UI IDEAS

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ShurTugal, Jul 22, 2020.

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  1. ShurTugal

    ShurTugal Avatar

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    We talked about UI changes in todays live stream and getting a better UI is something I am passionate about. When you've driven a top of the line, state of the art car (swtor UI ) It's hard to go back to using a horse and buggy (SOTA UI ) :) lol I like that analogy. So... Here is some basic Ideas I would like to see and I think would greatly Improve things @Chris . I mentioned SWTOR in chat and you commented on it. I don't expect you have the free time to actually look into their UI, So I am doing some of the leg work for you. :)

    First they have several default UI layouts you can choose from or you can create your own, name it, save it, and switch to it at will.

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    Their UI is fully Customizeable. Each element can be enabled or disabled at will, resized, and much more.

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    there is a global scale option which basically means resize ALL UI elements, or as stated above you can resize each individual element which matters when your talking about switching between resolutions i.e. 1080p, 1440, 4k, etc.

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    There are individual character frames i.e. party members and each of those elements has its own options i.e. resize, hide, show, view/hide/show/enlarge buffs, view/hide/show/enlarge debuffs, etc. Important if your playing support role and you need to monitor certain buffs or debuffs to remove or apply. As well as other options.

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    there is also an group/operations frame that shows ALL group members or operations members together with it's own set of options which you can sorta get the idea of.

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    there is a player debuff tray and a player Buff tray and each tray has its own set of options. basically so you can see and monitor what you want. NOT have the wall'o'buffs/debuffs

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    they have a focus target window and a focus target castbar and you can filter out/resize any buffs, bebuffs you want/need to see. I'm sure you can figure out why that's important.

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    and they have a player cast bar thats independent of everything else and can be moved around/resized as needed.

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    their UI comes with So so So much much more but for me, that's like the basics. and if we could achieve at least that, I'd be a happy camper.

    On another note, Regarding our current combat bar and non combat bar, Those need to be separate and independent of each other and we need to have the ability to attach an independent key bind to each one. at present, the combat one overwrites the noncombat one.

    that is it. One of many of my dreams. take care. :) @Chris and all. Also, Please, instead of thinking of reasons why this CAN'T be achieved, change your mindset to an "I can" mindset and you will probably find that the answers find their way to you easier. :)
     
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  2. Rook Strife

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    Shouldn't be too difficult

    After all we can dispense with a lot of those UI features to better suit the activities available in this game


    Arena Scorecard
    Group Frame
    Operations Frame
    Focus Target
    Focus Target Castbar
    Player Castbar




    Should also consider importing

    Combat - While not the best, about a billion light years ahead of this game

    Dialogue Options - Hmm.. select a dialogue option where you can watch your character blow people out of an airlock
    or
    Please add to this box of incoherent text with more info regarding the Undead invasion of Solace Bridge

    Daily/Weekly Quests - Multiple PVE/PVP Zones where you can adventure solo or in groups to complete tons of fun quests every day for decent rewards
    or
    Go all the way to Broochash and seek out some obscure npc for 20 seconds of text dialogue and 50 xp

    Battlegrounds / Instances / Raids - Designed well enough that there is an instant queue for them pretty much any time of day


    Hmm.. On second thought. Probably simpler to just import everything except the housing

    Fair bet it will be significantly better than what we got here.
     
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  3. Vladamir Begemot

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    What stream was this talked about in? Could you link it? Or give a general impression of whether this is serious or not?
     
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  4. ShurTugal

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    Here's the link. He starts at about the 1 hour mark if I remember correctly when someone asked about seperating buffs and debuffs and he said that was a good idea and started talking about ways to make it happen, UI changes. I think more was talked about but either way it prompted me to start the post. this UI has been a major thorn in my side having played games with really good UI's I know the difference. So I decided to drop some ideas if hes already thinking on UI changes. whether it happens or not, I doubt it will but who knows. He talks about a lot that never happens.....

    https://www.twitch.tv/videos/687543254
     
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  5. ShurTugal

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    So I am sitting here listening to that stream to refresh my memory cause, why not, I'm home with nothing better to do :) and he drops the phrase "quick fixes". I've heard that phrase or similar ones used before by you @Chris and its disturbing to me.

    In my opinion (which is unimportant, I understand) and the opinion of clearly others by evidence of the post that are always going up, streamers talking about it, and even in universe chat it being talked about, there are some major things that need to be rectified with the game for it to be great. the biggest complaint I hear is "they create systems that have great potential but then stop developing those systems before they are complete so we have a lot of unfinished systems dragging the game down".

    Your NOT going to get this game on track with a million "quick fixes". I feel you have the mindset "lets see what's the least I can do and do that" That will not work and that mindset is hindering you. There's a saying, go big or go home. Maybe take some of the Main systems that seems to get the most amount complaints (crafting, vendors, UI (that last ones mine :) those are the ones that come to mind but maybe there's others ) and dig into what some of the more successful games are doing and then see what the "majority" of your players would like to see in those and than take bold action and do a redesign, taking into account the feedback and what you've seen from other games.

    Don't try to satisfy everyone cause, news flash, you never will. I personally don't expect to see much of what I would like to see done and I am ok with that as long as the games growing. The perception is you only listen to the whales who finance a major portion of your game. I don't know if that's true but the idea is discouraging, specially since I am a mere minnow. If that's true, maybe move away from that.

    A game of a million minnows will do you just fine financially as opposed to 20 whales. At any rate, I'm getting off topic, the point, BOLD ACTION, TAKE BOLD ACTIONS AND MAKE BOLD CHANGES! don't see what's the least you can do on something, don't look for "quick fixes". Bold action. *steps down off soap box and back into the shadows.....
     
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  6. Rook Strife

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    Could send out an email poll or something

    Continue our usual bouncing all over the place, or take 3 months and work on nothing but XX ?

    Be worth it just to see what could be accomplished
     
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  7. Vladamir Begemot

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    Bummer. That may work for systems that get non-stop attention, ie combat. But that will not do much for systems that met the bare minimum to be called "delivered". This was the original release schedule, "functioning, mostly". That means we're literally still in the prototype stage for the UI, other than some quick fixes, the only overhaul has been removing the gold frame.

    I know we call for finishing of systems, and I agree with that. But the foundation of the UI is now so outdated it can't be finished, it has to be reworked. It was a prototype 4 years ago and never brought to fruition. Even then it wasn't cutting edge or a solid design, it was just a prototype. Since then usability has left the prototype Shroud UI in the stone age. A few quick fixes is still the stone age.
     
  8. Astirian

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    This is the problem I have. Watching that clip, it appears to me that Chris doesn't seem to care about story presentation at all. Everything is spoken of in general MMO terms. Buffs, debuffs, UI Add-Ons etc...

    He's pushing a boulder uphill all the way until he realizes the importance of story presentation and immersion in games.

    But never mind, I've lost all hope for a decent Ultima VII style romp in LBLand. To me, they decided they wanted to pursue a free to play MMO because "that's where the money is". If I had access to the SotA source code these would be my top 3 items to work on:
    • More immersive NPC dialogue presentation.
    • Character model face re-work.
    • A decent looking and more immersive quest journal. (With chapters and crossed out quests, the pure basics for any RPG!)
    Then once the money started coming in, I'd invest in affordable voice actors to do the first line only of any NPC dialogue. (With just greetings done for vendors and guards etc...)
     
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