Vanden's Power Icon Fix updated

Scratch that, now the file "ShadowFighting_ShadowPunch.texture" is actually used for Shadow Punch instead of Shadow Maul. Gotta delete it.

OP has been updated.

Ex

Hey Vanden, any plans of unifying PBAoE damage aura icons? All but two use the damage/PBAoE icon and the other two (you both changed them) use DoT/PBAoE which is IMO superior.

Just noticed something. Storm Summoning/Snow Storm has a "Snare" icon while Cold Domination/Snow Storm has "Slow"

Well technically both icons are accurate; Snow Storm both slows and -Recharges targets. Add that to the fact that icons with semitransparent symbols are the hardest for me to modify and I'm not too likely to make any changes myself.

As for the DoT aura icons, I don't really like how they turned out, especially the Fire Manip Blazing Aura. Looking at it objectively I matched the colors properly and whatnot, but it's just not pleasing to the eye. I'm not in a hurry to butcher more icons like that.

Right. Just a head's up.

You know, somebody should badger the devs into doing this, but then you'd be outta job...

[ QUOTE ]
Right. Just a head's up.

You know, somebody should badger the devs into doing this, but then you'd be outta job...

[/ QUOTE ]
They don't care. They never have.

They could just use my changes. I accept free game time as payment.

?

Haven't I said that before?

Hello. This is going to be a long post.

First of all I'd like to thank you for this. I'm really OCD about stupid things, so the icons in CoH have always bothered me. You did a good thing here, updating quite a few of the icons and making them more accurate. I have a ton of characters who were affected by this patch, so I'd like to mention a few thing and point out some opinions I have even after the patch. So here goes!

GENERAL STUFF:

My dominator:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Sandra.jpg

THANK YOU for fixing the icon for Total Focus. It's always bothered me that it was marked as a status effect over an attack, and even then, the WRONG status effect. I know it couldn't have the stun icon because the power Stun has it, but the stun is only a secondary effect. ALL the powers in Energy Melee do stun. Total Focus is an extreme damage attack. Thank you for fixing it.

My MA scrapper:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Itsumi.jpg

You did a good job fixing and messing with some of the icons, but you missed one. Eagle's Claw should have an extreme damage icon. It's not just a high damage attack (that would be Crane Kick). It's the tier 9 with an extreme damage component with a bonus crit chance, so it should reflect that.

My ninja MM:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Hurricane.jpg

Here's where I'd like to voice a request or two. Smoke Flash's icon is not what it should be. This icon is usually used for "uber buff" or "more than one buff" type powers. Smoke Flash is placate, essentially, or more accurately the Smoke Flash from Ninjitsu. It should either be a stealth icon or, more accurately, a placate icon (however, this may be confusing because a targeted placate may lead players to believe you use it on foes). The primary purpose of the power is to add crits to a target, which it does by placating and hiding the target. A targeted stealth icon would probably make the most sense.

My claws scrapper:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Roxy.jpg

The tier one attack does not, in fact, hit more than once. It should have a standard minor damage attack icon.

http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Theta.jpg

Here, the kinetics powers have better icons, I think, even though it's really hard to get correct icons for them. The heal is technically an AoE heal, even though it hits an enemy target. Siphon Speed is technically a self buff, even though it has to hit another target (changing it would make it look like Speed Boost, besides). All in all I think the kinetics powers are as good as they can be. My only real complaint here is Fire Imps. Yes, it's way better with three pets on the image, but the blue is too dark and it doesn't match the other Fire Control powers.

My brute:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Tanya.jpg

Taunt is accurate now. So is Heightened Senses. Indomitable Will is better because it's primarily a status protection power, so I approve. Strength of Will is technically correct, even though I liked it when it matched Rage's icon. And although not pictured, I agree with High Pain Tolerance's new icon. It matches Dull Pain, which is a heal but mostly an +HP power. The clock signifies Health Over Time, which makes sense. I approve of the icon.

I'd like to see Hurl's icon changed. I'll elaborate more below. I have a whole rant about ranged power icons to discuss.

My crab spider:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Ardent.jpg

Thank you for fixing the epic pet icon. They all now correctly match. I'm practically a mastermind! =) However, the first two attack icons should be switched. Read more down below about my ranged icons comments.

