After some tinkering, I think the latest iteration of the new station interface is pretty decent. It's not perfect, and we'll make it better as time goes on, of course, but I'm looking at putting it (and the new HUD) into production in the near future. And, for the moment, I need to refocus on tutorial development and other missing links that require updating before we can completely switch to the new UI.

So, that said, does anyone have any particular feedback on the new station interface, or HUD, which they'd like to make? (no bugs, just a design-level discussion). Before production I do intend to do a few things:

1) Hotkeys for all major tabs and left-hand subtabs. (and better keyboard control in general, but a lot of that is apparently made difficult by the way the windowing system was written). Ideally, if this works out right, we should be able to flip between major areas we use regularly with only a single keystroke (commerce->buy flipping over to pda->nav, etc).

2) More mouseovers, better Help, more documentation, etc.

3) Some minor graphical cleanup on the inner sub-tab graphics (expanding the dark blue "tab" region around the glowing button a little, etc).

There are a bunch more interfaces I want to redo, and that WILL be redone (Nav and Missions especially, but I also dislike the current load/unload, and Ship Select could be a lot better).. I just don't want to hold up production-izing the new interface while we work on those. I don't think it's required.

So, feedback is welcome, thanks.

Maybe when buying a vessel you can ask up more information about the vessel and see a 3D model of the vessel that can be twist around? Just a idea

grz

Max Delco

I think that's already implemented. If I recall correctly, there should be a 'magnifying glass' button that lets you access a larger, spinning version of the ship's model. Maybe you can even drag to look at it from awkward angles (I tell you, some people go for the weirdest thing today ;).

About the info: That should also be implemented already.

I'll go check. Right now.

begin EDIT

Both features have been implemented (some time ago, I daresay). In station, go to Ship -> Upgrade. There's the small pic of the circling ship, with a button labelled 'Maximize'. To view more info, look at the small window below the ship list. You'll notice it is scrollable and contains lots of info about the ship you're currently looking at.

But, there is another thing. I spent about a minute looking at the station UI before I was able to locate the new 'Buy Ship' screen. Devs, could you possibly label the Button 'Buy/Upgrade', and not just 'Upgrade'? I feel it would facilitate usage.

end EDIT

I'd love it if you could see ship stats on the select ship screen. I'd settle for a smaller image of the ship if I could see details on armor, cargo, etc. Sometimes I forget. :)

I like the new HUD, but I wish the distance bar was back down between the radar where it used to be. I find it too cluttered around the reticle.

Even with those two minor nits, I think the new UI and HUD is great and I think it's time to push it out and press forward with the other features and content that require it.

Go Devs go!

As far as the UI goes, I don't know. It bugs the hell out of me everytime you guys change it, but within an hour I'm back at a comfort level.

As far as the HUD goes, I would say the only thing that you guiys could really do to make it any better right now is open up the LUA to manipulation. I want things in different places than a trader, or a miner wants things.

And then make it VERY clear at the beginning of the game (in the tutorial maybe) that skins are available.

The thing I don't like about the New HUD is that when you atger something, you have to lok up in the corner for the description... in very small text.

I would realy like to see different hud's for different ships.

ArAsh, I do not think that quite fits with the storyline, I know that does not fit into standard "intuitive user design" programming principles, and there are better things for the Devs to be working on than a bunch of "new" HUDs. I would suggest just waiting for the LUA to be opened and for other people to do that for them (I am reasonably sure they will).

Devs, this could be accomplished happily (on our end) if there was simply a set/load skin command.

I also completely agree with Zed1985. Could there please be an option to note the name of a target at the top-right of the targeting box?

LostCommander, yea it does, cars have different dashboards too, but the basic instruments are the same, and why wouldn't it fit in the storyline, specially for UIT ships? The interface comes from the ships computer, so...

Seconding thebrier, ship stats on the ship select screen would be lovely. So you don't have to memorize what ship had what thrust when you bought it.

ArAsH, while I agree with you in that perhaps different (major) factions should have different HUD styles, LostCommander has a point when he says that it
a) doesn't fit into standard 'intuitive user design', and
b) that it's not that important right now. I don't know from first hand, but if anything, this has shown how difficult it can be to create an UI that pleases the better part of the player base. Imagine if GSW put out three HUD designs, quickly thrown together. They would probably show that they were quickly thrown together, and they would lack in refinement. I'd rather have the load command that LC (and many others) asked for.

Yes, the point here is to discuss more functional problems than aesthetic. I would like different HUDs, and even different station skins based on the faction (Serco stations look different from Itani, whatever). But all of that is ancillary to just making things work and flow relatively well. That's what I'm asking about, that's what I critically need to get nailed down (at least fairly well) before we put this into production.

So basically, I'm asking for specific things that people still really have trouble with. The advice on needing to see ship details in Select Ship and stuff are worthwhile, the distance bar still being an obstruction for some. We can fix this sort of thing quickly, or offer options. Skins we will support more as time goes on (and Lua, and so on), but right now I'm focused on basic.. usability.

Perhaps I'll finish up some of the UI stuffs I was working on before. I gots lotsa ideas. No pretty-picture layouts, just a list of stuff.

The Target info! It's really annoying to have to look up to see what the hell I am tageting (especially in low graphics). I have ran twice into a teradon today because of that. It's like having the bacview mirror on the passengers side.

Not necessarily related specifically to the new ui, but a way to decrease how bright the red screen flash is when you take damage would save my eyes.

At least it's not that green flash from the beta clients...

Those made me get headaches...

If you ran into a Teradon from having to look a couple of inches to the NW corner of your screen, you are doing something wrong, man.

The biggest gripe I have with the latest release of the station interface is purchasing ships.
Go to upgrade (not sure that it shouldn't be called purchase or something), click on the ship, then move the mouse all the way to the bottom left to purchase that ship. It doesn't flow very well.
And just a suggestion, in the sensor tab, why not have some toggles for the various functions of the radar, like show asteroids etc.?

Racer, I tried to make the purchase button completely consistent with every other buy menu. Yes, mouse movement is required, but at least it's consistent and intuitive. You'll be able to use a hotkey to buy shortly, which will probably be recommended for non-newbie players.