SDLPoP icon?

[Norbert]

By the way, this reminds me of the struggle that Valve had with the Linux mascot.


(image mirror)

They currently use the logo of their SteamOS Linux distro.
It wouldn't surprise me if they change things again in the future.
They removed the "STEAMPLAY" text, but the similarity of the SteamOS and Steam logos still confuses people.

[Falcury]

Yeah, I think you're right, particularly about the gears icon being far more distinctive and descriptive.
Designing good icons sure is not easy...

In any case, here is my attempt at scaling down the mausoleum icon to 16x16. It could definitely have been worse, I think (although I had to redraw some pixels manually). Still not very suitable for SDLPoP maybe, but at least it was an intesting exercise for me

[Norbert]

In any case, here is my attempt at scaling down the mausoleum icon to 16x16.

Nice job.

I did try to do the same myself yesterday, but my attempt was a lot less successful.
The best I could do wasn't good enough to share here. I deleted it after my attempt.
I had trouble getting the dome simultaneously properly shaped and slightly away from the minarets.
When I look at your icon I don't understand why I had so much difficulty with it.
Funny how that works.

[Falcury]

Another question, does the Mac icon, the mausoleum, 'say' SDLPoP? The VR on Linux icon linked above shows the head of the Linux mascot wearing a head-mounted display. The SDLPoP icon with text literally says SDLPoP. The gear icon by yaqxsw shows the head of the PoP1 for DOS prince with gears. The gears remind me of customization and - even more so - of being able to see how something operates. The icon tells me SDLPoP has opened up PoP1 for DOS to see how it ticks and runs. Those big gears in his draft are probably from an existing (stock) image, but as a small icon it's really not bad.

Thinking about this a bit more:

Maybe an icon for the executable, and an emblem that easily identifies SDLPoP are not necessarily the same thing?
(Of course, this is often the case for software/games, but not always.)

One disadvantage of the gears icon is that it doesn't actually identify with "Prince of Persia 1" very much, until you zoom in and recognize the head of the kid... It does not emphasize that SDLPoP is, at its core, a direct game port of Prince of Persia 1 for DOS - I think it may be important that the executable icon clearly communicates this.

Nevertheless, the gears icon (at 32x32) is definitely very recognizable as being PoP-related and it the icon does remind me of modding and tinkering, as you say. The gears icon (or logo?) also sets SDLPoP apart from other PoP-related projects. I think it looks really well as the forum board picture, and on popot.org as well.

(Nothing beats that goggled penguin for VR on Linux, of course...)

[Norbert]

For the general public, the most recognizable elements of PoP1 for DOS are arguably the chomper and the spikes. I've seen several people mention these as a first response when hearing the game's name. Below that the prince (face, white clothes, old-school pixely) and his sword (that he has one). The princess (that she is the goal), hitpoint indicator and potions even less. Just a hunch, of course. Also, in a gaming/computer context, the word "prince" is probably most associated with the Prince of Persia franchise. A partially open chomper with blood on it could make a very recognizable icon.

But... as you write - and I agree - the gears set it apart from other PoP-related projects. I think 16x16, the idea is primarily that it's recognizable as being a crisp smaller version of a bigger logo the user is already familiar with. In the bigger image, the gears can look somewhat different, more detailed, polished and smooth. By the way, just for fun look up the 1976 Apple logo.

[Falcury]

Changed the colors again slightly (bit brighter, matches the title screen colors better). Other tweaks: vertical centering of the image, removed the stripe in the dome, simplified the lower part of the building.

[Norbert]

Changed the colors again slightly (bit brighter, matches the title screen colors better). Other tweaks: vertical centering of the image, removed the stripe in the dome, simplified the lower part of the building.

Maybe because the colors are lighter, but the 16x16 version doesn't look as crisp as your previous one.
The tops of the minarets, for instance, look somewhat faded/smudged.

[Falcury]

Yeah. Is this better?
Pixel art is tough...

[Norbert]

Yeah. Is this better?
Pixel art is tough...

Better, I'd say.

Better than most here, too:
- palace: https://www.iconfinder.com/search/?q=palace&maximum=16
- taj (Mahal) https://www.iconfinder.com/search/?q=taj&maximum=16
- mosque: https://www.iconfinder.com/search/?q=mosque&maximum=16 (Click the "Show more icons" button several times.)
You can tell that a lot of these originate from SVG, such as this (, ).

Although they have some that are all right, such as #3 here:
- 1 (, )
- 2 (, )
- 3 (, )
- 4 (, )
- 5 (, )
- 6 (, )
- 7 (, )
- 8 (, )
In fact, that #3, its page is the only that does not mention SVG.
All but the first of these are non-free "premium" icons though.

[Norbert]

Should we use social media (and GitHub or the application('s docs) perhaps?) to call for someone to create a high quality scalable vector version of the SDLPoP logo?
I mean, as an icon it's kinda okay, but I think we could improve this.

[Norbert]

Should we use social media (and GitHub or the application('s docs) perhaps?) to call for someone to create a high quality scalable vector version of the SDLPoP logo?
I mean, as an icon it's kinda okay, but I think we could improve this.

Bumpity-bump.

[Norbert]

Added the gears icon: https://github.com/NagyD/SDLPoP/commit/ ... 49d4b5450d

A round border and transparent background should make the icon more elegant.
Modified icon.png attached (in a ZIP, so the transparency stays intact), plus an example of the difference.

[David]

A round border and transparent background should make the icon more elegant.
Modified icon.png attached (in a ZIP, so the transparency stays intact), plus an example of the difference.

I have updated the icon: https://github.com/NagyD/SDLPoP/commit/ ... 6c82fd324e