5 replies to this topic

[Tesunie]

I am creating this thread mostly in a direct response to a lot of forum posts I've been seeing. The concept here is, instead of trying to gauge how bad UI2.0 is or is not, and not being productive at all, I wish to instead present what is the perceived problem with UI2.0 in smaller pieces and try to come up with as many solutions as possible to present to PGI.

This thread is being dedicated to the issues I see relating to the social side of the interface. This will include how it functions, why I feel that the current social screens can use work, and what I suggest for possible concepts on improving these structures.

The problems as I perceive them currently currently:

• The current interface is a tiny button on the bottom of the screen. It is one of the smallest parts of the interface that I can see.
  
• You are not informed when friends log into the game while you are on. This discourages larger group play.
  
• When action happens from the social menu and it is not up, the small button on the bottom of the screen will flash, such as a group invite or receiving a message.
  
• Though the button flashes to give notice of activity, it is so small that it often gets overlooked, even with it flashing bright blue. This leaves messages and invites to often get overlooked for periods of time.
  
• Once inside the social menus, you can not interact with any other pieces of the interface without closing the whole menu. You also can only ready up once in a group from the social menu, instead of the launch button.

If you feel that I did not cover something that is also a problem you experience with the social interface of the game, or that I did not cover a problem properly, feel free to mention the problem you are experiencing.

With these problems explained, these are the issues that can be addressed to make the system better. Please, post additions as you feel needed.

• Make the interface larger, even if it stays on the bottom of the interface. It's the smallest button I can see on the interface. The icon also doesn't exactly say what it is used for.
  
• The social interface is almost completely hidden, and this leaves it often ignored. Unless the interface is actively on the screen, it is invisible and you can't see any updates or notices from the system.
  
• It is too easy to ignore in it's current state.

My proposed solutions/suggestions to address these problems as I see them:

• 1. Change the social button to like how the other tabs are, with the icon possibly faded into the background of the button or off to a side. Then have the button say "social" on it (or something) to help clarify what the button is.
  
• 2. After looking over the various tabs and sections of the other parts of the current UI, I have come to realize that a large section of the right hand side is completely unused besides for graphical representation of your mech. Though I love to look at my mech, I would suggest having this area be designed with fad away popup windows. These windows would be from the social interface, and would popup and slowly fade away informing you of social activities that have happened. Such as when a friend has logged on/off, as well as informing you that you have received a message.
  
• 3. After observing that the right side is being used to display my (gorgeous) mech, it could be used for the social interface even farther than just popup windows. When in a group, I would suggest your group options/chat take over this underused right section of the screen (the third or fifth column depending upon how many columns the design was based upon). Sure, it will cover up my (beautiful) mech, but it will increase the functionality of the interface drastically for the social interface.

These suggestions are to help provide increase in social interface usefulness, improve overall group play, as well as to help keep people informed of what is happening on their friend's in game. (There could even be options to turn on certain in game notifications that would appear in that right column. Such examples are "friend log on/off notifications" "Friend launched into match notifications" and other such things.)

This new "notification" right column could even be used for system announcements as well, such as "system going down for maintenance in 15 minutes", or even to announce new sales (have this as a turn off/on option).



Photo Examples:
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(All these photos, if they are not large enough for you, can be found here: http://s92.photobuck...w=recent&page=1 )

[Tesunie]

Mostly a bump...

So? No other expansions or other concepts on what could be done to improve UI 2.0 Social side of the interface? I know there much be more concepts out there!

[Alaskan Nobody]

I am not a very social person (surprising I know) so most of that is rather unintuitive to me

(by which I mean not that it looks awkward - but that I really have no clue)

I have little problems or objections to the current UI, because that just isn't something I really use.

[Tesunie]

Shar Wolf, on 20 May 2014 - 08:18 PM, said:

I am not a very social person (surprising I know) so most of that is rather unintuitive to me

(by which I mean not that it looks awkward - but that I really have no clue)

I have little problems or objections to the current UI, because that just isn't something I really use.

I don't use it much or often, but I did almost miss a really fun team up because I didn't notice it...

And I was tired of people just complaining about the UI and doing nothing about it. So, if we are going to complain about it... why not be productive instead of shouting at each other?

[Alaskan Nobody]

For a lot of people they are not proactive because (right or wrong, I do not know) they do not see the point.

(all those "PGI doesn't listen anyways" posts)


I tend to put it down to more pessimism than much else - it takes a while for a corporation (no matter how small) to work new ideas in.
(the above is not quite what I mean- but forgot how I was going to say it halfway through >.< )

[Tesunie]

Shar Wolf, on 20 May 2014 - 08:28 PM, said:

For a lot of people they are not proactive because (right or wrong, I do not know) they do not see the point.

(all those "PGI doesn't listen anyways" posts)


I tend to put it down to more pessimism than much else - it takes a while for a corporation (no matter how small) to work new ideas in.
(the above is not quite what I mean- but forgot how I was going to say it halfway through >.< )

I get tired of seeing the "PGI ignores my advice anyway, so why bother". Like PGI can implement every concept, suggestion and idea into the game as soon as it's suggested...

It takes time to make changes and alter things with new concepts. PGI also has to consider how that concept might effect the larger game, instead of the single piece most players are suggesting the change for. Other times, it's all in how they say it...