Egras

It's important that the future of custom UI development have as much presedence as the development of new content in EverQuest. We make the game more functional and appealing. Often the players get feedback and attention, but we remain in the dark until after a change has been released. We then backpedal as quickly as we can to get the UIs functional again.

There are three strong desires I have for the future of UI development:

1. A relationship with someone at Sony that handles UIs and their development.

Many of the coders posting on EQInterface have been at this a long time. I for one spend a TON of time in the XML code. Most likely more time than most Sony UI developers. Having someone at Sony with an active relationship with the active custom UI coders would make the UIs we develop the best possible solution and make the game better for the players.

2. Open Beta invites to active UI developers.

If the administrators of this site, knowing who is worthy, would coordinate with Sony to ensure the active custom UI developers have Beta at all times, we could be ahead of the game every time. We would have required patches and updates ready for release dates of new content.

3. The best possible software to make our job easy.

I for one use SIDLWIDL, Notepad, Adobe Photoshop and Painshop Pro to develop the EgrasUI. Im not asking for Sony to fork over the cost of good graphics programs. Thats asking too much. I am asking Sony to assist us in the best possible XML tools possible to work faster and more efficient. I doubt they use SIDLWIDL and Notepad.

In summary...

Sony, help us, help you. I do my custom UI work free of charge and ask for nothing in return, but feedback to continue making it better. Perhaps get involved with us and lets work together to make the one thing each user is guaranteed to see, the best possible product.

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Gena

It has been reported either on these boards or the Official SoE boards that SoE use the exact same method custom UI makers do, ie adjust load readjust load etc etc

Sparxx

It that is true, they are just retarded or something.

Why would you load, reload, load....... when you could use a WYSIWYG editor and cut your time making custom interfaces in half or more.

But to each his own I guess... just dont get why anyone would want to waste that much time.

Haliken

Some of us can visualize things pretty darn well, and a WYSIWYG editor just writes sloppier code than we can do in notepad by hand. For me, working on the UI doesn't take many reloads to get the XML right. My reloads are usually when getting the graphics files just right (usually trying to get the compression to not totally blockify my graphics); so I load, take a screenshot, zoom in to 1600% and make sure everything looks right. Changes are made if necessary, followed by a reload, screenshot, magnify, etc. I doubt a WYSIWYG editor runs the textures through the same compression, so I can only check for graphical anomalies in game.

UI modding in EQ is largely an afterthought as far as I can tell. They gave us a document for the basic structure, threw notes in the target indicator INI file (well, those were added later, but whatever) and said ''have at it.'' We figured out what we needed to to make things work, and we're at their whim when they decide to make critical changes to the default UI. It's a waste of their time to keep us filled in, when changes take mere minutes to get detected by the UI editting community.

Unless they do another default UI overhaul, we're not in any danger of critical game breakers when it comes to the UI. I'd personally like at least a little heads up if they ever plan to do another default overhaul (we had warning on the last one though, so I'd be surprised if they ever sprung one on us without warning), but the little stuff isn't worth wasting their time over.

Enok

P.S. - I use Notepad and Adobe Photoshop.

Egras

Yeah. The auto-Beta invite and a little notice are the biggies. Would ensure we are ahead of the game for sure.

I would bet they have a better XML editor, but its not like Im gonna stop coding till I get their software. I do agree that SIDLWIDL and the like do leave bad code, but at times I still use it to get a visual in my mind on new concepts. Then again I have been known to cut and paste in Adobe/PSP to get a layout also.

Drakah

I can tell you there wouldn't be an "auto-invite" type thing for beta. I know from experience that even working directly with a small handfull of UI designers only confuses them more. I, for one, would keep an eye out for Broadcast messages stating the beta will be open for the next 30 minutes for sign-ups. That really is your only best bet like everyone else does.

I did put my heart and soul into helping them at one point for a few weeks, only to find out, you need them to contract you to do it, and its too much paperwork for them to be bothered with. All the hard work went to the gutter. So the only thing we can do is point out things that need to be changed, and pray they give 2-cents to take the time and change it. And who to actually tell this information to? I don't know anymore really, but I didnt get very far with my 50+ list of things that needed (still needs) to be addressed. Use /bug or /feedback I guess.

PS - this is not a rant post of any sort, simply just stating what happened on this topic.

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Regards,

Drakah
shakahr.com
Remember...it is only a GAME