Simple UI issue

from Elemental Forums

My request is quite simple: in the left hand UI, units part, please clearly indicate the units which have still moves left. Indicate the units which are on guard, too. Finding the units I still need to move is really annoying currently!

If there is already some nice way to skip to next unit waiting orders I have missed that. In that case, please tell me how you do it :)

6,495 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes Please!! I feel strongly the same way.

 

Something along the lines of...

Thick gold border for units yet moved. Thinner blue for sentries with movement available. Border as now, for those who've exhausted their move.  The unit UI is just begging to be put to this purpose. As things are now, it serves just a fraction of it's function. I'd find status borders to be quite handy. And believe the efficiency of it, will help alleviate UOF syndrome [Unit Orders Fatigue]. 

And please also re-introduce the "skip to next idle unit/city" buttons. 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Playing some more it seems space is supposed to be the skip to next idle unit. The problem is, it seems to work about 50% of the time correctly, and is thus useless for its purpose. You have to check the units manually anyways.

The auto-focus next unit feature is working, but there is something in the implementation I don't like. Maybe it moves to the next unit too soon? For example if you end your turn in a battle it skips directly after the battle, while you might want to investigate all the loot you got. Same for goodie huts. And just plain seeing what you explored, then moving ahead would be nice. Maybe a little delay would fix it, or maybe I am just the guy who likes spacebar for moving to the next unit...

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top


I really like WhiteElk's unit UI suggestion.  It bugs me a lot going through my units trying to figure out if there is one which hasn't moved yet.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Horemheb, reply 2
is something in the implementation I don't like. Maybe it moves to the next unit too soon? For example if you end your turn in a battle it skips directly after the battle, while you might want to investigate all the loot you got. Same for goodie huts. And just plain seeing what you explored, then moving ahead would be nice. Maybe a little delay would fix it, or maybe I am just the guy who likes spacebar for moving to the next unit...
End of Horemheb's quote

 

You've put your finger on something there; an option to go to your inventory when you've received loot (goodie hut or victory) would be great. If you're out of momvement, then it could auto-forward after you exit the inventory.

 

While I'm typing, I'd also love to see effects displayed on the unit screen so you can mouse-over them and see their effects.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I don't like auto select next unit in a game like this. It jumps from units still needing attention to units not even on my mind yet. Train of thought gets interrupted. A new train gets running before the old ones off the tracks. ... I gotta load a new data set into the human RAM.  Process that new function. Then backtrack to deal with something which should have doggone been done already! I really, really don't like auto-select in my TBS games. It needlessly wastes time and process.

My preferred method is to lock the selection queue. Generally I'll work a map in regions. I_very_much dislike the random approach. Instead, I'll start at a region of interest, then work my way through the map organically. One sequence of chained actions after another. When I've done all the obvious and pressing things, I'll click through the next idle unit/city queue to pick up the strays. Upon reaching the end of that, I am assured that all is done so I need give no second thought before hitting the end turn button. But when unit selection is random, I end up covering the same ground twice and thrice and more. I waste time and thought process. The logistical picture gets muddled for lack of cohesion.. ++

So yeah, I'd really like to see those UI recommendations made in the first post of this thread. There is alot I favor about FE's UI already though. I really dig how we can "grab" the map and push it around like that. I still catch myself trying to do that in Civ4, and on web pages lol. And I'm glad that E:FE's mini-map allows us to navigate to regions. These things facilitate process. And lessens the drudgery of the work, to more fully enjoy the play.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Also like WhiteElk reply #1.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

It's how it was done in E:WOM. I liked it. Alot.

I loaded up an E:WOM save from last month to get that pic. Man what a difference! 

Anyone else see the old man in the mountain?

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Auto-select next unit is so annoying. It often jumps attention to another unit right as the unit I was moving finds something important. Makes the experience really jarring.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Lord, reply 8
Auto-select next unit is so annoying. It often jumps attention to another unit right as the unit I was moving finds something important. Makes the experience really jarring.
End of Lord's quote

Agreed.  You move your army to attack, and before the tactical battle screen comes up, the focus is shifted to some other unit on the strategic map even if your army has move points left.  After the battle you're looking at some pioneer unit when you want to move your army again.  I had to turn it off because of that.