GRAPHICS: Call to Artists!

[The Big Mc]

I know but it will be very confusing to people who aren’t technical.

[J Bytheway]

How about "Net Game" - suitably ambiguous?

[The Big Mc]

sounds good.

Could describe the internet or a network

[OnePresent]

While we're bickering... I think the button that says "New Game" needs to state it is for single player play, somehow. As it stands now a newbie wanting to start a solo game would be confused seeing a multiplayer button and no single player button. I think this would be true even if Multiplayer is changed to "Net Game."

The options button is only for single player also, that's not clear.

The interface should be user friendly.

Back to the drawing board...

[OnePresent]

Latest attempt...

[Locutus]

Originally posted by OnePresent
I was referring to a graphic specific for the playtest build on this page...

linky

Ah, ok. In that case I believe the very first version you posted is perfect for the job.


I believe Network Game is the appropriate term to describe what's now the MULTIPLAYER button. Net is slang for Internet and leaves out LAN. The tiny portion of players who don't realize that the Internet is a network can RTFM


The last version looks brilliant, OnePresent Great thinking by The Big Mc for the idea

However, as much as I love the presence of the 'Single Player' and 'Multiplayer' titles, that's not entirely accurate: Options and Load Game are just as relevant for MP games as they are for SP ones. Of course, in the current setup you have to press a button called 'Single Player' to get to them, so I guess we could just maintain the inconsistency.

[SMIFFGIG]

wow very nice stuff onepresent

although i did like all the little dudes spread around the screen on the original

but this does look very good

[Locutus]

Okay, one last ugly photoshop by me: how about we move all the legal crap (including "THIS MATERIAL...") to the bottom now, as in this pic? (Note that if you ignore the ugliness resulting from JPEG compression and the fact that I wrote text over text, the text is quite readable and only slightly out of place (which IMHO is appropriate for legal text))

Also, how about giving the version number it's own title box as well? In that case two versions will be needed though, as version numbers for playtest builds (e.g. "22-12-2004") will be much longer than version numbers for final releases (e.g. "v1.25"). My photoshop is too narrow for playtest builds and too wide for releases, but you get the idea...

BTW in this setup it would probably be nicer if New Game, Load Game and Options were lower case as well.

[OnePresent]

Originally posted by Locutus


However, as much as I love the presence of the 'Single Player' and 'Multiplayer' titles, that's not entirely accurate: Options and Load Game are just as relevant for MP games as they are for SP ones. Of course, in the current setup you have to press a button called 'Single Player' to get to them, so I guess we could just maintain the inconsistency.

I was suspicious of that. Having never played multiplayer I am designing with a handicap.

OK, I believe I have all the pieces of the puzzle straight now. I'll rethink the layout and come up with a new solution soon. Luckily all these elements are in photoshop layers and easy enough to move around and edit.

[Maquiladora]

Hm Options is relevant to all but load game is never used for MP AFAIK.

I like the layout but the bricks look excessive now (maybe they can be made larger or something), version number box should also be indented, and central somewhere, maybe on the wood panel just above the disclaimer. Disclaimer looks best black too.

[The Big Mc]

Originally posted by Locutus
The last version looks brilliant, OnePresent Great thinking by The Big Mc for the idea

I just like to point out how good OnePresent's work is

Any one can point out where to put the buttons.

Any way I would put the version number under the title.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Hm Options is relevant to all but load game is never used for MP AFAIK.

Don't know about network games but IIRC you need it for Hotseat games, and probably for PBEM too, but since the latter is defunct I'm not even sure about that.

But as I pointed out, it was originally unders the Single Player button so it's really not a big issue. It looks purty now

[OnePresent]

Would it work to have two "load game" buttons, one under single player and one under multiplayer?

I'm considering moving "options" down to where "credits" is and centering "credits" between "options" and "quit." That works for me... any other opinions before I commit this concept to paper?

[The Big Mc]

two load buttons would look bad

What does everybody think of a quick launch option (by passes the setting screens for people who have already got the settings done)

[Locutus]

Nah, just keep Load Game under Single Player. It is primarily for SP anyway.

Moving Options is a nice thought though


I guess Quick Launch could be nice, but we'd have to program it first. But if Options is moved, I guess that leaves some room open...