Pixel Joint Forum: Pixel icon symbols for RPG actions.

Message

Hello PJ!

I'm working on a game's UI, and due to localization issue with the game's "HUD" layout, I decided to remove words, and replace them by icons.

The game is an old-school RPG for Android.

The icons I want to make will take place in the action bar while in combat (turn-based, not real-time), and the idea is to convey the action's message efficiently, not to impress with extra-detailed AA on pixel characters.

I came up with these:

The background color is representative of the ones that will be used in-game (it is one of the available colors, the player can chose the theme).

I'm struggling with two things mainly:

- The color palette to use (bright and saturated is easy to read, but doesn't fit the style)

- The impression of movement lacking in #2 (the red one)

I'm sure there are plenty of beginner mistakes in these too, so any C&C is welcome. 

I'm also hoping you would try to guess what the actions are from the icons, so that I don't introduce too much bias, and get proper feedback on their respective conveyed message.

Credit given where credit is due, I was heavily inspired by the silhouettes that can be seen here (fourth row from the bottom): https://7soul1.deviantart.com/art/420-Pixel-Art-Icons-for-RPG-129892453

Thanks for your help.

Author	Message
Zukero Seaman Joined: 29 March 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Topic: Pixel icon symbols for RPG actions. Posted: 29 March 2018 at 7:51am
	Hello PJ! I'm working on a game's UI, and due to localization issue with the game's "HUD" layout, I decided to remove words, and replace them by icons. The game is an old-school RPG for Android. The icons I want to make will take place in the action bar while in combat (turn-based, not real-time), and the idea is to convey the action's message efficiently, not to impress with extra-detailed AA on pixel characters. I came up with these: The background color is representative of the ones that will be used in-game (it is one of the available colors, the player can chose the theme). I'm struggling with two things mainly: - The color palette to use (bright and saturated is easy to read, but doesn't fit the style) - The impression of movement lacking in #2 (the red one) I'm sure there are plenty of beginner mistakes in these too, so any C&C is welcome. I'm also hoping you would try to guess what the actions are from the icons, so that I don't introduce too much bias, and get proper feedback on their respective conveyed message. Credit given where credit is due, I was heavily inspired by the silhouettes that can be seen here (fourth row from the bottom): https://7soul1.deviantart.com/art/420-Pixel-Art-Icons-for-RPG-129892453 Thanks for your help.
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Hapiel Rear Admiral Joined: 30 June 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3266	Posted: 29 March 2018 at 7:59am
	It seems that you can't link an image from gDrive, could you upload your file to Imgur.com instead? Thanks :)
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Zukero Seaman Joined: 29 March 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 29 March 2018 at 8:02am
	I was doing just that. BTW, editing my post from my phone destroyed all newlines...
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Hapiel Rear Admiral Joined: 30 June 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3266	Posted: 29 March 2018 at 8:18am
	Thanks for updating! Those reference icons are super cool indeed! You're saying the color palette does not really match the style. Do you have any examples of the style so we can make informed suggestions? There are quite a few disconnected joints. The leg on the red guy goes to below the hips. the arms on the yellow guy connects on the sides of the shoulder, the back arm of the green guy seems disconnected and his leg has a dent on the place where it meets the hips. Drawing a stick figure on top of these characters might help you see these things too!
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Zukero Seaman Joined: 29 March 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 29 March 2018 at 9:37am
	Here's a screenshot of the game. The icons are meant to replace the text in the top-row's buttons. Thanks for the remarks,these seem so obvious now Drawing a stick figure might not necessarily help because: #1- I suck at drawing #2- I suck at drawing anatomy Which is why I like slowly pushing pixels one by one.
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Hapiel Rear Admiral Joined: 30 June 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3266	Posted: 29 March 2018 at 10:49am
	Thanks for the remarks,these seem so obvious now (...) Which is why I like slowly pushing pixels one by one. Like you said, they seem so obvious now! You know what looks right and wrong when it's shown to you, so all you need is a tool which helps you to look at the right place, and a skeleton/stick figure can be this tool :). Besides, you can still draw those one pixel at a time!
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Zukero Seaman Joined: 29 March 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 29 March 2018 at 12:49pm
	Learn from the best or die like the rest is it? Alright, I'll work on my stick-figures-Fu then. Any suggestions palette-wise? Or on how to improve the feeling of movement in Red? Do you believe that these are fit (conceptually) to convey the message they are supposed to?
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Zukero Seaman Joined: 29 March 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 30 March 2018 at 8:17am
	Here's my attempt at fixing the anatomy. I also desaturated the colors a bit and used the three possible background colors.
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NancyGold Commander Joined: 27 October 2021 Online Status: Offline Posts: 526	Posted: 31 March 2018 at 5:02am
	The blue character looks a little fat, while walking character looks lower than his friends. Is that intentional?
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