RANGED POWER ICON NORMALIZATION:

My bot MM:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Elise.jpg

Here you can see the icons are strange for the attacks. MMs seem to have a big problem with this. For another example, here's my thug MM:

http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Riley.jpg

The icons here make even less sense. I don't understand them. Tier 1 attack is "thin" and tier 2 is "fat"? I believe this means "minor" and "high" but that's not accurate either. And the cone attack doesn't share the burst icon that most cones and AoEs have. These should all be fixed. Normal ranged attacks should look more like this:

http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Calabaza.jpg

Here the icons are more accurate, but switched. You can see Dark Blast's icon is regular while Gloom's icon is "thin." Dark Blast does less than Gloom. Here's a set that's slightly better, but not without additional problems:

http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Meru.jpg

Here they almost got it right. The first two powers are right, and the cone has the burst icon, but the third icon for "high" damage implies long range, when the power in fact is short range. Here's another example where it's ALMOST right:

http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Texiel.jpg

Here the first two icons are fine, the AoE and cone have burst, the nuke is extreme, and everything seems about right. They use the "high damage, short range" icon for Blaze, but this icon shows short range... but seems to imply the damage isn't high. It seems to imply "moderate damage, short range."

If anything, the "high damage, short range" attacks should be a mix of the two previous images, showing that it is in fact short range, but does a lot of damage. I don't think such an icon currently exists. In summary, the blast sets should be normalized, and look like:

Tier 1 - Either the "thin" or the slanted icon
Tier 2 - The regular, generic range icon
High damage - The "fat" icon seen on Sonic and Thugs (Hurl should have this icon)
High damage, short range - A new icon, because an accurate one doesn't exist

COMPLICATED POWERS:

My tank:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Sable.jpg

Status protection is correct, so yes there. Rest is about the same.

I do however disagree with Dark Regeneration's icon. It is NOT a click heal like Reconstruction or Healing Flames. It's a power that feeds on enemies near you to heal. It does in fact damage enemies, and drains health to add health. It could technically be drawn as an attack, or even with a siphon icon. If anything, it should have an AoE border with a siphon icon on it. It acts basically like an AoE Siphon Life. However, that doesn't solve the problems of all the related powers. Here's the one that really gives problems:

http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Jackal.jpg

Soul Drain. This power does damage to enemies around you and gives you +DMG and +ACC (or actually ToHit). While it is technically right for the buff icon, it's misleading. The lack of any border implies that it's a self-power, so you can just click it and get a bonus, but you can't. Although the primary function of the power is to buff you, it is in fact an attack. A siphon icon would not be accurate because you are dealing damage to buff yourself, which isn't a siphon. Adding the AoE border would seem to imply that the buff effects allies around you, which would also be inaccurate. Changing it to a damage icon would imply that the power is first and foremost an attack, which it is not.

I would recommend making it have an AoE border, but ultimately, anything done to this power (that I can think of) would leave its icon inaccurate in some way. If you have any ideas, please speak up. =)

Lastly:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Sudona.jpg

I know you already stated that Howling Twilight and Soul Transfer are linked, but I think you should swap them anyway. Soul Transfer suffers from the same issue as I addressed with Soul Drain above. While it technically is a rez, it does have to have someone nearby to work, so it has an attack component. Additionally, this attack component is AoE. Having a ring around it would imply that it's an AoE rez, but having no ring around it also implies that it's a simple self rez, which it is not. Plus, since you already swapped a couple powers (like Detonation vs Time Bomb), and I'm sure a lot more people take Howling Twilight than Soul Transfer, they should probably be switched.

As a final note, why do Sprint powers have their own running icon buff instead of using the general movement speed icon? I'd accept that maybe it's because they also buff jump power, but the icon itself doesn't suggest that, and Swift boost flight speed but doesn't show it on the icon.

That's all for now. I can't speak for things I don't own, but hopefully some good will come of this post. Keep up the good work!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU Dispari has more than enough credability, and certainly doesn't need to borrow any from you.

