SE5: GUI design discussion..

[Will]

What I would really like to see in SEV GUI is a completely skinnable, XML based GUI. This just extends even further the ability for the gaming community to modify the look of the game. So someone could design a UI that resembles a ship's bridge, with the system map/area/whatever it's going to be in the center, an expandable galaxy map at the bottom center that overlaps the system map when expanded, information screens on the sides (perhaps even an info1 and info2... left click loads into the left screen, right click loads into the right screen), and command buttons along the top.

Or, somebody could create a UI that looks remarkably like a bachelor's living room from the view of the couch. TV has the system map, the poster of the swimsuit model changes to an info screen when something's selected, galaxy map can be toggled on screen with the remote, or you could put it in picture-in-picture... clicking the beer and pizza on the table inputs a cheat code for you.

So, in short, don't lock the GUI down to something specific. Allow fans to change the very layout of the interface, not just the colors/bitmapped graphics.

David, I know not very much ideas for you there, but if you get the contract, be sure to bug Aaron about the skinnability