Some U14 Ui Suggestions With Screens

[Varzy]

 That is news to me.  My star map was already fully unlocked before u14.  I have heard reports of confusion on the way the map unlocks but you description makes it sound rather simple.  Still I am messing around with finding ways to make both crowds happyish.

 

I thought about it further and realised a lot of what you said was correct regarding progression and immersion.

 

Had an idea to fix it that I detailed here: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/268699-planet-view-nodemission-immersion-hybrid-images-inside/

[ScottDaniels]

Really nice work Toztman, i think it would look and function great the way your screens are.

[Toztman]

Really nice work Toztman, i think it would look and function great the way your screens are.

 Thanks!  In Pablos official thread there are more people getting on the bandwagon to get some pro visualizations of the communities wishes and its exciting to me in 2 ways.  1: I love to see others perspectives and 2: I don't have to make mocks of every screen haha

[AZAG0TH]

I hope DE implements all of this.

[APBladeX]

Take another bump. Really wanting to see this implemented. Just a fantastic job, OP.

[Suprkeke]

Why can't we have something like this

 

EDIT: they'd still have to fine tune all the menus (scaling, giving us the option to make mod list etc. static, different styles of display for foundry etc.)

EDIT2: Another option would be to make the UI in .lua and allow users to customize it as they see fit. Player made UIs could be pretty cool.

 

Edited July 22, 2014 by Suprkeke

[(PSN)Hooligonzo]

Those are really excellent mock-ups.

 

If they come with flattened, unskewed menus for Modules and the like, I'd be totally on board.

[CandyDragon]

You A******.

 

Now we all get to see what it could have been like

and what it will never be, because DE doesn't make clever UI choices.

Only destroys them. 

[Klies]

I like the ring, but each planet should be a distinct size within its little halo. It would also be nice to see drops when you mouse over each planet.

 

For the menus, they should be locked to the camera. The problem isn't their tilt, but how they wiggle around when you move your mouse over them.

 

No, the problem is the motion AND tilt for my sister and I... at distance or at certain resolutions (ie: the ones we use) it's impossible to read mod cards at at all, they just look like random boxy pixelated squiggles.

 

*******

I do like that idea for the ESC menu, makes it more instantly accessible rather than so many nested sub-menus.... On navigation, I like the "sectors" idea it uses now rather than the "Nodes" (as if they were one specific point in space)... but I also think each sector needs a way to distinguish it's current host faction better than JUST notice of invasion/infestation... also, I think the radial sectors (as proven with the addition of sectors to Mercury) allow for a more uniform expansion of additional missions to each planet in time...  If anything for the Navigation... why is there this weird while triangle lines overlay in the planet selection? To me that just looks like bad design on DE's part as it removes from the immersion of "kneeling in a planet hologram"

[noneuklid]

Another option would be to make the UI in .lua and allow users to customize it as they see fit. Player made UIs could be pretty cool.

We can dream.

[Jokubas]

I've been putting off giving feedback on the UI. Partially because I was already seeing my opinions on it reflected everywhere, and partially because I wanted to have some time to gather my thoughts.

 

My overall opinion of the new UI after letting it sink in, is that it looks nice and is usable enough, but has many steps back on usability, UI 101 issues I'm not sure how they got through. It at least needs some tweaks to the mod interface and places where your character can stand in front of information, but it can use a few overall iterations as well.
 

The proposed Escape Menu in the original post is brilliant. Two thumbs up, that's a straight upgrade from what we have right now without compromising the new aesthetic (if anything, it adds to it).

 

One thing I want to suggest, though, is the possibility that after logging in, we're taken directly to the Escape Menu. Why? So by default, the game is quick and UI-based like it used to be, with few clicks and no moving around, but the option is still there to leave the menu and wander your ship, with it all still wrapped in the new immersion. I'm still of the mind that the old UI was quick, usable, and still perfectly immersive, without needing the ship that, at the moment at least, has so little personalization that it might as well just be a slow UI. The ship has grown on me though and I do think it's a neat idea, so I don't want to just throw it out. I feel like starting you on an in-universe menu is a workable compromise for that (though I admit in practice it might feel awkward, so it would need to be iterated on).

 

I have a mockup of my own, though it's much rougher. I really liked that the old starmap showed the solar system, and wasn't just a boring circle of same-sized options. I understand the old system is kinda hard to use on a console though, so I offer a compromise:

 

 

In this version, you still see a realistic (though obviously not to scale) starmap, complete with moons properly orbiting their planets, but all the information is in a menu around it. This way, you get good visuals and an easy-to-use menu that can provide info such as alerts, faction missions, and what order the different places come in (I just threw all the names up in whatever order for my mockup).

 

Alternatively, I wondered if my version might look better at this angle, but it would have been way too hard for me to mockup at that angle and look good. ;P

 

 

The one thing I didn't put here that I'd still like to see, is the old way of being able to jump right into an alert without having to go specifically to that mission.

