Fixing the Horrid UI

[dmm]

Maybe he sorts his email with the oldest emails on top?

[AstralWanderer]

Maybe it's all the spam he gets. Expect the next patch to add a v1agr&a tech tree...

[Ragnarok]

AstralWanderer said:
Maybe it's all the spam he gets. Expect the next patch to add a v1agr&a tech tree...

Is that the tech tree that increases the size of your ship hulls by 30%?

For shame.

Back on topic...Someday when I get some free time I plan on modifying a lot of the graphics in SEV. Obviously I can't edit the placement and so forth but I can edit quite a few of the files to modify the look of SEV.

[DingBat]

I think my main observation about the UI is the COMPLETE lack of any sort of thought about user scenarios and goals.

Example: I send a fleet into combat. Some of it's ships are damaged. I'd like to send those ships back to a yard to get repaired.

Have you counted how many clicks you need to do this? First you have to find the fleet, click on it, right click to get the properties, find the ships that are damaged, then click on the fleet management button, select the fleet, select the ships to remove, click remove from fleet, then find those ships and have them go back to a yard for repair.

It's all very logical and all the buttons are there, but it turns a common housekeeping task into an unbelievably boring exercise.

This is just one example, there are many others. The developer clearly did not bother to take any time to think about what the players are likely going to be doing frequently and try to tune the UI to make those activities easy.

I'm sure it was the same in SEIV. Maybe I was more patient back then. I'm bitterly disappointed with this game and wish I could get my money refunded.

[Slick]

Here's one. With all the bugs and crashes still in the game, one is forced to "save every turn" so as to protect oneself from losing time played. It currently takes 3 clicks to delete each saved game and they can only be deleted one at a time. How about enabling shift-click in lists to select a block so I can delete all those saved games in one shot? apply to other lists to enable group commands applied to lists.

[Slick]

This is not a UI issue per se, but the game must be modified to allow turn processing with the game minimized. Using SE4 as a guide, and assuming that SE5 will take longer to process turns due to more complexity, why not allow minimizing the game so players can do other things during turn processing such as *ahem* complaining about the UI here.

[Suicide Junkie]

I suggest using windows itself to delete the savegames. Simple and straightforward.

As alternatives to minimizing, I suggest a small 300x100 pixel or so window containing just the progress bar.
Also, a tray icon with the three progress bars climbing pixel by pixel would be good too.

[Intimidator]

Slick said:
This is not a UI issue per se, but the game must be modified to allow turn processing with the game minimized. Using SE4 as a guide, and assuming that SE5 will take longer to process turns due to more complexity, why not allow minimizing the game so players can do other things during turn processing such as *ahem* complaining about the UI here.

Indeed, I for myself like the long waiting time between turns................ I finished 3 books the last 2 weeks