[ QUOTE ]
My ninja MM:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Hurricane.jpg

Here's where I'd like to voice a request or two. Smoke Flash's icon is not what it should be. This icon is usually used for "uber buff" or "more than one buff" type powers. Smoke Flash is placate, essentially, or more accurately the Smoke Flash from Ninjitsu. It should either be a stealth icon or, more accurately, a placate icon (however, this may be confusing because a targeted placate may lead players to believe you use it on foes). The primary purpose of the power is to add crits to a target, which it does by placating and hiding the target. A targeted stealth icon would probably make the most sense.

[/ QUOTE ]Smoke flash is grant stealth (54ft in PvE - full invisibility is 55, most stealth powers are 35) and grant placate power (and it also sets the Meter value so that a crit-from-hide can occur, just like Hide does). Since the placate isn't actually a part of smoke flash (It's a power smoke flash adds to the pet), I don't even think a placate icon should be considered for it.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My ninja MM:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Hurricane.jpg

Here's where I'd like to voice a request or two. Smoke Flash's icon is not what it should be. This icon is usually used for "uber buff" or "more than one buff" type powers. Smoke Flash is placate, essentially, or more accurately the Smoke Flash from Ninjitsu. It should either be a stealth icon or, more accurately, a placate icon (however, this may be confusing because a targeted placate may lead players to believe you use it on foes). The primary purpose of the power is to add crits to a target, which it does by placating and hiding the target. A targeted stealth icon would probably make the most sense.

[/ QUOTE ]Smoke flash is grant stealth (54ft in PvE - full invisibility is 55, most stealth powers are 35) and grant placate power (and it also sets the Meter value so that a crit-from-hide can occur, just like Hide does). Since the placate isn't actually a part of smoke flash (It's a power smoke flash adds to the pet), I don't even think a placate icon should be considered for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

A stealth icon with the ST border would be appropriate, from what I can see.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My ninja MM:
http://meru.xfury.net/images/tray_Hurricane.jpg

Here's where I'd like to voice a request or two. Smoke Flash's icon is not what it should be. This icon is usually used for "uber buff" or "more than one buff" type powers. Smoke Flash is placate, essentially, or more accurately the Smoke Flash from Ninjitsu. It should either be a stealth icon or, more accurately, a placate icon (however, this may be confusing because a targeted placate may lead players to believe you use it on foes). The primary purpose of the power is to add crits to a target, which it does by placating and hiding the target. A targeted stealth icon would probably make the most sense.

[/ QUOTE ]Smoke flash is grant stealth (54ft in PvE - full invisibility is 55, most stealth powers are 35) and grant placate power (and it also sets the Meter value so that a crit-from-hide can occur, just like Hide does). Since the placate isn't actually a part of smoke flash (It's a power smoke flash adds to the pet), I don't even think a placate icon should be considered for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

A stealth icon with the ST border would be appropriate, from what I can see.

[/ QUOTE ]
I definitely agree here. A placate icon would be confusing for the player, but a stealth icon would suggest "this power makes your target stealthy," which is exactly what it does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU Dispari has more than enough credability, and certainly doesn't need to borrow any from you.

[ QUOTE ]
I started a paragonwiki page here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been tweaking the paragonwiki page a bit. The main page is still rough, but check out the talk page for a possible new layout.

I'm probably going to split each major icon type off into it's own page and table when I re-do the front page.

Thoughts and suggestions?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I started a paragonwiki page here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been tweaking the paragonwiki page a bit. The main page is still rough, but check out the talk page for a possible new layout.

I'm probably going to split each major icon type off into it's own page and table when I re-do the front page.

Thoughts and suggestions?

[/ QUOTE ]

Suggestion: Switch to the new site

http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Main_Page

I think after a few days of staring at icons in-game and out I finally came to the conclusion that concerning myself with the icons is detrimental to my mental health.

I'm dangerously OCD to begin with, and little things like this can easily capture my attention for extended periods of time. Since the icons were already something that bugged me, the idea of a new package of icons that "fixes" many of them was something that immediately interested me. There were a lot of good adjustments, mostly for the PPP sets which always seemed to me like the substitute who was working on powers that day made all the icon decisions. However, there were still a lot of things I thought needed fixing, so I set out to fiddle with them and offer suggestions.

