Wartbed:User interface
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===WARTBED=== | ===WARTBED=== | ||
There are several motivations for using either style of interface. One is for fidelity with the original game when designing a module. Another is that the interfaces may be argued to lend better or worse to different types of games; f.i a banner interface can be argued better for a terrain RTT while a card hand interface is better for a space game. And a third argument is simply personal preferences. The ultimate would be if both these styles were supported and selectable both as a module setting and as a user preference. | There are several motivations for using either style of interface. One is for fidelity with the original game when designing a module. Another is that the interfaces may be argued to lend better or worse to different types of games; f.i a banner interface can be argued better for a terrain RTT while a card hand interface is better for a space game. And a third argument is simply personal preferences. The ultimate would be if both these styles were supported and selectable both as a module setting and as a user preference. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {| | ||
+ | |valign="top"|'''Ideals''' | ||
+ | # Status and identity information | ||
+ | # Immersion | ||
+ | # Less occupied screen space | ||
+ | |width="10%"| | ||
+ | |valign="top"|'''Problems''' | ||
+ | # Status indicator crowding | ||
+ | # Integrated information requires assets | ||
+ | # Flighty icons are hard to catch | ||
+ | # Trapped icons may be disassociated from their unit | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Solutions''' | ||
+ | <div style="margin:1em;"> | ||
+ | * '''Status indicator crowding''': too many information widgets (f.i. health, morale and ammo metres) may create a cluttered interface. This can be avoided by interleaving information or naturally integrating information. | ||
+ | ** '''Icon flashing''': extra information can be conveyed (morale, under fire, etc) if the banner unit ID icon is interleaved (flashed) by status icons, similar to blinking warning lights. The advantage is that more information can be packed into a small icon. The drawbacks are that this model may lend to information overload and bad player stress when too much starts flashing at once, and that some waiting may be required to obtain all or certain information. | ||
+ | ** '''Integrated information''': to alleviate icon cluttering or distracting flashing information can be integrated naturally into the icon, for instance a banner tattered with low unit health, or an arrow lowered on the pole with morale. Though arguable contributing to immersion, this also requires additional assets to be produced. | ||
+ | ** '''Cameos''': Dark Omen combined these of sorts in that some events triggered unit leaders to report their status in person ("we're under fire!"), and their appearance reflected their status (health). | ||
+ | * '''Banner interfaces''', as in Dark Omen, minimise screen space occupied while providing additional (positional) information the card hand interface cannot, but requires some specific interface accommodations: | ||
+ | ** '''Icon trapping''': when using a banner interface, the icons of rapidly moving units may be difficult to click, mush more to multi-click. This can be addressed by freezing the position of any icon the mouse if hovering over. | ||
+ | ** '''Icon disassociation''': a locked (trapped) icon may be left far from its unit. This can be avoided by permanently or temporarily focusing the camera on the unit to which the icon is attached. | ||
+ | </div> | ||
+ | |||
[[category:WARTBED]] | [[category:WARTBED]] |
Revision as of 17:19, 29 April 2009
Stub for detailing what WARTBED's GUI can and do look like.
Contents |
Unit icons
Sources of inspiration for the WARTBED 'unit and regiments identification and usage interface.
The Total War games
Total War titles have a very conventional RTT interface design with all units being presented in a Poker or Domino hand layout: each unit has its card (or brick) and these are lined up at the bottom of the screen. These bricks contain additional information, like unit strength and ammo left.
| The Card Hand interface Advantages:
Disadvantages:
|
Dark Omen
In Dark Omen the user interface is minimal with units being represented and identified by their regimental banners. The banners have two purposes: on the one hand they're hiding the UI buttons by letting them masquerading as regimental banners, thus increasing immersion. Secondly, they are regimental-specific dashboards acting as container for additional information.
The Dark Omen banners also includes information about
| The Banner interface Advantages:
Disadvantages:
|
Dark Omen Notice spread of unit icons | Dark Omen Icons not at the edges are allowed to overlap |
WARTBED
There are several motivations for using either style of interface. One is for fidelity with the original game when designing a module. Another is that the interfaces may be argued to lend better or worse to different types of games; f.i a banner interface can be argued better for a terrain RTT while a card hand interface is better for a space game. And a third argument is simply personal preferences. The ultimate would be if both these styles were supported and selectable both as a module setting and as a user preference.
Ideals
| Problems
|
Solutions
- Status indicator crowding: too many information widgets (f.i. health, morale and ammo metres) may create a cluttered interface. This can be avoided by interleaving information or naturally integrating information.
- Icon flashing: extra information can be conveyed (morale, under fire, etc) if the banner unit ID icon is interleaved (flashed) by status icons, similar to blinking warning lights. The advantage is that more information can be packed into a small icon. The drawbacks are that this model may lend to information overload and bad player stress when too much starts flashing at once, and that some waiting may be required to obtain all or certain information.
- Integrated information: to alleviate icon cluttering or distracting flashing information can be integrated naturally into the icon, for instance a banner tattered with low unit health, or an arrow lowered on the pole with morale. Though arguable contributing to immersion, this also requires additional assets to be produced.
- Cameos: Dark Omen combined these of sorts in that some events triggered unit leaders to report their status in person ("we're under fire!"), and their appearance reflected their status (health).
- Banner interfaces, as in Dark Omen, minimise screen space occupied while providing additional (positional) information the card hand interface cannot, but requires some specific interface accommodations:
- Icon trapping: when using a banner interface, the icons of rapidly moving units may be difficult to click, mush more to multi-click. This can be addressed by freezing the position of any icon the mouse if hovering over.
- Icon disassociation: a locked (trapped) icon may be left far from its unit. This can be avoided by permanently or temporarily focusing the camera on the unit to which the icon is attached.