thothkins Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Having just paid some attention to the full art for the research screen, I have to say that I like it a lot more than the screen with the scientist in it. By optimising the menus around the art and making them more opaque, it would have looked really good. It also fits in very well with the stores and barracks pics I saw, and that I also like. To me, the research screen is bleaker, and hints of dark R&D projects, where the scientist one seems brighter (even if he is scowling). There's a quiet desperation about the above pics that the new UI just doesn't have for me. I also think they fit in with the misery shown by all of the soldiers. Way too late, but I thought I'd share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybrbeast Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I'm also not a big fan of the scientist staring at you in the proposed UI. I think it would be nice to use something similar to the concept the OP linked to. Then having some variation in the objects show in the lab as you get further through the tech tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudcrab Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I have to say, changing lab (as well as workshop, personel etc) backgrounds as you progress is one of those little touches that would be extremely rewarding - to help you feel a sense of progress. It needn't be overly complex or ambitious - just three or four backdrops per menu that change as you enter new 'eras' (a la civ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 something different under the tarp in the lab different guns in the gun rack in stores a starchart besides the betty page pic in the barracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar Pancakes Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Perhaps this can be implemented if we reach $100,000? I would LOVE to see what weapons they'd store on the racks (or if they got new racks...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 to be fair, this would be soooo far down my list of stuff to add, but I'd give little squealing noises if I noticed it in the game :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashman Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Im torn, I like the new UI style and how it is more uniform. But it would also be cool to have progression model in the barracks with a gun rack etc, though it then comes down to have I actually made the gun in the rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Yeah, we're looking at having the background stuff change as the game progresses. It's something I really want to put in the game, and it's likely I make it happen even if it doesn't necessarily make financial sense, because I think it'd be cool. The old art is nice, but the new design uses a more "tabbed" approach which lets us put more functionality on the screen without cluttering it so much, and not having it look like a spreadsheet - it's tough to do that immersively in the previous design (speech bubbles work pretty well with that idea though). That's the main logic behind it, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The New Romance Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Please keep the old art around as digital goodies/wallpapers/whatever, though. I really like them, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Thanks for that Chris. I completely agree about the more static nature of the older UI, compared to interactive scientists. That was one of the things I quite liked about it. It looked colder and bleaker and more still. Just personal taste... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilaras Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Must say that, while the new art is definitely nice (reminds me a bit of Civilization), I much prefer the art the OP posted. Captures the feeling better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 lovely, isn't it? very understated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamkyon Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 lovely, isn't it? very understated. They have a hauntingly desolate quality which appeals to me. If I had to choose, though, I'd go for the detailed and vivid redesign. The pieces you posted work well on their own, but go to waste as backdrops for lists and speadsheets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Yup, you'd have to really rework the interface to bring out the best in these images. I think my first post mentioned that I hadn't seen the research one much because it was hidden behind the menus. I'd like to think that they could be worked in somewhere though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamkyon Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I'd like to think that they could be worked in somewhere though... I'd love to see some choice cuts included in the Art Book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 it's like you;re reading my mind man. Having said that, a selection of base pics and soldier faces is going to lead to mild depression in readers of the art book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamkyon Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Having said that, a selection of base pics and soldier faces is going to lead to mild depression in readers of the art book. Chris should seriously consider striking a sponsorship deal with an unspecified Big Pharma player to bundle SSRIs with every hardcover copy of the book sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 does putting your happy pills in a pez dispenser the shape of a particularly glum Xenonaut neutralise their effects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamkyon Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 does putting your happy pills in a pez dispenser the shape of a particularly glum Xenonaut neutralise their effects? This calls for a psychological experiment. I'll warm up the electro-shock therapy device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Yup, you'd have to really rework the interface to bring out the best in these images. I think my first post mentioned that I hadn't seen the research one much because it was hidden behind the menus.I'd like to think that they could be worked in somewhere though... Maybe as "Research complete", "manufaction done" and " equipment has arrived/been transfered" pop up screens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 exactly that sort of thing Gorlom. thanks. My brain had turned to oatmeal trying to think at that point yesterday :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Yeah, the old art does have a lot of that cold, industrial appeal. The UI looking like a spreadsheet actually works in its favor in that context. I wonder if Chris would be willing to release the old interface code and art (an official mod?) so that we can alternate between UIs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 well I didn't like to ask.... I was hoping my plaintive mewling noises would have been clear through my posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusherven Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 On the more practical side: the research/workshop UIs are more clunky and less intuitive than I could hope. Clicking on an item pulls up the description in the lower-left pane, which is fine. What I don't like is having to mouse all the way down to the bottom left to click the "Start" button to get the option to allocate scientists/engineers. It seems like just double-clicking on it from the menu on the right should do the same thing. Also, it's not as big of a deal to me, but allocating scientists/engineers could be done more gracefully as well. Maybe by default all available scientists could be put on a project, or clicking and holding could allocate the max, or something. I'm liking what I'm seeing so far from playing the alpha. The game looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorlom Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Also, it's not as big of a deal to me, but allocating scientists/engineers could be done more gracefully as well. Maybe by default all available scientists could be put on a project, or clicking and holding could allocate the max, or something. Left click assigns one at a time. Rightclick assigns 10 at a time. Ctrl left click assigns all. It's listed in th hotkeys section of the very hidden manual. I think the demo has a link to the manual? Otherwise there's a link somewhere on the forum. Search for "hotkey" and you should probably find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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