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changes to the interface

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This thread is for discussing changes to the interface so that we don't have to discuss them in a thread about a video some guy made.

 

I think the majority of the interface is fine the way it is, but there are a few small changes I would like.

 

I would like the storage window to be big enough to fit all the different categories without the need to scroll up or down. Maybe it could be resizable, like the inventory window. I'd be satisfied if it was just bigger.

 

I also with the cursor wouldn't change when I cast a spell. I keep the Attack button active, but it reverts to Walk when I cast MI, so I have to click the Attack button again. I think the active button should stay the same unless the user changes it.

 

I'd also like trees to become unclickable. I hate it when I'm chasing an animal to attack it and suddenly change direction because I accidentally clicked on a tree.

 

Those are the changes to the interface that I'd like. Some of them have been mentioned before. Now everyone else post the changes you'd like.

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I'd also like trees to become unclickable. I hate it when I'm chasing an animal to attack it and suddenly change direction because I accidentally clicked on a tree.

click on mouse bug in options...should fix that probelm

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Storage categories in alphabetical order might be nice.

 

Piper

 

Edit:

 

Oh, and it would be nice, if we could change the font size for NPC's dialogues.

One of the reasons which stops me to read the stories of NPC's is that small font.

Edited by The_Piper

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I would love to be able to change the messages color to my preferances, there is no reason for example that gm chat needs to be blue for everybody, and i would love to have different colors for every channel i have open, so i can see at color whats channel 6 and whats channel 3 or 2.

 

Make the get all, drop all, mix all button from the inventory window avaialbe under the quickspell, quick access inventory window. would be great too (also not really necessary as it works the way we have it)

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If you use hot keys with Alt + 1-6 for your quick spells that makes fighting all the easier in PK. Alt + mouse click = attack. Alt + 1-6 = cooresponding spell. Same with Ctrl + 1-6 and the corresponding item in the quick bar. Your idea isn't actually all that necessary.

 

If anything, I think alphabetical storage with definable size to allow for it all to fit would be nice but it's not that huge of a deal as of current.

 

I like most of the interface myself, I don't understand the big fuss :P

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I have just turned off the bars that are on top of all the windows (next to the name) and I actually think it looks better this way. Some little effort put into enhancing the looks of these windows really would not hurt :P

 

Thought this was worth mentioning, It really is "that bad"

Not that it was not designed properly, its just a design that is x years old now.

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There should be different font color of #gm and moderator's and GIWS msges, when more than 2 ppl write in #gm and GIWS or mod's msg pops it's easy not to notice it.

Someone mentioned mini-map button, that wouldn't be bad. New players won't notice it for long time, but if there is button...

Some kind of filter in console or when u highlight some chat channel you only see that channel msges in console.

Custom UI, so you can put health/mana/emu/xp bar where you want it, so you don't need health bar under char name.

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so you don't need health bar under char name.

 

Alt+h then Alt+b you will have number of your HP above your head.

Edited by learg

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so you don't need health bar under char name.

 

Alt+h then Alt+b you will have number of your HP above your head.

 

Know about that, but to remove unnecessary things. Example:

 

09741829004737136081_thumb.png

 

Original are as they are, but u can arrange it as shown on picture or as u like, that could be useful in fight cause it's more focused.

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Thought this was worth mentioning, It really is "that bad"

Not that it was not designed properly, its just a design that is x years old now.

I TOTALLY disagree with you. I think this interface is very clear and simple and unobtrusive. Just right.

Newfangled and trendy does not always == better.

 

 

I would love to be able to change the messages color to my preferances, there is no reason for example that gm chat needs to be blue for everybody, and i would love to have different colors for every channel i have open, so i can see at color whats channel 6 and whats channel 3 or 2.
There should be different font color of #gm and moderator's and GIWS msges, when more than 2 ppl write in #gm and GIWS or mod's msg pops it's easy not to notice it.

Agree with these as well. Too much blue.

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Can i add here my idea about changes in minimap? Is it possible to change colour of summons in minimap? Because it's problematic when you're hunting with summons- it's easy to mistake. When you're thinking that you have found monster it turns out that's only your lost summon...

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Newfangled and trendy does not always == better.

 

New doesn't always = bad either. Maybe if someone wanted to design a new interface there could be an option to keep the old one if you like it. The simple and easy to use part of it doesn't have to change. It can be essentially the same while looking updated.

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Maybe if someone wanted to design a new interface there could be an option to keep the old one if you like it.

This.

 

It's the best way to keep everyone happy. :rolleyes:

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being able to adjust which skills can be displayed with the "Show Stats" option

with the possibility of additional skills in the future (speculating) it would be nice

especially for people using smaller resolutions (like me :rolleyes:)

Edited by Winkz

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Maybe if someone wanted to design a new interface there could be an option to keep the old one if you like it.
It's the best way to keep everyone happy.

