Replace ? icon with "Basic Training" icon and Contest!

[Queen_Herpes]

**Contest added by Queen Herpes. Whoever comes up with the best replacement for the question mark (as determined by a series of polls to be taken over the next several months) will get a full year of premium purchased for them by Queen_Herpes! This does not guarantee that Conquerclub.com (owned by lackattack) will change the question mark, but this suggestion will ultimately transform from a suggestion that attempts to find a suitable replacement to a suggestion that attempts to replace the ?. This may take several months. This edit was performed on September 1, 2010. The new poll will end September 30th. Assuming no new entries, we will reduce the number of concepts from four to three.

Concise description:

• come up with an icon that could replace the ? icon for new recruits (e.g. an icon that designates "Basic Training" Rank.)

Specifics/Details:

• Currently, new recruits are icon ranked with a "?" which accomplishes the goal of demonstrating that we don't know how good or bad the new recruit is at the game.
• Come up with an icon that is more fitting and less boring to potentially replace the "?" icon.
• Would really work well with my other suggestion to increase the number of games the new recruit plays before they can play all the maps and settings: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=102006

How this will benefit the site and/or other comments:

• Might help new recruits to understand rank icons. The "?" seems a bit odd.
• Would be a better fit for the system of rank icons.
• The "?" also denotes regions that are unknown in a foggy game, ergo confusion between same symbol used twice

Queen Herpe's Own Personal Contest (Not affiliated with ConquerClub.com):
Vote for the replacement symbol that you like best...and the top vote-getter will win the contest! Contest winner's symbol will be the symbol to push forward the suggestion!

Here are the suggestions that relate to the poll and the contest!*:

JefJef's Feather:

Queen Herpes/JefJef Green Horn or Bugle Concept:

Alex951's Dog Tags
http://www.eyesontutorials.com/images/D ... g_Tags.jpg
*New Contest Entry!:
qwerts's NR


Removed from the poll because of low votes:
Queen Herpes "NEW" with Olive Branches:

Queen Herpes "NEW" with UN Global Symbol:

shocked439's "NEW" with circular symbol


*Queen_Herpes, Inc. reserves the right to change the contest rules and regulations at any point in time. Conquerclub.com and the admins and volunteer moderators and volunteers in the Entertainment Department have NOTHING to do with this contest. it is not a sanctioned contest by conquerclub.com and the winner will only receive community recognition by Queen_Herpes and her minions as being a fairly awesome person. Such accolades can only be received by the winner of the contest, which isn't a contest, but is a really cool thing, and perhaps, just maybe, everyone can now get along.

[AndyDufresne]

Do you have an idea of what it would look like, or an example/sample?


--Andy

[Queen_Herpes]

Do you have an idea of what it would look like, or an example/sample?


--Andy

I'm no artist and I've attempted in the past to make drawings, so here is my concept of what it looks like:

Two olive branches formed into somewhat of a circle maybe with the words "In Training" written over it.

The United Nations Logo is a perfect example, and perhaps could be mimicked:

[natty dread]

How do you propose to add the words "in training" to an icon that is about 20x20 pixels???

How do you propose to add any words to it?

The current icon is fine. We can't have a too fancy icon for new recruits. The current system is fine: the higher rank you have, the fancier your rank icon. First ranks are just boring stripes. Then you get a rose, then a diamond, then cool swords, a nifty coronet, and so on... If you would make a cool looking rank icon for the new recruits it would ruin the system.

[jaimito101]

agreed, the question mark is fun, it represents a beginner, a new guy, somebody who has yet to earn a rank. though maybe chosen at random, the question mark is perfect and has many deeper meanings if you think about it.

[TheSaxlad]

In that case how about changing the colours of the question mark to gold [premium] and silver [freemium] rather than blue or red?...

[JoshyBoy]

How do you propose to add the words "in training" to an icon that is about 20x20 pixels???

How do you propose to add any words to it?

The current icon is fine. We can't have a too fancy icon for new recruits. The current system is fine: the higher rank you have, the fancier your rank icon. First ranks are just boring stripes. Then you get a rose, then a diamond, then cool swords, a nifty coronet, and so on... If you would make a cool looking rank icon for the new recruits it would ruin the system.

I think we should change the colours from red and blue to silver and gold. That should do.

