Science Structures

[White Claw]

Attempt 1 at the Hot Lab. Not sure I like this one, so certainly open to feedback.

[leeor_net]

I think it might be a bit too close to the original design. It also has some weird aliasing artifacts on the edges, almost like a sharpness filter was applied once too many times.

Design concerns aside, I like its brightness. I think it'll stand out pretty well from the terrain.

Ya know, the aliasing artifacts aren't visible when in-game, maybe I shouldn't be so worried about it.

[Hooman]

I kind of get a similar sense of aliasing on this one, and yeah, it does seem to be more noticeable for the individual image than in game.

Something about the blue light seems odd.

[leeor_net]

It clashes with the warmer lights of the tubes. Maybe it should be adjusted toward the warmer lighting?

[Hooman]

That's kind of what I was thinking. Plus, if the name is "Hot" Lab, maybe it should look hotter? 

[leeor_net]

Cute.

But I'm not sure I'm going to keep that name. But I haven't decided what to call it...

[lordpalandus]

Blue hot, is the hottest flame though.

Hot Labs are essentially for the most dangerous, potentially lethal research. So...  an Advanced Lab, with potential spontaneous explosion, consisting of unicorns and hallucigenics (actually the unicorns are people, but everyone is tripping out so bad that they think they are unicorns)

[White Claw]

I have intentionally turned down the anti aliasing (or rather I finally figured out the issue). Previously, when I was initially making graphics, there was a lot of feedback about them not being "crisp" enough (or blurry looking). At the time, I overcame this by outlining things with a black line and then down sampling. This caused edges to stand out a little more because the black would essentially bias the colors during the down sampling. Unfortunately, this comes with the side effect that a lot of fine coloration is lost.

More recently, I've learned out to better control the outlining effect, anti aliasing, and noise reduction. Personally, I believe this has resulted in better coloration and overall quality in the graphics (artistic skill not withstanding). This particular "hot lab" has the same overall settings as all the recent graphics (I've tried to unify the file structure and formats). I think this ultimately results in crisper in-game detail without sacrificing as much fine coloration.

The graphics are really small and we're trying to jam in some small details. If I get close to my monitor, it certainly doesn't look better...but if I sit back at a normal comfort distance, I feel I'm able to pick out fine detail without it looking overall blurry.

That being said, I did put some dark details above the central windows that don't really come out very well. There may be some tweaking I can do around the blue windows as well.


As for the coloration, I continue to end up in some back and forth. Early iterations of the Tokamak were also met with similar feedback as here. The red light was deemed too much. But if I stick with more basic colors (like the recent comm tower or the solar receiver array), then the feedback is that they look monotone and/or flat. I was intentionally not making all windows the same yellowish light for variety. Perhaps, if anything, there might be too many windows. However, I've attached the same building here but with the other light color for feedback.

[leeor_net]

I understand what you're saying about the aliasing. And I've noticed that small details are a lot easier to make out now especially smaller surface features. Once in the game the aliasing isn't noticeable and helps the structures not look blurry as you mentioned.

I dropped in the warm lighting and... I think I prefer the original cooler lighting you had in the windows. Or, you could keep the warmer lighting and tone down the red hues in the rest of the building structure (particularly along the bottom). Just a thought, again, no artist here so I'm hardly one to make a judgement call.

Hmm... no, I like the original version the best.

[Hooman]

Very interesting explanation.

I like the new image, though admittedly I have trouble telling any difference from the original other than the color of the light. Actually, I'm not even sure which color I like better now.

You're right though, it does look nice when viewed from a distance.

[White Claw]

When you say "original" do you mean the original original, or the original new?.....

Here's the original original. (Also added to the first post, like I had intended on doing.)

[White Claw]

There is a lot of "cool" color in the graphics in general and I thought the blue fit in with the overall coloration. I think, seeing the two in-game, my recommendation is still the blue one. However, I'm happy with whichever graphic you'd like to use, as I'm not emotionally attached to either.

[leeor_net]

By original I meant the first one you posted.

[Hooman]

Original new. The original image posted in this thread.

I suppose I'm not very familiar with the original OP1 graphics.

[JetMech1999]

The design with the blue lighting is definitely better.  I'm trying to picture a different shape for the Lab.  The original from Sierra just looks like four beach balls.  Honestly, White Claw's design improves on that, but it still has that "ball" feel to it.  I know that spheres and cylinders make for better space-based and low-atmospheric-pressure situations, but I think Leeor is on to something when he says it looks quite a bit like the original.  The problem is that I don't know what to suggest as an alternative. A tall rectangular box wouldn't look right.  Maybe a central cylinder with tube-like spokes radiating away from the core.  Unfortunately, that's the best I can come up with.  Brain's a bit fried after this past week.

[White Claw]

It's been a while since I poked at the science structures. Here's an attempt at the underground science lab, which I tried to carry a similar design feel as the hot lab. (Maybe looks a little too much like the hotlab?)

[leeor_net]

Actually I really like this one. Would benefit from some cooler colors vs. it's very warm palette (e.g., blues).

[White Claw]

Two more variations. First changing some of the colors to blue, then changing the light to more blue.

[JetMech1999]

What about taking the center and expanding it out and eliminating the three other spheres?  I actually like the green.  Kind of makes you wonder what they're cooking up in the Lab.

[White Claw]

Not sure if this is exactly what you mean, but here's my attempt to include your recommendations. Personally, I think a dome by itself is rather plain and non-descript, but I am always interested in feedback and other ideas.

This one looks more like some kind of arena to me. (Basketball maybe?)

Edit: Uploaded the proper picture.

[JetMech1999]

You've got a point about the arena look.  I don't know if a row of windows around it near the ground would make it any better.  Probably not.  But, you're right about it looking pretty plain as just a single structure. 

[leeor_net]

Want to reiterate the need for differentiation of colors:



Looks good but the green (looks more brown to me but I'm colorblind so I leave the actual color perception to others) is somewhat glaring.

Could make the light from the windows uniform with the nursery and hospital -- could help to add the cooler colors I mentioned without really changing the color palettes and can help to break up some of the green/yellow.

[JetMech1999]

You make a good point.  The Medical Center, Park, and Nursery look really good.  I like the EMS symbol as the basic design of Medical.

[White Claw]

Incidentally (in the picture above), the nursery, science lab, and park have modified (saturated) colors. While the medical center, university, vertical tube, and commercial building are not color modified.

[Hooman]

I rather like 01A. The single dome 02A is also pretty cool looking, though yes, considerably more plain, and a bit like an arena.

For some reason the blue doesn't look quite as nice to me. It seems a bit jarring. No idea why though.