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The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 2:58 pm
by DDPD
There are still aspects of the UI I consider clunky. In short, any time you can avoid extra clicks, you should be able to.

  • One thing that bothers me is that when an icon appears on the right side to notify me of research being complete, production being complete, etc, I will click it and it simply brings up ANOTHER notification of what happened. Instead, it should take me directly to the item at hand. Production complete? Okay, take me directly to that queue when I click the notification. Research complete? Okay, take me directly to the research screen when I click the icon. At the very least, this needs to be an option.

  • In the Research tree, I should be able to double click a research item to select it. Instead, I have to hit the "Queue Topic" or "Select Topic" button in order to do it. You can do this with the list, but not in the research tree. Again, let's not require me to find a box and click it. It feels clunky.
I'll add to this post as I remember more in my next play session. I will also encourage some people that I trust to add here, too.

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 5:39 pm
by Arioch
Clicking a notification icon shows the report; clicking the icon a second time takes you to the appropriate screen. Right-clicking the icon dismisses the report. You don't even have to move the mouse.

In the research tree view, left-clicking selects a technology (bringing up the description pane), and right-clicking starts research on that technology (or queues it if there are unresearched prerequisites). There shouldn't ever be a need to click the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 2:21 am
by DDPD
Arioch wrote:Clicking a notification icon shows the report; clicking the icon a second time takes you to the appropriate screen. Right-clicking the icon dismisses the report. You don't even have to move the mouse.

In the research tree view, left-clicking selects a technology (bringing up the description pane), and right-clicking starts research on that technology (or queues it if there are unresearched prerequisites). There shouldn't ever be a need to click the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Damnit, I had NO idea that this was the case.

I'd still like to see dbl-click to add topic in that research tree view.

I'd also like to see that tree have a better, more obvious icon soon.

Is there any chance in hell that we'll see more star maps that aren't blue? I'd really like to see some color variety.

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:47 pm
by nathanebht
The battle screen is where UI improvement is needed.

1) You have to double click on exactly the middle of a ship's square to select all of the ships of that build. Off from center by a pixel? It doesn't work.

2) Also need a control-A ability to select all ships.

3) Spacebar should cause the next turn. Just like the star map's spacebar response.

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 6:10 pm
by Arioch
We will be looking to revamp the tactical UI in the coming months, so suggestions here are especially welcome.

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 8:16 pm
by SirDamnALot
Arioch wrote:We will be looking to revamp the tactical UI in the coming months, so suggestions here are especially welcome.

Wohoo :)

- Display Shipnames in the bottom pane, where the selected & targeted ship are displayed.
Enemies would probably only have one design per hull, so the hull name is fine there. Or you make flavor name lists for enemy shiptypes ;)
My own ships usually have a custom name, like Hulltype + Revision (e.g. Torpedo DD MK III)

- Better visibility for shield, armor, structur etc strength. I don't like the slim bars. Maybe thicker bars and the established glyphs for armor, strucuture, crew, etc.

- The folding tree with command words (move, board, retreat) looks oddly out of place compared to the rest of the nice GUI.
At least make them look like buttons, not plain text.

- make the torpedo animation as fast as missiles or close to. Currently they are painfully slow to watch.
(Yes, yes I know, there is Benny Hill mode in the options :D )
Oh and torpedos are currently fired silent. Makes my earth shattering kaboom barrage from my Torpedo DD fleet somewhat underwhelming. :lol:

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 4:42 am
by akkamaddi
nathanebht wrote:1) You have to double click on exactly the middle of a ship's square to select all of the ships of that build. Off from center by a pixel? It doesn't work.
2) Also need a control-A ability to select all ships.


I would like to echo these two. The select all model is a bit flaky, and sometimes I'll end up causing the ship I am clicking on to turn, which breaks it out of the group. (The ships must all apparently be facing the same direction.)

I think #2 would be useful as well.

Re: The UI is Still Clunky - Some Suggestions

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:56 am
by Chasm
Some way of selecting all ships of a specific class in a fleet (perhaps shift + left click on a ship gets all identical models of that ship), on the galactic map. If 1/2 my fleet has warp stabilizers, and the other 1/2 does not, I have to manually click each ship that does to send them. For small fleets not an issue, for large fleets it can be tedious.