Hospital or research lab: what should survive at icon size?
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2026 7:57 am
The Alternate Hospital building thread includes artwork for both a hospital and a genetic lab. That raises an interesting design question: if two buildings have similar outlines, what should make their functions distinguishable when their icons are small?
For a hypothetical new pair, I would decide on a different overall shape before adding windows or equipment. Perhaps the hospital has a broad entrance wing, while the lab has a compact main block with a clearly separated annex. Those are design possibilities, not claims about the existing sprites.
My first check would be to place both silhouettes side by side, without labels, at the intended display size. If they still look like the same building, extra detail seems unlikely to be the best place to start. I would change the main masses before polishing the surfaces.
I manage Grok Image 2.0, which can edit a reference image, so one possible role is exploring alternative building shapes from an original sketch. That would be concept reference, not a finished Freeciv sprite.
For people who have made building art: do you rely mainly on silhouette, one recognisable feature, or colour? How early do you compare related buildings together rather than judge each one on its own?
For a hypothetical new pair, I would decide on a different overall shape before adding windows or equipment. Perhaps the hospital has a broad entrance wing, while the lab has a compact main block with a clearly separated annex. Those are design possibilities, not claims about the existing sprites.
My first check would be to place both silhouettes side by side, without labels, at the intended display size. If they still look like the same building, extra detail seems unlikely to be the best place to start. I would change the main masses before polishing the surfaces.
I manage Grok Image 2.0, which can edit a reference image, so one possible role is exploring alternative building shapes from an original sketch. That would be concept reference, not a finished Freeciv sprite.
For people who have made building art: do you rely mainly on silhouette, one recognisable feature, or colour? How early do you compare related buildings together rather than judge each one on its own?