I've been working on 0.10.12a and I have been trying to improve the UI somewhat. This is still very much in progress and likely won't be too awesome yet...but I'm wondering if this is starting to look a little better :p. I've added some bars for HP/ FP / Arousal and a custom background.
The background I am using was a test one. Olivia sent me a background that I think is awesome but I didn't get a chance to match colors up for it yet (which I will by the next update). Olivia's background is a pretty cool and very RPGish map background that I think people will enjoy.
NOTE: Color choice is only temporary. I'm just fooling around with the layout now. Also, the year text is a bit screwed up because I upped the font size of the main text to 14. I will obviously fix that :p The picture background where there is no image can be made transparent. I have one style w/ picture background / border transparent and the other with it present.
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The one with the border trumps the one without in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm a retard. I was like "I still don't like how the text is centered." Then I went into the options to change my background color, and I was like "Oh... "change Event Text Alignment...". *Facepalm*
I dunno if Olivia mentioned it, but we discussed having a separate hand-drawn map for every location that is used as the background. Then, when the player intends to travel, the screen would fade out and only leave the map. From there you click the map where you want to go, and FP costs could perhaps be displayed as you hover above the locations. Does this sound feasible and possible? It would add a ridiculous amount of immersiveness.
I like the bars, but you should still display the actual numbers within them. Else we'll have a lot of guesswork on our hands :P
Maybe you could have the numbers in the bars to save space? And maybe only when you mouse over them, though that might be something for the options menu. Though I'm not sure if the system you are using would support something like that.
ReplyDeletethe bars are nice but the custom background suck,it does not add to the game,it makes it look cheap and it's ugly . BLACK is a lot better
ReplyDeleteMihai Madas, it's a placeholder to see if the game supports the option of using a custom background. Olivia has made us a rather sweet looking map that can we mean to implement. Black will however probably remain an option should you so prefer that.
ReplyDeleteHedrax, I agree with you completely. I'd like for the numbers to be displayed at all times.
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ReplyDeleteHi, Ive been curious about this game and would love to get involved. I have alot of ideas but moreso I am a Ba(hons) Games designer so I can offer 3D and 2D skills, plus alot more :) I need something to motivate me and i can honestly say your work has alot of potential :D
ReplyDeleteDam what was it you said? *dam the lack of a edit button >.<
@Hedrax: All of the bars have tooltips showing their values upon mouse over.
ReplyDelete@Mihai Madas: As was stated it's a place holder. In addition, the options menu gives you the option to use a simple black background if you prefer :)
@Echorid: It would require a whole reworking of the travel system but it's doable provided you didn't mean that every location has a unique map. That would be effort / labor intensive.
@LimeGreenGamer: If anything I would love advice on how to make things look better or any windows forms tricks you know that could help me out. Part of the reason I am doing this project is so I can become better at the language.
Hi, so glad you liked my background!:D
ReplyDeleteI think you might have misunderstood me Erchorid about the maps somewhat. I'll go into greater detail via email;)
That background reminds me of a blue version of the background you see when you're fighting Gygas in Earthbound.
ReplyDeleteOnly without the hidden fetus.
Which is great!
Just an observation. I know it's just a placeholder but I felt like sharing my thoughts with the class.
Oh don't worry. There is actually now a list of backgrounds to pick from and some themes. The only real problem is that the UI still isn't much better lol. It will be something I constantly work on.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the backgrounds are actually going to be invisible now unless your screen is larger than 1024x768 I think. It looks so odd otherwise (though I'll include an option to do so)
I think a lot of the buttons found under menu should be on the main screen. That would really improve the UI in my opinion. Or I just had a thought. What about having a side bar under menu and each button there changed the display for that screen rather than opening a new one? this way you could click between menu without having to close the previous one. Something similar to this site's layout: http://arania.kamiki.net/
ReplyDeleteIn fact if you went with the side bar you could probably move most of the button off the menu to the main screen.
Something like this maybe:
Location name (this button brings up the picture/description of your current location and the actions available)
Travel (as the current travel except perhaps with a graphic map)
Appearance (as the appearance found under attribute plus the info under status)
Inventory (brings up the inventory screen)
Equipment (separate or part of inventory?)
Attributes (as current minus description)
Skills (as current)
Magic (once added/if needed)
Data (save/load game, return to main menu quit)
Just a thought.
@Loeri: The sidebar (I assume you mean a menu that spawns from a single point like the menu button) or something that autohides on the main screen is a great idea. Sadly it won't be in 0.10.12a but it's definitely something I will include in the future.
ReplyDelete@Nazca: That scene still gives me nightmares. Talk about a fucked up boss-fight.
ReplyDelete