1095 replies to this topic

[Brkojle]

I expect an option to save setup for mechs. We could load/save setups and then with one mouse click we can take a mech with desired setup into battle. Cosmetics are fine but with all bugs in game they are totally non-prior thingy to offer to already angry players.
cheers

[BadSkut]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store as far as changes to the Social menus.

[Rushin Roulette]

Bryan Ekman, on 08 May 2013 - 02:44 PM, said:

Strip mech - yes. Loadouts are still being discussed internally.

Great news. I really hope, that the save/load loadout decission comes out positive for the idea/implementation. This would speed up the games quite a bit (especially in the competitive team based matches) as quite a few players have to juggle between various loadouts depending on the role they are planning to play.... and it also happens quite often, that you end up in a match with the wrong ammunition type because you swapped out the weapons but not the ammunition.

Edited by Rushin Roulette, 11 May 2013 - 12:55 AM.

[Xx Albain xX]

That is about 1,000 times better.

[Atheus]

Puppeteerxerxes, on 08 May 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:

Spoiler

Two things that I'd really like to see are loadouts, and modules added in a way that is easy to use.

I think that the idea of being able to save up to 4 nameable loadouts for an owned mech would be very helpful. Currently I'm leveling Stalkers. With friends I use a variant heavy on LRM's, by myself I go with 4 LL. Right now when I group up this is a typical script.

"wait, wait. I gotta find that 280 engine. Can't remember where I left it."
"sorry guys, 2 more minutes, I have to find the pulse lasers I use with this build."
"Almost done. I think if I re-jigger the ammo I can fit another heat sink, I'm sure I had 19 on this build."

5 minutes later we're dropping. Then the other guys leave, and it's several minutes to reconfigure. It would be awesome to have the items/weapons in an inventory, pick your mech and loadout, and if you have the stuff in your stores you can launch with that mech.

This could also be good with selectable mechs and maps later. We're on Tourmaline? I'll run my 4 regular PPC 3F. Next match frozen city, I'll run the 6 ER LL 3F. Same mech, different build.

I think a check box menu for modules would have a similar streamlining effect. Have a list of available modules, and a "x" modules remaining depending on the mech. Either in lab before launch, or in prematch between maps. Using example above -
Tourmaline - Stalker 3f with 4LL and coolant shot checked, next map River City pick LRM's with advanced decay. I find hunting for modules and having to pull them between mechs is a small but constant time waster that annoys me quite a bit and keeps me from playing more variety in my builds.

If you have used XP to unlock and cbills to buy the module it should be much more easily transferrable.

This, plus I would also add - smurfy's tools are extremely well laid out and full of vital gameplay information. You have made some progress in adding game info into the mechlab, but you really need to go the extra mile in this area! It isn't enough to just be able to compare one weapon to another. In designing mechs for the purpose of interplanetary conquest, software engineers would surely design systems to compare mech loadouts! I want to be able to see charts on how effective all mech weapons will be at all ranges including my efficiencies (ala Smurfy's Weapon Lab), simulations of how many times I can fire before overheating, how long that will take, how much actual damage I can expect firing LRMs or SRM's against various targets moving at various speeds and at various distances.

Sure, go ahead and summarize the weapons power and heat and efficiency for the newbies, but also elaborate with tools for the players who really get a kick out of designing the strongest mech as much as they get a kick out of piloting it.

Kartaugh, on 09 May 2013 - 12:26 AM, said:

Spoiler

I am really sorry to say it but..

I sincerely dislike the new interface. It looks like its made for (very little) kids and has no mechwarrior flavor to it whatsoever.

- It looks like a console interface instead of that for a PC game
+ All the buttons are too big
+ All the fonts are too large
+ All the thumbs are too big
+ A completely new screen for everything so lots of swapping back and forth instead of smart GUI elements
+ More Buy buttons, "Sale" and "New" in every screen then there should be making it look extremely cheap. You can overdo the aspect of "free to play" you know?
+ Overdose of primary colors

You have essentially undone all the benefits of going "high res" fullscreen. As far as atmosphere I like the current GUI ten times more.

What pains me the most though is this:

• Reduce friction for new players.
  
• Communicate information in a clear and simple manner.
  
• Make each screen relevant to the task at hand (contextual).

What about actual functional improvements? One of the main requests back from closed beta was to have all the mech data at your fingertips when working with it. Now look at what you have done. Every mech part has its own screen in this setup! There is no central paperdoll to work with. Yes there is an overview; but you do no work there.

Why? As far as functionality goes its practically worse then what we have now. I have to click on an element from a central screen which will take me into a subscreen which will allow me to apply items. How much more isolated can you make it? Its horrible.

