Spring RTS Engine

http://trac.caspring.org/ticket/2054

I would like to generate forum signature image from statistical data. I know what mods you play, what game sizes, your ELO skill etc.

It could be cute animal for low skill turning into some moster and finally ethereal daemon for "godlike".

For whole spring forum? Please no.

Of course not, just for people who want it and for any forum/place. You know how signatures work dont you?

Its just an image.

Signatures are cruft. They distract, they annoy. This forum is gloriously devoid of such crap. Please do not introduce it unless the forum gives me the option to never see them.

Have a look at some other forums that allow it and see how messy they get. I've been on forums where moderating annoying animated sigs is almost a full-time job in itself.

If you want to tell me what you play then put it in your profile. If I care enough, I'll look.

So for GOD'S SAKE please don't do this unless VIEWING sigs is opt-in (and i don't mean disabling images in my browser).

It can also be avatar not just signature.

Anyway unless you have images/ideas to contribute gtfo of my thread!

Ok, I found the option to turn off sigs, so knock yourself out.

Signatures that are bigger than the player's posts, as appear on most forums? FAIL. Little images that can be discretely placed on a player's avatar or website, much like a Gamertag (maybe even smaller)? Win.

Edit: critters aren't a good idea.

I'd just go with their current position on your preferred ELO tracker (Xth out of X, not their score), an icon for their hours-rank (the normal bars/stars approach), and a set of icons for their preferred mods. Use their preferred map as a backdrop, faded if necessary.

Yes i want to be generating something really small, barely enough for one word of text.

And dont forget its just image, where user puts it is his concern (avatar, signature, image on some website whatever)

My ideal layout
XX
XX = custom icon. A spot for an avatar.

n/n - performance rank
H - hours rank icon
MMMM - mod-specific icons.

background is their most-played map in the past 10 games (so you're not branded a DSD player for life).

Size the whole thing so it'll fit into the PHPBB avatar box.

What would mod specific icons be? 2 most played mods?

Isnt it too much data?

Ok so I need images representing mods - very small icons, could contain text like "BA"
and set of images representing skill.

Images for hour rank could be taken from lobby.

forum sigs?

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but seriously i could mock up some images if you could let me know how many levels/divisions of play you want... something smaller and not quite as glittery.

i support the idea as long as the signatures are not gigantic.

also: in regards to spliffs comment... possibly put the signatures into box on the left with the avatar and name etc? would make sure that forum space remained...

truely? I have a psd of federation and zeon rang icons I am more than happy to share

For skill i would like something game independent - thats why i suggested animal.

hmmm....

how about using images from the game?

for BA, have kroggy as the highest level... maybe flea as the lowest level?

how many levels of skill are you thinking of?

(if someone has more than a certain number of games played and a crappy ratio, make them a windmill on a comet backdrop)

perhaps you could implement basic skill levels using the existing rank markings from the lobby and then add images for specific mods as the developpers submit them...

jaz it looks great; but i think i'd like it even more if it was about 5 pixels shorter ^^

It would probably be a good thing to have skill/elo be game-dependent, as I know some people will be afraid to play new spring games because their skill level in one game won't reflect their skill level in another.

Also,

Licho wrote:I know what mods you play, what game sizes, your ELO skill etc.

Licho is Big Brother.

something else that might be fun...

whoever has the highest skill of anyone in a mod... load their forum avatar as the icon! (if they have one)

Licho wrote:What would mod specific icons be? 2 most played mods?

Isnt it too much data?

I was thinking 3, and keeping stuff small, but I like too-much-data. Besides, the lobby-images you have available already (faction icons, rank icons) are pretty tiny. I still think a simple X of Y would be the best indicator of ELO rating, rather than some critter... except either way, the problem is _which_ ELO rating?

Mod-icons don't exist, you're right... but the faction icons do. Only prolem with that would be CA's "?" icon.

So I'd have

C<?> B<Core> K<Hacker>

along the bottom, in order of how often I play what mod.

Including player-count would be better highlighted by a nice image of their fave map - just plaster it as the backdrop behind the actual content.

The have-it-all solution: game independent critters, plus the option for game devs to submit achievement-type things that unlock special game-specific critters. The user could choose which to put in his/her signature. Overkill? Is that a kind of fruit?