Cursor Update on PBE v2
Hello everyone! Thank you for all the feedback we’ve gotten so far on the new cursor. We’ve been reading through all of it and making a bunch of iterations internally, and today we have a fresh version to share here and on PBE to get more eyes and feedback.
Cursor Comparisons https://i.imgur.com/p4x7bvE.png
Enemy Hover https://i.imgur.com/qC6PpD4.png
Enemy and Ally Hover (GIF) https://imgur.com/a/x87c7UQ
Comparisons with Angles https://i.imgur.com/YDMj34p.jpg
Note: The version you see here is not the final art - we’re focusing on shapes right now, and then will polish after those are locked. :)
As you can see from the gif and images, we’re trying out a few things here. Let’s talk about each one.
- Shape change on Enemy Hover
- Different angle
- New shape with internal cut-out
1) Shape change on Enemy Hover
The most common piece of feedback we got was around needing a shape change on Enemy Hover to get that instant feedback. We've tried a bunch of different forms for this internally—other color changes, switching to a targeting reticle shape, and a couple others.
After those attempts, we’re testing out an update to the existing sword-shape for multiple reasons: It gets us a clear shape change without significant distraction, it can work at similar angles to the primary cursor, and of course we get to benefit from everyone’s existing familiarity with this shape.
That being said, the old sword had a few problems of getting lost in minion waves and during team fights because of its slimmer profile, which is part of why we were looking at other shapes originally. We’re trying to mitigate this by having a flat, bright space in the blade, but are definitely interested in feedback there.
2) Different Angle
We originally started with a 45 degree angle because that's what the legacy gauntlet cursor uses. However, even though the gauntlet was set to a 45 degree angle, the asymmetrical shape of the hand makes the overall form look like it’s pointing more upward than 45 degrees.
Since the new cursor has a symmetrical shape, its weight is evenly distributed along whatever axis it is placed upon (45 degrees in this case), avoiding the optical illusion of being pointed at a different angle. This led to the new cursor sometimes feeling like it bent to the left, especially when interacting with flat interfaces like the store. By tilting the cursor so the left edge is on the 0 degree line and the right edge is on the 45 degree line, it should feel more familiar to your experience both in and out of League (the 0 degree angle is what most applications and operating systems use).
3) New Shape with Internal Cut-Out
We’re also trying out more of a diamond shape with an internal cut-out. We saw some minor feedback about the first version looking too simplistic, so we’re hoping this version feels more interesting (and more fitting with League’s other UI) without giving up clarity.
Having the cut-out in the middle also gives us a useful space to communicate non-critical information where a shape change is overkill. For example, the internal diamond could turn blue when hovering over an ally, as shown above.