There has been such a fuss about hardpoints for mech chassis. So in the main interface where im supposed to buy mechs (big humongous buttons in my face) all I get is some crappy window? Yes im talking about the "Juggernaut" stats window. Really? That is what we have been asking for all that time? Where is the real info -at a glance- when im browsing mechs?

Now I have to click on a mech then click mech detail just to compare mech chassis. So click mech, click mech detail, click back, click on another mech, click mech detail etc Imagine doing that 20 times. You will get sick of it.

And to hear you are internally discussing wether to save loadouts instead of just doing it... Wow. Believe it or not I understand some of the complications that would be caused by implement this functionality but really...

The mechlab and what you own is the major drive of this game and the major drive of your income PGI. Its what you sell; everything is tied into it; Hero mechs, powerfull expensive items like XL engines, mechXP to globalXP for modules etc. That aspect should be very flexible and fun. You should feel glee about all the stuff you own and all the potential configurations you can create.

I understand its somewhat complicated from a new user perspective. How does it work when you sell an item that is part of a configuration for a mech? Do you warn the user? Do you disallow it? Do you make a distinction between: "currently equipped on a mech chassis", "in user inventory","not owned must be bought"? However, with some though, those issues are easily solvable.

But here is the thing. You cannot not do it. As I said your stock is your prize and this is something you as PGI need it to be as well (in fact you designed the game around it with f2p). It is incredibly infuriating to not be able to do with the stuff you own what you want because of an atrocious interface and lacking features like saving loadouts. It should be part of the game, I feel its 50% of it if not more.

If you choose to frustrate me by not showing me at a glance what of my(!) equipment is where I will just feel bullied with the intent of milking me by having me buy full gear sets for every mech I own just because the interface does not cater for it. Working with the items you own while you save up for new items is part of the game! Do not frustrate this part of the game!

And here is the thing. I am not a gamedesigner. But I know you guys can make it work since its your profession. You just have to choose to do it. To prioritize it and make it a target of release. If you don't you frustrate the very aspect of the game that should be the most fun. Working with what you own. What you have bought with c-bills or main credits or a combo of both (like c-bills with premium time).

--- In perspective ------

And for Petes Sake. The very first gui was horrible yes. The main thing was it lacked info and people had to literally go outside of the game just to see hardpoints. That improved greatly over time; even with the current interface.

Now you guys have gone way the other way. This interface concept feels like a kneejerk reaction to the first impressions users had to the previous interface. As I said, it feels like a console interface, it wastes space and resolution and is way too segmented. Please come to your senses, take a deep breath and look at it again freshly. Think of functionality; I should have no reason to go to smurfy for mech customization loadout. I should throroughly enjoy working with my inventory and creating and saving different loadouts for my mechs inside the game. You guys can do it.

I'm a founder, I love battletech. I want to love GUI 2.0. Help me do it.
Kartaugh

Probably the most important post I've read yet. I hope this one gets plenty of consideration.

[Statixstorm]

Hmmmmm, I think I see some clan tech in those screens...specifically Clan LPL and Clan Medium laser, both of which are god-damn sexy and I want.

[Milt]

the social aspect of this game is what needs the most improvement in this game, imo. i like the looks of the new ui but to me its nothing more than fluff. i want to see improvements to the social aspects of the game. i was hoping to see some improvements here, unfortunately ive been disappointed.

[Ocaro]

if you went ahead and implemented Weapon group configuration to the main menu, please...indicate WHERE on the mech each weapon is. It irritates me to no end if I have 4 MLs, set them to 2 groups only to find out INGAME I set something like Arm/Torso or Left/Right lasers together (or even OCD stuff like left missile bay to right-click and vice-versa).

LT/CT/RT/LA/RA...is all I ask. Just a small column, right next to weapon name...pretty please.

--------

...also, the whole thing oozes marketing strategies. Some fine balance between efficient, practical geekyness and the desire to milk us dry of money would be nice.

Some things are a welcome improvement, some look like a horrible mistake. For me personally, this new UI is too flashy, too "Web 2.0". A more minimalistic direction would be pleasing. A UI 1.5, if you will...because as others have noted, this modern-style doesn't reflect MW all too well.

Not sure about the usage of blue either. Too bright, happy...?

Edited by Ocaro, 10 May 2013 - 05:17 AM.

[Kyynele]

It looks like you still might be able to access the mech store by clicking the buy-button on an empty mech bay. I'm not buying a bay before the moment I'm actually buying a mech, so just to check prices I now have to leave the game and go to mwowiki. I'd think it would be in your best interests to show the stuff people want to buy before they commit to buying.

