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Devstream 34 Part 2, Star Chart And Chat Updates

DE_Adam

By DE_Adam,
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DE_Adam

DE_Adam

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There’s a lot to cover when it comes to UI, and although Part 1 of our Devstream 34 Overview tackled some of it we’re still a bit away from bringing our UI to a place we’re absolutely happy with.  Fortunately we have a pretty good idea of what needs to be addressed sooner than later, so lets jump right into Part 2 taking a look at what elements have been a success and what still needs to be fixed.

 

Pablo is very happy with the Genetic Lab and how direct it is in guiding players to the information they need to know.  The checklist is straightforward and feels really easy to just read and understand, and there are elements of the game that he wants to bring this sort of simplicity over to.  Forma is the prime example of a gameplay element that needs an update within the UI, since it’s difficult to tell what you’re supposed to do with it as a new player.

 

Dorian on the other hand is quite happy with modding.  Users are able to understand what you’re supposed to do with mods, and with their redesign via the Liset there’s no way for a new player to miss or go past it.  The goal is for every feature to be just as intuitive.

 

The Star Chart is a great example of this, but there’s still a lot of discussion in what could need improvement.  Compared to the older version the new chart is easier for beginners to understand because it doesn’t overload the player with information.  You only see what you need to, and progression within a world is fairly obvious.  That breaks down somewhat when moving from planet to planet, and while it’s not absolutely critical that players know which planet is next the information does help tie the player into the world.

 

Another great example of a feature we’ve got an eye on is the chat menu, as finding a player’s name to initiate a trade or party up with can be pretty difficult. Having a feature where you can click on a name directly from chat is (understandably) the most ideal scenario and we’re definitely looking into ways to make chat easier to use.

 

Speaking of chat, we’re definitely aware that this issue isn’t only PC related, and PS4 is on our radar in terms of getting our console Tenno a better solution to interacting with players in the menu.  A quick letter access menu is our current go-to solution, but we’re working on finding other means of addressing the problem as well.

 

The chat overhaul will also focus on solutions to making trading easier, but all of these changes are part of a bigger picture.  Because of the networking involved in creating a player hub, or a community trading/mission post, we needed to have a UI that could not only give us room to grow but also lay the foundation for us to expand in the first place.  Thus the Liset became our primary focus as a means for preparing Tenno for a more diegetic system of play where you’ll have more player interaction in the near future.

 

When it comes to the Liset we’ve shown you a few customization features in the past, like unique colors, but those elements won’t be making it in anytime soon.  Color customized menus have also come up as something players are interested in, and it’s definitely on our radar.  A small element of customization is present via the diegetic UI’s energy color matching that of your Warframe, but we know you guys all want it taken one step further.

 

On a final note, our Update 14 build for PS4 owners should be sent out to Sony sometime this month!  We’ll keep you all updated on when it does and when exactly we expect the build to go live.

 

Be sure to tune in this Friday (August 15) for a special edition of our Devstream, live from Gamescom!  Sure it’s always live, but this time it’s in Gamescom.  Expect some cool announcements, fun developer chat, and probably a full song-and-dance number!*

 

*Song-and-dance number not included.

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Striss

Striss

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About chat improvements: I think trading, among other things, can be made much easier if we could perform a Ctrl-F search. Doesn't sound too hard to implement, but it would definitely mean the world to many players. 

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BloodRhythm

BloodRhythm

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The Star Chart is a great example of this, but there’s still a lot of discussion in what could need improvement.  Compared to the older version the new chart is easier for beginners to understand because it doesn’t overload the player with information.  You only see what you need to, and progression within a world is fairly obvious.  That breaks down somewhat when moving from planet to planet, and while it’s not absolutely critical that players know which planet is next the information does help tie the player into the world.

 

I still do not understand how is the current messy pile of random blocks thrown around a planet "easier to understand" than the old one where you had a simple clear path going from start to end. Not to mention the planets themselves are also in a big pile with no real reason to the order.

You should just get rid of the wheel selection mentality.

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JacobLittle

JacobLittle

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The first three responses are about the song and dance comment. 

I guess it's a caffeine free day on the forums.  

They were perhaps expecting Vanilla Ice perhaps singng a song with lyrics perhaps involve saying Space Ninja Space Ninja GO! perhaps over and over again...

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Ronyn

Ronyn

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 The goal is for every feature to be just as intuitive.

 

The Star Chart is a great example of this, but there’s still a lot of discussion in what could need improvement.  Compared to the older version the new chart is easier for beginners to understand because it doesn’t overload the player with information.  You only see what you need to, and progression within a world is fairly obvious.  That breaks down somewhat when moving from planet to planet, and while it’s not absolutely critical that players know which planet is next the information does help tie the player into the world.

I agree on that front but once you get it filled in it looks like a big ring of planets with no flow, rhyme or reason for their placement...

and that just isn't so great.

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Llyssa

Llyssa

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I still do not understand how is the current messy pile of random blocks thrown around a planet "easier to understand" than the old one where you had a simple clear path going from start to end. Not to mention the planets themselves are also in a big pile with no real reason to the order.

You should just get rid of the wheel selection mentality.

I actually have no sense of the system at all now, personally. Got a clan n00ble now, and he keeps asking these impossible questions like "how do I get to saturn?", and I haven't the faintest idea what to tell him, and instead we just randomly punt a few bosses and hope for the best. I have had to use the phrase "I don't know" more times in the 4 days since the kid joined our clan than I have in the last several years of my life before then.

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ObviousLee

ObviousLee

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Speaking of chat, we’re definitely aware that this issue isn’t only PC related, and PS4 is on our radar in terms of getting our console Tenno a better solution to interacting with players in the menu.  Adding mouse and keyboard support will rectify this issue with the most simplistic changes and we should have done this from the beginning, so we're adding M&K support.quick letter access menu is our current go-to solution, but we’re working on finding other means of addressing the problem as well.

 

*Song-and-dance number not included.

ftfy

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Llyssa

Llyssa

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I hate to say it, but sitting and thinking of, "What would be the best way to handle the star chart?" and filling in ideas, it ends up looking remarkably like the one we had to begin with, with no intention of trying to get there.

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MeduSalem

MeduSalem

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I actually have no sense of the system at all now, personally. Got a clan n00ble now, and he keeps asking these impossible questions like "how do I get to saturn?", and I haven't the faintest idea what to tell him, and instead we just randomly punt a few bosses and hope for the best. I have had to use the phrase "I don't know" more times in the 4 days since the kid joined our clan than I have in the last several years of my life before then.

 

Pretty much.

 

One guy that's not as much online in my clan went back to offline the second he couldn't figure out what mission leads to the next even WITHIN a planet... not to speak of what planets are connected.

 

They are so proud about that damn ring that they are blind to its obvious flaws. Once again it feels like they haven't read into the official feedback thread for at least 1.5 weeks or something.

 

I hate to say it, but sitting and thinking of, "What would be the best way to handle the star chart?" and filling in ideas, it ends up looking remarkably like the one we had to begin with, with no intention of trying to get there.

 

Same feeling. They should revert the Star Chart navigation back to planets being placed in spirals orbiting the sun with Solar rails connecting the various places so you get an idea what planets/moons lead to each other. Feels much more natural this way, doesn't waste as much space and is much more flexible for future additions rather than crowding an already overcrowded ring with even more stuff.

Edited by MeduSalem
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