Need Some Input Regarding An Issue With The Menus

[pakmannen]

So, I'd like to get some feedback on a certain question. The startup screen we've been working on looks different depending on monitor. The original looks washed out on one of my monitors, especially the trees and the circle around the clock. The trees are almost transparent, and you can see through the branch that intersects with the clock. Anyway, the other menu screens don't have this problem, so I'm currently trying to fix the startup. I've got two versions here I'd like you to look at and compare:

 

- Lighter version (This is the original)

- Dark version/Dark version 2 (This is a new, edited version)

 

If the first one looks ok to you, does the second one also look ok?

If the first one looks washed out/crappy, does the second one look better?

[sparhawk]

The only problem I have with these is, that the background images are so extremly subtle, that you only see them when you know they are there. I agree that they should not be to much standing out, but then they should at least be recognizable.

[Domarius]

I have a big light glaring on my monitor and even I could make out the buildings and trees in the background.

 

Because of the light on my monitor I can't yet say which one I preffer.

[SneaksieDave]

It's hard to say, but I think dark version 2 looks best. None of them is particularly "too dark" or "too light" for my monitor/setup.

 

A couple of related things though:

 

-Why are the roman numeral times around the outside out of place? I hadn't noticed that before, and

-Way back, it was said that the buildings to the right were placeholders of sorts, not the official, because at the time, nothing "adequately industrial" was available. That they wouldn't be houses or a town street, but instead factory/machine/smoggy smokestacks, etc. To really push the contrast of nature v. industrialization.

[Dram]

Darker ones are better imo - you'd be playing DM in the night anyways I think.

[pakmannen]

Checked them out at my other monitor today.. I can see we have a problem.. I see what you mean now Gildoran, the circle around the clock is very very dark. Actually, the whole thing is just way too much contrast heavy.

 

I'll try to come up with some kind of compromise, I guess.

 

@SD: Interesting points. The first one is a good catch, I never even thought about it. I'll fix it. The second question was kinda answered in the original thread. Basically, we searched around but couldn't really find anything that fitted, and the current one looked good aesthetically, even if it didn't stick to the original thematic idea. However, there's still the city vs nature, or hammerites vs pagans (the building on the right is a cathedral/clock tower) so it works pretty good nonetheless.