Icon competition

[jri]

As of version version 0.5.8, my Geocaching Map Enhancements userscript lets you show additional waypoints and corrected coordinates on the main geocaching map. To do this, you go to the listing page for the cache you are interested in, then click on the "View Larger Map" link. Here's how the result looks now:

 

 

At the moment, waypoints show up with their normal icons (signpost, puzzle piece, car, etc.). The corrected coordinates get a marker with the cache type icon (multi, in this example). The default cache icon from the map (a smiley if you've found it, otherwise the normal icon for the cache) will always appear - this can't be changed, as it is part of the map. However, there is also a marker for the original coordinates (the circle icon), which appears sat on top of the icon from the map. I decided to include this so you can tell which cache you were originally looking at - useful if the map is cluttered with lots of other nearby caches.

 

So - on to the competition: What should the marker icons for the original and corrected coordinates look like? I'm not entirely happy with using the circle icons for the original coords, and the corrected coords could look more distinct from the other cache icons. Whoever can come up with the best icons (or alternative suggestion) wins the prize of having their idea incorporated in the script. Icons need to be intuitive to understand and distinct from the clutter of other icons on the map. To fit in with the rest of the site, they should be 20x23 pixels - you can use this template:

 

Other suggestions need to be simple to understand, and simple for me to code into the script!

[+mellers]

Mt first thought is that whatever icon you use, it should be clear from the icon itself, which bit of it is actually pointing to the co-ords. A symmetrical CROSS (as in X marks the spot) would show that if you intend to centre the icon on the co-ords. Colour co-ordinated to the colour of the cache type (blue for mystery, yellow for multi) would also make it stand out.

 

I've no experience for designing icons, so haven't been brave enough to use your tool yet, but if I could explain how I think it might look good is to use similar colours too those which appear when you download a kml file to Google Earth. The inside of the X would be that blue (or that yellow) with a border around it in the same hue as the border around the circular icons. Similar thing with the yellows

 

Have plans for the day, so can't devote time to learning how to design the icon myself, but will come back to it tomorrow, if you don't get more (probably better!) ideas in the mean time.

 

Alternatively if the coding means that you have to use the square while boxes you have already with a coloured icon inside, a tick or a cross in the white box (as shown on your picture) with a pointy bit coming out of the bottom, would also be distinctively different. Either that or an bold and chunky arrow pointing downwards to the pointy white bit of the box. Colour-coded to the cache type (Blue/Yellow) would also help. Just a few starting thoughts.

[+MartyBartfast]

How about the same icon but with a bright green background for the corrected co-ords and a red background for the 'original' co-ords; so you end up with a blue ? with a green or red background for puzzles and a couple of yellow boxes with a green or red background for multis?

 

Don't have a chance to knock any examples up as I'm at work but it might take a bit of experimentation with the precise colours to come up with something that looks clear and is easy on the eye.

[+Delta68]

My £0.02 worth:

 

I'd have thought that it would be more logical to have the original icon in the position of the original co-ordinates and then the circle icon (or its replacement) indicating the corrected co-ordinates

That way, they position of the original icon will be consistent across all caches whether they have corrected co-ords or not

 

 

Mark

[+Mallah]

I think the corrected co ordinate icon should be the same as the original but with a GREEN background, and should be linked back to the original co ords and icon with a GREEN line. However I have no idea if adding such a line is possible but then again everything you've done with these maps seems impossible to me

[+Simply Paul]

For colour blind people, a mix of green and red backgrounds would be a mistake as they'd look the same. A simple negative version of the icon would be very clear. Add a green tick in the corner to remind people what the reverse-colour icon actually means? All very cool so far. I think it's obvious enough where the icon is pointing, with the little V on the bottom of them. Good luck with the final layout/design.

[jri]

I should probably explain a bit more detail of which markers are shown when, with and without GME being installed. I'd like the final result to be as consistent as possible between the map and the cache pages. Also, when GME is installed, I don't want the markers to look too alien compared to what people were previously used to.

 

On the cache page, you always get a marker with the cache type icon (multi, puzzle, etc.) If the cache has corrected coordinates, this will be at the corrected location, but currently it doesn't change icon - either to a smiley, or to show it's been corrected. If GME is installed, you get an extra marker at the original location, but otherwise there is nothing to show where the original location was. There is scope to change all of this.

 

On the map page, you always get an icon at the cache's original location. This can't be modified by GME, but it changes to a smiley when you've found the cache, and shrinks when you zoom out. With GME installed, you currently get additional markers at both the original and corrected coordinates, but only if you've clicked-through from a cache that actually had corrected coordinates. The GME markers don't currently change size or reflect finds.

 

The thinking behind the corrected coords behaviour was to make the it look the same on the cache page with or without GME, then to make the map page look similar to that. Even though the map page will always have an icon at the original coords (with or without GME), it seemed useful to add an original coords marker, since the main map may be cluttered with other caches. This behaviour can also be changed.

[+Simply Paul]

I'm a bit clearer now. It's not the 'correct' co-ords icon which needs a makeover, as that's staying as it is. It's the 'original', given-on-the-cache-page co-ords icon you need. How about just brightening the icon until it seems 'milky' or 'misty' to show what it was and where the 'fake' co-ords pointed. Ghost co-ords, if you like?

