Mod Ui

[Dexamethazone]

So for my Human Interfaces paper at uni I had to do an assignment on an interface within an app or on a device that I thought was poorly designed, and then suggest a solution. So.... I picked the Warframe mod interface (sorry DE). I thought I may aswell post it up here to see what others think.

 

COSC368 Assignment 1 - Usability Blooper Hunt

 

Warframe module screen

For this assignment I have chosen the module setup screen from the game Warframe. Warframe is a third person shooter in which you can upgrade weapons and frames (suits) with modules that are obtained while playing the game. After selecting a weapon or frame to attach modules to, the following screen is displayed. Modules can also be combined and upgraded by selecting the "Mods" button.

 

- Module Screen

 

Problems:

The first problem I have found while using this interface is that the "Apply" and "Cancel" buttons perform very similar functions. Both exit from the mod screen displaying a confirm popup, the only difference is that "Cancel" will not apply changes while "Apply" does. It seems fairly obsolete to have two buttons that leave the screen.

A second problem is that the "Cancel" button popup also contains a button labeled "Cancel". which may confuse some users as it is unclear if you are cancelling the cancel, or confirming the cancel.

 

- Cancel cancel popup

 

Another problem I have noticed while using this system is that when entering the fusion section you will be prompted with a popup saying "All changes will be lost" as if you had hit the "Cancel" button. Hitting "Ok" will take you to the module screen but installed modules that have not been applied will not show up as installed. To have them visible as installed you to apply the changes with the "Apply" button, leaving the module interface. You then have to re-enter the module interface and go into the fusion screen.

The last problem is within the fusion system, After a while you obtain a great amount of modules and it becomes fairly difficult to navigate. Although this section has been greatly improved on since I started playing this game, it still lacks a key feature that would make it much nicer to use.

Another issue I have found while using this interface which is not really a blooper but more of an annoyance is that to take all modules off a certain weapon or suit you have to manually click and drag the off into an empty slot under the installed modules, and to find the empty slots you have to switch to the last page number.

 

- Fusion Screen

 

Solutions:

 

A simple solution to the "Apply" and "Cancel" button problems would be to change the functionality of the "Apply" button. Instead of making it apply changes and then exit the screen, simply make it apply all changes with a confirmation popup and stay on the module screen. This will make usability a lot more intuitive. Having the "Apply" button not exit the screen will also make it so you can go straight into the fusion section from the "Mod" button and see what you have changed without having to first apply and exit then re-enter the module screen.

Secondly, the "Cancel" button should be renamed to something more suitable such as "Exit". This would eliminate the cancel cancel problem and just makes more sense in general than having it named "Cancel".

The fusion system has been upgraded with the ability to view only certain types of modules and also to sort in different ways but it still lacks the ability of a search function that would make using it much friendlier.

A solution to taking all modules off of a weapon or suit would be to simply add a "Clear" button that removes all currently installed modules.

Another possible feature would be to include a "Revert" or "Reset" button which resets all changes made back to how they were when the module screen was entered. Although this is essentially what "Cancel" or "Exit" does, it would allow you to do it without leaving the module screen if you made a mistake.

One last feature that I would like the interface to have is a save feature. The ability to store certain setups and quickly reload them when needed.

 

 

-Module screen with renamed "Exit" button. "Save", "Load", "Clear" and "Revert" buttons added

 

 

-Fusion screen with a simple search field added

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2013 by Dexamethazone

[Zoike]

yup. the mod ui sucks. i believe DE said they were working on it. if not theyd better be. its time to change tht ASAP and before update 10 preferably (only cause id reather they focus on lore for tht)

[StyoFosho]

+1 to this