[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Getting rid of Isotrident

[Raahul Kumar <raahul_da_man@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Thanasis Kinias <tkinias@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> scripsit Raahul Kumar:
>  
> > :). You already knew that. I have to confess, the only reason I want a poll
> is that I'm certain of the result. I doubt anyone shares Raimar/Mike's taste
> in graphics. New users like eyecandy. 
> 
> If you're interested in not turning people away with the graphics, I
> think two things are important:
> 
> 1) Accuracy -- having a BTR-style armoured personnel carrier for `alpine
> troops' (hires) or a SAM system for `howitzer' (cevo) will immediately
> disturb someone who knows what alpine troops or howitzers are in Real
> Life (tm).
>
> 2) Not looking `cheap' or cartoony.  A very stylized look is good for
> clarity's sake, and may be preferable from a usability standpoint.
> However, if people don't get past the first impression, the usability is
> wasted.  In this respect, the terrain and the Explorer and Settler icons
> are most critical.

Interesting. I like the graphics with cartoony effect. You're right about the
individual tileset effects. You have valid points on 1.) SAM system for
howitzer. Daniel?

As for 2.) I don't know what you are driving at. Be more specific.

> > I've just learned that apparently most of the Freeciv users don't EVER
> > download a new tileset. I'm disillusioned. 
> [snip]
> > I thought our users were smart, and capable of solving their own
> > problems. I don't refer to the users on windows/MacOS/Amiga of course.
> > Only our unix users.
>  
> Do they know how?  Seriously, if you got Freeciv because Mandrake or Red
> Hat installed it by default, and you don't know that you can install
> things without an RPM, are you going to get new tilesets?  Are you even
> going to know it's possible?

Probably not. They know our website though. It should probably be mentioned in
capital letters in the README, on our website etc. Good point.

> The other possibility is that some people just aren't that interested in
> the graphics.  You may have a situation where the people who have the
> technical ability and motivation to locate and install new tilesets just
> don't care about the icons, and the people who are mostly interested in
> `eye-candy' don't know how.  It's something to consider.
> 

Most of our users really do care about graphics. I've performed an informal
test. When I play Freeciv in the Uni labs with Isotrident, I get negative
comments if people even bother to comment. With Cevo, a crowd tends to form
around me and ask questions. I think that is the effect we should aim at.

Aloha,
RK.

Humans are always slightly lost. It's a basic characteristic. It explains a lot
about them.
{Lords and Ladies, 1992, Terry Pratchett}

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