Ants tiles camouflage on dungeon floor

[moxian]

Like, really, the only thing that distinguishes them from dungeon floor is two small green eyes.
Numerous times I've had my autoexplore stop, and spending 15 seconds trying to find that Working ant that came into view.
Am I the only one?

[ontoclasm]

You've got a point. I'll try and make a brighter version. On that topic, are there any other existing tiles that are notably difficult to see / parse?

[moxian]

Soldier ants are close relatives to worker ants and have the same problem.

I also have troubles spotting adders in green sewer waters and lava creatures in lava. But I suppose the former is a minor issue and the latter is kind of intended.

[dd]

Here's one version I made... I just took the existing tile and tweaked it a bit, I changed the colour to brownish to make it a bit easier to see... but if anyone wants to make a totally new tile that'd probably be better.

[moxian]

Here's one version I made... I just took the existing tile and tweaked it a bit, I changed the colour to brownish to make it a bit easier to see... but if anyone wants to make a totally new tile that'd probably be better.

This is definitely better, but I'm still not sure it can be distinguished from the floor well enough. Haven't tried at it in actual game, though - I've only looked at a quick mockup in paint.

[roctavian]

I actually made a new ant tile a little while ago myself, was waiting to batch it with some other monster tiles I've been working on.

[dd]

Is the third one hiding an egg?

[roctavian]

Kinda, it's the queen tile and I was going for that egg sac bottomed look. I'm actually not that happy with the tile, if you think you can do anything with it, please do.

[Galefury]

This is one of those cases where a bit of antialiasing would probably be a good idea. Also I think the legs look weird in general. They really stand out when you put the tiles over the normal dungeon floor. The tiles are much more visible, though, which is good.

I think the last one is a queen, and the abdomen is bent to come back forward because it's huge.

[roctavian]

I also realize that I just posted a picture of a honeypot ant and not some kind of queen ant, but you should all read about honeypot ants because they're cool anyways.

[nicolae]

I also realize that I just posted a picture of a honeypot ant and not some kind of queen ant, but you should all read about honeypot ants because they're cool anyways.

Honeypot ant. Kill it, it drops royal jellies.

[dd]

I'm actually not that happy with the tile, if you think you can do anything with it, please do.

Hm, well, I can give it a try... how's this:

qant.png (1.8 KiB) Viewed 8246 times

qant-x.png (2.33 KiB) Viewed 8246 times

I just tweaked it a bit, increased contrast and worked some light/shadow magic... made the jaws & some of the legs show up a bit better.

[Deimos]

Do they have to be black ants? These tiles are gorgeous, but I don't think it'll be any easier to see...

[tcjsavannah]

I understand it's kindof the point of the mob, but I have the same problem with shadows.

[roctavian]

I don't necessarily think they look too bad, here's another sloppy mockup to show. That said, different colors might not be a bad idea. What color are ants in console, anyways?

[KoboldLord]

How about making them red? When I was a kid, my sister liked messing with the hills of fire ants in a nearby vacant lot. I wasn't as fast as her about avoiding their bites and stings, though. Their reddish-black carapace would show up easily enough on that background, I'd think.

Jet-black ants make me think of the relatively harmless sugar ants where I live now, which are big and annoying when they're trying to get into your food and swarming all over your kitchen, but basically never try to bite.

[twelwe]

Worker ants are a in console, the queen ant is a and soldier ants are a (white a)

[sardonica]

You've got a point. I'll try and make a brighter version. On that topic, are there any other existing tiles that are notably difficult to see / parse?

Lava fish are very hard to see. I guess this could be on purpose but then, ice beasts aren't hard to see on an ice level.

Actually if a lava area with lots of fish I just save and go to console mode till its over.

[crate]

If something is hard to see this is probably not intended. In console you're free to just change the glyph, of course.

[moxian]

You've got a point. I'll try and make a brighter version. On that topic, are there any other existing tiles that are notably difficult to see / parse?

Lava fish are very hard to see. I guess this could be on purpose but then, ice beasts aren't hard to see on an ice level.

Actually if a lava area with lots of fish I just save and go to console mode till its over.

I think it is mostly because lava tile is so contrast and "patchy" - it ranges from almost-white yellow to almost-black red and has many small details. It's difficult to make anything reddish (and lava creatures are supposed to be reddish) stand out on this tile.
Snow ground, on the other hand is quite plain and monotone. And also snow creatures have black outline, that helps them stand out, but that doesn't work for ants/lava.

So, in my opinion, it should be easier to change lava tiles, than to change all lava creatures. Then again, I've got absolutely no idea about tile creation process, and don't know whether it is actually easier or not.

[dd]

Jet-black ants make me think of the relatively harmless sugar ants

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_ant

[mageykun]

Jet-black ants make me think of the relatively harmless sugar ants

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_ant

I wasn't truly afraid of those things until I learned they burned down houses by moving into and subsequently eating the insides of electric meter boxes.

On topic: personally, I've always been able to see the ants, but there's no reason not to make them brown or red if some people have trouble with them. Lava monsters though are just godawful impossible to see and absolutely need some kind of adjustment. The last time I was unlucky enough to roll a lava floor I ended up playing almost completely from the minimap.

[sardonica]

If something is hard to see this is probably not intended. In console you're free to just change the glyph, of course.

The same could be said for almost any change ^_^

How about making lava creatures have a bright yellow outline? It sort of fits...

[XuaXua]

You can always change the floor tile to be less dark.

[Grimm]

+1 for red ants.

[JeffQyzt]

Note that worker ants are already red in console.