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Author Topic: New Fonts, a Preview  (Read 10427 times)

Kyzrati

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New Fonts, a Preview
« on: June 19, 2015, 12:26:33 AM »

Without a doubt the most common feedback for Alpha so far has been the lack of readability at some font sizes on certain monitors (especially high-DPI setups). This is mostly due to the dense UI, but the stylized sci-fi font certainly doesn't help.

The primary solution is to provide more alternative fonts aimed solely at improving readability at the cost of aesthetic cohesion. For that purpose I've put together a number of new fonts for the next version. Font size restrictions still work the same way, so check out the fonts that fall under the size category you currently use on your monitor and let me know what you think!











(More alternatives for resolutions above 1200p are coming, too, likely as rescaled versions of what you see here.)

Edit:

Alpha 2 might be a little while in coming (July) for a few reasons: It will include some time-consuming features, and I need to take a week off to ship shirts and handle personal matters that have been put off for months due to the demanding alpha release schedule.

As such, why wait for the updated fonts when they're already ready?! Download them here (79KB) to use them immediately! Just unzip the files to the same directory path in your current game--it will overwrite one file (_config.xt) and add lots more (the new fonts!). The download includes all fonts pictured above, as well as many alternatives for 2K-4K resolutions.


Edit 2:
No need for a separate download, all the above fonts and more are included with Alpha 2 and all later releases.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2015, 09:32:48 AM by Kyzrati »
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biomatter

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2015, 01:37:50 AM »

Sexy! Did you make these yourself?
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Kyzrati

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2015, 01:58:39 AM »

Nope, these are popular public domain fonts used for Linux terminals and programming. (I use Dina to code, myself.) While I didn't make the base fonts, I did organize these into the proper bitmaps required by the engine, and made some adjustments here and there.

I'm writing a blog post now about where they come from and the choices involved in using them.
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Arseface

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2015, 02:04:11 AM »

It'll be hard to tell how improved these are until I get to see them in-game. I have one of those high dpi screens and my browser scales.

You can be sure I'll give you my opinion on them when I get them though. Whether you want it or not.
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Kyzrati

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2015, 02:07:02 AM »

I have one of those high dpi screens and my browser scales.
Just drag-copy the size you want to your desktop and open it in an image browser to see it at its native resolution (unless your OS will scale that, too?!).
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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2015, 05:10:33 AM »

I have one of those high dpi screens and my browser scales.
Just drag-copy the size you want to your desktop and open it in an image browser to see it at its native resolution (unless your OS will scale that, too?!).
Thanks. GIMP to the rescue. I like XIIB. I'm not sure if XII would be more or less readable during gameplay, but XIIB certainly fits the aesthetic more.

On the topic of readable fonts, I've joked about making a roguelike with Comic Sans edited to monospace as the tileset for "hell mode". You should release that as an April Fools build next year when we've all forgotten about this post(except me, because I've wanted to do it for years).
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Kyzrati

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2015, 05:41:06 AM »

That's good to hear.

That would be a pretty hilarious April Fools... I usually come up with some crazy idea then never actually go through with it; maybe this one. (I don't know, though, that could be awfully close to the 1.0 craziness.)
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Kyzrati

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2015, 08:44:08 PM »

The new fonts are available NOW. See OP for download link!
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biomatter

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2015, 09:00:16 PM »

Awesome! You are the best, Kyzrati. I love your original Cogmind font, but... I am as hardcore as they come, and as nice as your font is I would prefer perfect clarity. Thanks for being so understanding SNIF SNIF SNIF
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Kyzrati

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2015, 09:09:51 PM »

But the original font is the one with the right sci-fi aesthetic! You're supposed to look this massive batch of fonts and say nope, no thanks, I'm a hardcore Cogmind... oh wait, you're biomatter, as hardcore as they come =p

Honestly the original font was designed for size 12, at which it's quite readable, but that size is best on low-DPI netbooks while a lot of players are using desktop resolutions that require size 18. The original font doesn't scale so well, at least not in a pixel-perfect manner. I could scale it via resampling, which would probably work much better, but that detracts from the whole sharp aesthetic...
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ulundor

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2015, 08:47:10 PM »

I really love Size 20 Terminus, as my vision is a bit impaired and eyes hurt after a while of reading the current font.

:)
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simendsjo

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #11 on: July 09, 2015, 10:02:42 AM »

I'm unable to get the fonts working.

NOTE: I'm running the game on GNU/Linux using Wine.

I get messages like this from the log file:


(... snip ...)
I=0000441 |   |   [font set: 32/Cogmind]
I=0000451 |   |   ...cogmind16x32_cogmind.png
I=0000503 |   |   ...cogmind32x32.png
I=0000520 |   |   ...cp437_32x32.png
I=0000520 |   |   [font set removed: 32/Cogmind] (resolution exceeds desktop)
(... snip ...)
E=0001230 main() | user/cogmind.cfg specifies unrecognized font set: 32/Cogmind


It seems all fonts rather than the original is removed due to "exceeds desktop".

My monitors:

DVI-I-2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 531mm x 299mm
DVI-I-3 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 531mm x 299mm
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Kyzrati

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #12 on: July 09, 2015, 10:40:12 AM »

Yeah, size 32 exceeds your desktop (requires 1920p), but the fonts that fit, which includes new ones, will work just fine. Just open the game and see them in your fonts list. Your 1080p's will be able to use all the new size 18 fonts included in that package.
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simendsjo

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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2015, 11:00:12 AM »

Yeah, size 32 exceeds your desktop (requires 1920p), but the fonts that fit, which includes new ones, will work just fine. Just open the game and see them in your fonts list. Your 1080p's will be able to use all the new size 18 fonts included in that package.

Ah, I see. I just read 1920 and assumed with :/
In that case there are no fonts that is more readable for me.
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Re: New Fonts, a Preview
« Reply #14 on: August 07, 2015, 10:36:26 PM »

I really love Size 18 Terminus, as my vision is a bit impaired and eyes hurt after a while of reading the current font lol




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