SE5: GUI design discussion..

Gryphin · #1 February 20th, 2003, 11:17 PM

I'd like to be able to choose San Serif fonts for easier reading
I would like more contrast between colors in the numbers. I have a tough time with the color difference between the Minerals and Organics.
I would like Mono spaced font for the numbers so I can more easily read them
12340 takes up more room than
11111 with the current fonts.

I'd love a scroll mouse
I'd love more context sensitve help like is given by the buttons

Note the use of the word "I". I acknowledge I represent a very small minority of the players.

Spoo · #2 February 21st, 2003, 02:33 AM

I think more "relistic" systems would be a plus (moving planets, more empty space).

Suicide Junkie · #3 February 21st, 2003, 02:51 AM

Gryphin:
Can't you just overwrite the Fonts in SE4\Fonts with something more to your liking?

CNCRaymond · #4 February 21st, 2003, 03:16 AM

I know that this question is one that Atrocities may have already asked, but what about ship modeling? How will it be done? What program will be used, and will players be able to make and use their own ship sets?

Gryphin · #5 February 21st, 2003, 04:01 AM

Suicide Junkie good point about substituing fonts.
Yes, I can. I tried once. I ran into a few problems. I have a vague memory of the mono spaced font was too wide. The Rads collum would overlap the Minerals.
I think the the San Serrif font was too big and overlapped other areas.
I'll have to try it again.

Instar · #6 February 21st, 2003, 06:30 AM

SJ: Dynamically creating the ship model based on components would be cool, but depending on how you want done, it could prove hard to do. If you have 200 component types, then you will be making a ton of 3D models, all of which have to be loaded in memory. However, at the same time, a lot of components are in fact redundant, (make all weapons look alike, and stuff like that) so it could be possible. But the way it is (the models are already done for Starfury as it is) Maybe SE6.... (now youve got me thinking on how it could be done without much overhead)

For the GUI, definitely implement mouse wheels. I dont know if you have played any SimCity 4, but the GUI for that gives it accessibility to many complex operations but at the same time keeps it simple. (I mean the actual city building mode GUI)
Also, the multiple skins would be nice, just like StarCraft did it.
The techtree you desribe sounds like Civ2 or Civ3's way of doing it. I liked it for Civ, but I dunno about SE5

Suicide Junkie · #7 February 21st, 2003, 06:57 AM

Instar:
I didn't mean on the level of components, but rather overall ship shape.
Take a Norak Dreadnaught, for example. Each of the wings could be a hull piece, and if the design of your ship has a block of components (no matter what they are) that are arranged in a similar shape (3 square components in a row, forming a 6x2 block, for example) then the model used for rendering that ship gets a Wing Piece in that position.

Probably still not practical to actually do, but fun to imagine.