New Research screen UI for comment

[Okim]

Hmm. Is it only me who sees this guy http://www.listal.com/list/mr-scientist in your research leader?

IMHO a sub-folder (or how is it called?) type menu looks more fitting here: http://www.okim.nickersonm.com/rscreen.jpg

Agree with AD. Chit/chat indeed requires some representation like in comic books - the art you`ve made is just awesome and combined with chit/chat text bubles might be looking even greater).

[Gorlom]

Subtitles... are always down the bottom, usually in white, and that generally glares with white backgrounds. Plus I'm not sure about that a) the options of what to choose wouldn't be as obvious, and b) the whole thing would look like it's not meant to get in the way (subtitles are unobtrusive on the film) when this is the menu, so obviously supposed to grab your attention! =]

Clearly we imagine different things at the mention of subtitles.

Yes, subtitles are usually at the bottom. My suggestion is to switch places of the menu and the research progress. I'm not sure what subtitles you are used to but in sweden when we subtitle tv movies or series we add a black strip at the bottom with the text on. (Personally I dont see why we cant use black text on white background for subtitles in this specific case. THere are lots of ways of implementing subtitles. I belive Metalgear series usually type it out on a little screen at the bottom.)

I meant more of suggesting subtitles or some such not to acctually try and make it look unobtrusive. You dont have to acctually take the speech text out of the menu square. Just haveing that menu at the bottom would suggest subtitles.

I guess I just won't have any luck convincing anyone else about this over the rather silly speechbubble tail. I tried and I will continue to prefere the menu at the bottom and progress bar higher up, but leave it up to the developers discretion as of now.

Edited January 23, 2012 by Gorlom

[Gauddlike]

I like Okim's tabbed version as well.

I don't like the speech bubble idea though, it would look a little cheesy to me.

[Chris]

The reason the research projects are at the bottom is because:

a) You're more likely to have a print out of current project status than you are of, say, small talk - so it's more logical to have that on a clipboard.

b) The clipboard can be relatively unobtrusive if only a few projects are in progress.

c) It's what people come to the screen to see - it needs to be accessible immediately on reaching the screen.

There's less space on the clipboard than in the speech bubble so I don't really want to swop them around. Raising the clipboard obscures a lot more of the background and of the scientist too so isn't the ideal solution.

[anotherdevil]

This is what I had in my mind by the speech bubble idea. It's subtle, so you probably wont notice it. But in my mind it makes sense =p

[Gauddlike]

A lot of the things that are displayed in that box are not conversations though.

Take a look at the other screens Chris posted at the start.

Most of them would look out of place in a speech bubble.

[Beagle]

I like how it is as is without the bubble tail. I think it works fine.

[Chris]

For clarification, it IS meant to be a speech bubble. It's just a question of presentation really. I'm still undecided. Straight edges are easier to do in game terms.

[resonansER]

What the fuck bubbles? There is time, perhaps, for this nonsense?

Let us now load Chris's own delusions, and this year's game will not see at all.

Bubbles, little windows, thingies. Are you crazy?

Constant care to the side for quite significant elements - this is nonsense. If you do not value your time, then just appreciate the time developers.

P.S. Screen Research, which was presented by Chris - is beautiful and not overloaded.

WHY there any bubbles, and other nonsense? This is my personal opinion. I do not impose it, but I was also involved in the development of java-games at one time. And led the team of developers. I understand really how Chris patience and willpower to listen to all of us. I suggest that the discussion on the merits. If you ask us, we are talking CONSTRUCTIVE.

Edited January 24, 2012 by resonansER

[Amiga4ever]

In my opinion clear research screen will be perfect. Without any scientist speech - I know it could be funny but who will have time to read it every time:) anyway sooner or later dialogue will be the same again.

[shuuk]

For me its a bit to much and overloaded.

[Gorlom]

The reason the research projects are at the bottom is because:

a) You're more likely to have a print out of current project status than you are of, say, small talk - so it's more logical to have that on a clipboard.

b) The clipboard can be relatively unobtrusive if only a few projects are in progress.

c) It's what people come to the screen to see - it needs to be accessible immediately on reaching the screen.