[Rattlehead NZ]

Kyynele, on 10 May 2013 - 05:11 AM, said:

It looks like you still might be able to access the mech store by clicking the buy-button on an empty mech bay. I'm not buying a bay before the moment I'm actually buying a mech, so just to check prices I now have to leave the game and go to mwowiki. I'd think it would be in your best interests to show the stuff people want to buy before they commit to buying.

I have to keep an empty mech bay open just to look at the stats of other chassis.

A couple things i would like to see added:
1) List the ammo in the info screen just like the weapons. Sometimes I want to check how much ammo and where on a chassis it is located just like having 4 medium lasers and hovering your mouse over to highlight where they are.

2) Mech avatars in your mechbay to show the paint scheme on it. People may identify their mechs not just by name but also by paint job. Also it's boring to have 12+ green mechs in a row.

[Roadbuster]

Looks nice so far. A few things would be nice to have though.

• color coding for weapon types (ballistic/energy/...)
  
• seperate color for all actions/buttons involving MC
  
• seperate buttons for social and grouping (no key combos please), maybe a permanent window for group chat (it's a teamgame so this should be a main part of the UI)
  
• weapon location when setting weapon groups (easiest way would be to just write RA, LT, CT,... next to the weapon)
  
• info about loaded ammunition in the mech overview window (ammount, location, protected by CASE,...)
  
• ability to rename mechs
  
• ability to save different loadouts would be nice
  
• one click actions for grouping with status display via text ("name of player" invited to group...) or color and no more confirmation windows like the current "You created a group."
  
• seperate tabs for owned mechs, trial mechs and any hero/custom/sale mechs

Rattlehead NZ, on 10 May 2013 - 07:32 AM, said:

2) Mech avatars in your mechbay to show the paint scheme on it. People may identify their mechs not just by name but also by paint job. Also it's boring to have 12+ green mechs in a row.

Good point.

Edited by Roadbuster, 10 May 2013 - 07:54 AM.

[Dan Nashe]

I actually find the weapon damage drop off charts VERY helpful to new players. Knowing that your ll will do 4.5 damage at 625 meters is not explained in game anywhere else. Especially since missiles and ballistics work differently.

I don't find little bars of total mech damage helpful though in the overview. Size of alpha at optimal range doesn't tell me a lot.

The data I need for mechs to quickly select them is speed, xl or standard, and weapons. Als with the ecm/artemis box, an easy way to see modules I. Overview would be awesome.

Totally agree that I have no desire to see mechs I don't own at anytime unless I'm actively shopping. Having to "opt out" would be annoying.

Finally, social is so critical it should be nearly I'm mpossible to miss even if you're not think ng about it. Not pop upsbñ but an option to always have chat displayed scroling on the side even if you're not actively talking (say, while you're doing loadouts) is critical.

Also, you should be able to ready up in two or three clicks, max. Simply letting you ready with the big ready light launch button would have helped a lot, rather than needing to open group up.

Edited by DanNashe, 10 May 2013 - 08:20 AM.

[Mokou]

Uh... if i buy EndoSteel then install StdSteel i still need rebuying StdSteel or not?

[Bryan Ekman]

Milt, on 10 May 2013 - 04:10 AM, said:

the social aspect of this game is what needs the most improvement in this game, imo. i like the looks of the new ui but to me its nothing more than fluff. i want to see improvements to the social aspects of the game. i was hoping to see some improvements here, unfortunately ive been disappointed.

Don't be disappointed! We haven't showed it to you yet! Hold tight, WIP will be coming soon.

[Mokou]

Bryan Ekman, on 10 May 2013 - 09:14 AM, said:

will be coming soon.

You always say "coming soon".

Edited by Mokou, 10 May 2013 - 09:27 AM.

[Bryan Ekman]

InMidnightClad, on 09 May 2013 - 04:15 PM, said:

While I ultimately understand where you're coming from, people will find and use the social features no matter where they are. I feel like you would feel differently about the use of the word "Trivialized" if social was on a button and the Store was the only thing buried behind a Keyboard Shortcut. The Social menu is as important to us as the Store is important to you.

Could you define what "Social" means to you? That goes for anyone else wanting to weigh in! Love to get a clear definition from the players POV.

Mokou, on 10 May 2013 - 09:01 AM, said:

Uh... if i buy EndoSteel then install StdSteel i still need rebuying StdSteel or not?

Yes. You are paying a mechanic to strip the armor off and reconfigure the mech to hold the new armor type.

