Icon Contest #13 Theme Discussion

[Sin'dorei300]

Hey, guys!

It has been more than two months and any icon contest hasn't been formalized yet, although it was promised. But, let's get over that.
I'd like to ask if u want to maintain the old theme or u will be happy with a new, fresh one.
If u want so badly the old one, i'll start the contest with that theme.
If u want a fresh one, i'll create a new poll and we'll vote a new theme.
I call all those interested in this to share their opinion here.
The old theme is:

- Attack & Armor types
Partial wildcard. In here, a minimum of 6 icons is needed. You will be requested to draw a set of icons to replace the standard attack types - and there won't be the name to icon restraints: you don't need to draw Hero, Siege and Piercing skills - those can be Shredding, Hand-to-hand and Heavy Artillery.

Old threads:
Icon Contest #13 - Theme Poll
Next Icon Contest - Brainstorming

 

[Footman16]

I think the Old Theme looks pretty good, and would be very useful/interesting to see.

The only other theme I could suggest would be to create icons for WoW characters.

 

[morbent]

Well how about new themes are suggested and if none are approved we stick to the old one?

 

[rcshaggy]

I haven't been here in like forever so it doesn't matter either way for me.

 

[Maximum_Evil]

Most themes on the poll seem interesting, but I have to agree with most that

Attack & Armor Types & Deadly Sins are probably the best themes

 

[Sin'dorei300]

I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Forsaken]

Well, I would still like to see more icons about Upgrades & Tech. Hive has awesome icons of this, but still is a lack.

 

[Deleted member 238589]

How about the icons from hero classes? Like icons for Warlock spells, Paladin spells, Mage spells, etc. Not sure if this was suggested before.

 

[Shadow Fury]

Oh well, I think armor and attack types could be lame in the end. There's nothing really spectacular or unique in some weapons for how well they are drawn with details. What about some shadowy theme? Dark icons which represent obscure magics of evil warlocks? Maybe I'll get an icon with my own name (but of course that's not the main reason I'm proposing the shadowy theme). I don't know if that has already been done before but I'd like to present this idea since I believe it can be a really good one. It is also because I did not find a lot of dark-themed icons of high quality.
That's my suggestion, let's see what others think.

 

[Ash]

I kinda like the sound of the old theme. I haven't seen much like that. However, what's the new theme you're thinking of? It could be really cool!

 

[Daffa]

From my perspective, I enjoy eye based magic stuffs (ugh, Naruto influence....).

In a more actual context, I don't really follow older contests, but I was thinking of adapting other games icons into Warcraft 3, but improved with each personal artistic style, but concept remains for the said icon.

 

[APproject]

How about a completely free theme? The criteria could be that by no means those icons must prove to be useful, but those icons could hardly get any substitute in the icon database. Sounds like an odd idea, but I think this could enforce the creativity and in the end it could prove more useful than another bunch of substitutes of what is already at hand.

For example: certain or most of special effects, units or projecticles usually go with a substitute icon, but not originally looking icon. Another example would be very specific items, as an example could be a sacrificial ancient greek knife, I had to look for it on google to get into proper detail. Or I needed a sickle sword (bent a little bit) and blood marks on it, there is no proper substitute to this one. Those are but examples.

If this idea is getting dumped, then I probably go with paper / scroll / book icons, I don't think Hive offers a good variaty of those, I had to turn to google or GIMP many times.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

I kinda like the sound of the old theme. I haven't seen much like that. However, what's the new theme you're thinking of? It could be really cool!

If we agree that we want a new theme, i'll organize a poll with the suggested themes, and we will vote.

 

[Remixer]

I agree with Shadow Fury, it can really easily get simple and not that unique. Personally I'd love if you could make a poll about the icons users want to change the most for some reason.

For example I'd like to change the Wisp icon as I hate it's green and the model portrait is light blue and you rarely control light blue wisps.

Another icon I find annoying is Shade icon as it has this odd green glow which does not show in the model.

There is also a lot of icons that Blizzard really rushed over (e.g. on the Ability side Tornado icon (wtf blizzard) or Cyclone.
Making better versions of these icons could actually have some use but idk.

 

[Razosh]

Well I am not going to partake in the challenge but what icons I would like to see added to the hive isn't new weapon icons we have so many of them already. I would like the theme to be WarCraft III heroes as there are many heroes that lack alternative and better looking icons and set the goal to make a new, innovative and improved version of the heroes icons.

 

[morbent]

Now, since the most important thing is to actually have many contestants, I would say only the participants should decide the theme. Yes upgrades sounds useful but I am not sure many would be interested to actually draw it... since it's more or less not very creative or free. So focus on the participants' choice, let them decide, I say.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

I hope they will post here too.

