Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => Modding => Topic started by: Alpha Centauri Bear on August 28, 2020, 03:32:24 PM

Title: More contrast colors for Hive
Post by: Alpha Centauri Bear on August 28, 2020, 03:32:24 PM

Hello graphics modders. I would love to give Hive more contrast color (foreground/background). However, I don't have experience in graphics modding. If anyone of you would have a spare time and interest in helping me out and maybe other modders and players around there that would be very appreciated at least by me for sure!
😊

The problem
Units orders are black text on faction base background flag. Most of the factions base color are relatively bright and their units black order is clearly readable on their flag color. Not for Hive, though. Their very dark blue is a very bad background for black letters. I really have a hard time just to understand their unit orders. Same story with their under base subscription text. The planet average tone is dark so other factions bright colors stand out on the planet background. Hive's dark blue is exceptionally badly readable.

Possible solution
Make Hive base color slightly brighter. I don't think it will clash with any other faction color in the game. Nobody uses pure blue. The closest one is Pirates but their is kinda very light greenish-blue. So they still be distinguishable.
Another option is to use white for their units order. This is not too standard solution, though. And it also does not solve Hive's bases subscription which uses base faction color as a foreground instead.

Title: Re: More contrast colors for Hive
Post by: bvanevery on August 28, 2020, 07:02:50 PM

Before embarking on this, you should check on multiple computer monitors to see if you have the same level of difficulty with contrast.  It could be that the monitor you use most often, is dying, has poor color gamut, or is configured improperly.  In the latter case, twiddling settings could resolve the problem.

I find that at times, the color of the Peacekeepers and the Data Angels can be difficult to tell apart.  They're both a bit blue-purple, with one merely a bit lighter than the other.  If you do shift the Hive's color to be brighter, do not shift it towards purple!

I don't know if SMAC has the capability to display white letters on a dark background, but that's the sort of thing available on Reddit, when I'm working on color schemes for Flairs.

Title: Re: More contrast colors for Hive
Post by: Alpha Centauri Bear on August 28, 2020, 07:28:15 PM

You are right it does depend on monitor as everything color related. I just checked it again on my new 4K monitor and black on blue is still kinda difficult to read. However, I agree that may be a minor problem that nobody but me experiences.

Title: Re: More contrast colors for Hive
Post by: Maximus Thalos on October 03, 2021, 10:37:52 PM

You can change these colors by modifiying the hive.pcx in the bottom left hand corner. Pick a color in Palette.pcx to replace it.

Title: Re: More contrast colors for Hive
Post by: Vidsek on October 06, 2021, 03:19:00 AM

I remember a thread in this forum from long ago (which I've lost track of) on the use of white for the lettering on unit flags.  White is used for the Spartans because their background is black.  Apparently this is hardcoded and because of that, would require .exe modification to allow other factions to use it.

This is from my memory, so a doublecheck would be appropriate.

If the foreground color is used where white would be inappropriate, the issue becomes moot, and some light/bright color the best choice.

Title: Re: More contrast colors for Hive
Post by: Alpha Centauri Bear on October 06, 2021, 03:56:29 PM

Changing hardcoded thing is not a problem. I was just trying to find *where* it is hardcoded to be able to change it.