NWN:EE - User interface, windows, loading screen and more
HunterRayder93
Member Posts: 266
And a discussion that I prepared for a while and I wanted to write it before the stream tonight.
Space problems:
First I wanted to discuss the size of the main menu (in general most windows and screens, such as when you access the game, animated logos BD, Bioware, NWN initial video) are a little small there is "too much unused space", this because even if you have adapted the resolution for different types of modern screens, windows etc ... they always remain the same, making some parts of the screen totally empty ...
for example, let's take a look at the module selection screen
Look at how much empty space in the rest of the screen ... is not it better to fill it? or maybe make the "bigger" window?
A more modern and captivating main menu:
this problem there is also there the main menu that for the other part would be nice if it came "more modernized" ... insert only the writing Enhancededition definitely does not change the game, yes ... it makes the main menu different but not the it distorts too much and this adds to the problem of space present throughout the game...
Here's what I propose:
Here's how it could appear if extended to the whole screen (Keep in mind that the black background and only placeholder, BD could fill it with a unique exclusive Art or other things ... like a News window in real time on one side of the screen or more ... unleash your imagination and propose
):
There would be many things that can be added to the main menu:
And here we are at one of the "hottest" times among the most discussed and continually repeated, but that I want to explain and "propose" a way to improve the user interface.
First of all, let's see how the normal UI looks like at play:
how can you swim (always for the speech of the 2 paragraphs before) there is a problem of too much unused space, but what is more serious according to me and that in itself the UI of NWN is too dated and those 2-3 options are a little obzolete, even the mechanic of "ctrl" or "uppercase" to access other 2 optional action bars and a little "stiff" hold each time to access the additional and uncomfortable bars, some say that you do not need to have many skills etc ... but I do not think it's completely true, for example a magician needs many spells, in addition it is more convenient to always have potions and modes in bar at hand (on the modalities I'll talk about later), but with little space and with the fact that every time you have to hold down "ctrl" or "uppercase", I'm sorry but it becomes a bit annoying after a while...
Personally for me and so, maybe now we are used to many comforts that once were not there and had not yet been thought ... but being that we are in 2018 ... do not believe that relive these things is a bit "a great trauma "for some? Do I have a "frustration" for a new player?
So here I would like to propose a modern and functional alternative of the UI for NWN: EE:
p.s.Many elements such as icons or other are "placeholders" and then put for the purpose of "demonstration", so I ask you to analyze the image in the technical and not "aesthetic" aspect.
As you can see from the image one of the things that jumps more to the eye (and the absolute confusion ... HA has joking joke
),They are the various buttons to access the various tabs,and a little black pusher to hide the interface ... a bit like for the BG: EE series, alternatively this bar could be put on the top of the screen in the middle like in Dragonage: Origins that has me ... did not mind ( but it's just my point of view).
The other changes are:
In this way you can also add new bars, new options and change the aesthetic theme of the UI.
Other proposals (character sheet):
another idea and touch up a few panels, in this case the character card but it can also be of the quest log, or the book of spells,
it would be nice to add icons for important information such as the "Race", "alignment" or "class" of your character (this is also true when you visualize the card of another presage) ... a bit like in NWN2, in further it would be nice to add a panel "origins, biography" of your character to change it at all times misleading when you create the character,here is a simple example:
and as said before the window could be moved where you want on the screen, as in itself the rest of the windows (inventory, quest logging etc ...)
Loading screen, and intro movie:
Last Topic (but not so important maybe) are the loading screens and the initial videos of when you access the game, especially the screen with all the titles (NG, Bioware, WoTC etc .. that I can not read them well all those titles so and small the splash screen) are too small and do not occupy the whole screen (again for the issue of empty spaces at the beginning of this discussion,
Apart from that the intro Movie of Nasher that fights the minotaur and of the visual quality (as for the videos of the various chapters of the countryside) are then displayed in a very small way, it would be nice if they were bigger and occupied the screen or at least filled up the empty spaces.
The loading screens on the other hand are also very small, the images in the loading screens are so small and then that excess black space makes everything too dark (this is my personal expression), once it made sense ... not c 'It was a high resolution windows and everything was completely normal, but now for my point of view all this and almost completely empty in some areas of the screen and it would be nice to fill them or make those screen shots or splash screen full screen.
A full-screen window resolution:
Last thing, why not add an option to have the game window a "full-screen window" resolution?so if you are playing NWN: EE you also want to watch the Browser or other programs, to have a simpler control of the game,and it's an option that have many modern games.
Space problems:
First I wanted to discuss the size of the main menu (in general most windows and screens, such as when you access the game, animated logos BD, Bioware, NWN initial video) are a little small there is "too much unused space", this because even if you have adapted the resolution for different types of modern screens, windows etc ... they always remain the same, making some parts of the screen totally empty ...
for example, let's take a look at the module selection screen
Look at how much empty space in the rest of the screen ... is not it better to fill it? or maybe make the "bigger" window?