 

[PublishedShadow]

Just adding a theme suggestion, as I doubt I'll participate but... I've noticed that a lot of the Director's Cut Models don't have any associated Icons - or at least that reference an Icon from their download page. That could be useful to a lot of people.

Prime Matron is an example of a badass model that also has a fitting Icon.
However, a lot of other DC models do not and I feel like they should.

On the other hand, the Attack Type theme is absurdly useful and I personally like that idea the best.

 

[Shar Dundred]

You know, I've often been wandering around in the ressource sections of Hive and I noticed something that I found crucial:
We have a lot of high quality mechanized units but it's a pain finding fitting icons. I've often used Steamtanks, Siege Engines or Battleships as icons ( i. e. Human Battleshied for Callahans drones).

How about a mech-unit (or just mech) theme?

 

[MasterHaosis]

I agree with what Ash said here. I prefer old theme more too

 

[Kyrbi0]

Oh, dang, I forgot about this. >_<

Well, I'm no contestant, but personally I was never a huge fan of the previous Theme. I'm all ears for a new Theme.

Now, ... I would say only the participants should decide the theme. ... So focus on the participants' choice, let them decide, I say.

Even though I love influencing stuff like this towards my nefarious ends, I cannot argue that this is the superior position.

Now, since you can't really have a "private poll" (i.e. who's gonna enforce "only certain people" voting, and who's gonna determine those "certain people" will honestly (try?) to participate?), I say you open up the poll as usual, but then simply keep track of those who vote who say they will (at least "attempt to") participate. So no matter what the "actual" poll results, you'll have a second, smaller poll of the people that matter.

 

[Chen]

I think:

New Skillset for Melee Heroes: You should draw a new skillset for Warcraft III's melee heroes including tavern ones, they should draw four that should fit the hero itself and the old skillset.

Tavern: You are required to draw atleast four icons representing a tavern, a bar, beer, brawl and anything that relates to a tavern.

Rank: You must draw atleast 4(or 3 or whatever is approved) icons representing rankings, ranking for units, something that will represent what they have went through.

 

[Footman16]

What about my suggestion? To make an icon based on someone from WoW or Warcraft in general.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

If we agree for a new theme, i'll organize a poll with the suggested themes.

 

[Footman16]

If we agree for a new theme, i'll organize a poll with the suggested themes.

Ok, well now that I think about it, like someone said earlier it could be pretty limiting the Armour/Weapon Upgrades and maybe not prove to be too interesting, but I suppose I'd need to see what people would actually start coming up with to say for sure.

 

[Sclammerz]

Well I am not going to partake in the challenge but what icons I would like to see added to the hive isn't new weapon icons we have so many of them already. I would like the theme to be WarCraft III heroes as there are many heroes that lack alternative and better looking icons and set the goal to make a new, innovative and improved version of the heroes icons.

I tend to agree with this one here. Or maybe just their spell/abilities icons.

 

[Tal'Rarity]

Maybe an idea that doesn't limit you, Galaxies? The armour/weapon upgrades might not be that good right now. Though making your own kind of galaxy might be interesting.


Maybe another possible idea could be around bones/decay and/or blood. More possible skill-sets would be cool as well more leg-type icons since there is barely any. There's chest armor, but no leggings.

 

[Kyrbi0]

Maybe another possible idea could be around bones/...

DON'T DOO DAT. Do 'Bones' and Mad'll come in with his sklulz and just mop the floor again. :<

 

[rulerofiron99]

Since the same criticisms of the attack/armour theme are still popping up (maybe due to the idea being lost in translation), let me clarify:

Attack/armour types does NOT mean you need to make a sword or a shield.
- You could make types like in Element TD - fire attack/armour, ice attack/armour, etc
- You can make a couple of shadow-based attack and armour types
- You can make your skulls of various types
- You can make space-age laser and nanotech

The constraint here is to make a set of icons that fit each other for a particular role; it's incredibly open to do almost anything you want with it.

Here is the original suggestion for your convenience:

Attack/Armour Type Replacement Icons - Devise replacement attack and armour icons, and feel free to create your own attack and armour types entirely. For example, Element TD has types corresponding with the various elements. You might take inspiration from a game like Mount & Blade, where attacks are divided into blunt, cutting and piercing, each which has a different interaction with different armours.
(I might have suggested this for a previous contest... not sure)
You could do e.g. a modern theme, an ancient Greek theme, or a Chaos theme.

PS: A restriction does not mean that your creativity is limited. Quite the opposite in many cases, a restriction can guide your creativity in ways that it wouldn't if you were just doing whatever.