It's also a great way to make the code overly complex, buggy, and hard to maintain. It also cripples new feature development if it fits in one version but not the other, causing divergence and yet more complexity. And designers are less interested in adding new features if they are forced to implement it twice - the old and the new versions.

 

Sometimes a major upgrade to a system (including an UI overhaul) means you have to abandon the old version. If the improvement is worth it, then you suck-it-up and move forward. If it's not worth the pain, then you keep what you have and continue on the path of incremental improvements.

 

There are times when the answer is simply: one or the other, but not both.

Edited by bkc56

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I guess I didn't see anything in any of the threads on the topic (not just this one) that looked worth all the fuss. I'm not exactly sure what "looking updated" really means other than all that splashy oversized mess.

I haven't seen anything presented that is actually more functional, easier, or eliminates the presented problem of "reading" as the excuse to change it all.

 

I REALLY don't get the point other than to look like other games. And you won't convince me that an oversized overdecorated distracting interface is why "those other games have so many more players" than we do.

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I guess I didn't see anything in any of the threads on the topic (not just this one) that looked worth all the fuss. I'm not exactly sure what "looking updated" really means other than all that splashy oversized mess.

I haven't seen anything presented that is actually more functional, easier, or eliminates the presented problem of "reading" as the excuse to change it all.

 

I REALLY don't get the point other than to look like other games. And you won't convince me that an oversized overdecorated distracting interface is why "those other games have so many more players" than we do.

 

I don't think anyone said anything about splashy oversize nasty monstrosities. Sometimes its just fun to spitball ideas around with people and see what comes up.

 

For a point to changes, haven't you seen a restaurant or a store or some other business spruce up or entirely change the inside or outside? A lot of the time that's to attract attention again from people who are used to driving by and seeing it the way it was. Something new that catches the eye and gets people thinking about the place again. Even some companies will do that with their logo. Remember the old weird Pepsi globe icon? The pepsi company had that weird looking thing for almost as long as they were in business and somewhere along the line, a few years ago at least, they abandoned it for a new look. Sometimes change is just for change and it can bring a new spotlight to something old.

 

I think the EL interface looks pretty good BUT (to me anyway) the brown borders at the bottom and side make it look a little dated. F6 will already turn those off (all except for the background under the compass for some reason.), so here are my suggestions.

-Leave all the bars and buttons like we are used to, but get rid of the brown boarders.

-Center the health/food/emu/skill bars and all the buttons underneath them and maybe give those a small border of their own. Something unobtrusive like celtic knots or swirls, something that can be almost see thru. Hell the HEs are pretty, shrink the graphic down and surround it with HEs or even little pics of all the essences.

-Center the channel buttons at the top.

-Take the clunky square buttons and make them round. Keep the brown background for nostalgia.

-Give an option to turn off some of the buttons like you already can the stats because, once you have been playing for a bit, some of the buttons like trade and att and point etc. get abandoned for right clicking and don't need to take up space.

-Make the compass relocatable like the quick bar and mini maps

 

All 'small' changes that can make the game look updated while still looking like the EL we know. As stupid as it sounds, sometimes change is just for change.

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I don't think anyone said anything about splashy oversize nasty monstrosities. Sometimes its just fun to spitball ideas around with people and see what comes up.

I am basing that statement on the examples presented so far in the multiple threads here and in general chat by various players who have offered some screenshot images of what they consider better. And in my opinion (which is all I am stating), I found them distracting and ugly.

 

As to the brown borders, they are not distracting and they do suit the theme of the game. Old medieval. In my opinion, again that is all I am stating, they are appropriate as they are for this game. (And no, I didn't design them :rolleyes: )

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It's also a great way to make the code overly complex, buggy, and hard to maintain. It also cripples new feature development if it fits in one version but not the other, causing divergence and yet more complexity. And designers are less interested in adding new features if they are forced to implement it twice - the old and the new versions.

 

Sometimes a major upgrade to a system (including an UI overhaul) means you have to abandon the old version. If the improvement is worth it, then you suck-it-up and move forward. If it's not worth the pain, then you keep what you have and continue on the path of incremental improvements.

 

There are times when the answer is simply: one or the other, but not both.

What if you set up a base that both interfaces derive their content from? Like have all of the menus/buttons/dialog/objects predefined then only the textures, colors, positions, and sizes used are changed. So, if the devs want to add a new menu option, ability, effect, etc... they need only add it to the base and the derivatives automatically include it with their custom looks... This method could also enable players to create custom overlays of their own by replacing textures or programming/installing interface "add-ons".

I know its possible, but I'm not sure how much of a rework it would be for the entire interface.

 

I've found in some of the things I've coded that total reworks aren't... The most wanted or pleasant... BUT often when you rework something and apply the knowledge from the initial work to a new perspective on your approach, it can come out WAY more efficient or interesting..

And I'm now just wondering... How long ago was the EL interface initially created? Has it been reworked at all since? ^^'

 

Just my thoughts...

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