New graphics - too bad

[ArchonSvm]

I'm going to continue to check in on this site over the next couple weeks in the hope that they change it back at some point in time.... but then again, I wont be getting my hopes up.

[GTSchemer]

I'm going to continue to check in on this site over the next couple weeks in the hope that they change it back at some point in time.... but then again, I wont be getting my hopes up.

I can't remember a case, literally ever, that BGA or game graphics were changed back. In the former case, because they do not want to. In the latter case, because the publisher likely mandated it.

[Frisky070802]

I have no problem with the colors and such, but I hate that things are now so big the full game doesn’t fit in an iPad.

[Northwoods Newbie]

Haven’t played splendor in a long while but after two games tonight, I think I have to abandoned one of my tried and true favorites. My eyes cannot adjust to this new look. It’s too much of a struggle. So disappointing because I have no one to play the board game with outside of online. Why did they make this change?

[theras2000]

I hate the new graphics and the new clicking requirement to spend each gem. The clicking is stupid; just show me the total and I'll say yes. The new graphics must be related to new artwork on the reprint of the physical game that is or has come. I don't like it, but I have some suggestions. Please at least highlight everything clearly. If you want me to click something, make it bright and bordered. Don't make me hunt around the whole screen with my eyes to find what you want me to find.

[Gjcheck]

My mom hates it too.

[dongerami]

agree!!!!!

[DomitienAW]

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for reaching out. It’s really important for us to hear from the community, and we greatly appreciate your feedback
We’ve been following the concerns expressed on the BGA forum since day 1 but wanted to take some time to gather more data before responding.

First, I'd like to clarify that on BGA, only the illustrations and graphic design were updated, the code in itself should be the same.
If you experience any global layout changes or display errors, please use BGA bug report feature so they can be properly investigated.

Surprisingly, I haven’t seen any image comparisons posted yet to evaluate the differences between the two versions.
It’s quite easy to find the older version using Google images or by playing the tutorial, which still features the previous design.



As you can see, there are no major differences in terms of readability.
It does take time to adjust to changes, but the new layout—with its colored banners—helps make the card colors more distinct.
The different shapes and orientations of the poker chips keeping them accessible for colorblind players.
Note that before we launched the new design, I personally played several games using a colorblindness emulator using both layouts and didn’t notice any significant difference in terms of readability. I also conducted playtests with colorblind players, who reported no issues other than adjusting from their familiarity with the old design.

The only change is the card requirement on the noble tile, which as been reduced. We’re actively working on improving this element.

Lastly, I'd like to share some Splendor data to provide context on why we believe this design update is successful:
- Around 5,000 to 6,000 games are completed daily, both before and after the design change. While there are day-to-day variations, the average number has remained stable.
- Although some players have removed Splendor from their favorites list (some always do), the overall player having Splendor in their favorite continues to grow at the same pace as before.
- The drop-out rate from one month to the next is the same between June and July and between July and August. It’s also similar to other popular game like Azul or TTR numbers

Has we’ve included a link to BGA in the new edition rulebook, we decided to maintain consistency by having this new version the only one available on the platform.
After nearly two months of observing feedback and usage data, we’ve decided to stick with this approach.
This is especially important as we plan to release the expansions on BGA in November and May.

Thanks again for your understanding and your continued support!

[GTSchemer]

As you can see, there are no major differences in terms of readability.

Greetings,

I know you have made your mind up, but in case you wish to understand what some of us suffer, it is key to understand that if a minority has a problem (e.g. color blindness or sensitivity to visual noise), of course general BGA behavior on average may not change. Why? Because most people can tolerate such a change.


To be specific, at a glance the following differences stand out in your comparison images:

• The old art has large gems on a clear background. The new art has tiny gems on a chip background, and this is much harder to naturally parse at a glance, leading to some viewers feeling overwhelmed or tired while staring at cards on a small mobile screen.

• The old art has a dedicated icon strip. The new art has a strip that cuts off halfway through, distracting the eye with higher contrast elements as you try to parse the whole layout.

• The old art had some repeated graphics for the same level of card. In my opinion, this means the brain can subconsciously associate the art, and easily recognize certain types of cards. The new art has a different art for every card, and the brain has to work to filter it out.

• The old art tends to have more of a faded, low-contrast look so that the icons pop. The new art tends to be more detailed and higher contrast, which means the brain and eye work overtime to filter out unimportant details.

• The last point is especially noticeable in the art for nobles. The new art removes the easy parse contrast strip so icons are harder to see, AND cranks the contrast and saturation to a high level so the brain gets grabbed by the character.

In summary: I suggest that throughout the thread, or in the many bug report comments requesting an "old art" option, you will notice certain players mention feeling tired, or exhausted, or having a hard time "seeing" cards. It may not make sense to you, and that's great, most users may be like you! But for those of us who struggle, the above points may help understand why.


Thanks for reading.

[Jellby]

I wonder if an option to simply reduce the saturation of the art (but keep that of the icons, and the layout) would help? Something like this custom css:

Code: Select all

.spl_cardheader, .spl_noble_shadow {
background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.4);
}