Minor typographic issue

[akanosora]

This is just some minor typographic errors that I observed in POE. Nothing game breaking but since I am a typography nerd, my instinct tells me that I need to share it.

 

It is about the ligature feature supported by the game - which is quite decent and surprising, considering very few game developers would ever pay attention to typography at all. However, some implementations are not very proper.

• Generally speaking, there are two levels of ligatures:

1. Normal ligatures, such as ff, fi, and fl, are traditional to standard roman and italic fonts, and therefore commonly used and well supported by most typography applications.
2. Discretionary ligatures, such as st, ct, and Th. These are much less common, probably only used in some special situations. In fact, the st ligature lost its popularity in late eighteenth century already. The use of the st ligature is therefore too overwhelming in POE, and should be limited.

• In contrary, ffi should construct a single ligature. Right now in POE, it is ff ligature plus i. The same rule applies to ffl and ffj ligatures, though these are not common in English. Shown below is an example for the ffi ligature:

[Heijoushin]

Hello Mr. Red Sky. I've never heard of a typography nerd before.

 

Your picture isn't showing I'm afraid...

[Emptiness]

Here's an example of what he's talking about:

 

 

I turned off ligatures because I found them distracting and didn't feel that they added anything significant to the feel of the game.  To each his own.

[akanosora]

I turned off ligatures because I found them distracting and didn't feel that they added anything significant to the feel of the game.  To each his own.

 

Yes， it is optional. The distraction is mainly due to the overwhelming use of st ligature I guess.

[LuponTheMailman]

I'd also like to point out that the ligature currently being used as an ft is actually an st, using an old, third form of the letter s called a 'long s' which is no longer used in English. Typographical rules regarding the long s are somewhat confusing, but it would fit in the word 'gist', which is what the word 'gift' looks like with the ligature setting on. I'm also a little disappointed by the limited use of ligatures with the setting on, and would like to see more (and the addition of the long s if possible).

 

[akanosora]

I'd also like to point out that the ligature currently being used as an ft is actually an st, using an old, third form of the letter s called a 'long s' which is no longer used in English. Typographical rules regarding the long s are somewhat confusing, but it would fit in the word 'gist', which is what the word 'gift' looks like with the ligature setting on. I'm also a little disappointed by the limited use of ligatures with the setting on, and would like to see more (and the addition of the long s if possible).

 

It would be nice if the the game can offer - let's say - a slider for ligature settings between no ligature vs. normal vs. normal+discretionary.