GRAPHICS: Call to Artists!

[Solver]

Good idea Locutus, especially if it would remember the buttons you had clicked the last time. My main desire about the city management screen stays the same - no need to press any extra buttons to build anything - if possible, I want to open the city view, and immediately see my build queue.

[Maquiladora]

Its definately getting there. One thing im worried about with this is squeezing everything in wouldnt leave space for any new things that might be needed, like trade overview in a city, maybe. You can add another few buttons down the bottom there, i suppose, but it would obviously overlap something, with all menus open.

[Locutus]

I just realized it might be useful to keep the GL info on the last clicked/currently constructed always open as well, so the most essential info on your city would still be visible even if you've hidden all panels.

Here's what a minimal display would look like (eyepointer to centre on city now also added).

[OnePresent]

My concern with this locutus is we have as many buttons to press here as with the current game, no advantage gained on that front. Also the map viewing area is an awkward shape.

I still like my windowshade idea best, but of course I'd like my ideas best. Clean, simple, everything at your fingertips, and just one button for city view.

I'm about ready to give up here. Too much info, too small a space. Maybe 2 city screens versions is best. High res (1280+) and low res (800 and 1024).

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Solver
Good idea Locutus, especially if it would remember the buttons you had clicked the last time.

Indeed, there should probably be several functions to manage the panels: it would be nice if users could define a few standard views that could be toggled between with a single mouse click and/or key combo, and it would be good to have an option to either use a default view or restore the last used settings when opening the city screen. I'm guessing different people would have different preferences here, so it would be good to cater both.

Originally posted by Maquiladora
One thing im worried about with this is squeezing everything in wouldnt leave space for any new things that might be needed, like trade overview in a city, maybe. You can add another few buttons down the bottom there, i suppose, but it would obviously overlap something, with all menus open.

I'm very much aware of that and I think it will work fine like this. I already designed my latest version with this in mind: most existing panels have some room to expand with more info and there's still some room for new panels, though not too much. The last is inevitable: there's only so much you stuff can squeeze in on a 800x600 screen -- if you continue to add more stuff, eventually you'll have to resort to tabbing anyway, in which case the current setup still works nicely. Optimizing the design to reduce overlap as much as possible is a brigde we can only cross once we get there...

[Gilgamensch]

I think at the end, we will just have to playtest it and decide then further. Screen shots are nice, but you always have to feel it before you can decide..

[Locutus]

Originally posted by OnePresent
My concern with this locutus is we have as many buttons to press here as with the current game, no advantage gained on that front. Also the map viewing area is an awkward shape.

The management functions I mentioned in my last post will prevent problems there. Usually one would only interested in 1 or 2 different views (though different people will have different preferences about what exactly should be in those views), so if one could quickly switch between those there's really no problem.

The shape of the main map view area is only awkward on 800x600, which is really too small to display so much information AND a world map anyway. If you're stuck on that resolution, you'll just have to make some choices on what you want to see and what you want to miss. On larger resolutions there isn't much of an issue, see below for how my latest design works out on 1600x1200 with everything opened.

It actually leaves so much space in the middle it might actually be wise to move some things (e.g. Resources and Units panels to the bottom left, City Name panel to the upper right).

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Gilgamensch
I think at the end, we will just have to playtest it and decide then further. Screen shots are nice, but you always have to feel it before you can decide..

It will probably take a conderable amount of time to code even one version of the UI, let alone several (especially if they're very different in setup; e.g. panels vs tabs vs windowshade). We really want to nail down the basic concept as much as possible (if at all) before we start implementing. Details like the exact location and look of various elements can be changed after testing quite easily, but a complete redesign would take a lot of time that could be much better spent.

[Maquiladora]

Then wouldnt it just be better to develop the big ideas (strategic resources, new trade system etc) into the game first, before making a new (slightly inflexible) UI?

[J Bytheway]

I think that I generally like this latest idea, but (as you say) it might be nice if things changed a bit on higer resolutions so that the screen wasn't quite so spread about.

[Solver]

Yeah, the latest idea seems quite fine. What do you people think are the less needed pieces of info, that could be hidden from 800x600 unless toggled by a tab?

[J Bytheway]

Originally posted by Solver
Yeah, the latest idea seems quite fine. What do you people think are the less needed pieces of info, that could be hidden from 800x600 unless toggled by a tab?

I think of those sections I would generally hide pollution, happiness and inventory.

[Solver]

Good suggestion - a detailed breakup of their happiness reasons isn't that important at all times...

[OnePresent]

Originally posted by Locutus

The management functions I mentioned in my last post will prevent problems there. Usually one would only interested in 1 or 2 different views (though different people will have different preferences about what exactly should be in those views), so if one could quickly switch between those there's really no problem.

OK, a management function would take care of some of those concerns.

I really think you are doing good concept work here, and I know this stuff takes time. It invites new ideas which is good. But it unfortunately also invites critisism.

I dream of a clean, usuable, logical, nice looking interface. With the city screen functions scattered to the 4 corners of the screen I think that falls short on all accounts. If you have a large resolution screen why not group all these functions into 1 corner. Then everything is at your fingertips. No moving the mouse (and eye) from one corner to the next. How about one complete panel comes up from say the bottom left corner, and it centers the city on the map in the background as it opens.

[Solver]

If only just one idea....