[jaimito101]

How do you propose to add the words "in training" to an icon that is about 20x20 pixels???

How do you propose to add any words to it?

The current icon is fine. We can't have a too fancy icon for new recruits. The current system is fine: the higher rank you have, the fancier your rank icon. First ranks are just boring stripes. Then you get a rose, then a diamond, then cool swords, a nifty coronet, and so on... If you would make a cool looking rank icon for the new recruits it would ruin the system.

I agree with TheSaxlad.

fixed

[JoshyBoy]

How do you propose to add the words "in training" to an icon that is about 20x20 pixels???

How do you propose to add any words to it?

The current icon is fine. We can't have a too fancy icon for new recruits. The current system is fine: the higher rank you have, the fancier your rank icon. First ranks are just boring stripes. Then you get a rose, then a diamond, then cool swords, a nifty coronet, and so on... If you would make a cool looking rank icon for the new recruits it would ruin the system.

I agree with TheSaxlad.

fixed

Fixed.

[AAFitz]

Actually, whatever icon is chosen, almost any icon might be better than the ?, except we are used to the ? I suppose. Even "NR" might be an improvement.

[Queen_Herpes]

How do you propose to add the words "in training" to an icon that is about 20x20 pixels???

How do you propose to add any words to it?

Like This:



and This:



And a reminder, I am no graphic artist, just used Paint. They have a super complicated, neat option called "cut and paste." A better artist could make something readable at the size used on conquerclub.

[shocked439]

How do you propose to add the words "in training" to an icon that is about 20x20 pixels???

How do you propose to add any words to it?

Like This:



and This:



And a reminder, I am no graphic artist, just used Paint. They have a super complicated, neat option called "cut and paste." A better artist could make something readable at the size used on conquerclub.

I do like your idea a lot, I think welcoming newbies with a cool icon is awesome and will only make them hate the stripes even more since they lose it after five games. The problem with the in training designation and the icons though is the implementation you made two very nice examples that would work great as a sig or as an avatar but when reduced to icon size looks like this

you might have room for 2 characters to be legible in the icon.

What if we modified your idea and had a forced avatar of in training until they prove they deserve to have a real avatar? Then your UN logo would be perfect

[Queen_Herpes]

I do like your idea a lot, I think welcoming newbies with a cool icon is awesome and will only make them hate the stripes even more since they lose it after five games. The problem with the in training designation and the icons though is the implementation you made two very nice examples that would work great as a sig or as an avatar but when reduced to icon size looks like this

you might have room for 2 characters to be legible in the icon.

What if we modified your idea and had a forced avatar of in training until they prove they deserve to have a real avatar? Then your UN logo would be perfect

How about this one? Obviously words might need to be resized, but how would this look?

[shocked439]

How about this one? Obviously words might need to be resized, but how would this look?

better. I could take the world out from behind it and leave just the olive branches and it should become more clear

[Queen_Herpes]

How about this one? Obviously words might need to be resized, but how would this look?

better. I could take the world out from behind it and leave just the olive branches and it should become more clear

I agree. now you are really testing my skills with paint. i will try cutting the world out. Though I would really like to keep it.

[Queen_Herpes]

better. I could take the world out from behind it and leave just the olive branches and it should become more clear

How are these?

[shocked439]

I have some ideas on how to fix it and I have a 3 hour flight I'll be sitting on so I will try to get something posted to help you. I really do like thus idea

[shocked439]

better. I could take the world out from behind it and leave just the olive branches and it should become more clear

How are these?

I like your top one

[Queen_Herpes]

I like your top one

How do I make it tiny?

[JoshyBoy]

How about the image of the world (and not the olive branches), and the word "New".

[Queen_Herpes]

How about the image of the world (and not the olive branches), and the word "New".

OK, I've reached me limits of artwork...

[Army of GOD]

If you're using Paint, you can just resize the image yourself by selecting the image, right clicking, click resize, click by pixels, then change both to 20.

[jefjef]

Why not just use a feather?

[chemefreak]

Why not this as an icon...you know, a virgin:

[shocked439]

I don't think the olive branch and word willwork that small. I made a few variations of a world icon with the word new. I think it would actually work with your level ideas and show where new people are in their progression. I don't have wifi service here but as soon as I do I'll upload them.