A more modern and captivating main menu:
this problem there is also there the main menu that for the other part would be nice if it came "more modernized" ... insert only the writing Enhancededition definitely does not change the game, yes ... it makes the main menu different but not the it distorts too much and this adds to the problem of space present throughout the game...
Here's what I propose:
Here's how it could appear if extended to the whole screen (Keep in mind that the black background and only placeholder, BD could fill it with a unique exclusive Art or other things ... like a News window in real time on one side of the screen or more ... unleash your imagination and propose
):There would be many things that can be added to the main menu:
- DM mode (access dm mode directly from the game)
- Aurora Toolset (access the Aurora Toolset directly from the game)
- Remove the movies option and insert it in the options menu
- Add a BD News panel to the right or left in real time(It would be ideal at this point to put an option in the options menu to connect your Twitter account, Facebooc, Steam, BD forum or other to be able to share screenshots and personal updates in the game - of course this is an optional option that can be deactivated when you want)
And here we are at one of the "hottest" times among the most discussed and continually repeated, but that I want to explain and "propose" a way to improve the user interface.
First of all, let's see how the normal UI looks like at play:
how can you swim (always for the speech of the 2 paragraphs before) there is a problem of too much unused space, but what is more serious according to me and that in itself the UI of NWN is too dated and those 2-3 options are a little obzolete, even the mechanic of "ctrl" or "uppercase" to access other 2 optional action bars and a little "stiff" hold each time to access the additional and uncomfortable bars, some say that you do not need to have many skills etc ... but I do not think it's completely true, for example a magician needs many spells, in addition it is more convenient to always have potions and modes in bar at hand (on the modalities I'll talk about later), but with little space and with the fact that every time you have to hold down "ctrl" or "uppercase", I'm sorry but it becomes a bit annoying after a while...
Personally for me and so, maybe now we are used to many comforts that once were not there and had not yet been thought ... but being that we are in 2018 ... do not believe that relive these things is a bit "a great trauma "for some? Do I have a "frustration" for a new player?
So here I would like to propose a modern and functional alternative of the UI for NWN: EE:
p.s.Many elements such as icons or other are "placeholders" and then put for the purpose of "demonstration", so I ask you to analyze the image in the technical and not "aesthetic" aspect.
As you can see from the image one of the things that jumps more to the eye (and the absolute confusion ... HA has joking joke
),They are the various buttons to access the various tabs,and a little black pusher to hide the interface ... a bit like for the BG: EE series, alternatively this bar could be put on the top of the screen in the middle like in Dragonage: Origins that has me ... did not mind ( but it's just my point of view).The other changes are:
- Custom windows - Possibility to use different customizable sub-windows-a bit like in the mmo to be clear, with the possibility to add filters, ranging from DM messages, quest messages, emote in short all the information you see in the chat.
- Day-time icon - Similar to NWN2 but without the rest button (or wanting to add it and removing it from the other buttons) and then the IA activation button (this in NWN2 made sense that the comrades could control all of them personally but in NWN1 this function would not sense ... but who knows ... anything can happen).
- A more elegant and less "rigid" minimap - As with many modern games (already present in NWN) a more legible minimap and always present on the screen, you can always access the big map of the area by pressing "M" but with this new minimap you will always know where you are going without having to keep the map open every time (and not cluttered according to the size of the area).
- Enemy barr - ... something that is missing in many modern games (and especially in BG: EE) a screen bar of the enemy that is being selected. It would be nice to also have a "assisted attack" function useful in multiplayer when you are playing in PvP or in a group in a dangeon, it would be very convenient.Next to it is the bar of the activation sequence of the skill-spells you are using.
- Character-party members icon's - Another thing is that the buff-malus in NWN were always too big, but what they used to do was that they could not see the buffs of the team-allies in a group,another thing would be ideal to put the portrait of the pet-pet next to the icon of the character that evoked, as in Dragonage: Origins (always my point of view),when you then level it would be nice to have the icon "+" next to the icon of the characters that has just obtained the level unlike the image (even if beautiful) when you receive the level.
- Action bar - the action barr of 12 boxes enlarged it to 20 boxes to have more slots where to put potions, spell and active skill, in addition I inserted a Padlock to be able to block the placement of the skills inserted in the bar.Over that have only 2 additional bars I would like to propose to add 20 to be able to create different configurations of bars, skills, spells, etc. .. this thing there is in many (perhaps not all but still present) mmo and modern GDR.
- Weapon's set change button - a very functional thing that could simplify your life(And add some inventory space)and as Weapon's set change button,as in DragonAge.Origins that I loved it a lot and it allowed me to configure 2 types of weapon sets that as soon as I get close to attack the set of weapons is changed automatically to one Ranged to a mele.This also implies a small icon in the inventory of swap weapons to change the different slots.the 2nd set of weapons then will not remain in the inventory but in the 2nd slot of weapons in the panel of the equipment of our character.