[+Happy Humphrey]

Surely the Original coords icon should be the standard one. Then the corrected coords should be the same, but in green (to signify "go"). Similar to this; .

 

This is the approach used by Rutson's excellent GSAK Memory Map macro, and it works very well.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Surely the Original coords icon should be the standard one. Then the corrected coords should be the same, but in green (to signify "go"). Similar to this; .

 

This is the approach used by Rutson's excellent GSAK Memory Map macro, and it works very well.

Yes. Please. Be consistant. There's Rutson and Lord Elf's icon as used by GSAK usera, and also the GSAK macro written by Big Wolf...

 

Why do we need everyone to design a new icon, and so cause confusion with a proliferation of different icons?

[+Guanajuato]

I'd have thought the 'normal' icon with a superimposed (green) tick for the correct coordinates and a superimposed '?' (maybe red?) for the original.

[jri]

Yes. Please. Be consistant. There's Rutson and Lord Elf's icon as used by GSAK usera, and also the GSAK macro written by Big Wolf...

 

Why do we need everyone to design a new icon, and so cause confusion with a proliferation of different icons?

Bear in mind that not everyone uses GSAK or Memory Map (I don't), and from I gather looking at HH's link, those icons are different to the ones used on Geocaching.com anyway. I need a new way of showing new information on the map (corrected/original coords), and I want it to be consistent with what people are used to too. I'm quite happy to use existing icons, if that's sensible (and their creators are happy), but I need some examples for what people think looks right. That's why I started the thread!

[+Delta68]

Just keep it as you've got it with the circle. It's nice and clear and it's obvious what it means once we've been told.

 

Whatever you do will be different to what everyone is used to...

 

 

Mark

[+metal-bijou]

Surely the Original coords icon should be the standard one. Then the corrected coords should be the same, but in green (to signify "go"). Similar to this; .

 

This is the approach used by Rutson's excellent GSAK Memory Map macro, and it works very well.

 

Me like. It's the corrected coordinates that are user entered and therfore should have the ghoust image or the green question mark or the X. I was very much in favour of the goust and or the green until I thought about printing in black and white or grey scale.

[+MartyBartfast]

Surely the Original coords icon should be the standard one. Then the corrected coords should be the same, but in green (to signify "go"). Similar to this; .

 

 

I considered the green ? as I use a similar icon for solved puzzles on my TomTom, but then that wouldn't work for a multi with corrected co-ords as making the boxes green would then look too much like a trad icon.

 

Here's what I was thinking of:

 

Original Multi position: or

 

Corrected Multi position: or

 

Original Puzzle position: or

 

Corrected Puzzle position: or

 

Which would make it easy to see which cache the corrected co-ords relate to.

[+mellers]

Surely the Original coords icon should be the standard one. Then the corrected coords should be the same, but in green (to signify "go"). Similar to this; .

 

 

I considered the green ? as I use a similar icon for solved puzzles on my TomTom, but then that wouldn't work for a multi with corrected co-ords as making the boxes green would then look too much like a trad icon.

 

Here's what I was thinking of:

 

Original Multi position: or

 

Corrected Multi position: or

 

Original Puzzle position: or

 

Corrected Puzzle position: or

 

Which would make it easy to see which cache the corrected co-ords relate to.

Just come back to see all the interesting suggestions on here and please please please may I add a "NO" vote for any green on multi and puzzle icons, please. To my mind Green is and always will be TRAD! I go so much more by the colour of the icon, and I expect quite a lot of people also do that without realising it!

 

(off to have a bash at creating an icon!)

[+mellers]

1.

2.

 

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

 

Hmmm Varying degrees of success, given that I don't really know how to use things like gimp and paintshop. I don't like the black border at the bottom around the white pointy bit, and drawing a tick freehand on 3-7 was really hard. I got sharper results when I took a screen shot of a tick on word (1-2).

 

Perhaps if you go for any of these you'll do a better job re-doing it from scratch. No.s 1 & 2 are my preferred colour options perhaps looking a bit like the better icon that HH managed to design (but of course without being green!).

[jri]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I've tried to take up the following:

 

• mike142sl's suggestion to use a line.
• Simply Paul and metal-bijou's reminders not just to use colour (to cater for the colour-blind and black & white printing).
• All the suggestions that involved using a tick for the corrected coordinates.

I've put up a a test version of GME at http://geo.inge.org....cements.user.js - this is how it works at the moment:

 

On a geocache listing, you will see a small blue circle marking the original coordinates, with a line leading to the corrected coordinates. The corrected coordinates icon is the normal cache type icon, but with a tick overlaid. The maps page will behave in a similar way, but you don't get the circle at the original coords, just the line. This is because the map will have put an icon there already - either the standard icon for the cache type, or a smiley.

 

I know I won't be able to please everyone all the time, but hopefully that will be an improvement over the previous version. Have a look at the demo and see what you think.

[+Maple Leaf]

I've just tried the test version - and like what you have done. Thanks.