SE5: GUI design discussion..

[Mudshark]

I would like the ability to name each individual ship with a pull down window like you can with the class names.

[David E. Gervais]

Originally posted by Arkcon:
You're working on SE5 already? Wow! You guys sure are diligent about pleasing your customers. I thought you'd coast at least one more year. If only every software developer cared as much.

First, I'm just going to 'submit' some design ideas and examples to Aaron. As of right now I'm not working for MM or anyone else. I would like to get the contract to do the GUI Artwork for SE5, but I need to impress Aaron first. I also suspect that I'll not be the only artist submitting design ideas to Aaron. I'd like to hope that getting feedback from the end-Users (like you fine people here) will give me a bit of an edge to get the contract.

Second, it's my humble opinion that if Aaron has most if not all the GUI artwork done beforehand, the programming (coding) of SE5 will progress much faster. Also, I suspect that once Starfury is released, Aaron will be jumping full speed ahead on SE5. I believe I heard mention that he wanted Starfury to be finished by June 2003. That's comming up real fast. So I want to be ready!

Thanks for the list, it's a good start, even if most of the list has more to do with mechanics and gameplay. I'm mainly looking for comments on the 'visuals' I don't know how to draw a 'mouse scroll feature!' but I agree it should be implemented in SE5 (Gameplay features should be posted in the SE5 what's on your wish list thread!) And I thought I did a good job in naming this thread to keep it separate from the 'other' one!

Cheers!

[ February 20, 2003, 17:44: Message edited by: David E. Gervais ]

[Andrés]

I'd like to see a GUI that resembles more SE3 than SE4.

[David E. Gervais]

Another example of my thoughts for the se5 GUI is this.. Different GUI graphics (not layout) for each race in the game. Possibly done using a combo of textured 'skins' and minor visual changes to the window 'frames'.

This would of course have the desired effect of oppening up this 'visual' aspect to the 'modders' As is, the mods are limited to planets/races/ships and 'objects' the GUI look per say has not been moddable.

I think this would be a nice direction to go 'visually' speaking of course!

Cheers!

[Lord Kodos]

One of the features I have planned for the ever in development perpetually coming, LR mod, is themed GUIs.

[Fyron]

I'm aiming along the lines of a flow-chart type layout, but also have a few 'different' things that I might try. Do you think this might be a good thing?

That would be a bad idea. It would not incorporate tech levels very well, unless it was extremeley long.

[Suicide Junkie]

Regarding what you Last said in the #SE4 channel before you left,

I sent a modified Version to Aaron where the mid section of the ship components had scroll buttons to allow for more components without having to increase the window/ship hull size!
This was in response to Aaron saying that he thought that the Starfury inventory system would be too limited for se5. His main concern was the lack of space for components and or the huge amount of space that would be needed to show all the components at once!
Personally I like the idea of placing the components over a ship hull design. It has more of a rpg feel to it!

I wonder if it would be possible to have the ship models generated on the fly from components?

If you start with an empty grid (like the combat grid, say) and start placing components, then SE4 could pick "ship parts" from the shipset depending on the pattern of filled squares you're making, and draw that underneath. The 3D ship when completed could then differ between each ship class!
EG:
If you have a 2x8 block of design squares filled, then one shipset could specify that that looks like a chain of four green spheres, while another makes it into a capped grey tube.