[Wiked Ewok]

Hey guys, I've been trying to design a basic gui for this space game that I'm programming. I've changed the design at least 10 times over the past month, but I never get satisfied. This is the best I've come up with so far. It would be cool if I can get some comments/criticisms on this. Some things that might be commented on are:
- is the layout ok?
- Anything seem too distracting?(i.e. bright colors at the wrong places)
- Imho, the target sensor read out in the second shot can be improved upon. But I want it to feel like you're actually using the instrument, it wouldn't have buttons or borders or textboxes..it would be a computer read out of sorts, have I succeeded in creating that?
- The menus should be like flying hud displays that can slide into the screen and back out from. That's the feel I'm trying to create.
- the green lines inside the circle in the middle actually are for directional positioning. It's a compass..I just added that 5 minutes ago..because I really didn't know what to put there, and I really needed something there.
- The buttons on the top left hand side aren't very well formed, but I was thinking of having the buttons squarish like that, that means any text printed on them would be only one letter. What they do is switch between the menu right below it. It can switch to a navigational computer HUD, though I did not include the screenshot for that.
- Please don't comment on the guy picture, it's not even mine. I pasted it as a place holder, but the dimensions of the portrait would be around that size.


Thanks a lot.
Marv

images:

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-------Wicked-------

[Ian Jones]

I'm getting some huge html errors with the forum atm, but I'll be back to comment soon... just letting you know, so hang in there!

[elam]

• How do you know which ship the target sensor is targeting? There's two ships in the screenshot, but nothing to indicate which one is targeted, y'know? As for displaying information, I think it does a nice job.
  
  
• Is that display in the lower left an inventory? I would ditch the circular framing at the top or make it less obvious. It's a bit distracting, IMO.
  
  
• The compass is a bit strange. What direction am I going in the screenshot? Is the circlular construct surrounding it my shields power?
  
  
• As for the square buttons in the upper left, I would ditch'em and rely on hotkeys. Frees up real estate. But that's me.
  

Curious, is this a personal project or work related and what are you programming in and what platform? Looks pretty slick.
What, by the way, "is Hungarian Coding practice". Sounds exotic. And you might want to post this in the works in progress form. You might get more feedback.

[Wiked Ewok]

Ian, cool, thanks.

elam,

I didn't quite implement the way you know which ship you're targeting yet. I suppose a red selection circle around a target might do the job.

The display in the lower left is an inventory. I can tone down the circular framing if it is distracting. Its purpose is to view a selected item and give controls to use it. The controls would appear on the circular frame as buttons of some sort.

you're right, The compass is very strange. You are currently heading downward, the ship shooting is an AI ship. The circular construct displays hull(red bar), shields(gradient blue/purple bar) and power(silver bar).

This was a personal project of mine, but I've got a publisher for it, so I guess it's now commercial. It's a game for windows operating systems using DirectX/C++. Hungarian coding practice is just a set of rules to organize code better, like, indent every <blah> or when you are creating an integer variable, use a small n to precede the name like so: nMyNumber. things like that.

I just shrunk the square button and compacted the oval construct to the top left side of the gui. I also moved the messagebox to the top. How is this?:



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-------Wicked-------

[Ian Jones]

Hey there again...

Just one main comment...

I strongly believe that you should place the messages at the base of the screen. I play a game called Continuum, formerly known as Subspace by VIE and player chatting and msg's appear in the bottom left corner, I find this very easy to use and in the least distracting position for gameplay. I extended a menu at the top to test the idea and I found that having an object there was highly distracting. I think this is because it feels as if it is hovering over you, like a roof it feels protective and enclosed. I think it may be a psychological association with the sky and its historical and metaphorical meanings. It is like forward motion, a plane takes off and goes forwards and upwards, it feels right for flying that you should have nothing hindering your ascent to the heavens above... 'the sky's the limit' is an example of this association with upward movemwnt being positive, limitless and free just as I think flying a plane or spaceship should feel. To argue the point of having a clear space at the top rather than the bottom of the GUI I also think that having 'weight' at the base is a common founded principle that is associated with a foundation or gravity, its the opposite to being top heavy. I don't have a lot of experience with spaceship flying games... just some, and maybe other 3D flyers do it differently, but I just thought I would throw you some ideas. I hope it helps.

elam had some great points, and I can't really add much to what he said... it is difficult to judge a GUI design having not actually interfaced with it. Need any beta-testers?

I really admire the amount of work you would need to put into this, you must have a wide range of skills! keep up the great work!

[EviLToYLeT]

Wing commander I believe had dialogue boxes at the top. here's some games to check out : x-wing , tie fighter..... those lucas arts series, wing commander, privateer......though those are more 3d space shooters.

hrmmm, subspace...heh... evil game.

i remember there was a....sierra title i think it was that was angled top down view of a ship game... that had text at the top.

Guess it depends on the dominant direction that you'll be going, if you'll be going upwards most of the time, might consider dragging box to bottom
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AIM: EviLToYLeT

[Wiked Ewok]

Ian,

that's a strong argument, I'm convinced. Having the messagebox up there forces you to focus on it, but it does get distracting, and doesn't give you the feeling of freedom that one would like to have with a game set in space. Having the messagebox display a one tracked storyline might even add to that feeling of being stuck on the ground. First you have the box blocking the sky, and then the message in the text further confirms your boundaries, within not just the physical world, but the imagined world as well.

I'll keep you informed on the project if you want. email: [email protected]

thanks for the comments!

Eviltoylet,

menus up there draw your focus to it, but I think it might take away from the feel of the gui. which is more important because I can make the menu animated, and that'll draw attention without having to rely on placement. The general direction of flight should be upward. It usually symbolizes exploring new territory, something unknown, and space is up.

Dragging the box down certainly doesn't put focus on it, but I'm thinking the amount of focus from it popping up in the first place is enough focus for plain text. the voice overs will do the rest of the job relating information(in mutiplayer chat, I might set an option for box location since some strategic attacks require good communication.

here's the latest, thanks all for the comments, I think I'm going with this set up(gameplay zoomed out..I have the warbird, lol):

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-------Wicked-------

[Ian Jones]

heh, np...

I did have a few doubts about how most space 3D flyers had their setup. EviLToYLeT pointed out that quite a few had it up the top... interesting, I'd love to know the reasoning behind it. Maybe just playing experience led to their design... we'll see!

I still think it should be at the bottom though. I love the sound of the animated GUI. Panels or sections that popup or slideout to save space when they are not needed is a geat idea and it looks cool too.

Keep us all updated!