Mouse Cursor - Needs to be more game fitting

[Nostromo]

I'd like to suggest changing the in-game mouse to something more fitting for KSP. It currently uses the standard Windows mouse cursor but it doesn't really match the aesthetic of the game. Most games tend to make their cursor similar to the game look. It's not a big issue at all but I have to admit this small thing bugs me because it looks out of place.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Nostromo

[Wait- Was That Important?]

While I agree, I feel that it's incredibly easy to make an overlarge or distractingly gaudy cursor. If the KSP devs made a minimalist alternative that was more KSP appropriate, perhaps that would be better than what we have now.

[Nostromo]

I'm terrible at art but I found this to kinda show what I mean. The cursor can have a rounded, shaded effect like almost all the menus in KSP. The Microsoft, flat one just looks way disconnected from the game.

[Person012345]

I agree. I sometimes notice it floating around and it's annoying bland. When I see it I momentarily feel like I'm just doing an essay in word or something. It feels so out of place.

That being said it's a minor graphical issue, it's not exactly high priority.

[Rage097]

I haven't actually payed much attention to this...Not too big an issue, but it shouldn't be too hard to pencil into a minor update.

[lajoswinkler]

I strongly disagree. Custom cursors always tend to cause problems like flickering, bad attaching to objects and are usually a designer's nightmare.

There's nothing wrong with a simple and minimalist cursor. Why fixing something that works?

[Diazo]

As long as the color is similar.

That first black to white grayscaled picture in this thread would be awful in game due to the black background in space.

I'm not sure the blue is any better and the yellow would be visible but not fit KSP any better in my opinion.

Having said that, I don't have a better suggestion off the top of my head.

D.

[John FX]

As long as the color is similar.

That first black to white grayscaled picture in this thread would be awful in game due to the black background in space.

I'm not sure the blue is any better and the yellow would be visible but not fit KSP any better in my opinion.

Having said that, I don't have a better suggestion off the top of my head.

D.

Green of course.

[katateochi]

I strongly disagree. Custom cursors always tend to cause problems like flickering, bad attaching to objects and are usually a designer's nightmare.

There's nothing wrong with a simple and minimalist cursor. Why fixing something that works?

I agree. The simple black and white cursor will remain visible no matter what's behind it. Those other examples will be less clear on some backgrounds.

[M5000]

Personally, I don't have any problem with the standard cursor, and as Wait, Was That Important? said, it would be very easy to make an obtrusive cursor that just gets in the way. The Windows cursor is very precise and I don't think adding another one would really help anything.. But that's just my opinion.

[Nostromo]

Why wouldn't a new cursor be just as precise though? It would be the same size, just colored and/or shaded to fit KSP. So it doesn't seem like two separate things, as if I alt tabbed and played in Windowed mode. To me it's a natural thing for games to have, same as GUI design.

I have a feeling some of you guys are envisioning this:

Edited October 15, 2013 by Nostromo

[regex]

If it's the actual Windows cursor just change the way it looks in Windows, problem solved. If not, I don't agree with changing it because it is very visible in KSP.

[karolus10]

I think that keeping default mouse pointer is best idea, it's a tool and It should rather blend in and be unnoticeable when used, adding too much "glitter" is the worst thing that can be done to user interface.

Anyway, from UI design point of view, less is more .

KSP is now using same mouse pointer like you set in your operating system, so You can had any mouse pointer You like by changing default mouse !

[Nostromo]

But wouldn't you consider the mouse part of the UI? Many other full screen games have a mouse aesthetic based to the game. I mean, it's just as much a part of the design as the other interfaces. I really hope this suggestion isn't getting the connotation of mouse cursor = glitter.

=/

I suppose it bugs me because I spend some time thinking about fonts, tints, color, menus, etc before a release since I work for a game company. Although, not mouse cursors since they're browser based mainly.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Nostromo

[Person012345]

I think that keeping default mouse pointer is best idea, it's a tool and It should rather blend in and be unnoticeable when used, adding too much "glitter" is the worst thing that can be done to user interface.

Anyway, from UI design point of view, less is more .

KSP is now using same mouse pointer like you set in your operating system, so You can had any mouse pointer You like by changing default mouse !

Except it doesn't blend in, that's the point. It stands out specifically because we're so used to having it in default windows and we expect it to change when we open a game or program that has a certain style that is separate from microsoft window's style. It's quite jarring actually. You're trying to be immersed and then all of a sudden you have this plain pointer that is absolutely associated with computing and windows pop up. I guess that's what it comes down to - it's immersion breaking if you aren't thinking about the game as a computer application.

[Jenyaza01]

Hmm ... I like the standard cursor KSP. As for me, it's better than a normal windows cursor. I would love to replace the second first.

[technicalfool]

Hmm ... I like the standard cursor KSP. As for me, it's better than a normal windows cursor. I would love to replace the second first.

That's a heck of a necro there, bud. You might find a significant number of people in this thread might not even post on the forums any more.

As-is, and as usual, mods provide a choice. You can keep Harv's tri-state arrowhead, or use a mod that someone made *coff*, *coff* in order to delete the KSP cursor and restore the standard OS cursor.

If you think this issue needs further discussion, feel free to make a new thread. Closing this one to make sure it doesn't rise from the depths again.

Edited July 6, 2015 by technicalfool