UI foibles

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bretg80
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UI foibles

Post by bretg80 »

I posted 1+ years ago on your forum, prior to your relationship with Matrix and asked you guys to consider some UI improvements. The biggest issue I saw was the logging of events on the main screen that makes them difficult to read and also impedes viewing elements on the screen.

Your response was that you were planning to remedy this (although you didn't really say how). But now I see recent screen shots on FB with that noise all over the screen again. Why, why why?

Your UIs are beautiful, why ruin them with unreadable text that should be displayed in a much more readable way. Please fix this or when I buy the game you will hear from me on this forum until you do. [:)]

Seriously guys, this is a huge detractor from the main screen.

Bret
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mikmykWS
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RE: UI foibles

Post by mikmykWS »

Hi Bret,

You can turn the scrolling text on/off and even have the ability to turn on/off specific items. Pretty sure we did this in response to your initial posts on it.

In terms of the screenshot I like to have them on as they show that there is something going on in the background of the game. Will do so again in the future.

Thanks!

Mike
TheWombat_matrixforum
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RE: UI foibles

Post by TheWombat_matrixforum »

Have you considered putting the messages into a Windows-style, well, window, scrollable and resizable? That might make them easier to read, at the expense of making 'em look ugly I guess.
mikmykWS
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RE: UI foibles

Post by mikmykWS »

Yeah. UI stuff is always difficult as you're juggling form and function at times.

In this case the messages displayed are pretty valuable to game play and none of our beta testers mentioned it as a problem at all. So we're kind of looking at it right now like one vocal poster hates it. On the other hand we did address it some time ago by allowing you to turn it on and off but just never showed the poster we did that.

Mike



TheWombat_matrixforum
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RE: UI foibles

Post by TheWombat_matrixforum »

One option might also to be to look at how MMOs do chat; resizable, adjustable opacity, relocatable windows that can integrate with the overall look of the game. It's not a huge deal to me, but it might be to others I guess.
bretg80
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RE: UI foibles

Post by bretg80 »

See, I'm not the only one who has a thought about this. It's nice that you can turn it on and off, but since it is important to be able to read the information, then please allow me to display it in a manner that is readable. Come on guys, the game you are making IS rocket science, displaying game logging information is not. Please display textual information that should be readable in a format that is. That's all I'm asking.

I'm a software engineer and I know how easy it is to get lost in the details of a project and to overlook the simple issues. If I had been allowed to beta test the game, you would have heard about this, and I 100% guarantee that I will not be the only one who will request this to be changed once it is released. So, do as you will, but it is a simple thing to fix in the grand scheme of things it is something we all will be using a lot.

So, with that said, I will still buy the game because I really like what your team is doing with it. And I will ask for the logging to be fixed as a paying customer, and then maybe I won't be considered a pain in the arse once you have my green backs.

Bret

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mikmykWS
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RE: UI foibles

Post by mikmykWS »

Thanks Bret. Question on that specific item is out to the beta folks so we'll see how it shakes out.

bretg80
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RE: UI foibles

Post by bretg80 »

Thanks for considering it [:)]
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Dimitris
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RE: UI foibles

Post by Dimitris »

ORIGINAL: bretg80
And I will ask for the logging to be fixed as a paying customer, and then maybe I won't be considered a pain in the arse once you have my green backs.

That was unnecessary and uncalled for.

FWIW, the beta folks agreed that this ability would help, and it is currently under development.
Dimitris
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RE: UI foibles

Post by Dimitris »

ORIGINAL: TheWombat
One option might also to be to look at how MMOs do chat; resizable, adjustable opacity, relocatable windows that can integrate with the overall look of the game. It's not a huge deal to me, but it might be to others I guess.

WoW's way of displaying color-coded messages was one of our inspirations.
TheWombat_matrixforum
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RE: UI foibles

Post by TheWombat_matrixforum »

ORIGINAL: Sunburn
ORIGINAL: TheWombat
One option might also to be to look at how MMOs do chat; resizable, adjustable opacity, relocatable windows that can integrate with the overall look of the game. It's not a huge deal to me, but it might be to others I guess.

WoW's way of displaying color-coded messages was one of our inspirations.

Kewl. It's always good to look at what works elsewhere, even in very different genres--UI is UI is UI, in some ways!
Dimitris
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RE: UI foibles

Post by Dimitris »

Work in progress:

Image
bretg80
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RE: UI foibles

Post by bretg80 »

Thank you - thank you for listening guys. This is exactly what I was requesting from a usability perspective. Now I can have my messages on a separate monitor and no screen clutter. Very nice.....
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mfort175
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RE: UI foibles

Post by mfort175 »

Is it possible to switch the UI to Imperial instead of Metric in the game settings?
Dimitris
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RE: UI foibles

Post by Dimitris »

Not at the moment, sorry!
mfort175
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RE: UI foibles

Post by mfort175 »

Just curious, math was never a strong point. I'll have to brush up. Thanks for the quick answer.
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ETF
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RE: UI foibles

Post by ETF »

ORIGINAL: Harry_Two

Just curious, math was never a strong point. I'll have to brush up. Thanks for the quick answer.
Join the rest of the world and your federal gov't :)
Metric is so much better.....mind you I didn't think that in the 80's lol
My Top Matrix Games 1) CMO MP?? 2) WITP/AE 3) SOW 4) Combat Mission 5) Armor Brigade

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mfort175
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RE: UI foibles

Post by mfort175 »

I'm not typing anything about the feds, I'm sure I'm already on their list. I've always been a nonconformist, I'm actually developing my own system, its based on multiples of 7.5, it should be mind blowing! I'll let you know when it's ready Rick.
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ETF
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RE: UI foibles

Post by ETF »

lol!
My Top Matrix Games 1) CMO MP?? 2) WITP/AE 3) SOW 4) Combat Mission 5) Armor Brigade

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ETF
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RE: UI foibles

Post by ETF »

ORIGINAL: bretg80

Thank you - thank you for listening guys. This is exactly what I was requesting from a usability perspective. Now I can have my messages on a separate monitor and no screen clutter. Very nice.....

Love the extra monitors. Have now 3....can't beat it!
My Top Matrix Games 1) CMO MP?? 2) WITP/AE 3) SOW 4) Combat Mission 5) Armor Brigade

Twitter
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