10-18-2002, 08:46 PM
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#1
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A Shissar Disciple
Join Date: Sep 2002
Server: -none-
Posts: 145
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What are you looking for in a UI ?
Hey all
I am working on a UI and I would like to know what are the most useful things you are looking for in a UI ?
What low-end game related UI features are you looking for ?
What high-end game related UI features are you looking for ?
Personally I do not believe that a dashboard full of numbers makes a good UI, I believe that only the essential information should be displayed, and the cluttering reduced as much as possible.
And so I am running out of ideas and wondering.. is there really anything NEW that people are looking for ?
What is it that the original UI didn't cater for, other than the (bad) looks ?
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"I'm not a shrimp, I'm a KING PRAWN !" -- Pepe the shrimp.
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10-30-2002, 04:58 PM
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#2
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Denizen of the Interface
Join Date: Sep 2002
Server: Tholuxe Paelis
Posts: 279
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1. Looks
2. Looks
3. More looks.
After that...percentages. I love percentages. Borderless, title-less windows...windows where all you can see is the buttons or buff icons or gauges, and that's all you want to see because they're so extraordinarily beautiful. I want borderless but resizeable and/or moveable windows. I want my general inventory and clicky slots available to me without opening my inventory window. I want to be able to see everything my computer takes the time to render. I want my buttons to be as small as possible but still clearly visible, so that I can fit as much info on the screen as possible instead of blocking my view with big awkward windows every time I want to do anything beyond autoattack. I never, ever want to have to open or close a window during normal gameplay ecept to mem/swap spells, find a loc or use the Bazaar. Oh, and I want in-game loc charts, and preferably tradeskills and maybe maps. Got that?
*grins* make it the way you want it, other people will like it too- don't take custom orders or people will keep demanding more and more things that you may or may not even like.
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"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king." -Aragorn's Theme by J.R.R. Tolkien
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10-30-2002, 05:17 PM
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#3
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A Weathered Clockwork
Join Date: Aug 2002
Server: Tholuxe Paells
Posts: 341
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I like skins that fit together nicely. Like the quartz skin. All the peices, when fit together like a puzzle. Compactness is good as well. I want to see as much of the screen as I can.
Looks are secondary for me. While they're important, usefulness is more important.
I like percentages for my hp,mana,stam, exp, and aaxp. No need for pet hp % because I'm always typing /pet health anyway.
Readability is a huge must. I don't want to have to stare at something for more than one second and not know what it is. I need to read the chat window, because that is pretty much the most important thing.
Big,flashy,fancy graphics aren't really that appealing. While they may look good, it seems to take longer to load it up. Like if I had a big, flashy, fancy inventory, I hit the key "i" to open the inventory up, and it takes a little bit to open. Meanwhile I can't do anything because it's almost like my computer just locked up. Doesn't last that long at all, but that time could mean the difference of life and death. The graphics should be simple in my opinion, though for people with really nice computer may dissagree with me.
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10-31-2002, 06:14 AM
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#4
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A Ghoul
Join Date: Aug 2002
Server: The Nameless
Posts: 19
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(warrior)
a) "Raidskin"
1) Looks, if im gonna watch it 6-7h per day it must look good.
2) Simplisity, dont need much of the fancy stuff for raiding.
3) Low resolution.... preferable 800x640 with viewpoint as low as 640x480.
4) Light, slim xml code for little cpu use. No vertical cauges 
Need; 1 chat window, 2 timers (def and reuse), 8 hotbuttons+ear,bracer,mask,bp,bag1,vertical buff icons (no text), target box with %, vertical info on cur/max hp, vertical atk/ac/sta (resists is a +), compass and a v. slim group window.
The kaioUi has an awsome example on how a vertical compas-atk/ac/sta+resists bar can look. Just that neither that nor car's fit the resolution i want to play in.
b) "Regularskin"
1) Loooks
2) Looooks
3) Massivisity, much lullul and krimskrams.
4) Regular resolution (1024x768) with viewport as high as possible.
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I've been looking awile for the "Raidskin" but have yet found one in that resolution that fill my needs, either they have to much information (i don't need to know my name, level, diety, exp, full inventory and who my grandaddy is when i raid) and that doesnt realy fill my needs, or they are plain composition of 10 other "artists" skins and looks realy plain ugly. |
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10-31-2002, 09:47 AM
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#5
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A Treant
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 20
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What I look for in a GUI is :
1) Fantasy Feel / Look to it - Tking and others do a Great Job at this.
2) Locations Chart.
3) Maps.
4) Tradeskill Recipies and Locations for all Trades.