- Mods Barr - as in NWN2 a small panel at the side of the screen for the various active modes, such as trying to hide ... etc. that you can activate and deactivate, if you are a bard is also added the option songs or ballads and access all the songs you can use for the bardo class (of course this button only appears for bards).
- XP Barr - this is my proposal but it would be nice to have an XP bar at the top or bottom of the quick bar.in such a way that you always have at hand how much xp is missing at "X" level
- Tactical pause - in the end not a very important tactical pause button near the mode's barr
In this way you can also add new bars, new options and change the aesthetic theme of the UI.
Other proposals (character sheet):
another idea and touch up a few panels, in this case the character card but it can also be of the quest log, or the book of spells,
it would be nice to add icons for important information such as the "Race", "alignment" or "class" of your character (this is also true when you visualize the card of another presage) ... a bit like in NWN2, in further it would be nice to add a panel "origins, biography" of your character to change it at all times misleading when you create the character,here is a simple example:
and as said before the window could be moved where you want on the screen, as in itself the rest of the windows (inventory, quest logging etc ...)
Loading screen, and intro movie:
Last Topic (but not so important maybe) are the loading screens and the initial videos of when you access the game, especially the screen with all the titles (NG, Bioware, WoTC etc .. that I can not read them well all those titles so and small the splash screen) are too small and do not occupy the whole screen (again for the issue of empty spaces at the beginning of this discussion,
Apart from that the intro Movie of Nasher that fights the minotaur and of the visual quality (as for the videos of the various chapters of the countryside) are then displayed in a very small way, it would be nice if they were bigger and occupied the screen or at least filled up the empty spaces.
The loading screens on the other hand are also very small, the images in the loading screens are so small and then that excess black space makes everything too dark (this is my personal expression), once it made sense ... not c 'It was a high resolution windows and everything was completely normal, but now for my point of view all this and almost completely empty in some areas of the screen and it would be nice to fill them or make those screen shots or splash screen full screen.
A full-screen window resolution:
Last thing, why not add an option to have the game window a "full-screen window" resolution?so if you are playing NWN: EE you also want to watch the Browser or other programs, to have a simpler control of the game,and it's an option that have many modern games.
6
Comments
So for me the dialogue/ conversation UI needs to be customized. With animations and new portrait textures etc.
UI should feel sturdy and reliable. Things need to stay where they are so you find them intuitively. If your inventory or spellbook gets in the way, you close it.
I would get inspired by something that also has different size item slots. By a company that has a massive UI budget.
I think that simply having more ability slots would be fantastic. such as if we could make use of ctrl+shift as an additional modifier, and/or have a second bar for the number keys row. Perhaps more generally, the ability to add additional row(s) on screen, as well as bind our own list of modifier button combinations that will temporarily swap every row on screen with a different row of slots while the modifier is held down, would be fantastic..
For the original, there is a Diablo 1 pre-release demo where the basic idea for the UI is there but it's a bit of a mess.
Health/Inv/Mana etc is all reversed. There are missing item slots and much of it looks like it was made in a 1995 edition of paint.
Also, originally you were going to have to open up the UI in order to cast a spell. The right click to cast thing was not part of the original design... Then again it was also supposed to be turn based instead of real time.
And that overlay map was also a late edition. There was a long back and forth debate between doing a traditional RPG/Ultima style map or going with a hyper modern (at the time) Doom style map.
It really goes to show how far a little bit of shine can go.
So admin, moderator, can you move this to the right area.
So I bought, downloaded the game on google play, installed it. Created character, then while in the academy, while playing it, the SMALL PAUSE BUTTON, next to the stealth button on the QUICK BAR, and next to the CHAT LINE WINDOW, the PAUSE BUTTON WOULD NOT WORK WHEN TRY TO TAP, CLICK IT.
When I tried to click the pause button it would either misclick the stealth button or misclick the chatline window, open up the keyboard to chat type, or nothing would happen, or mis tap, move the character.
It took trying to tap, click, the pause button 50 times, over a 4 to 8 minute time period, to pause, then another 25 to 50 tries, 4 to 8 minutes to unpause.
PLEASE HELP!!
Is there a way for me to resize the pause button, move the pause button, move the chat line window, move the stealth button, move the quick bar?
Or can you guys do that in the next patch?
If cant pause by using the pause button, the game would be almost unplayable, and the harder battles would probably kill the character A LOT.
That might maybe make it so that I would have to uninstall, ask for a refund.
So please help.
I really want to play this game.
Thanks for any help.
Mike
I am new though.
Admin, moderators, can any of you delete all but one of the accidental moved, copied multipost by me, admins, moderators, that moved from different forum sections, to here.
Sorry about that Mike
I'm sorry about that.
New here, learning where stuff goes, etc.
Probably wont happen again.