The problem I've noticed with the new UI is that it seems to appeal to a more casual crowd, and the (more vocal) power gamer crowd is not pleased with trading straight utility for visual flair. I think a redone ESC menu would be a good place to start in catering to the power gamer crowd.

Downgraded usability hurts everyone, not just power gamers. If anything, it hurts casuals more, because they're less likely to know where to look for things that get buried or awkward.

 

Really like the redone ESC menu, the icons acting as visual anchors are an excellent touch. +1

 

I'm not so fond of the zoomed-planet mockup, though. One thing I noticed with the new layout is that missions are actually connected/function differently from the old maps - completing a node unlocks all adjacent nodes. This function, imo, is far better than the old progression through the star map because it can allow newer players to bypass missions they don't like/can't complete (remember the Earth interception woes?) as it can unlock 2-3 nodes at a time, instead of just 1 or 2.

Oh yeah? I wasn't aware of that. That changes my opinion on that screen somewhat. I liked the original poster's compromise, but I guess that wouldn't work anymore. Oh well, at the very least, I still think having to spin the planet around to get to other nodes was an unnecessary extra step.

[Fari]

Yespls.

While I'd prefer the old, this is a big step in a direction I'd like.

Only complaint is lack of a *list* of current goings on on the planet page, as it had before. I mean, as is you can see alerts and crud on the thing before you open up navigation, but while you're looking at planets that's lost, and nearly useless because of it, having it like how it was in past with alerts, invasions, and all that specifically listed with their details in some corner of planet select would be a godsend.

Added to this UI I'd have nearly no complaints- the only one I can think of would be needing to ESC for stuff, but I guess I could just perpetually have it up anyways/I'll learn to live with it.

So, yeah I like this, I like your suggestion for UI a million times more than what we have now.

[AlphaHorseman]

By the Greek Gods, THIS IS PERFECT! SOLVES SO MUCH OF THE CURRENT UI PROBLEMS! I love especially your Solar Map, seeing how to unlock nodes is much more clear, and players get a better view of the planet without having to shift the planet back and forth to see the different nodes. I'm sending this to Pablo

[Jokubas]

EDIT: I just noticed the sticky meant to consolidate this topic to make it easier for the devs, so I moved over there.

 

I decided to tweak mine a bit. I made the buttons curve around the orbits a bit to remove the straight lines from the composition, and added the alert menu back in the empty area at the top. Also, I should mention that I imagine that in this version, when you highlight one of the buttons, the corresponding place on the map expands and glows a bit just to give you a bit of perspective.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Jokubas

[NoSpax]

 

So what do you all think?

 

 

I love this Star map. 10 free Plats for you.

 

Also the way you placed "Logout " beside "Exit game" is a really good idea.

The only thing missing is an indicator how many players playing on each node / planet.. the current S.Map seem to lack that.

Edited July 23, 2014 by NoSpax

[Lokar]

Redesign is great! 

[GefestXXL]

SUPER!

[ursul23]

so much better. why could not immediately do so?

[Jufrow]

All of the bumps!

DE please look at this and strongly consider some of these changes. Or better yet, revert UI14 ;p And ffs get rid of the angling/tilting/menus-under-menus approach that you have taken...

[GefestXXL]

up1

[Star]

Your escape menu redesign is exactly what I want. My thought in the nested menus in the Escape Menu was to have them slide out on mouse over, but now that I see your mock up of how it would look with them just sitting out I think that looks great.

 

I love your rework of the planet view, after you've selected a planet. Its a good mix of old and new, with a clear indication of mission progression.

 

The only thing I would change is that when you are selected on or moused over a planet in the ring navigation, an information box showing alerts, resources, or other currently relevant info about that planet could be added. Then you don't need to select the planet to view info that really only needs to be digested at a glance when you're looking for it.

Edited July 27, 2014 by N0153

[GefestXXL]

Great work!

[Methanoid]

U14's biggest UI issue is that ppl who dont like it list lots of issues wrong with it hoping for constructive feedback and eventual change, while the people who do like it often start by saying "IT LOOKS GREAT, BUT......." then list things they also want changed which should kinda hint that all is not well on both sides of the fence.

[vaugahn]

U14's biggest UI issue is that ppl who dont like it list lots of issues wrong with it hoping for constructive feedback and eventual change, while the people who do like it often start by saying "IT LOOKS GREAT, BUT......." then list things they also want changed which should kinda hint that all is not well on both sides of the fence.

 

So, what? It should be reverted because not everyone loves everything about it unconditionally? 

[Prany]

U14's biggest UI issue is that ppl who dont like it list lots of issues wrong with it hoping for constructive feedback and eventual change, while the people who do like it often start by saying "IT LOOKS GREAT, BUT......." then list things they also want changed which should kinda hint that all is not well on both sides of the fence.

 

So, what? It should be reverted because not everyone loves everything about it unconditionally? 

Did Methanoid said anything about reverting? No. He may not be nicest person in UI discussions, but most UI defenders are the same or worse. He (and many others) is trying to push for improvements, but is constantly countered by biased crowd. He's tired. Please give him some slack!