 

[Kyrbi0]

PS: A restriction does not mean that your creativity is limited. Quite the opposite in many cases, a restriction can guide your creativity in ways that it wouldn't if you were just doing whatever.

This so hard.

 

[Almia]

I would like to suggest an Icon Contest where contestants need to make an icon for a thing that doesn't even have a Physical Representation(or a physical body to represent with). For example, How would you create an icon that represents Essence Shift? How about an icon that represents Agony? Something like that. This would be something many will think of.

 

[TaShadan]

Well, I would still like to see more icons about Upgrades & Tech. Hive has awesome icons of this, but still is a lack.

I agree Upgrade and Tech icons would be awesome. Especially naval tier 1-3 attack and armor upgrades and maybe some special abilities for ships. Icons for ships are rare (Nightelve and Undead have none).

 

[Blood Raven]

IDK, there was a lot of hatred towards that theme (I have nothing against it), but for the sake of other artists, let's have a poll with the winning themes from the old poll (with 7-9 votes), and see what people want now.
Another option is coming up with new ideas and combining them with those from the old poll to create a hugeass new poll of ideas and let everyone vote

 

[Shar Dundred]

Mechanical units is the way to go, guys.

 

[Arad MNK]

I Think Sci-Fi Theme would be Nice... We don't have many of them...

 

[Heinvers]

How about the icons from hero classes? Like icons for Warlock spells, Paladin spells, Mage spells, etc. Not sure if this was suggested before.

Yeah, there was a contest similar to this.

I kinda like the sound of the old theme.

I agree Upgrade and Tech icons would be awesome. Especially naval tier 1-3 attack and armor upgrades and maybe some special abilities for ships. Icons for ships are rare (Nightelve and Undead have none).

I don't really fish that one if you know what I mean.
Seems too mainstream and the site has tons of those.
Some might need more or some remakes but they're just overused imo.

Well I am not going to partake in the challenge but what icons I would like to see added to the hive isn't new weapon icons we have so many of them already. I would like the theme to be WarCraft III heroes as there are many heroes that lack alternative and better looking icons and set the goal to make a new, innovative and improved version of the heroes icons.

Yes to that. The vanilla ones are crap anyway.

How about a mech-unit (or just mech) theme?

Dunno, they're kinda rare and dull (at least some of those).

DON'T DOO DAT. Do 'Bones' and Mad'll come in with his sklulz and just mop the floor again. :<

At least that would revive Mad and bring him to do good stuff

PS: A restriction does not mean that your creativity is limited. Quite the opposite in many cases, a restriction can guide your creativity in ways that it wouldn't if you were just doing whatever.

I couldn't agree more.

This so hard.

Not quite, sometimes it's kinda great to have a sort of limitation that requires thinking outside the box.

IDK, there was a lot of hatred towards that theme (I have nothing against it), but for the sake of other artists, let's have a poll with the winning themes from the old poll (with 7-9 votes), and see what people want now.

Sorta...

Another option is coming up with new ideas and combining them with those from the old poll to create a huge-ass new poll of ideas and let everyone vote

Do we need to clog this up now? :d

I'll have to side with Razosh on this one btw.

Also, the themes that have been made in the previous contests.

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12

Maybe some of those could be reused or built upon.

 

[Nudl9]

I'm only here because Sin'dorei300 sent me a PM, but i'll voice my opinion.

The basis for the contest should be to make useable icons, which people can use in their maps. Whenever i make maps i've always felt that hive lacks mechanical and goblin icons. These icons work pretty well with sci-fi maps too. The only problem is the lack of quality icons or icons that fit along wc3's style. Some icons hold up particulary well. For example these are some icons which i use frequently (Last one is blizzard):

Another suggestion i would like to make is that you make a hero contest.
A contest where you create a melee game hero and make icons of your own for it. Additionally people can choose wether or not they want to team up for such a contest.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

I want to thank u, guys, ur feedback is much appreciated.
It's time for a poll, i think.
A little patience!

 

[TaShadan]

I don't really fish that one if you know what I mean.
Seems too mainstream and the site has tons of those.
Some might need more or some remakes but they're just overused imo.

There are no naval upgrade icons (tier1-3) for nightelve and undead. The only good ones for orc and human are the ones from the SoC pack. Not exactly tons of those...

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Time to vote: Icon Contest #13 New Theme Poll

 

[morbent]

Well, while rulerofiron99 is right, that a restriction isn't limiting I do have to say that most will only enter if they truly enjoy the theme, and I think even a true pro won't enjoy a restricted theme... uhm, artstyle wise. Say, if I told an animator to draw real life, no matter how good he is, he will probably be bored, or at least, not as interested as he would be in drawing what he likes doing. So regarding restrictions, I would say I am overall against, it probably will not work.

