06-05-2002 15:27									#1
	Interface Enter the AD-FREE zone

Hi,

I've just visited this forum for the first time and have been looking through some of the threads and I can't see anything about this topic...if help is needed in the area I'm interested. I don't have a massive amount of free time but may be enough.

	06-05-2002 17:19									#2
	Get a bigger avatar today!

That's good to know ...

No, the subject of the Interface hasn't come up on these boards yet (now seems like a good time ). The User Interface is something that a good deal of discussion has been focused on over at the Portal forums (there's a thread on it over there IIRC).

There are many various windows and screens that the game will have to include in one form or another ...

World Map
Province View (zoomed in)
Combat Map
Tech Trees
Diplomacy screens
Build/Update Province Improvements
Create/Edit Armies
and prolly some more ...

Some of these can be incorporated into some of the others ... we want to get as much info as possible onto every screen (no point in having some of them as almost meaningless), but obviously don't want it to be so cluttered that the player can't tell at-a-glance what is going on.
It's a tricky balancing act.

Also:
When to Pop-Up and when not to Pop-up, that is the question? Whether 'tis Nobler in the Mind to suffer the Slings and Arrows of outrageous Pop-Ups or, by opposing, end them ... or something

Anyway, another point (for those who had trouble following that ) is how often we should use pop-ups to convey information to the player. Any kind of incessant domestic nag should obviously be avoided (who would be stupid enough to put that in a game? , but there are certain situations when, for speed of access and to save window-space on the screen, a pop-up is the best way to do things.

	06-05-2002 20:25									#3
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Just been to one of the other forums and have looked a bit at some of the threads. I have some ideas regarding the interface - do I post here or http://www.pyromaniaks.net/candlebre/forums/ ?

	06-05-2002 20:28									#4
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Right here's fine bud! Fire away! Let's kick that around a bit!

-=Vel=-

	06-05-2002 23:54									#5
	Get a bigger avatar today!

I was thinking that the Civ 3 idea with only the little buttons at the bottom is the way forwards. I don't really like having lots of panel's around each size and it allows more of the map to be viewed. Some things obviously have to be displayed all the time but I would go for as little as possible - if the player needs to view something then they should be easily able to bring it up.

Vel, would you like me start knocking up something into graphical form? By this I just mean making a 800x600 or 1024x768 screen and showning where I feel buttons/map etc. would best be placed...I don't know if you've got anyone doing interface stuff though.

	07-05-2002 02:53									#6
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Chris, that would be OUTSTANDING! And apologies for the delay in answering....went home sick today....am about to go lay back down, but....I couldn't stay away from this place.....just shoot me an e-mail when you've got something sketched out!

-=Vel=-

	07-05-2002 04:04									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

quote: Originally posted by Chris Wilkinson I was thinking that the Civ 3 idea with only the little buttons at the bottom is the way forwards. I don't really like having lots of panel's around each size and it allows more of the map to be viewed. Some things obviously have to be displayed all the time but I would go for as little as possible - if the player needs to view something then they should be easily able to bring it up. Vel, would you like me start knocking up something into graphical form? By this I just mean making a 800x600 or 1024x768 screen and showning where I feel buttons/map etc. would best be placed...I don't know if you've got anyone doing interface stuff though.

Hello again,

Maybe some time I'll start an original thread, rather than just dropping in on other people's! Hope nobody minds too much.

Thoughts on interface, basically a modified Civ3 job. Four levels of zoom, displayed on pretty much the whole screen, with context sensitive buttons + info screen floating at the bottom.

Level 1: Province level - general overview, possibly colour coded to indicate possession. Controls at the bottom relate to macro scale things like taxes, wages or whatever. Info screen gives province details (total food generated, trade or whatever), determined by clicking on province.

Level 2: Normal map. Controls relating to unit movement and actions. Info about terrain, unit, date etc. Pretty much like Civ in fact

Level 3: Countryside/Combat view. I'm thinking a city and its immediate vicinity sort of size. Whatever size you think would make a good battlefield. City (if present) is a prominent feature of the screen but by no means all - occupying say 1/10 to 1/5 of it. Controls for advanced unit options and combat. This screen would not be an option for autocombat.

Level 4: City view. Controls relate to build order mainly.

- definitely should be hotkeys to move between the different levels. Not entirely sure how tech development, diplomacy etc would be accessed. Also from one City view (level 4), there should be an option to toggle between the different cities a la SMAC.

I'm sure Chris has some better ideas tho'


Rich.

	07-05-2002 10:07									#8
	Put an end to popups!

I like the layout though, Rich...some excellent ideas there! And, we're still hacking together the first iteration of the interface for v0.1, so there is still LOTS of time to talk up various approaches...absolutely nothing interface-wise, has been set in stone at this point...so keep those ideas coming!

-=Vel=-

	07-05-2002 13:29									#9
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Right ho then

Having said that I have no idea where the diplomacy fits in, it occured to me about 10 minutes later that the Overall view (level 1 in my previous post) would be the place to put it. Clicking on a particular province could bring up whatever intelligence info you have on it, right clicking could bring up a faction profile of whoever controls it. I like the Civ3 style 'Alliance network' screen but IMHO that tended to get a bit tangled and difficult to interpret quickly - I don't think it would fit in as well.

Now if I could quit mulling such things over in bed I might get to sleep a bit easier

Rich.

	07-05-2002 21:09									#10
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::nodding:: That makes sense, and in that case, we could prolly just roll the Diplomacy/Espionage functions together....I'm diggin' it!

-=Vel=-

	07-05-2002 22:11									#11
	Increase the size of your Attachments

I'd say, based on EU experience, that you should probably not be building to much information into the per-province lookup. And certainly no diplomatic functions - those should be strictly on an empire-to-empire level, unless you intend to allow the option of inciting per-province rebellions.

	07-05-2002 22:41									#12
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I may get something done tonight...more likely to be tomorrow. I like the 'levels' idea...I had been thinking along similar lines so it's not a surprise!

	11-05-2002 13:52									#13
	Put an end to popups!

This is coming...honest! Early this evening, I reckon.

	11-05-2002 21:21									#14
	Support Apolyton

No problem, Chris! Take your time! I'll be out of the house this afternoon and evening, and will return tonight to see whatcha got!

-=Vel=-