Gender in Soldiers screen - via name color

[Tarvis]

Since there doesn't seem to be any room to add a gender indicator in the Soldiers screen, I was thinking an elegant way it could be done would be making women have a pink name and men have a blue name when in the Soldier Edit screen (not the list)

There are pink entries loaded in the palette as the text for the stat descriptions are pink

[Solarius Scorch]

Uh... That would be... silly. We can tell them apart already by sprite, why make it part of the UI? After all it doesn't matter, game-wise.

[Sharp]

putting a gender symbol in there should be possible, probably better then coloured names, plus I have colours for names for my special soldiers anyway

[Solarius Scorch]

putting a gender symbol in there should be possible, probably better then coloured names, plus I have colours for names for my special soldiers anyway

A symbol seems much better.
Probably right next to nationality tag

[Shoes]

Could also have a headshot of the soldier.

[Hythlodaeus]

We discussed this long ago with no viable results.

https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=834.msg7994#msg7994

Plus something like this won't probably happen till after 1.0

[Dioxine]

The pink/blue duality is mostly a thing of the American culture, and XCom is supposed to be global... Is this a flamebait, Sir?

[SupSuper]

I think a portrait would be the best solution, it's simple, fits the screen, and doesn't need further explanation (an image is something something).
No idea about implementing it without creating extra sprites though.

[Hythlodaeus]

I think a portrait would be the best solution, it's simple, fits the screen, and doesn't need further explanation (an image is something something).

The problem is where to fit it.

No idea about implementing it without creating extra sprites though.

I believe I recall Warboy saying it wasn't that complicated. Isn't it possible to load a cutout version of character paperdolls on a small frame?

[Solarius Scorch]

I believe I recall Warboy saying it wasn't that complicated. Isn't it possible to load a cutout version of character paperdolls on a small frame?

I think it would require a more complex approach. As mentioned by Luke83 in that earlier thread, many portraits would be needed to avoid blatant repetitiveness (the standard 8 is definitely not enough). However, it would be strange to see one face on the portrait and another on the paperdoll (which is what happened in X-Com: Apocalypse, and it looked poorly).
Therefore, what would be necessary is a complete overhaul of the paperdoll graphics. I imagine it would require separating the head from the body in terms of graphic files, so that the head can be swapped. While I am enthusiastic about such perspective, I realize it's unlikely to happen any time soon... Though I'd gladly be making faces.

[Hythlodaeus]

I think it would require a more complex approach. As mentioned by Luke83 in that earlier thread, many portraits would be needed to avoid blatant repetitiveness (the standard 8 is definitely not enough).

I disagree with this for two reasons: a) it implies new graphics and mod work and b) it already happens when you scroll soldiers in the equipment screen. What matters is to discern the soldiers gender, skin/hair colour etc. New protraits would be cool to have, but I don't consider them a must, and certainly not a core requirement for a feature like this.

Therefore, what would be necessary is a complete overhaul of the paperdoll graphics. I imagine it would require separating the head from the body in terms of graphic files, so that the head can be swapped. While I am enthusiastic about such perspective, I realize it's unlikely to happen any time soon... Though I'd gladly be making faces.

I don't know much about programming, but wouldn't it be possible to create some sort of alpha layer to negate most bits of a fully loaded paperdoll?

And obviously, there's still the fitting issue. Trying to find a place to fit the portrait on that stuffed screen is certainly not an easy task.

[Solarius Scorch]

I disagree with this for two reasons: a) it implies new graphics and mod work and b) it already happens when you scroll soldiers in the equipment screen. What matters is to discern the soldiers gender, skin/hair colour etc. New protraits would be cool to have, but I don't consider them a must, and certainly not a core requirement for a feature like this.

Oh, but I absolutely agree. I just think having 8 portraits total is completely pointless; what can be more abstractive in an equipment screen would be unacceptable in portraits. Hence my conclusion that either we add more portraits or disregard this feature altogether. (Which is why I said it probably won't happen.)

I don't know much about programming, but wouldn't it be possible to create some sort of alpha layer to negate most bits of a fully loaded paperdoll?

Yep, sounds good. Not as elegant as removing heads from existing paperdolls, but probably much easier to implement, and not noticeable.

And obviously, there's still the fitting issue. Trying to find a place to fit the portrait on that stuffed screen is certainly not an easy task.

Here, my good sir, I have nothing... Maybe merge it with Shoes' soldier stats mod if it's implemented to the core game?

[SupSuper]

I believe I recall Warboy saying it wasn't that complicated. Isn't it possible to load a cutout version of character paperdolls on a small frame?

Only if you assume every paperdoll has the same size and nobody mods them, I guess.

[Tarvis]

Yeah that's why this was my idea, this is a way to tell gender with a very quick and easy change and without needing to make new graphics/alter the UI/consider mods. At the very least as a stopgap until then.

Otherwise, my other idea would be to show the unit's paperdoll in the armor equip window that pops up when you click the button.

I'd also be fine with shortening the stat bars and putting the paperdoll on the right/left, but that's a more drastic alteration.

Uh... That would be... silly. We can tell them apart already by sprite, why make it part of the UI? After all it doesn't matter, game-wise.

The problem is you can't see the sprite from the soldier base menu stats screen, which is the only place to rename soldiers. The info is important for those who like to rename their soldiers (to avoid giving a female a male name and vice versa)

The pink/blue duality is mostly a thing of the American culture, and XCom is supposed to be global... Is this a flamebait, Sir?

No, it's merely a fairly standard convention with no connotation intended. If it seriously bothers you, feel free to think of different colors or a different idea.