MMORTS Player Colours?

[MrBlack103]

To resolve the brightness dispute, I think the "normal" colours should just be a bit darker (eg dark red, dark blue, etc etc). If the player could select the display settings, this obviously wouldn't be an issue, since each player would only be making it difficult for him/herself if they selected earthy colours/similar colours. On the other hand, however, I can see team battles online getting a bit hectic. Take this scenario, for instance (p1 + p2 are on same team):

p1: "kill those red guys near the gate!"
[p2 starts killing someone comlpetely different]
p1: "not him! he's attacking the red guys right now! Let him!"
p2: "but he is red!"
p1: "No, he's not! He's yellow!"

Of course, this situation could easily be handled by referring to other players as their username or player # for that map, but some people would find it difficult to remember that everyone else is seeing everyone differently.

It's just a point to take into consideration, anyway.

[ShadowyMoon]

Personal preference on colours:
Me - green
Enemy - red
Ally - yellow/blue

[Ovocean]

Self-quote :

" I hate in strategy games when the various accessible player colors:
1) Ruin the beauty of the graphics because it is clashing with the colors of the environment
2) Make the player less visible on the map or minimap than with other accessible colors.
3) Don't make clear wich team the player belongs to.
Solutions :
1) Avoid giving access to full saturated colors, like the usual pure blue, pure red, pure green, pure yellow, etc. Lighter and/or less saturated colors is the way to go!
2) Lighter colors better than darker ones. Well, actually I don't mind if the player color act as a camouflage, as long as it's the same for all of them, and they are still recognizable between each other.
3) Keep the colors for a same team in the same tones
(e.g:
-2vs2vs2vs2: yellow/orange, blue/cyan, green/lighter-green, light-grey/black) (Yeah, black is quite visible generally. Maybe it has a bonus at night, don't know.)
-4vs4: pink/red/yellow/orange/, cyan/light-blue/purple/and...blue?
) "

[Darvin]

[quote]

Actually NPCs most likely won`t have a 'colour' and just use default unit texture without a colour mask on-top. So yeah - 3 primary colours.

I`m interested to hear which colours would you assign though - for yourself/allies/enemies.

So far i`m thinking, Blue/green/red

I think that's a perfectly acceptable way to handle NPC's. However, I disagree with the way you're talking about handling colours.

One of the main issues is that in multiplayer games, players often refer to each other by their colour rather than their names. It's much easier (both for me typing and my allies cross-referencing who I'm referring to) to say "attack red" than it is to say "attack orcslayer77". For this to work, however, colours must be significantly different even amongst the same team, and also must be consistent between games. That is, if I see a player as red, everyone else should see the same player as red.

Complicating matters is the concept of a free for all situation, where there are multiple teams of enemies. Having them all be shades of red is not only confusing, but does not do justice to the fact that these groups are not allied. This is important information to know at a glance, as the strategic ramifications of an enemy receiving reinforcements or a third group of unaligned enemies arriving are completely different.

Finally, beware red/green/brown if you're going to be using shades. I know it's easy to overlook, but it's a real gamebreaker for red green colour-blind people like me.

[fyro11]

How about subtle colours for the units, but more aggressive colours on the banners?

[Esculas the Mighty]

how about....

Man with Scottish accent : shudap esculas ur crazeh

awww i was just gonna say how about u just have to hover ur mouse over the unit ( by doing so it also highlights that units fellow battalion men ) and it displays the enemy commanders name in the color that they are

[MrBlack103]

Remember, you need to be able to know a unit's alignment at-a-glance.

[nickson104]

Originally Posted by MrBlack103

Remember, you need to be able to know a unit's alignment at-a-glance.

Or otherwise you may pass it off as a friendly... "oh look dont worry its only my mates tree of war... oh crap no its not... nooo it hugged my base and now theres nothing left!!"

I have no issue with the common blue is you, green is friendly, red is enemy for single player but for multiplayer i think that the usual colours should apply again, just calm down a bit on the pink i hate that being so bright

[TaTa456]

give us an army painter! unique armies would be awesome!

[nickson104]

Originally Posted by TaTa456

give us an army painter! unique armies would be awesome!

Reminds me a bit of Dawn Of War...