5) Research Charts for all Classes.
6) The Group window with %'s for health / stamina / mana / XP / AAXP / Pets.
7) Resistances and your stats shown all the time in your Char Info.
8) In-Game Changable Right Clickies.
9) Compass with +/-
10) Target window with %.
11) Bazaar Search window with full drop downs and shrunk.
12) Buff Icons Across the top or vertical (change on the fly in game ?) with names under or next to it.
13) Spell Icons with spell name listed next to it.
14) Inventory Screen with Character Portrait and Items pointing to appropriate spot it will be worn on.
15) remove Alot of dead space on windows
16) Easy to Set and Understand Timers.
17) Maybe a Spell List with Spell Description, Class, and where it can be found, and price.
19) Simple and Elegant Fantasy Spellbook.
20) Some of the Above Setup as Tabs off a Window.
for example :
Bring up Help and have locations, maps, spells.
Bring up Pet and have trade skill recipies, supply locations, and research.
Is there a way to link timers to the casting of a spell so it automatically sets the timer ?
How many tabs are able to be made off a window ?
some of these I have yet to see in a GUI... and I have been looking.
I hope to see some of the ones I have been looking for sometime soon.  |
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10-31-2002, 10:21 AM
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#6
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A Shissar Disciple
Join Date: Jul 2002
Server: Tholuxe Paells
Posts: 135
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Personally i like UI's i can spread across the out along the edge's rather then block 1 hunk of my screen with one big menu. I use the 1024x768 as apparently most people do that visit this site according to that poll they did a short while back. The thing i'd like to see most though is trimmed down windows so i can see as mush of the gameplay as possible.
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11-04-2002, 09:09 PM
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#7
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Manaetic Prototype IX
Join Date: Sep 2002
Server: E'Ci
Posts: 501
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1) Attractive fantasy look. Sci fi seems popular around here, but it leaves me cold.
2) Minimal clutter. If I can do it with a keystroke, I don't want a button.
3) Unobscured 3D view, not blocked by windows or cropped in bad ways.
4) Universal UI. I will use one UI for all levels and all classes. I don't want to have to learn a bunch of different layouts.
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11-14-2002, 04:29 PM
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#8
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A Ghoul
Join Date: Nov 2002
Server: Cazic Thule
Posts: 18
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what I'd like
I'm new here, but what I would like is to have NO decoration whatsoever, just the bare minimum floating text buttons with no edge, floating mana, hp and exp bars, floating gems, etc. If things have to be in a box, can you make the box clear with no border, and make it and its contents fitted along the sides and bottom of the screen as tight as possible? Can exit and minimize buttons (x and -) float as well? I do like having all the usual inventory information available on the main screen, but I don't want extras like pretty pictures and textures and I really don't want things like my spell gems and icons to have a different appearance from what I'm used to cuz that makes it more confusing for me. I do like the specific text labels I've seen on some UI's here (like, "buffs" "right click" "inventory" "container" "experience" etc.) and the addition of the "F2, F3, F4, etc." and percentages on group member bars, as these all make my job easier to do. Thanks for all the great work yall do! P.S. I cant seem to find a beginners guide on XML, is there a favorite one linked around here somewhere?
__________________
Lareieli Coeurleger
~Lady Lightheart~
~~Cazic Thule~~
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11-15-2002, 04:57 PM
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#9
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Grimling Code Editor
Join Date: Sep 2002
Server: Xev
Posts: 507
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Usability
Appearance isn't as imporant as FUNCTION for me.
If it doesn't work, it doesn't matter how "nice" it looks - I'm not gonna be satisfied.
And beyond just working, theres is effiency. The less I have to move the mouse or type, the better.
Think of it this way. When doing tradeskill combines do you want the container with materials on one side screen and the combine container on the other side? No, thats ALOT of mouse distance back and forth. Now, take that same concept and apply it to all the windows.
Less mouse movement = greater efficency = greater functionality
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11-18-2002, 10:49 AM
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#10
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Denizen of the Interface
Join Date: Sep 2002
Server: Tholuxe Paelis
Posts: 279
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In a good UI, appearance and functionality tie together. See, when most people say they want looks, they don't mean "I want great big hunks of graphic obstructing my screen." They mean "I want what I *do* see of the UI to fit together nicely and look good." Part of that means making everything as compact and transparent as possible, and making a screen layout that allows for efficient mouse use as well as catering to keyboard players.
