Improving Newbie Experience: Concepts for improved modding screen

[BlackCat500]

So, we all know the modding screen is one of those things every new player seems to dread. Having been around for so long and somehow never minding number wrestling in games, I can't quite relate to the struggle of not getting it, so I can't say I've come up with the perfect solution to make everyone happy. However, I do have something to present. What will follow is a mild wall of text, but you will mostly just need the pictures I haphazardly put together with my elite MS paint skills (bite me) and by any means I'd really love the mod screen to get a visual overhaul as much as the rest of the game (How do I say? It feels..kind of more 2d than the new market look? I don't know. Not the point, but hey, I'm just saying artistic freedom's up to DE, obviously)

 

Let's begin.

When you first launch the modding screen, you are overwhelmed with many shiny buttons, texts, mods (potentially, if you got a bunch of drops already), numbers and more numbers. But what do they all mean?! Why is the damage displayed so weirdly? What is status? What's a riven disposition? Is it bad? Am I dying?! Hold up. Before you get to focus on these things, take away their focus from all that and show them where exactly it is that you can find help. Technically, if you do it right, the general hints section is not necessarily needed but I think it's a nice extra when you are lacking space in the other section. As for the other section, "Stat hints", I'll get to that now. There is an info button there, just like for the general hints, which would be really really hard  to notice (just like the current info button) if the game didn't throw your attention right at it. The reason why it's a tiny button and not an already open window is because there would be even more visual clutter. Upon clicking it, you will use that part of the screen (and temporarily overwrite the distracting stat screen of the weapon itself) with helpful information.

 

This is roughly what it would look like. Ignore the weapon's stats below, I didn't erase those, but that window should be used for a description. You click on any of them buttons on the left side and it gives you information on what that stat does and how to get it/increase it. Now, this in itself would be good information, but how do you know what kind of enemy is weak to what damage type? This is where the damage sim test button comes into play. It's a stupid name, I'd want a better one, honestly. It just popped into my head randomly, it needs to be more intuitve than that. Either way, when you click it, you will be faced with a screen like this:

 

Basically, what it does is written already in the picture. It'll give you a mock-up against hypothetical enemies in the game (doesn't need to show all of them, perhaps only the most relevant to the starchart progress and an option to search for units or a referral to the codex and how to expand your codex. This is a project to get rid of some of the years-long dependency on a fanmade wikipedia for information rather than the own game..and what better thing to use than your own codex you've already made? Granted, I have major issues with the clusterEFF of your codex UI but that is another story for another day.

 

Now, another thing. It's hard to tell as a newbie how far the capabilities of a weapon go, even if you know what capacity and polarities are used for. What even is capacity? Aside from mentioning it in the hints menus, I would recommend adding something like this to signify how far you can take the weapon (and yes I realize I included some stuff that's for veterans as well such as Tau damage and forma levels, but as I said, this is a step to take away from the wiki and place information into the game itself, so this concerns more experienced players as well)

Lastly, the sorting of mods. I'll let the picture speak for itself first:

How are newbies supposed to know what polarities mods are when they only just acquired them? How do they acquire them? It might be prudent to attach a list to each mod that you can access by pressing TAB while hovering over a mod to see where or what it drops from. Most importantly though:

What kinds of mods exist? How is any newbie supposed to know this? Actually, any player at all? Following the unacquired mod list recently added to the modding station, you should add the ability to toggle on or off a button to view unacquired mods in all categories, not just in a seperate category. You will just overwhelm them with information that way. Keep everything bite-sized.  For that reason, you should also not only add categories for the most important effects, but a category showing community favorites for primary/secondary/melee weapons. They might not even need an explanation as to why they are favorites, but that an overwhelming number of people use x mod for y effect might inspire them to look into it, or use it regardless.

 

What do you guys think? How far would this improve the new player experience? What more do you think needs to be done? What could be improved upon? Let your voice be heard (or text be read)!

[5p33dy_01]

3 hours ago, BlackCat500 said:

my elite MS paint skills (bite me)

those skills, its like spot on accurate.
they can just make a button to link to this topic (newbies click here for further details)

the whole UI could do with some serious work, especially if you want to cater for newbies
e.g mod says +60% finisher dmg, why nothing showing what that will be?, there is other things that can be added too.