There's less space on the clipboard than in the speech bubble so I don't really want to swop them around. Raising the clipboard obscures a lot more of the background and of the scientist too so isn't the ideal solution.

a) Wasnt expecting the menu to be on the clipboard. Thought the scientists tracking the progress on a whiteboard would make sense too.

b) and c) So it's meant to be unobtrusive AND be the reason people come to that screen?

d) fair enough.

[Szabtom]

Looks very very nice! One thing that confused me a little, is that the active function/floor, inthis case F3, moves out of the list on the wall, and F4 (workshop) is highlighted there. Maybe it's different when you see it working on your screen, I don't know.

Another thing: on the hiring screen, I don't see the number of available living spaces, the color bars are not sufficient, I think. Can I hire 2 or 3 scientists in Base 2? or maybe just one?

[Chris]

The Workshop being highlighted on the wall sign is just to show how the sign would look if you mouseovered it. By default it would not be highlighted.

For Base 2, you'd be able to hire 8 soldiers as you've currently got 42/50 living space. But that does raise a valid point - the number on the right will have to show total Living Space at that base, minus the number of soldiers and technicians already there (rather than just the Living Space in that base). I'd not thought of that until just now.

[Slippery Jim]

The Gaius Baltar style scientist looks good, I somehow feel he should have a cigar stuck in his top pocket though!

Oh God, please no BSG references. I absolutely hated what they did with the new series. Almost as bad as the Stargate series.

(Is this a good time to also bring up the fact that I HATED the Starship Trooper films? Read the classic novel instead).

PS: Bah hum-bug

[Guest]

Even though I've not introduced myself I will say the opportunity to test out alpha builds, provide constructive criticism, feed back and suggestions is highly valued by me as I've beta tested alot of games and provided alot of feed back in the past.

When I pre-order Xenonauts and was allowed access to the in progress alpha I was extremely happy, as the game looks like it has alot of potential.

Originally I was introduced to xenonauts through a review on another website (spacesector.com) and when I saw your website (the original one with the map/banner at the top), the art style, the potential of the game as well as the feelings it conquered up, being an old school xcom fan I had to preorder.

But It's with a heavy heart I must say looking at these potential new research screens, alot of my anticipation and excitement for the game fades.

Why you might ask, so I'll elaborate trying to provide this feed back as constructive criticism best I can.

I can see what you are trying to achieve with those screenshots, the feeling that your there on the base as such commanding and managing the everyday workings, but it looks wrong. It feels disjointed with the rest of the game, with the games theme or style of other sections of the game such as the geoscape.

These potential screens, convey a feeling that the section of the game is/has been created around a piece of art, rather than other way around. And there is an extremely high danger of losing continuity throughout the game and I feel this subtracts from the experience.

Again I'll say I believe I can see what your going for, but this is hard to achieved without the budgets and time of such games as something like silenthunter etc.

It might be possible to have a transition animation as an alternative, lets say from stepping back from looking down at the Geoscape (command and control console table (example - http://gallery.drfaulken.com/d/5260-2/battlestar_control.jpg) to looking at a desk with blueprints strewn across it (for base management). Rather than changing room entirely.

Remember the subtag for the game is currently "A Strategic planetary defence simulator" not a full out 3d base management game sims affair , but its easy to day dream I guess ( I know I do ).

This feed back, that sections of the game feel as though they've been created around the art rather than the other way around, was something I was thinking about, trying to put my finger on it from the very first time I played the game and saw the background art of sections such as research where the vast majority of the picture was hidden and hard to make out.

This got me thinking, and I compiled a list of ideas/bugs/designs on how I would go about designing/improving these sections of the game.

I then slept on it.

Then today I thought I'd put together a quick mock-up of some of the things I was thinking, so far I've only finished the geoscape should I post it here, or start a new thread?.

(apologies for going abit off topic)

[Phydeaux]

Breathtaking. It sets the tone so well, and looks very much like a 60s/70s science/engineering lab. The small talk thing seems out of place to me, but is ignorable, as you said. I don't think it's too busy. It's marvelous. If you had the resources to change the background over time, it will be even better.

Though I've already purchased it, the artwork excites me and makes me want to buy the game.

[iamkyon]

I can see what you are trying to achieve with those screenshots, the feeling that your there on the base as such commanding and managing the everyday workings, but it looks wrong. It feels disjointed with the rest of the game, with the games theme or style of other sections of the game such as the geoscape.