But most of us want some sort of background- I know I'd have a great deal of trouble playing if all I saw was floating text and gauges. Why can't that background look nice? And a gauge can be attractive without taking up the whole screen, and so can a spellgem or buff icon or any of the dozen or so components that simply must appear on-screen. A neat layout invariably looks better than a cluttered one, and there's no reason you can't have your functionality and still be fantasy-themed and color-coordinated.
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11-18-2002, 03:40 PM
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#11
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A Ghoul
Join Date: Nov 2002
Server: Cazic Thule
Posts: 18
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I'd like to add that by using "floating" text and buttons (clear borders) you could eliminate that chunky, space hogging rectangular look and the UI would become much more "organic" feeling. There may need to be a thin "halo" behind some things (the only image editor I've ever used is Micrografix so I think of "drop shadow" effect).
My ideal UI doesn't have to be ugly, text can be very decorative (especially when its not in a box). Tiny details like the jewels and thin metal looking curlycues that decorate the ends of the "loading" bar in the new patch window skin can give a fantasy feel without taking up as much space as a square filled with a decorative background.
My ideal would probably line the sides of the screen as closely as possible, obstructing as little of the bottom and top as possible, but ideally groups of buttons and gauges could be moved around as needed, and windows could be closed and opened as needed as well.
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11-18-2002, 03:59 PM
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#12
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Denizen of the Interface
Join Date: Sep 2002
Server: Tholuxe Paelis
Posts: 279
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I don't like the square look very much either but I do like my buttons themselves to be visible, and in EQ I think anything with significant amounts of text should have a background or it's very hard to read while running. I agree with you on the tiny details though. I'd like my buttons actually to look like little round semi-transparent coloured gems, floating with no background. Gauges should be coloured tubes or maybe bubbles with small fantasy-flavoured details, again floating with no background. There's no reason why any window has to have visible borders at all except that windows with a tendency to disappear with nothing in them (buff window for instance) should at least have handles so you can find them. And everything should be as small as is practical, yes- but I want it compact for minimal mouse movement, not spread out around the edges of the screen.
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11-19-2002, 02:21 PM
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#13
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A Ghoul
Join Date: Nov 2002
Server: Cazic Thule
Posts: 18
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I just realized today that I can fade out many of my windows to zero and the text and exp bars remain (a little bit like I wanted but not quite). This may not be the best place to ask, but does anyone know if there's a way to make my spell BOX disappear, and have the gems remain? I would also like to be able to do that to the *items* I have hotkeyed. I mean, I can fade the hotkey bank and button squares to zero but then my jboots and other clicky items disappear too (the text on the other buttons, however, conveniently remains visible just how I envisioned.) Is there a way for relative newbies to tweak the existing UI just a tiny bit (new fonts for example?) Maybe I should post this somewhere else but I'm new here and not sure where it would go. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
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11-19-2002, 02:39 PM
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#14
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A Shissar Disciple
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 113
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__________________
Jobeken Xoner
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01-01-2003, 10:02 PM
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#15
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A Fire Beetle
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 2
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I have to admit XML and the coding/steps required to make my own skin have probably driven me to madness. Trying to understand how all of this fits together is painful. I just don't get it, and trying to learn from reading around and looking at the examples has given me I guess a basic understanding of it, but I just can't wrap my head completely around it.
I play a few different classes, but a Warrior primarily. I'm looking in particular for a UI skin that's easy on the eyes (i.e. attrctive and nifty) but also extremely utilitarian, that can be used by both caster class and melee/hybrid class.
But, most importantly, doesn't reduce my visible port to microscopic size.
My main is a Dwarf Warrior and so many UI's seem destined to make me have to adjust camera angle to see a field of vision the way I want.
I'm in the process of trying to do a single image graphic of what I want the basic design shape to be and where I want individual parts to go (i.e. where the spell icons go, player info, group window info, etc.) but I haven't a clue how to put it all together myself. So if anyone would be interested in tackling this UI with me I'd be grateful.
Mainly the UI would go at the bottom of the EQ screen and be a streched U shape with inventory/hotkeys at left, spell/combat spam window over GU window on the right, with target above compass above player stat window at dead center, with group window at left of that and main chat at right of center position. A SARS type buff window at upper right hand side of screen and similar SARS type spell gem window at top left and a slimline MP3 player at very top center.
With a "low bottom" on the U shape, shorty races will easily have a clear field of vision, and this is also good for taller races. I have always played EQ with my hot keys on the left bottom and all of my pertinent stuff at center-left. This is my comfortable, well-used visual and I want a smooth UI that has this.
I've been quite frustrated because I know exactly how it's supposed to look but I can't figure out how to actually do the coding or how to piece it all together.
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