"The basis for the contest should be to make useable icons," (Nudl) well, you see, while I again agree personally like I do with rulerofiron I also disagree because it just won't work. If you do this you will get only 1-3 people entering the contest (probably). The past has proven this quite often. It is not about the whole community here, it is about the small community of contestants. If our artist community consisted of 50 active people from which 30 would surely join, then yes, you would be correct.

But lets see what the poll will give us and discuss it again later.

edit: also, curious. People complain that the Upgrades theme was boring but it still has the most votes...

 

[Kyrbi0]

I'm only here because Sin'dorei300 sent me a PM, but i'll voice my opinion.

The basis for the contest should be to make useable icons, which people can use in their maps. Whenever i make maps i've always felt that hive lacks mechanical and goblin icons. These icons work pretty well with sci-fi maps too. The only problem is the lack of quality icons or icons that fit along wc3's style. Some icons hold up particulary well. For example these are some icons which i use frequently (Last one is blizzard):

I agree with you wholeheartedly, but I recognize I do so as a non-contestant. I'd love for all the Contests here to ultimately create things that are useful for Wc3 modding (we need to have a discussion about this, actually; the "point" of a given Contest...), but sometimes a Contest is just used to either A) have fun or B) generally challenge the artistic capabilities of the contestants (i.e. not intentionally creating something useful for the game).

I can see why Contestants' opinions should be given more weight, basically.

(Daaang, where'd you get those first two icons?)

Another suggestion i would like to make is that you make a hero contest.
A contest where you create a melee game hero and make icons of your own for it. Additionally people can choose wether or not they want to team up for such a contest.

Lol, this is an entirely different conversation... But it's been a while since the last Hero Contest. I wish I was motivated enough to host/compete one about now, since I'm in summer (arguably more free time than during university). But a dual-Contest (e.g. Hero: coder/artist, etc) is a cool idea. Lots of people would be into it, I think.

Well, while rulerofiron99 is right, that a restriction isn't limiting I do have to say that most will only enter if they truly enjoy the theme, and I think even a true pro won't enjoy a restricted theme... uhm, artstyle wise. Say, if I told an animator to draw real life, no matter how good he is, he will probably be bored, or at least, not as interested as he would be in drawing what he likes doing. So regarding restrictions, I would say I am overall against, it probably will not work.

Well sure. But we're generally not talking "art-style" restrictions; rather "subject-matter" restrictions. Anything that keeps the Contest from being "here's a blank sheet of paper; draw whatever!". : )

"The basis for the contest should be to make useable icons," (Nudl) well, you see, while I again agree personally like I do with rulerofiron I also disagree because it just won't work. If you do this you will get only 1-3 people entering the contest (probably). The past has proven this quite often.

Ah dannae about that; sure there are artists that just want to draw whatever (i.e. not confined to Wc3-style or subjects), but there are many other artists that are inspired by the fact that they are making something that will find actual usage somewhere.

edit: also, curious. People complain that the Upgrades theme was boring but it still has the most votes...

(Probably a better post for the Poll thread, but)
Yeah. However, notice that (almost certainly), those votes came mostly from those who won't be participating (myself included). That's the kind of stuff we non-artistic Modders want; upgrade/tech icons for under-drawn races. Troll tech, Goblin tech, Troll tech, Forsaken tech, Troll tech, Dwarf tech, Troll tech... You know. Trolls Stuff like that.

 

[Orcnet]

I really don't have enough brain juice to spill in here, but I do have a few to post:

- Turn a default WarCraft III/World of WarCraft Icon into a StarCraft II/Diablo III-like outlook.

ex. Talisman of Evasion, in Diablo III's version, it will look like a reddish-hell/blood orb like theme. For StarCraft II, its going to be a mechanized gadget/ancient rock-gem/fleshy alien shit-like thing.

- Make a famous Internet Meme into WarCraft's icon art style. (this is somehow lame but I don't know what you guys think)

ex. Turning every rage comics characters into an icon.

- Make an icon for a Unit/Doodad/Spell/etc that doesn't have an actual Icon for WarCraft III.

ex. The Apprentice Wizard's icon shares the same icon of the Dark Wizard, so that means the Apprentice Wizard should have a icon for itself.

- Turning a Superhero/Anime/Cartoon/etc in WarCraft III's iconic art style.

ex. Superman will have an icon that will blend in with WarCraft III's art form.

Well, that's that.

[EDIT]

Damn I did not see that poll coming, hehe