Unless I'm mistaken, the team are shooting for a cohesive aesthetic, i.e. interface elements across the board will likewise be given a facelift.

[Szabtom]

the number on the right will have to show total Living Space...

... I'd not thought of that until just now.

I can see I have 8 places in the lab, but not how many living spaces. So, I was referring to what you said in the quote. It just occured to me because the living space bar was almost full and thought "hey, I can't fit 8 scientists there! ".

[imperialus]

a) Wasnt expecting the menu to be on the clipboard. Thought the scientists tracking the progress on a whiteboard would make sense too.

b) and c) So it's meant to be unobtrusive AND be the reason people come to that screen?

d) fair enough.

Except in the early 1970's Whiteboards were not at all common. A chalkboard would make more sense, but it would be difficult to read. It might be a cool thing to add into the background though. It really is one of those things that would really date the picture for anyone who was in school prior to the 1990's and a chalkboard covered in weird mathematical symbols would be really cool... You could even fire little Easter eggs on it like have E=MC2 circled, with a big X though it and FALSE written underneath.

Chris had mentioned upthread about the possibility of having the background change as new stuff gets researched too and I think having an evolving chalkboard would be a good way to potentially show progress without having to have the artist redraw the entire scene. Basically, as the research evolves the chalkboard gets more and more cluttered as various projects are completed. You could watch theories get proven, disproven, argued over and everything in a relatively small space.

Edited January 24, 2012 by imperialus

[Bibidibop]

Don't declare basic principles wrong. E=MC^2 is correct, at most C, the speed of light, might be in question. You could have C = 299 792 458 m / s crossed out with a ? next to it.

• Artistically I like the base section window selection button board. Ergonomically, I wonder how it will transfer from section to section without requiring slight repositionings of the mouse and eyes. As long as it lines up the same way every time I see no issue.
  
• The lab looks great, all the backgrounds do, and this one is very period appropriate. The computer though, it's a dumb terminal? That would fit well with the racks of tape memory in the background.
  
• The scientist is an asshole, and if he has military rank I would report him for insubordination. I would remove those rank like shoulder straps so it's clear he is purely civilian.
  
• The very vague Progress makes sense, but is none the less rather irritating. Instead, how about a projection in days which fluctuates based on the progress quality of good, none, average. At 'none', the days would be ∞, 'average' could be whatever average research time actually is, or close to around to it.
  
• In the list of in progress projects, the scientist count column could use up/down arrows. Otherwise we're left with cancelling research to adjust personnel use.
  
• I feel like the cancel column should be a column of empty boxes which get filled by an X when clicked. Then the research line is struck with a line across the whole row. When you leave and come back to the Research Lab the row is gone. This also gives the chance to unstrike the line if you don't make immediate changes. If the board is too filled, then the struck row disappears once the new project is added.
  
• My only worry about the Manage Research page is that it has so little space for listing projects. The current organization seems better with its limited hierarchy.
  
• I like having Hire/Fire right in the lab as well as in Personnel. It's great to list the lab and housing on one page, and for it to be for all bases. That's extremely convenient.
  
• I think Research Advice could use a small page break line between each suggestion.
  

• ---

  
  
• Like so.
  

Edited January 25, 2012 by Bibidibop

[Okim]

I personally have no problem with background and scientist being obscured by the clipboard. First of all from the research screen i need information on current projects and easy access to project management - clipboard nearly a half of the screen in height will handle all necessary info good enough.

And i wont regret having no small talk at all - having no impact on gameplay this is rather pointless to include into the game. In addition, after the first use it wont actually bring any atmosphere into the game and will be ignored.

[Amiga4ever]

...one thing is still missing about research. In geoscape after information that something has been researched should be an extra option to start new project. So far we need to enter research center manually.

[Okim]

Yes, this is a good suggestion. Also there should be an option to get into the lab after viewing the xenopedia entry.

[Gauddlike]

today I thought I'd put together a quick mock-up of some of the things I was thinking, so far I've only finished the geoscape should I post it here, or start a new thread?.

(apologies for going abit off topic)

Remember that the other screens you are comparing the research screen to have not yet had their own look modified.

If you have a geoscape mock up to show off them making a new thread for it would be better, I for one would be interested to see it.