What about adding backgrounds?

Mate · 2013-06-04T20:42:32.000Z

Like you see black dots on green, brown and grey backgrounds, like when there are multiple pieces of the same item are on the same tile.

i2amroy · 2013-06-04T20:45:54.000Z

Isn’t this already in? Items gain a blue background if there are multiple items in the same tile IIRC.

Mate · 2013-06-04T20:54:30.000Z

I mean you wouldn’t see blackness with colorful dots, but colorfulness with black dots.

i2amroy · 2013-06-04T21:12:01.000Z

Máté:

I mean you wouldn’t see blackness with colorful dots, but colorfulness with black dots.

Yes, and as I pointed out it’s already in the game. Multiple items in the same tile turn whatever is on top black while giving it a colored background. (Unless you are talking about single items with multiple charges, in which case I don’t think this would be a good idea due to confusing it with multiple items).

Unless your idea is to invert everything in the game? So normal ground is a black dot on a green field? In that case I’m against it because:
1)It jarrs the eyes with bright colors.
2)Backgrounds are already used to provide some information that would be lost if this was done, namely that which I mentioned above.

Mate · 2013-06-04T21:16:50.000Z

Yeah, the second. Could you at least show a mock up of it? It may look terrible, I’m just not realizing it, but I think it would make the game look better, less dark and maybe it would make seeing enemies easier.

i2amroy · 2013-06-04T22:21:39.000Z

Here’a very quick mockup of an area.

4wjuaYy.png960×800

Not particularly jarring, but it gets on many people’s eyes after a while (especially with areas like lab floors which would look like this:

This also demonstrates my other point rather well. How many people noticed the three blood spots to the left of the road? What about the two in the upper right? The two single spots in the bottom right? It’s very easy to lose data or not notice something that may be important when the field information is displayed with a colored background.

The alternative blood method (that of changing the background), is even worse, since floor, dirt, and grass will all look identical when covered in blood, easily leading to confusion.

Mate · 2013-06-04T22:34:30.000Z

I see, you are right. (Though I kinda liked the first picture.)
Aren’t blood covers red dots looking identical on every surface though? And what do you think could make enemies more easily noticeable? Maybe if it would show them on the compass even if they are on screen?

Weyrling · 2013-06-05T00:22:08.000Z

Máté:

And what do you think could make enemies more easily noticeable? Maybe if it would show them on the compass even if they are on screen?

I would like the compass to show all enemies within view regardless of distance, good idea.

I have little opinion on general graphics details, but as a long time roguelike player I think that black backgrounds with colored details are ideal when playing for extended periods of time.