Mouse Cursors

[Morbus]

I see this screen (http://www.irontowerstudio.com/images/newGui3.jpg) and I see the windows default mouse cursor. So I have to ask: will the game have custom mouse cursors? No custom mouse cursors is something I really hate in games, because they break the immersiveness of the game (I'm serious). More than pretty graphics and whatever, I want to feel I'm playing a game rather than running a program. So, please, pretty please, put in some AoD mouse cursors ok? And maybe make an option to switch bewtween hard and software cursors? Maybe that's asking a bit too much...

 

[Vault Dweller]

It will be changed, of course.

 

[Morbus]

It will be changed, of course.

Thanks

 

[Elhoim]

Care to post some ideas on what would be a nice cursor for the game?

 

[Ander Vinz]

Care to post some ideas on what would be a nice cursor for the game?

gladius

 

[Jedi_Learner]

Care to post some ideas on what would be a nice cursor for the game?

What sort of cursors are you looking for? Loading cursors, like a Hourglass that inverts when the top is empty or a spinning cursor of the Age of Decadence logo similiar to the one in the action RPG game Silver? A sword in a scabbard outside of combat that becomes unsheathed during combat?

 

[Elhoim]

Something like this?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Not quite. We need something more elegant. Something that would actually work with the aiming cursor.

 

[cardtrick]

This is a strangely hard thing to think about. I mean, I like Elhoim's sword alright . . . but it is kind of hard to fit it into the whole "percent chance to hit certain body parts" thing. The Fallout crosshair pointer that you guys are using now is certainly effective, and it doesn't really bother me, but on the other hand it is clearly out of place. The obvious solution of using an archery target style bullseye instead of a gun style crosshair turns out to look pretty stupid (I just played around with it for a while), mostly because there's just no way to make the center transparent while still retaining that archery target look.

Two possibilities come to mind:

1) Use a sword like Elhoim designed for melee weapon targeting, and a fletched arrow for ranged weapon targeting. In each case, the sharp tip of the weapon cursor should be the point on the screen that you want to interact with, and the percent chance to hit should just show up next to that tip in a color that matches the weapon icon closely enough that they look like they belong together. It's not perfect, but it's definitely not anachronistic like the crosshair is, and it's still clear exactly which point you're trying to click on.

2) Use a completely abstract cursor that matches the functionality of the Fallout crosshair, but not the look. For example, a cursor that looks like the letter "X" with an empty hole in the center, textured and colored to match the rest of the interface. This way, you still have the effect of a crosshair, and again it's totally clear which point on the screen you wish the target (the empty center of the X). I may draw up an example of this later on, although I'm sure Elhoim could do it far better if it seems like a good idea.

 

[GiordanoWC]

If it's possible to program two different cursors for Melee & Ranged, you might be able to create a stylized kopesh or gladius for melee and perhaps the iron sights of a crossbow for ranged. I'm not sure how "Thematic" it'd be, but at least it may be a start.

 

[Elhoim]

Not quite. We need something more elegant. Something that would actually work with the aiming cursor.

Heh... I like the sword cursor, but I think it would fit better in a japanese game with small cute sprites...

 

[jeansberg]

It definitely should be a target in my opinion. Maybe a bronze sight or something else that meshes well with the rest of the interface.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

I'd go for something abstract, a simple cross or star design in bronze or iron.

 

[SimpleComplexity]

Care to post some ideas on what would be a nice cursor for the game?

gladius

i concur.

 

[Gosling]

A multiheaded dick for aimed shots.
And a rusted spearhead for everything else.
(Or just a textured customized cursor arrow)

 

[Elhoim]

Let´s see...

From the top of my head I can think of 3 different cursors:

Normal
Target
Loading

What do you suggest for each one?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Not quite. We need something more elegant. Something that would actually work with the aiming cursor.

Heh... I like the sword cursor, but I think it would fit better in a japanese game with small cute sprites...

Exactly.

Normal
Target
Loading

I suggest leaving the target cursor as is - it may not be the best cursor for a "Roman" game, but it's the best target cursor that doesn't require any explanation or guessing. Besides, it's an homage to Fallout.

Now for the normal cursor, I suggest a gladius symbol, done in the style of the target cursor. Try a red outline of this:

Or something like this (you can try both an outline and "full color" in all its rusted glory)

 

[OSK]

For loading, you can't go wrong with a spinning hour glass.

 

[Elhoim]

Let´s see... What do you think of this?

 

[Jedi_Learner]

A lightsabre? :wink:

 

[Claw]

How about a hand for the standard cursor?

For loading, you can't go wrong with a spinning hour glass.

How about a sundial?

I think a sundial would be cool and very original.

 

[Elhoim]

Yeah, it was too thin. :D

Check the other one. But I'm still not 100% sure about it...

 

[kingcomrade]

Swords cursors are more appropriate for Warcraft. I would go with a simple wedge shape, textured for rust if you want.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Let´s see... What do you think of this?

No, the outline only. Make them transparent inside.

 

[Elhoim]

Let´s see... What do you think of this?

No, the outline only. Make them transparent inside.