View source for Forum:Interactive Map Contrast

{{Forumheader|Redwood Grove|name=Interactive Map Contrast|subject=Interactive Map contrast |notes=|closure=allow|archive=true|date=23:37, 20 July 2021 (UTC)|user=Legaia2Pla|type=Policy}}

Waddup gamers, a kind of reasonable discussion came up yesterday regarding interactive maps and pin colours where a few edits where I was trying to make Pin markers a consistent colour (unless they were used for grouping/splitting) were {{Permadiff|14105173|text=reverted}} on the basis of contrast/readability issues. I kind of agree in hindsight but it brings up a couple of questions: Do we actually care about contrast/readability for interactive map markers? If we do, should this not extend to other interactive map markers such as NPC Region marking (the classic blue squares)/Path lines (also blue)? Because lets be honest a blue region marker on anywhere in Arceuus/close to any body of water probably also doesn't make for great readability either:

{{Multimap
|map1 = {{Map|mapID=18|y=4996|x=1932|mtype=pin}}
|map2 = {{Map|name=Batt Mellamy|x=1702|y=3769|r=5|mtype=square}}
|map3 = {{Map|x=1815|y=3688|plane=0|r=4|mapID=-1|mtype=square}}
}}

The way I see it there's a few different ways to handle this:

1. Do nothing: Only care about contrast for map pins which is the current situation.

2a. Consistent Pin colour outside grouping: Fuck contrast issues, consistency is hot (tbh I was kind of thinking changing the default to blue to match map region/line marking colour).

2b. Consistent Pin colour outside grouping: But change pins to be higher contrast in general through some kind of out-line on the actual pin .svg

3. Care about contrast: Allow/promote changing of map region/line marker colour for the purpose of contrast/readability.

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I'm in either of the Option 2 camps personally but yeah thought I should gauge sentiment after getting reverted after Being Bold 😎 [[User:Elaine|Elaine]] ([[User talk:Elaine|talk]]) 01:56, 1 July 2021 (UTC)

==Discussion==

'''Comment''' - Could you add examples or links to the edits? I'm not really sure what the options here look like or where this has been a problem previously. - [[User:Andmcadams|Andmcadams]] ([[User talk:Andmcadams|talk]]) 02:39, 1 July 2021 (UTC)

'''Option 3-ish''' - I think in some cases it's nice to have a nice contrast between the pin and the background, but in most situations the contrast of the pin itself will be sufficient on most backgrounds. So I'd say the specific situations where contrast is an issue, it'd be good to take it into account and use a differently coloured pin. In all other situations I honestly don't really care which pin colour is used. A neutral colour like red, green or blue is probably preferable in most situations, but I generally don't really have a preference which one. {{Signatures/Joeytje50|2}} 16:43, 4 July 2021 (UTC)

'''3 and 2b''' - While I think it is an extremely minor issue for myself, I don't know what others experiences are where it may make more of a difference, especially with colour blindness. I do very much prefer the orange-on-blue square regions, so I'd lean towards 3 though I would not mind 2b's outlined pins as long as they are not made larger, just have an edge added. I kind of dislike 2, incase there are maps with multiple things, like for whatever reason if we wanted to have a map with item drops + objects + npcs + something else, it would be easier/better for people to be semi-used to consistent colouring of those things. {{User:Fjara/Signature}} 04:10, 5 July 2021 (UTC)

'''3''' - I don't think contrast was really taken into account when these maps were first made, which was a bit of an oversight. I wouldn't mind recommending people to stick to 2 colors (blue if it works, red otherwise for ex), but I think forcing consistency and reducing their usability is a mistake when there's not a very compelling reason for consistency. Each group should be the same color for obvious reasons when there are multiple groups on one map though. Outlines on pins also don't look great from the mockups I've seen. - [[User:Andmcadams|Andmcadams]] ([[User talk:Andmcadams|talk]]) 22:35, 9 July 2021 (UTC)

'''Support - 3''' - Never thought about it until now. We should definitely improve the contrast and avoid colours that are associated with colour-blindness (ie. red/green - most common, blue/purple - less common). I definitely like the border on the pins; it makes the map more modern, [[User:Shoyrukon|Shoyrukon]] ([[User talk:Shoyrukon|talk]]) 23:34, 9 July 2021 (UTC)

'''<s>Support 2b (or not to 2b :wowee:) &</s> 3''' - While these aren't personal issues, I could definitely envision how they could be for someone. --{{User:Legaia2Pla/Signature}} 23:42, 12 July 2021 (UTC)

'''Support 3''' - Having things be more readable good, although keeping to a limited pallet would help avoid nonsense. Also given that OSRS is heavily male populated, and 1 in 8 men are colourblind, ensuring contrast for these users would also be popular. Yes I will never out about this on prompting. {{User:Luna Lana/Signature}} 00:12, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

'''Closed''' - There's consensus to implement the third option: ''Care about contrast: Allow/promote changing of map region/line marker colour for the purpose of contrast/readability.'' Since there was not a direct proposal on what colours to use, it should be fair to assume that [[RS:UCS|common sense]] will allow for appropriate colours. --{{User:Legaia2Pla/Signature}} 23:37, 20 July 2021 (UTC)