Hey all, so it was brought up in late beta that some folks really don't like the font we use in this game. I
do like it, but that's a bit beside the point. I previously said we could not change the font because it was too close to release, and the trailer was already done and etc etc. All true back then, but no longer applicable.
My reasons for wanting to consider changing the fonts in the game are (in order of priority to me):
1. To get a font that is really legible, but more horizontally compact than Casino Hand (which is the one most used in the game currently). This will be a big deal, because it means less wrapping of text and more that can fit in a smaller tooltip, etc. A lot of things will auto-resize themselves, but many others will not. So I'll have a fair bit of manual hunting to do to fix up stuff, but still.
2. To make the fonts look more distinct from our other games (particularly Valley 2, which this game uses the exact fonts of; but it even shares some with Valley 1 and Shattered Haven). Not to distance this game from those, but just to give it's own feel a bit more. AI War and Tidalis both have completely unique fonts compared to our other games, and I like that.
3. Kind of dovetailing off #2, to give the game yet a bit more personality that is specific to it. In other words, ignoring the other games I'd still like to nail the tone slightly better with this. The tone is
close as it is, but could be better.
4. Since some folks don't like the font, it's at least worth looking at a tad. I'll never please everyone, so this on its own isn't really worth pursuing since some folks will just hate the new font as well. But hopefully fewer people do, and anyway the other benefits higher up the list make it worth it.
All that said, I really hate trawling through font libraries trying to find something that would work. It's hard and tedious, and a big reason why we don't always rush to change fonts between games.
I have an account on myfonts.com in particular, so if you want to look through their libraries that's preferred all things being equal. There are fonts that are open source, and some of them are good, but a lot are kind of rough around the edges or else the standard serif and sans-serif fonts without much personality.
AI War itself started out using the Arial font, which as one reviewer noted had "the personality of a spreadsheet" and another noted "it's like coming in a cardboard box." Those were Alec Meer and Tom Chick, incidentally, who loved AI War and put it on the map. But obviously they weren't won over by the presentation.
That sort of sentiment is a big part of why I want fonts that have at least some personality to them. But maintaining legibility and also trying not to have too wide of characters or kerning. Always a really tricky thing.
Anyway, so if people have fonts they want to suggest, here's a place to do it.