Halfway through the work, I started wondering things like "Why is Crane Kick's icon a knockback," and "why are ranged attack icons so inconsistent?" I set out on a task to standardize melee and ranged attack icons, and then began analyzing powers like Crane Kick and Total Focus to examine their attributes and finally came to the conclusion that only mixed/hybrid icons could accurately display what these powers do and what they should be used for. After spending a few hours trying to fuse Stun with Extreme Damage or High Damage, Short Range with Knockack, I started to seriously consider coming up with an entirely new icon system. It was at this point I realized that such a task could quite literally drive me insane.

Please, for your sake and mine, keep me out of this thread! No matter what I may say or do to persuade you otherwise, I should not be here. It's the OCD talking.

You've done a great deal of good work here. I leave this task to you. May your efforts not drive you crazy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU Dispari has more than enough credability, and certainly doesn't need to borrow any from you.

Correct wiki link

Both Dark Melee's and Dual Blades' Taunt powers for Tanks need the AoE icon treatment.
jsyk

[ QUOTE ]
And here's a list I made of what needs to be changed to follow the above paradigm.

Ask me questions about things that are vague or point out inconsistencies.

Some proposed changes may not work because they would result in a power set having 2 or more identical power icons.

[[List Deleted]]

[/ QUOTE ]

A better list for requested changes, complete through Scrapper's Spines powers.

Archery_QuickArrow -> Ranged Damage, Minor
Archery_MediumArrow -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
Archery_ConeArrow -> Ranged Damage, Minor with cone border
Archery_BurningArrow -> Damage, over Time
AssaultWeapons_ARBurst -> Ranged Damage, Minor
AssaultWeapons_ARShotgunSlug -> Ranged Damage, Moderate (or keep Knockback)
AssaultWeapons_ARFlamethrower -> Ranged Damage, Short Ranged Damage
AssaultWeapons_ARFlamethrowerIgnite -> Ranged Damage, Short Ranged Damage
ElectricalBolts_ChargedBolts -> Ranged Damage, Minor
ElectricalBolts_LightningBolt -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
ElectricalBolts_VoltaicSentinal -> Damage
PowerBlast_PowerBolts -> Ranged Damage, Minor
PowerBlast_PowerBlast -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
FireBlast_ArcOfFire -> Ranged Damage, Short Ranged Damage
IceBlast_FrostBreath -> Ranged Damage, Short Ranged Damage
IceBlast_FreezeRay -> alternate hold icon?
PsychicBlast_PsychicWail -> Extreme Damage
SonicBlast_Quick -> Ranged Damage, Minor
SonicBlast_Medium -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
SonicBlast_Cone -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
FireManipulation_Consume -> PBAoE border
IceManipulation_FrozenFists -> Melee Damage, Moderate
IceManipulation_ChillingEmbrace -> Slow Movement + Slow Recharge
IceManipulation_IcePatch -> Knockdown
PsionicAssault_MindProbe -> Melee Damage, Moderate
PsionicAssault_PsychicScream -> Melee Damage, Heavy
PsionicAssault_PsychicShockwave -> Extreme Damage or Disorient?
EarthGrasp_Earthquake -> Knockdown
GravityControl_Propel -> Ranged Damage, Heavy (or Knockback)
IceFormation_IceSlick -> Knockdown
Illusions_SpectralWounds -> Ranged Damage, Heavy
PlantControl_SpiritTree -> Buff, Regeneration
Empathy_Fortitude -> Buff, Multiple 2 (Flex1)
Empathy_AdrenalinBoost -> Buff, Recovery
ForceField_DeflectionShield -> Buff, Defense, Melee or S/L
ForceField_InsulationShield -> Buff, Defense, Ranged+AoE or Multiple
ForceField_DetentionField -> Intangliblity
KineticBoost_SiphonSpeed -> Buff, Recharge
KineticBoost_IncreaseDensity -> Resistance
KineticBoost_SpeedBoost -> Buff, Recharge
KineticBoost_Transferance -> Buff, Endurance
RadiantionPoisoning_AccelerateMetabolism -> Buff, Recharge
RadiantionPoisoning_Fallout -> Defeated + Extreme Damage
SonicDebuff_DebuffDamRes -> Debuff, Resistance
SonicDebuff_ProtectElements -> Resistance
SonicDebuff_Hold -> Intangliblity
SonicDebuff_TeamDebuffDamRes -> Debuff, Resistance
SonicDebuff_BuffDamageRes -> Resistance
SonicDebuff_DropKnockback -> Hold or Knockdown
StormSummoning_SnowStorm -> Slow Movement + Slow Recharge
ThermalRadiation_FireShield -> Resistance
ThermalRadiation_Thaw -> Buff, Mez Defense 2
ThermalRadiation_HeatExhaustion -> Debuff, Multiple 1
TrickArrow_Slow -> Slow Movement + Slow Recharge
TrickArrow_DebuffDamRes -> Debuff, Resistance
ColdDomination_Infrigidate -> Debuff, Defense
ColdDomination_IceShield -> Buff, Defense Melee or S/L
ColdDomination_Glaciate Buff, Defense or AoE or E/N
ColdDomination_ArcticFog -> Stealth
ColdDomination_Benumb -> Debuff, Secondary Effects
DarkMiasma_HowlingTwilight -> Targeted AoE border?
DarkCast_NightFall -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
RadiationBurst_ElectronHaze -> Ranged Damage, Moderate (or keep Knockback)
Claws_Slice -> Melee Damage, Moderate
Claws_Swipe -> Melee Damage, Minor
Claws_SpiningClawsAttack -> Melee Damage, Moderate
Claws_Wave -> Ranged Damage, Moderate
DualBlades_(vengeful slice) -> knockdown?
ShadowFighting_StealPower -> Buff, Damage
FieryFray_BreathingFire -> Ranged Damage, Short Range Damage
Katana_Slice -> Melee Damage, Moderate
Quills_QuillThrowing -> Ranged Damage, Short Range Damage

