Preferred Reading Background Color

Hey folks, I am working on a text game (sci-fi space opera). Which color would you prefer for the background? The traditional and simplistic White OR Black/other for the sci fi feel? The text will look good and readable in all, of course. :smiley:

I prefer good old black text on a white background. Call me boring but I actually find anything else kind of annoying and difficult to read for long periods of time but maybe I just need glasses.

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I agree. Black on white (or very near it - like, navy blue on beige or similar).

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I prefer a light background and black text. I find a slightly off-white colour is best.

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Well… I’m a little different from most, it seems.

I actually prefer white text on a dark grey background.

Oddly because I fins a pure-white background too bright.

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That’s not odd at all. That’s why I find off-white slightly better than white itself. :slight_smile:

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If there’s a choice I generally prefer white text on a dark grey background. It’s easier on the eyes for me. (But black on white is fine, too.)

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Sepia with either black text or really dark brown text. Sepia is the light tan color that is also an option when reading, I don’t know why but it’s easy on the eyes for me and I an follow it much better than white or black background.

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Funnily enough, even though I’m not good with pure-white backgrounds, pure-black backgrounds are hard to read off, too. (both for long periods of time).

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Off-white background (or gentle cream, if you’re a cat… er, into more artistic naming of colours, I meant) and black text, is what I prefer.

Pure white tires the eye rather quickly, as can black background and lightly coloured text.

Just never, ever use things like dark red text on medium green or somesuch horrendous combination. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Such an easy question for me. Black background, white text. I can’t read, I’m visually impared but I often still look at the screen, especially as I can still see the pictures sometimes and the buttons. Depending on what my phone’s brightness is like, what time it is and how tired I am a white background can just blind me :stuck_out_tongue: :’( .

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I like black text on grey backgrounds. Its easier on the eye so I can concentrate better and keep that ADHD at bay.

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Off-white background with a dark (either dark gray or black) text, only because I am far-sighted and I see dark text better with my glasses. ^^;

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Thanks guys, thanks for the suggestions. I really want to fix the text window colors at the start because its a bit difficult to change them halfway into development, that’s all.
As some of you suggested, how about black text and a light gray background? (good for night time reading without eye strain, don’t you think?)

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It wouldn’t very well because the contrast is too small. I looked up a few examples, and it doesn’t look so good. White text is better on a gray background. It might work if the gray is very light, but it would also depend on the font and size. I think a dark gray background and light gray text can work with certain fonts like Cambria or Georgia, like you would see with those pictures of quotes.

Edit: Just an example of light colors on dark backgrounds vs. dark colors on light backgrounds.

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Personally of the two I prefer the left side but as I said, light grey with black text really is better in my opinion. I like darker backgrounds but black with white text is just as bas as white background and black text. Grey background feel like a good compromise to me.

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I can definitely understand the hesitation towards white on black because it can be rather harsh, especially on certain screens with a higher brightness to it. You are suggesting light gray with black text, which I can see working if the size and the font work with it rather than against it. I found this little color comparison, which I found helpful in order to compare. :slight_smile:

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To me D1 and 4f feel better.

I just noticed that white on dark grey and black on light grey both feel equaly good. I think my real problem is high contrast.

The two extremes feel bad no matter what my phone brightness is but when the text and background goes more on the mild grey it feel better no matter the brightness.

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I agree with you on both points!
Gray tends to be a win-win as long as the contrast is right. It tends to become glaringly obvious whether or not an author thought over the color choice or just slapped on two nice-looking colors that didn’t blend into one another. The classics aren’t bad, but I enjoy a softer contrast as well. :slight_smile:

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I prefer the examples with colours #3/#f or #2/#f in this chart.

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