I don’t think we should be calling these heatmaps anymore. This is a heatmap:
The current “heatmaps” carry not only the speed at a given time, but also include the position data (I call this graph the “action tracker”). I’m being pedantic, but I think it’s important to recognize that we are trying to communicate a lot more information than a 1D heatmap is capable of.
I think this is the best style of visualizer in use around the site. These are two variations, but very similar. The first one has better scaled text, but I also wanted to share an example with a shorter script.
I would want these qualities adapted to the site universal visualizer:
- Focused purpose, first an action tracker, then a heatmap
- If it isn’t action tracker first, why bother including that data at all?
- Concise makes clear
- Background is black, not tinted the same color as the action tracker
- Heatmap only effects one element, don’t repeat yourself
- Muted, but still plenty expressive color palate
- No piercing neon colors! Much easier on the eyes
- Action tracker over text
- Most scripts bottom out consistently, and have more variation on the upper end of strokes. Text below makes it easier to see the top end of strokes.
Most of the clutter in the current visualization stems from the heatmap color impacting too many spaces. Appearing in the text bar and the action tracker makes it seem like there are two separate, but effectively identical heatmaps in the same graphic. Appearing in the action tracker and the background of the action tracker makes it difficult to read positions because they are the same color as the background. It only needs to impact one, ideally the action tracker itself.
All of that said, a variant that was strictly a traditional heatmap (like the first image I linked to), with no position data would probably be a good option to include. assuming that is in the realm of possibility for the user configuration. Could probably just make the background tint fully opaque for a quick and dirty version.
One more item. The TCode axis takes up a ton of space, but it adds very little value. I’d guess at least 95% of scripts are going to be L0. Why bother with a full height box with information that is useless for most users? Get rid of it. Obviously, it will be very useful for multi-axis and should still be included in those cases. However, I would move it to an element next to the duration, actions, etc. That way it isn’t changing the width of the script area when it does appear. Maybe that’s not so important idk.
TL;DR:
- Make everything completely transparent but the graph and the text
- Have only the graph colored like the heatmap
- Consider muting the color scheme somewhat
- Add a variant that is like a traditional heatmap with no position data
- Consider moving the TCode axis into the text bar with the other items, and hiding it if it isn’t a multi-axis script.
Sorry this is probably a mess to read. Really like this idea and am excited to see it come to the site.
readers should opt-out, not posters. even if the poster thinks their version is better, the reader will have their own opinions. the poster can always include as many images as they want.
i’m going off topic, but it’s crazy to me that it isn’t a requirement to attach free scripts directly to the post. there are posts two dozen images and gifs that make you load a separate site to download a 20KB text file.