My $0.02 GUI suggestion/wishes

from Sins Forums

I'm rather new to playing the game, but have developed my own little "wish list" for the GUI in the game, so forgive any of my oversights...  Most are minor, annoying, and probably very easy to implement.

  • Ship group identification.  I love grouping my fleets with the Ctrl-# keys to select them as needed, but I would love to see, as many other RTS's have, some sort of identifier on each ship as to which group they belong to, whether the ship is chosen individually, or the group has been selected with the # key.  Most games go with a small super-script number showing the group number.  I think this would be great both over the ship and/or in the empire tree view.
  • Research Queue.  I've always found it hard to scan the tech trees to figure out a) if I'm currently researching ANYTHING in that tree (look for the blinking with my peripheral vision) and/or b) after selecting multiple research targets in the same tree, remembering in what order I queued them up.  Maybe for some people this isn't an issue, but I find it annoying.  I'd like to see some sort of queue at the bottom of the windows to show me the current build orders.
  • Researched vs. Researching vs. Not Yet Researched.  A minor thing I just thought of, but I think sometimes it's very hard to get the minor visual clues that a research topic is completed (the metalic border around the icon), being researched (the slow "glow" on the icon), partially researched (a superscripted number), or to-be-researched (a subscripted number).  I'd love to see something a little more distinguishing.
  • Some research/upgrade buttons can be greyed-out, to indicate they are not currently a valid choice.  I noticed that the TEC Sova Carrier's icon for the Heavy Strike Craft upgrade is ALL GREY, so I can't immediately tell if it's unavailable or not, since it pretty much looks the same either way, but at level 0, it IS a valid upgrade.  The Rapid Manufacturing icon next to it is also all grey, but it's NOT a valid choice (i.e. greyed out and unavailable) because of level prerequisites.  So to summarize - all icons should have SOME color in them to let you know if they are a current valid option.
  • Referring back to previous bullet, if a cap ship's upgrade is not available because of a certain ship level prerequisite, that level requirements should be listed more predominately, preferably in the description box for that upgrade to the right.
  • Game paused?  Yeah, when I pause it, it says "paused", but then a few seconds later that message goes away.  I'd like it to stay on the screen so I don't forget and need to click around to notice if anything is moving or not.

That's my batch for right now.

24,584 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

yeah, i agree

and just to get it in now, because i know other people will, removing Phase jumping ships from the empire window

most jumps are so quick, in the time you get any useful info from it, the jump is already over

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top


I'm rather new to playing the game, but have developed my own little "wish list" for the GUI in the game, so forgive any of my oversights...  Most are minor, annoying, and probably very easy to implement.


Ship group identification.  I love grouping my fleets with the Ctrl-# keys to select them as needed, but I would love to see, as many other RTS's have, some sort of identifier on each ship as to which group they belong to, whether the ship is chosen individually, or the group has been selected with the # key.  Most games go with a small super-script number showing the group number.  I think this would be great both over the ship and/or in the empire tree view.

Research Queue.  I've always found it hard to scan the tech trees to figure out a) if I'm currently researching ANYTHING in that tree (look for the blinking with my peripheral vision) and/or after selecting multiple research targets in the same tree, remembering in what order I queued them up.  Maybe for some people this isn't an issue, but I find it annoying.  I'd like to see some sort of queue at the bottom of the windows to show me the current build orders.

Researched vs. Researching vs. Not Yet Researched.  A minor thing I just thought of, but I think sometimes it's very hard to get the minor visual clues that a research topic is completed (the metalic border around the icon), being researched (the slow "glow" on the icon), partially researched (a superscripted number), or to-be-researched (a subscripted number).  I'd love to see something a little more distinguishing.

Some research/upgrade buttons can be greyed-out, to indicate they are not currently a valid choice.  I noticed that the TEC Sova Carrier's icon for the Heavy Strike Craft upgrade is ALL GREY, so I can't immediately tell if it's unavailable or not, since it pretty much looks the same either way, but at level 0, it IS a valid upgrade.  The Rapid Manufacturing icon next to it is also all grey, but it's NOT a valid choice (i.e. greyed out and unavailable) because of level prerequisites.  So to summarize - all icons should have SOME color in them to let you know if they are a current valid option.

Referring back to previous bullet, if a cap ship's upgrade is not available because of a certain ship level prerequisite, that level requirements should be listed more predominately, preferably in the description box for that upgrade to the right.

Game paused?  Yeah, when I pause it, it says "paused", but then a few seconds later that message goes away.  I'd like it to stay on the screen so I don't forget and need to click around to notice if anything is moving or not.

That's my batch for right now.

End of quote

Ok...

On your first point on group id, I like what Ensemble did when they created AOE II, if you select an unit that is in say group 2, when you select even one of them then group number show up. I kinda like that

On your second point, there kinda is. If you hover over your research button, you will see which of the miltiy, civilian, fleet or other things you are researching and in what order also, along with their percent done.

