Unofficial "Official" GUI Discussion Thread

It was used as a kind of HUD compass off to the side before.
But you're thinking over the entire planet?
That would certainly make navigation a bit faster than now, but do you think it'll get a but cluttered?
Last thing I would want is for somebody to click one of those default camera points and get spun around.

glad this seems to have some sucess maybe we can start having a push for our ideas towards Uber and maybe finalise them a bit more so that they are clear plans.

In the system editor, show how many engines are required to move a planet.

Credit: https://forums.uberent.com/threads/system-editor-engine-info.53040/

@brianpurkiss
Oh gawds. I haven't even touched the System editor.
I'll try to get around to that tonight.

I think I have collected every major UI suggestion to date.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion going on.
(not couting the eternal Minimap/Projection debate).



Here is what I would like to see:

1. Complete documenting all these suggestions. (I think I'm done?)
   
   
2. Organize them all. (Should be finished tonight)
   
   
3. Have community review them. Make revisions if we must. (Will people do this?)
   
   
4. Have community give vote on their top 10 requested. (Got a website we can use?)
   
   
5. Have the modders flag what they need from Uber.
   
   
6. Have majority ratify document (66%?).
   
   
7. Present to Uber as a unified group.
   

They are probably working on the GUI as we speak.
And I'm terrified they haven't see that everybody is expecting a lot from the interface.



Personally....
I wanted to do this so the game gets a serious fighting chance to actually supplant FAF.
From the kickstarter and initial renders, I was blown away, but not all is perfect.
Scale bothers me.
UI really bothered me.

Regardless of community ratification, I will finishing organizing the list and compile parts of it graphically under my mock-up. If the rest of the community doesn't pick up the ball or Uber cannot/will not address these, then at least I can leave with a clear conscience.

It's common to see things like this. Where there's several large FFAs. Earlier today I saw 6 3v3v3s all with one team full and 3 or 4 10 way FFAs.



In the lobby, it'd be nice if there was a list of similar games and a way to hop directly to that game, or even merge with that game. That would decrease the amount of time we'd be sitting around in lobbies.

How does the cube help? Half the planet is still invisible and now the distances are distorted.

People were getting lost.
The cube is an aide for orientation, much like a compass in real life.

You are right. It does not solve the "battlefield overview" dilemma.
I still advocate for a projection.

that will work. enough people are intrested in this and more will come.

this forum has a poll option, you can either make a poll for each entry, it would really be the best solution, link all the polls in this OP. or ask Pamatches.

Why are the OPs all struck through?

It would obviously have to be tested, but I was thinking that when you zoom out so you can see a reasonable amount of space around the whole planet, then *that* would be when the viewcube fades in overtop of the planet - since, when you're zooming out that far, you're likely not giving orders but rather trying to move around the planet. When you zoom in, the viewcube shrinks down and slides into a corner, so that you get continuity about where you are on the planet compared to the viewcube.

And no, this isn't for strategic overview purposes, it's more for easy navigation as well as easy teamwork reference (Incoming attack on the left side!)

@Quitch
Those are a bit out of date. It's rather disorganized and messy.
I moved everything into a google Doc so I could organize the crap out of it.
The forum text tools just didn't cut it.


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ef3DmBUsW3faaoqqmhZFgZsyO5JUXSETY5JmXLFIPlQ/edit?usp=sharing

Still polishing it.
Freaking hard work.

Then I have to go and start putting graphics with each of those suggestions.
I just hope this pays off.

Holy...

I created a thread to make a suggestion and "brianpurkiss" asked me to place it in this topic, so here it is:

Part1: Positioning
In the System Editor, when positioning a planet, you could choose between X & Y position or 'r' & 'theta' position (radius and angle).
when submiting 'r' and 'theta', you can calculate X & Y as:
X=r*cos(theta)
Y=r*sin(theta)
on the opposite way:
r=sqrt(X^2+Y^2)
theta=arccos(X/r) if Y>0
theta=360 - arccos(X/r) if Y<0

also the velocities can be changed from Vx and Vy to Vr and Vtheta:
Vr=Vx*cos(theta)+Vy*sin(theta)
Vtheta=-Vx*sin(theta)+Vy*cos(theta)
on the opposite way, you just have to invert the matrix

Part2: Simulation time
When you activate the Simulate button, it should trigger a stopwatch and this time relates with the in-game time, so the owner of the system can estimate the time for one revolution, the time for the smallest distance between two planets or even the time for a collision between two planets. e.g.:
Planet A takes one revolution after 37 seconds of simulation (time elapsed), which in game corresponds to 18.5 minutes of gameplay (time shown in the display)

\
A projection is by far and away the simplest solution! Why on earth would you over complicate it by representing the battlefield in 3D? Just have your starting location be longitude of zero. I guess if it's closer to the poles than another point that would be a pain

It's easy to understand (we represent globes as 2D maps in real life), it can give you a "systems manager" view (each mini-map of each planet could be next to that planet for you to oversee your entire empire at once, ala Sins of a Solar Empire), and it can't be difficult to implement.

Must say this is really great work with a lot of good ideas. I like hoe you are going about it too. Much easier for the devs to read the google doc then the daunting task of beginning on a 7 page thread.

Best of luck.

@stormingkiwi: it could be a good idea to make your start position each game automatically become the equator and shift the N and S poles accordingly. Other than the ice caps on maps that have them being then in the wrong place it could make navigation a little easier.

omg projection won't work people.

I want to give you a standing ovation.
But I have no idea what you just said.

Thanks!
I am hoping that they see that this is something the players really want.

Well, since the planets already have a North/South pole that is game-wide, we know there is an equator as well.
I am hoping the game model comes up with a game-wide Prime Merdian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Meridian

If that exists, then we should be able to break each planet into a true Latitude/Longitude grid.
Hoping Uber will support that "out-of-box", but otherwise, it shouldn't be "too" difficult to mod in?
(again, I am speaking as a non-modder).

which part you didnt understand? Part1 or Part2?

both parts are suggestion to the System Editor