[Nicholas Carlyle]

Bryan Ekman, on 10 May 2013 - 09:27 AM, said:

Could you define what "Social" means to you? That goes for anyone else wanting to weigh in! Love to get a clear definition from the players POV.

I think that on the initial load up, you should be dropped into a chat room that is set-up for new players to ask questions.

This game has a TON of info. And I think it's like asking someone to read an encyclopedia (for those of us old enough to know what those are) to learn everything via the various tool-tips and descriptions.

I also realize we will have a tutorial, but there is only so much you can do in a tutorial.

The first thing I did when I started up Path of Exile (a F2P diablo2 clone) is figure out how to talk in their "global chat" and start asking some basic questions.

They have the same problem, their skill trees and attributes are insanely hard to grasp just by using the in game menus/UI.

I think this also creates an immediate connection with the game, I forsee new players saying to the people that help "Hey can I add you to my friends?". Creating relationships immediately gives the player a feeling of community and keeps them coming back.

Also I think that the "friends" list should be upfront and center. And when you join a group, it shouldn't be hidden, it should be upfront and center.

And that is a basic overview, I'm at work so it's hard to easily get my thoughts across sometimes.

[Nicholas Carlyle]

Thontor, on 10 May 2013 - 09:51 AM, said:

I have played WoW for years... And there are some great features in there that I think would work quite well in MWO. Specifically, guild (merc unit in MWO) management, friends list management, etc.

Also, I think it would be great if the FEUI had a dedicated chat window on the bottom, visible in any screen of the UI. With a global chat and different channels (tabs) for things like recruitment, help, etc. this would also serve to show private messages aka "whispers"

Every other multiplayer mechwarrior game I have played had something like a global chat... From MW2's Netmech, to the MS Zone for MW3 and 4.... All had a global chat where people could socialize outside of actually playing the game or visiting the forums.

I know a lot of this is beyond the immediate scope of what you are doing with the UI, but I think it should be taken into serious consideration for implementation at some point in the future.

Good post, totally agree.

[Kaemon]

Bryan Ekman, on 10 May 2013 - 09:30 AM, said:

Yes. You are paying a mechanic to strip the armor off and reconfigure the mech to hold the new armor type.

Here at Kaemon Industries, we'd be happy to strip anyone's mech free of armor any time they want, just remove all weapons and hit launch please, one of our associates will be with you shortly to fulfill your request...

For me (and I'm not a 'social' kinda guy) it means any group function within the game, or that could tie into a com application that currently resides outside of the game e.g. C3.

I'm a minimalist (you'd never know that by my posts) but for me less is more, and reducing # of clicks to do something should be paramount in design discussions.

At this time, it seems very click heavy, and window intensive, DragNDrop™ assets onto chassis is cleaner, faster, and more visceral than click x4 (that seems backwards, right?).

I'm arming a mech, I am not arming an xml file with extra lines of cfg.

Mech doll center, info left and select-able stuff to the right, with data/options above and below.

That works best for me, not window, window, window, window.

ALSO LARGE CHAT/C3/SOCIAL BUTTON.

The basic premise is team work pays in this game, to keep that forefront in ALL design aspects allows for continuity and a feeling of consistency.

Having it strangely absent makes it seem as if it's not that important, which contrasts with everything else.

Edited by Kaemon, 10 May 2013 - 09:57 AM.

[Mechwarrior Buddah]

Bryan Ekman, on 10 May 2013 - 09:30 AM, said:

Could you define what "Social" means to you? That goes for anyone else wanting to weigh in! Love to get a clear definition from the players POV.

Im kinda curious how we're the players you need to get a POV from when not too long ago the attitude was we were the minority so not so much. By your own words, when asked:

Quote

Roadbeer, on 22 March 2013 - 01:15 AM, said:

Bryan, please answer this honestly. I have seen 2 polls on this topic and they have been OVERWHELMINGLY against 3rd person. Why are you guys so stuck on this when clearly the players (by majority) don't want it?

Bryan Ekman, on 21 March 2013 - 04:39 PM, said:

Honest answer.

The analysis on those who voted, showed that the majority of votes came from a very narrow demographic of our player base. And while they represent some of core players, they did not necessarily represent the opinion of the general user base. The majority of our players never visit, post, or read the forum content, so the poll could be considered weighted in favour of a specific demographic.

Since the majority of players who have an issue with 3rd person come generally from the core players, we elected to address this issue via this forum post to collect all of the concerns and ideas that this group faces or has with 3rd person.

Are you looking to get closer to the playerbase then? Making things right in opposition to that previous position?