[BlackCat500]

The issue that I have with UI reworks in general is that they can be quite inconvenient if not done right, like how the market's weapon UI was very negatively recieved until reworked once again because it may have "simplified" things by now showing any information at all, but that was also the exact issue ,because you really want to see what it can do when...well, you want to see what it can do?

The same principle applies here. There are a lot of mods and numbers and it's definitely initially overwhelming, but I feel that visually pushing the more relevant bits (such as owned mods as opposed to unowned ones) into the foreground by making them brighter and blacking out others, having a first time welcome message (or a welcome message you can toggle off on the same screen as said message), menus that can explain ingame values for what they really mean and not just

"Electricity damage is effective vs. Robotics"

Oh okay, so it's good against robots? Also, how effective are we talking?

"Well, yes, but...no. Spider robot on plains wants a chat with you. Smell you lateeeeer!"

..is absolutely needed for any system to not be too overbearing for a first timer.

 

If a visual rework was to be executed (which I do hope will happen at some point because as I said, the whole menu feels..decrepit in comparison to newer menus to me), it needs to be just as concise if not better, There is always the possibility of implementing "multiple screens", just like on modern operating systems where you can have multiple virtual desktops, but that might further add to the confusion if not done right. So, lots of thought has to be put into that. The systems I presented could as well take up a whole screen on their own but then absolutely need to be within the same menu point and easily accessible, otherwise newbies will have trouble finding it and the same problem will happen all over again.

Edited May 5, 2020 by BlackCat500

[5p33dy_01]

8 hours ago, BlackCat500 said:

The issue that I have with UI reworks in general is that they can be quite inconvenient if not done right, like how the market's weapon UI was very negatively recieved until reworked once again because it may have "simplified" things by now showing any information at all, but that was also the exact issue ,because you really want to see what it can do when...well, you want to see what it can do?

The same principle applies here. There are a lot of mods and numbers and it's definitely initially overwhelming, but I feel that visually pushing the more relevant bits (such as owned mods as opposed to unowned ones) into the foreground by making them brighter and blacking out others, having a first time welcome message (or a welcome message you can toggle off on the same screen as said message), menus that can explain ingame values for what they really mean and not just

"Electricity damage is effective vs. Robotics"

Oh okay, so it's good against robots? Also, how effective are we talking?

"Well, yes, but...no. Spider robot on plains wants a chat with you. Smell you lateeeeer!"

..is absolutely needed for any system to not be too overbearing for a first timer.

 

If a visual rework was to be executed (which I do hope will happen at some point because as I said, the whole menu feels..decrepit in comparison to newer menus to me), it needs to be just as concise if not better, There is always the possibility of implementing "multiple screens", just like on modern operating systems where you can have multiple virtual desktops, but that might further add to the confusion if not done right. So, lots of thought has to be put into that. The systems I presented could as well take up a whole screen on their own but then absolutely need to be within the same menu point and easily accessible, otherwise newbies will have trouble finding it and the same problem will happen all over again.

another screen is not a problem.


in terms of design, it doesnt really need a rework, they just need to add more information.
maybe thats the point, hide certain information incase it reveals too much (hello elusive max ammo capacity)
i wonder what was going through their heads when they made the game (we will give them guns, but we will let the ammo capacity be a surprise when they use it)

for a game that uses guns and not showing the ammo capacity, its just ridiculous.
so redesign aside, how about they at least add some BASIC information that EVERYONE would like.
multishot was nice, but why did they stop there?, its not like that menu doesnt ALREADY scroll, so space is not an issue. they even went as far as adding further information between quick shots and charged shots.

i must be honest, when i first saw the changes, i thought great, they have finally added the basic information we wanted, yet no max ammo capacity, you can mod for it, but they dont want you to see it until in a mission.

when i first started warframe, i thought weapons had unlimited ammo based on the mod screen not saying ammo capacity, and thought it was based on magazine and reload for a balance, then i got in a mssion and found out i was wrong.

Edited May 5, 2020 by 5p33dy_01