AuthorTopic: Readability of pixel font  (Read 2158 times)

Offline winged doom

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Readability of pixel font

on: March 07, 2017, 01:16:49 pm
Hello Pixelation,



What text you see here?

Offline secretcat

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Re: Readability of pixel font

Reply #1 on: March 07, 2017, 01:30:48 pm
patreon.com/08games

Offline eishiya

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Re: Readability of pixel font

Reply #2 on: March 07, 2017, 01:51:20 pm
It's legible, but I think that's in no small part because I'm already familiar with all the words involved. Otherwise I'd read "PATReON" as "DATReON". Also, if I wasn't trying to read it for the sake of critique and just encountered it in the wild, I would've skipped trying to read it because it doesn't seem legible, even though it is.

Specifically, the letters P and E are making it look like a mess xP I'd make the P more like the R. The "e" just has a very strange structure, because of how the left part of the bowl is indented. I think a tamer shape with a full, unindented bowl would work better.

The rest of the letters look fine, they're attractive and very legible.

Black on teal is a bit low-contrast even for a very-legible font though, I'd considering lightening that background a bit. That would also help the text feel more like a single whole. Currently, if I didn't know better, I'd think I was looking at two distinct links, one for Patreon, one for 08Games.

Offline winged doom

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Re: Readability of pixel font

Reply #3 on: March 07, 2017, 03:15:37 pm
eishiya, thanks for detailed feedback! My fixes based on your critique:



Better?
I should note, this new E is more legible, but less authentic. I wanted to create a font that would be similar to style of GUI elements in my game:



Currently, if I didn't know better, I'd think I was looking at two distinct links, one for Patreon, one for 08Games.

The reason that I divided the text background into two different colored parts is that with one color it turns into set of lines, but not into text.
Here is how it looks with 1-color background:

« Last Edit: March 07, 2017, 03:18:36 pm by winged doom »

Offline eishiya

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Re: Readability of pixel font

Reply #4 on: March 07, 2017, 06:44:41 pm
I think that's better, yes.
I think in the case of the E it was a worthwhile change, even if it does feel less like the game. Plus, that indent doesn't particularly seem to correspond to any features from that example. In fact, in the top row of text you have what looks like a 6, essentially a flipped e, with indents on the top. Perhaps you could re-introduce such things based on that character. The reason the indent didn't work on the E before was because it was in a place where it distorted the letter's main shape instead of just adding a neat detail.

I think it's alright as-is, but here's an edit to give you ideas anyway:

The P has a more distinct stem and rounder bowl. I think it's more legible but still borrows shapes from your in-game text.
The E has a chunk taken out of the bowl, giving it more of that distorted look from the reference. Definitely less generic, but still readable.

I don't understand the last bit about "set of lines" and "text".
I wasn't suggesting eliminating the teal in any case, I just think it should be lighter so that it contrasts better with the black.