Jump to content
Eternal Lands Official Forums
Sign in to follow this  
Cicero

UI improvements

Recommended Posts

I would like some feedback about what you guys like and don't like about EL's interface. If you don't like a certain behavior, please make a constructive suggestions as to how it can be improved. Feel free to post mock-ups or usage scenarios. Here are some of my thoughts at the moment:

 

The activity modes are losing their usefulness. They should probably be done away with in the near future. You can do almost anything in the client without having to explicitly change modes. Interacing with items will be simplified in the next release now you can:

 

pick up items without having the "pick" icon selected just by clicking in the bag window

drop items by dragging them outside the inventory

use items by double right-clicking on them

 

This obsoletes the pick and use modes entirely. I think Ent has already thought of this, as he was the one who suggested the double-click.

 

The windowing system needs improvement, we know this. Soon it will be reworked to do proper layering.

 

The hud will have status bars containing your current health, magic, and food levels so that you don't have to open your stats window to see them.

 

 

So, what are your comments on the interface?

Note: do NOT mention problems with attacking, such as the "you are too far away" or "no path to target" messages, as those are server-side.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

magic:

 

 

right now it is almost imposible to do something like this:

 

Summon animals.

 

Heal them, heal yourself, drain life from nme, heal your animals.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well actually it's like this when you are manufacturing stuff.

You need to have opened a) The inventory, :) A bag to drop stuff, c) The Manu window and d) The NPC window...

I think it's not very handy how it is now because the whole el window is full of that stuff. You can't read messages and you also can't see anything when you are manufacturing .. I don't know how to improve it but it needs Improvement.

I thought about adding a collapse/expand button to all the window so that they won't need that much room anymore.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Also trying to cast a spell on others is one of the worst things... you mix the spell, then you have to click the use icon and RIGHT click the target..who would figure that out? :) you should just mix the spell, click the target!-and the magic wand icon should appear at that time(as the mouse cursor). and of course I dont need to say that we need that quickbar for spells too. Should I make icons for the different spells? Maybe we need like a small bar at the bottom to "hold" all this stuff like most games have(it could be transparent on the back)....let me know and i'll make it, i'd also like to redo the icons if we do that.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

After looking at the code, it seems that improving magic will have to involve changing how the client and server together handle casting spells. There needs to be at least one more protocol defined for magic to work decently, maybe 2. I'll need to talk to Ent about it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well actually it's like this when you are manufacturing stuff.

You need to have opened a) The inventory, B) A bag to drop stuff, c) The Manu window and d) The NPC window...  

I think it's not very handy how it is now because the whole el window is full of that stuff. You can't read messages and you also can't see anything when you are manufacturing .. I don't know how to improve it but it needs Improvement.

I thought about adding a collapse/expand button to all the window so that they won't need that much room anymore.

Been dicussed alot of times.. i really think to be able to resize windows(heh like on windows :))would be a huge improvement.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

how about changing the spells window?

 

instead of having 1 spell to cast make it 5(?)

 

so we have 5 cast and 5 clear buttons all line up in a column.

 

problems

1- went u click a sigil to which box it will go.

2- It will take much more space.

3- It still will be complicated to "set up"

 

posible solution to:

1- make a checkbox for which spell to go

2- NO idea, maybe make it all smaller?

3- You get a harder set up, but it is a little easier to cast. If you could implement that this will be saved for each logon then this could be a really good solution.

 

I HAVE the time to work on it, all i need is to read a little about openGL, because i havent work with it.

 

Or you could just kill the whole system :) then i could work on that too hehe[/u]

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

there isnt realy a need for that elpargo as there is a patch out there for a quickbar so that you can ready a spells components and put it into one of the quickbar slots.

 

i would like to see a change in the handeling of the inwindow messages as they are echoed in all windows so if you look at a item in the inventory and then open the manu window you will find the same message echoed there. maybe have it so that instead of one buffer you have one for every window that have a message display. and maybe have them be cleared when you close the window. i guess the real problem comes when you get a message but have moved to a diffrent window (alltho thats highly unlikely unless your haveing sever lag)...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Revampt the whole system, makes spells so you need to read books, then you have a spell book type thing, similar to research layout, where you just select the spell you want, and hit cast.. still have the essence cost if required, but trying to arange the signals is a pain. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

MoonShadow, that's the way to massproduce items, and I don't like the idea of massproducing items in the game...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

thats not so mutch about a ui remake as about a total magic system rewrite. im all for makeing some or all spells come from reading books but i dont feel like dumping the sigils (alltho i would love to have a ingame spell book for keeping preset sigils)...

 

allso, with a quick use bar you can just set up the sigils ones, pop the spell into a quick use slot and then every time you feel like casting it you hit the icon or press the button combo...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
MoonShadow, that's the way to massproduce items, and I don't like the idea of massproducing items in the game...

 

I don't like the idea of mass producing items either... but when I have to make 5,000 pairs of leather pants to go up to the next level of manu.... what are my options? Make one pair of pants...bring them to trik...make another pair?

 

I also hate it when I'm trying to mass manufacture...to get up to the next level of experience... and then my bag poofs...even when I'm putting/withdrawing from it.

 

Like I said... I hate mass producing... but what alternative do we have? Stay as alow level manufacturer... offer to make leather gloves to anyone who needs it? I know the new system is going to be different... and believe me I am thrilled at the idea of no more hours and hours spent making usless items. I still am confused at how its going to work... but I like what I've heard so far.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

if your bag poefs while your depositing/extracting items to/from it, its cause of the fact that there are over 50 bags on that map - and thats not very likley to happn in a general store O_o... well - it might be a bug, but ive never heard anything bout that be4.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

remember that most likely there is more then one building on the same map (in fact most map have a interior partner) so if some other buildings fill up with bag then poof...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The inventory windowis much larger than it needs to be. If the 36 inventory boxes were the size of those on the mix window, and some rearranging were done:


01 02 03 04 05 06  E

07              12  Q

13              18  U

19              24  I

25              30  P

31              36  M

dialog/info          N

qty 1, 10, 100..      T

(a poor attempt at ascii graphics, but hopefully you get the idea.)

Or perhaps combining the mix and inventory windows, adding a few buttons for different functions?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

hmm, i dont recall this being on the list so here goes:

 

how about if you use a wearable item it trys to jump over to a available item slot? and if a similar item is allready in use then it replaces the existing item?

 

that way we can have quickbar weapons in the the future, one keypress and your swinging the pickaxe around, one more and your swinging your sword around :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I like the 3 new stats bars for food, health and EP level.

 

BUT I wish they were stacked one on top the other Between the Options Icon and the Clock. Instead of their current location above the icons.

 

Later,

GatorJaws

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i think the icon bar will be redone soon so therefor they are placed like they are. atleast thats what a post by entropy hinted at...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps instead of having equipment slots, you could add an equip button. The item would still be in with the inventory, but a symbol would show that it is equipped. Sort of like Morrowind.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've just added a bar on the left side of the screen that contains the first 6 inventory items arranged vertically. It operates exactly like the inventory window does.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×