Nothing much on your third point.

Nothing much on your forth.

On your fifth, do you mean instead of having to click on it and get a message to get the level required? It just show up like this:

Current level: ______

Next leve when cap is: _____________

and on your final, I don't mind it though. I something do forget that I actually paused it lol.

 

One suggest, I would make though is that the empires window doesn't move at all unless you use the scroll bar to move it. That way you could select your fleet and then a planet without going back and forth

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting TheRezonator, reply 1
yeah, i agree

removing Phase jumping ships from the empire window

most jumps are so quick, in the time you get any useful info from it, the jump is already over
End of TheRezonator's quote

I like it, but perhaps the "phase lane" section in the empire tree could appear last, instead of first, so that you don't see it if it's too far down on the list, and it doesn't continually shift all the entries up and down as ships enter/exist phase.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Mooster, reply 2

On your fifth, do you mean instead of having to click on it and get a message to get the level required? It just show up like this:

Current level: ______

Next leve when cap is: _____________

and on your final, I don't mind it though. I something do forget that I actually paused it lol.
End of Mooster's quote

I follow you there, but because of the confusion between that button being actually greyed out and not selectable (because it's unavailable at this time), and the button next to it being grey in color but selectable (e.g. Heavy Strike Craft), I want to avoid the confusion of having to click on something to see when I can use it at a later time, or accidentally choosing an item that I didn't want to start researching yet.  I think it'd be simplest if the level requriement is displayed in the info box that comes up when I mouse over the button.  Clicking should only be needed when I actually want to choose it.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting ckotchey, reply 4

Quoting Mooster, reply 2
On your fifth, do you mean instead of having to click on it and get a message to get the level required? It just show up like this:

Current level: ______

Next leve when cap is: _____________

and on your final, I don't mind it though. I something do forget that I actually paused it lol.

I follow you there, but because of the confusion between that button being actually greyed out and not selectable (because it's unavailable at this time), and the button next to it being grey in color but selectable (e.g. Heavy Strike Craft), I want to avoid the confusion of having to click on something to see when I can use it at a later time, or accidentally choosing an item that I didn't want to start researching yet.  I think it'd be simplest if the level requriement is displayed in the info box that comes up when I mouse over the button.  Clicking should only be needed when I actually want to choose it.
End of ckotchey's quote

Meh..., I don't even bother to choose it I just let it do it itself. Of course for the first three levels I pick my self, jonly just to make sure I get one of the each abilities

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Game paused? Yeah, when I pause it, it says "paused", but then a few seconds later that message goes away. I'd like it to stay on the screen so I don't forget and need to click around to notice if anything is moving or not.
End of quote

I'm disagree with you very strongly on this point.  The main reason I pause (other than walking away from the computer) is to get good screen shots of a battle.  I'd rather not have the word "PAUSED" on my desktop image.

Ship group identification.
End of quote

I agree. It'd be kinda nice.

Research Queue.
End of quote

Useful, not required.  It's rare that I have many things in the queue for a branch of research (I'm using resources constantly).

Researched vs. Researching vs. Not Yet Researched.
End of quote

I find the visual cues okay for most purposes.  Honestly, if they were much more obvious, I think I wouldn't like it.

 

I like it, but perhaps the "phase lane" section in the empire tree could appear last, instead of first, so that you don't see it if it's too far down on the list, and it doesn't continually shift all the entries up and down as ships enter/exist phase.
End of quote

I agree with this one.  It'd be nice if there was an option to have it not appear in the User Interface option menu.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

does any one know how to get rid of the black market gui in entrenchment?

this is so useless and its really in the way...

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

go in to options and turn of the option call, under user interface. Show Mini Underground Window

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

HA!

maybe i shouldnt be retarted...

lol

Thanks Mooster

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

Ok, here's another simple one from my newbie mind, since I just played enough to traverse to distant stars and/or through wormholes...

I'd like to see the phase lanes for star-to-star transits, as well as those for wormhole-to-wormhole, just as I can see the intra-system phase lanes.  Maybe even in a slightly different color?  I think they should remain "invisible" until you research the appropriate tech, though - keep the mystery.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

I'd like to see the phase lanes for star-to-star transits, as well as those for wormhole-to-wormhole, just as I can see the intra-system phase lanes. Maybe even in a slightly different color? I think they should remain "invisible" until you research the appropriate tech, though - keep the mystery.
End of quote

IIRC, wormhole phase lanes show up once you have both (1) resarched the technology and (2) sent at least one ship through the wormhole.  Then they show up as normal (maybe a different color, I forget).  Star-to-star phase lanes would be a little silly since you can jump from any star to any other star.  Adding lines between them wouldn't really tell you anything.

As you said, you're new to the game, so it's fine you don't know this stuff.  Give it some time: I'm sure you'll get used to the intricacies of the game.  Or just keep asking questions.  Someone should know the answer.