Tooltip Convention Ideas

As the title suggests, I am proposing some ideas about different kinds of tooltip formats. Most, if not all, Warcraft III maps use a similar, if not the same, format for tooltips. While it's not really a big problem or anything, for me it feels like its overused and needs to be changed.

Blizzard's convention is a good one, not too much words, but it is so because the tooltips are used by very simple abilities/units/items. In an AoS or Hero Arena, there are certain spells which are more difficult to explain and more complex. Let me give you an example, Age of Myths, this AoS has tons of overcomplex abilities. I can't remember any hero name/whatsoever, but I do remember that the Pirate hero there had a Ghost Ship ability.

Now that is just... Wrong. I also remember some abilities' tooltips didn't even fit in the box, yes they were THAT HUGE. This type of tooltip is very very confusing and hard to read, wall of texts are not welcome.

In other maps, like for example, DoE, the tooltips are somewhat Blizzard-ish and pretty. The format also includes stuff like Cast Range, Cooldown, Targets, and the likes. This makes it easier for players to find what they want to know. This is a pretty good format, I recommend following, but not completely plagiarizing, it.

Let's get to the point, here are some formats that I would like to be given feedback on. Feel free to post your own as well!

The Learn tooltip is something I haven't seen before at all. Algebra-format ftw. It is pretty straight forward on the level-increment detail.

This is technically DoE's format, just moved to the opposite(bottom) side rather than the top.



Straight forward, direct to the point, no story/description/whatsoever.

Personally I think this one is really an eye-sore, I play video games because they're fun, not because I want algebra wars.

This one's a lot better, it's direct and it's got the point.

Too plain and its directness is rather boring.

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My format's always been


For example

Generally I have...
Small = 0 > 200
Moderate = 200 > 400
Large = 400 > 600
Huge = 600 > 800
Massive = 800 > ∞

And...
Melee = 0 > 100
Short = 100 > 300
Moderate = 300 > 500
Long = 500 > 700
Huge = 700 > 800
Massive = 800 > ∞

Sometimes I go for another convention but I usually don't, it extends from my previous format...


This would extend it to...

Which calls for...
Activated = Used on the spot
Toggleable = Able to be turned off and on
Point targeted = Targets a point
Area targeted = Targets an area
Unit targeted = Targets a unit
Area-unit targeted = Targets an area, must have units in it
Tree targeted = Targets a tree
X Targeted = Targets X

Personally I like my format because it adds enough "salt" or "sugar" to the tool tip to make it blend in with a video game theme but it doesn't overdo it by going...


A tool tip has to do these 3 things in this order in roughly the ratio of 4 : 2 : 1.

- Explain what the ability does
- Adequately detail the effects and workings (more than explain but less than dissect)
- Fit in with the theme of the game and appeal to the reader

Sure it's a small amount of flavour of text, but that's why I oppose your first format... algebra wars.

And that's my contribution.
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EDIT!
Also, if it has a duration (important which I forgot), it goes the line below the description.

Maybe you could say about how the spell originated from too.

Good job tide for writing The Great Wall of useful information.

Origination could easily be nudged into the small background info. I generally try to keep it to a minimum 'cause once a tool tip goes over 1/4 of the main screen (between the minimap - unit status - command card on the bottom row and the top row's player options - clock - resources), it starts looking like a text wall and becomes unpractical to read depending on the game's speed. Or just boring.


Another use you COULD try to go for with tool tips is make the small story sound cool so that it catches their attention, allowing you to slip in some more details both story and effect-wise. This is very useful for ultimate spells, actually. Still, the limit isn't extended THAT much, so you still have to ration your tool tip.

EDIT!
And thanks, wraithseeker :P
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Summons and multiple-effect spells are easily supported by my format, which is why I chose it... my maps often had lots of dual-effect spells or spells that'd have greater effect on one end over the other...


However, my format does break down on some hero abilities.


Also, with tool tips, some rules of algebra DO apply. Such as canceling common factors (phrases), but like any formula, over-canceling can make it a pain to work through so while minimalizing, do control how far you go with it.


If the ability has multiple factors that change specifically, then my format does show its seams more than the Lava Crawlers example.


If you created this tool tip and looked at it, it will appear segmented and funny looking. Hence why I try to abbreviate things for the minimal lines, but I need to have maximal detail on functionality.
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lol @ rambling about how I write tool tips better than make maps.

Agree with AoM's tooltips being overwritten and sometimes being able to confuse more than they inform.


This tooltips style I feel is best used for maps with highly competitive or hero centred gameplay. eg. Arena's etc

Its sheer informativeness probabbly makes it redundantly long in a setup with many unit like Custom Melee.


I like this one personally altough I think duration is a little redundant. Perhaps its because im used to doing it Blizzard tooltips style (Blinds for X seconds) instead of including duration elsewhere.

Hm, in competitive environments the first mentioned one does have its advantages because of how direct it is on a functional level, but on an aesthetic level it makes the map look shallow (as I have said). Some maps have overdone the aesthetics of their tool tips (DotA) but on other occasions have had a good balance of aesthetics and function (DotA).

The second mentioned tool tip is popular and it's very direct whilst roomy for aesthetics.

I personally don't go for the whole
- List
- List
- List
of effects though, I think they should be included in the main tool tips - if they can't read through a small block of text, they probably don't have the intelligence to use what it describes in the first place.

Nice opinions, though.

Lol. I knew someone would scream Algebra Fight or something of the likes.

@Tide: Well your tooltip is a bit different, but in my opinion looks rather lacking/unpolished. Maybe some colors? I generally dislike how it looks like, specifically the targeting type and cooldown put together in that way. <text>,<text> .. Meh, but that's just my preference. I like pretty looking and organized tooltips.

I agree that there must be some sort of description about the ability and its relevance to the hero, some kind of explanation as to why/how the ability does stuff.


I am fond of tooltips explaining stuff in a simple manner, but this one was really straight-to-the-point and I felt it was lacking, probably because I'm not used to reading such tooltips.

Format w/ colours...




I'm not a big fan of colour massing.

(Necro-Post? Hopefully not...)

Personally, I like to stick with Blizzard's precedent(s), because that's what I do, in making "custom races compatible with Blizzard races". My only guilty pleasure is in re-mapping hotkeys to more obvious and useful keys; instead of trying to find "letters of the spell name on the left side of the keyboard mainly/only", I just go for Q-W-E-R and Z-X-C-D and stuff.

Otherwise, Tide seems to have the closest to that; especially the 4:2:1 ratio of information.

Well, that's not exactly DoE's format..
That is a tooltip taken right out of DoE for Armageddon for its level 1 stats. Of course, couldn't get the colors just right, but there it is. I've always liked this because it's short, to the point, and gets all of the necessary information across. The only addition that might be nice is what the spell targets, but that gets really cluttered, really fast, so I took that out in a previous version for all tooltips. It reads much cleaner now.

Btw Dusk, what colour code did you use for OD's tooltip. As the "Cooldown" colour.