(Graphical) User Interface development

[ElmoTheElk]

Now that many of us are working on or are contributing to making the (G)UI, here's finally the tread to it.

First I want to say that the UI is a major priority now as it will be the thing that makes us connect some of the models together or at least gives us the ability to make a working demo. We are doing a great job I think currently, now hope we can finish it within 1-2 months. That should be possible I think.

The coding of the UI is now being tested using a new CDX class, but I'm not the one to tell you about. What I already HAVE done is making an example of how the structure of the graphical part should be. This first design is a simple, VERY basic pic of what the structure should look like according to Amjayee and me (as we discussed in the last meeting last Sunday). It's located at http://home.domaindlx.com/ggs/screendesign.gif . Take a look and let us know what you think of it.

I will make a somewhat more specific design this week. I also promised to everyone in the meeting I will try to make a design for the Ingame Graphics of the GUI.

That's it for now.

[amjayee]

I agree that UI is the most important thing and top priority right now. Everything else will be contructed on top of it. So, we programmers will make it ready (or at least almost ready) before proceeding to other tasks. And I think 1-2 months is realistic as a time frame, if everything goes as well as right now. Expect some results already this week, though this is not very serious promise. And also remember we are right now mostly prototyping the UI system, so anything we make will not yet be final.

[amjayee]

Here are some tasks for graphics people: first we need a mouse cursor. It can be a simple bitmap, up to 32bpp, and size doesn't really matter, but of course it has to be reasonable. Also shape doesn't matter, but it perhaps should fit into the theme of the UI. Colors should be made so, that it is clearly visible against the elements on the screen. Transparent color can be any RGB color; just put one pixel of that color into the upper left corner of the bitmap, that way it's easiest to handle.

Also we need an icon for the game program. It should perhaps describe the game somehow. It has to be in .ico format. The current icon is 32x32 and is in 256 colors. I'm not sure if we can use more modern icon types, but it is likely. Also ideas for the icon are welcome.

Heardie, perhaps you should contact Elmo to discuss your ideas for the UI graphics. And also others who are interested.

[The Joker]

Keep up the good work, guys!

Since most of the team is working on the UI right now, it should be pretty cool.

As you know I don't really have any idea on how to make a UI, but when you have something I will be ready to test and comment! And untill then I will just keep thinking about design stuff.

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"It ain't broke, so BREAK it."
- Raingoon

GGS Website

[ElmoTheElk]

Hum well, what does the icon have to look like? Are the name (GGS) has to be in it? And the cursor: does it have to be a normal styled pointer? I like an normal arrow or something more than an object or anything like that, like an spear or something.
But that's just my opinion.

And I also need more visoins on the graphical look (the structure) or do we all agree with the screendesign.gif I made?

[heardie]

Okay I whipped somethine up but its pretty crappy. The thing it could be useful for is for others to create there own UI (i.e. Elmo), and it has the right sizzed images in it.
http://members.xoom.com/acchiron/ui.zip

hehardie

[amjayee]

About the pointer, an arrow, or a triangle, or something like that is fine. But the colors should be appropriate. About the icon, I don't have any specific opinion of it. The name in the icon is not necessary... just something that looks like our game. If it is good-looking and appropriate, I'm sure it will be fine. Any ideas for these are welcome.

About the graphical look of the UI, I agree with what we agreed in the meeting. I'm making a test program, with which I will give a sample of what I think it should be like. Heardie's graphics are a good starting-point, though they are perhaps a little dark. I will come back to this later.

[ElmoTheElk]

Amjayee: About the cdx-thingie you made: can you post it here? I can't seem to open it from the sourceforge mailing list (it's just *&^#G@(ETF| text). If you haven't got a server for it, please mail it to me ( elmo@theelk.com ) and i'll upload it. thnx.
[This message has been edited by ElmoTheElk (edited December 06, 2000).]

[amjayee]

I would like to hold the publishing of the UI demo until it is more finished. I can send it to you, since you work closely in the making of the UI, but please don't upload it here! I will do it when it is ready.

[ElmoTheElk]

OK. Thanks all right. I just can't seem to open the files attached to the mailing list posts... Does anybody know how this work (I presume so)?

[ElmoTheElk]

Hi all!

Finaly I found some time to make a GUI design. Since we make a UI, we need a graphical thingy too right? See it on this location. It's almost 0,5 mb so be patient.

More GUI development soon.

ElmoTheElk
[This message has been edited by ElmoTheElk (edited February 08, 2001).]

[heardie]

Nice. Real Nice.

[VetLegion]

Looks ok, we need more.

[amjayee]

I really liked that image, as I said earlier. Something like that style is what we need. Of course the functioning of the UI will need to be considered carefully, since the system will be quite complex. The buttons in the left hand side are good, with them we can handle the map layers and perhaps some menu systems. I hope I could code some kind of example of how the UI could work some time soon.

[The Joker]

Oh yeah. Could it be today or tomorrow? I am only home for the weekend, so I would like to be able to download it to my own computer. Those iMacs aren't something you would want to download anything to, not to mention the fact that the thing propable wont work on them.

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