII, and for that reason I will never use one.

I don't use the default graphics because they're not very easy on the eyes. Dat contrast. I prefer Pheobus'.

Yeah, this is mostly due to the fact that the default colours are pulled straight from the HTML standard and are probably intended to be set against white. Modders have created much better colour schemes that are more in keeping with the theme of the game and won't make you go blind (if you're interested).
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Bumber

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #168 on: February 22, 2013, 04:26:11 am »

Yeah, this is mostly due to the fact that the default colours are pulled straight from the HTML standard and are probably intended to be set against white. Modders have created much better colour schemes that are more in keeping with the theme of the game and won't make you go blind (if you're interested).
I don't suppose those can change things like snow covered grass being a bunch of white dots on a black background? I think what I might be looking for is a tileset with backgrounds. Something like this:
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/File:Df_screen1.png
« Last Edit: February 22, 2013, 04:28:50 am by Bumber »
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A wizard has turned you into a wagon. This was inevitable (Y/y)?

jstead

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #169 on: February 22, 2013, 08:20:06 pm »

Well if you wanted to do it yourself, it looks like the tileset you're referring to has a 50% opacity layer under the actual tiles (which is pale brown for some reason?). I think with opacity that high it wouldn't play nice with background colours all the time, but other than that probably the only problem you would create is that all text would have boxes around it. Personally I don't like the look because everything is very clearly segmented into little game squares.

edit:

You could also just turn down your screen brightness. I have sensitive eyes so I altar my brightness to match the light level in the room.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2013, 08:23:37 pm by jstead »
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joeclark77

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #170 on: February 22, 2013, 08:25:15 pm »

The screenshots of Grim Fortress look pretty good.  I'll try it next time I play.
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Bumber

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Re: Why does everyone use the default graphics?
« Reply #171 on: February 22, 2013, 11:02:22 pm »

Well if you wanted to do it yourself, it looks like the tileset you're referring to has a 50% opacity layer under the actual tiles (which is pale brown for some reason?). I think with opacity that high it wouldn't play nice with background colours all the time, but other than that probably the only problem you would create is that all text would have boxes around it. Personally I don't like the look because everything is very clearly segmented into little game squares.

edit:

You could also just turn down your screen brightness. I have sensitive eyes so I altar my brightness to match the light level in the room.
I think my issue might actually be more with busyness than contrast. Specifically the fact that the ground is a complete mess of dots everywhere. It causes my eyes to fixate on the individual points. The background helps them flow into each other more gently. I can live with boxes (or true type.)

It's probably pale brown to make it more realistic (Warning: TV Tropes.)

Edit: I've gotten used to the tileset now. Only issue I have is that I can't tell a guineafowl from a goblin at a glance, as I would be able to with a graphic tileset.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2013, 06:08:07 pm by Bumber »
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Reading his name would trigger it. Thinking of him would trigger it. No other circumstances would trigger it- it was strictly related to the concept of Bill Clinton entering the conscious mind.

THE xTROLL FUR SOCKx RUSE WAS A........... DISTACTION        the carp HAVE the wagon

A wizard has turned you into a wagon. This was inevitable (Y/y)?
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