Map colour contrast and an idea about what to do about it
Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2023 11:34 am
Background
I was inspired by this[1] recent post which showed that I was not the only person with this concern.
The colour of certain parts of certain map layers has very little contrast with the colours of certain unit symbols. As shown by figure 1 below, this is especially true between the colour of the sea in relatively shallow water in the relief and bathymetry layer and the colour of friendly units. As shown by that forum post, this also appears to be true regarding the colour of the sea in the OpenTopoMap layer.
Proposed solution
While playing scenarios made by other people in which "day + night lighting" was enabled, I noticed that the usability of these map layers was significantly improved by the "night" shading applied by that setting. As shown by figures 2 and 3 below, this improvement is very apparent both for shallow water in the relief and bathymetry layer and for the sea in OpenTopoMap.
Considering this, I propose that some degree of shading, perhaps at least a level corresponding to twilight by the standards of day and night shading as it currently exists, be permanently applied to the entirety of those layers and to any other layers which prove to be affected by this problem. If this is objectionable for some reason which I have not foreseen, perhaps make such global shading an option which can be turned off when needed.
Figures
Figure 1: It is difficult to see friendly units in shallow water over the relief and bathymetry layer without shading.
Figure 2: Visibility of friendly units is greatly improved when the relief and bathymetry layer is darkened by night shading.
Figure 3: Similar improvements occur for the OpenTopoMap layer under the same condition.
[1] https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=399478
I was inspired by this[1] recent post which showed that I was not the only person with this concern.
The colour of certain parts of certain map layers has very little contrast with the colours of certain unit symbols. As shown by figure 1 below, this is especially true between the colour of the sea in relatively shallow water in the relief and bathymetry layer and the colour of friendly units. As shown by that forum post, this also appears to be true regarding the colour of the sea in the OpenTopoMap layer.
Proposed solution
While playing scenarios made by other people in which "day + night lighting" was enabled, I noticed that the usability of these map layers was significantly improved by the "night" shading applied by that setting. As shown by figures 2 and 3 below, this improvement is very apparent both for shallow water in the relief and bathymetry layer and for the sea in OpenTopoMap.
Considering this, I propose that some degree of shading, perhaps at least a level corresponding to twilight by the standards of day and night shading as it currently exists, be permanently applied to the entirety of those layers and to any other layers which prove to be affected by this problem. If this is objectionable for some reason which I have not foreseen, perhaps make such global shading an option which can be turned off when needed.
Figures
- Screenshot 2023-11-03 071833.png (2.02 MiB) Viewed 165 times
- Screenshot 2023-11-03 071910.png (1.46 MiB) Viewed 165 times
- Screenshot 2023-11-03 072300.png (1.64 MiB) Viewed 165 times
[1] https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=399478