Thank you,

Thanks for the update, not to diss on the actual power icons but I like these ones way better. And for those of you saying it is against EULA I don't think the devs mind much, I would think they would have done something about it by now.

anything new for I13? I hear Storm/Freezing Rain got a new icon...

Ah, so it has. I'll update the pack once I get some time to sit down and work on the icons; I'm busy with finals right now, sad fact of life.

Right now I'm looking at adding targeted AoE borders to the Mastermind minion upgrade powers. To respond to the recent discussions about icons for ranged attack and drain-type powers: Ranged attack powers are quite hard for me to change, because of the way the tail end of the little arrows fade into the background, making the color of the symbol mix with the color of the icon background. Any icons with semitransparent symbols are very difficult for me to change with the tools I have. I'm willing to take another look at the drain-type powers, but I've done so once or twice before and always concluded that they're just too inconsistent and it's difficult for me to come up with a good, consistent method for designing those icons with the limited tools I have now. At best I would probably have the system for drain power icon presentation be decided on a per-power basis, which is basically exactly what it is now.

...and now the Arachnos shields?

Did they just put in all your changes or what?

No no, why would they do that when they have much more flexibility than I do? Anyway, the icon pack seems to have gotten their attention, as many of the worse icon inaccuracies have been slowly getting official fixes since I put that thing up. Anyway, I didn't do much I13 testing, and there are a lot of icon changes in the pack, so if you see any official changes to icons, let me know.

Well, Storm Summoning / Freezing rain is now the placed Defense Debuff icon.

And Arachnos patron shields now use S/L Resist icon. I'll hop on Test and check the others.

[edit] Doesn't seem to be the case...

[ QUOTE ]
Ah, so it has. I'll update the pack once I get some time to sit down and work on the icons; I'm busy with finals right now, sad fact of life.

Right now I'm looking at adding targeted AoE borders to the Mastermind minion upgrade powers. To respond to the recent discussions about icons for ranged attack and drain-type powers: Ranged attack powers are quite hard for me to change, because of the way the tail end of the little arrows fade into the background, making the color of the symbol mix with the color of the icon background. Any icons with semitransparent symbols are very difficult for me to change with the tools I have. I'm willing to take another look at the drain-type powers, but I've done so once or twice before and always concluded that they're just too inconsistent and it's difficult for me to come up with a good, consistent method for designing those icons with the limited tools I have now. At best I would probably have the system for drain power icon presentation be decided on a per-power basis, which is basically exactly what it is now.

[/ QUOTE ]

So if I had all these .png images of the changes I was interested in making, would you be able to change them into texture format?