1095 replies to this topic

[Gamgan]

Since the patch where UI.2 came out something changed and I could no longer log in. Yesterdays patch fixed that after a month or so of not being able to place due to crash to desktop right after logging in. So yesterday was the first time I had a chance to see UI.2 for the first time.

I honestly do not think my post will be read by any one in the feedback or development team but on the off chance here are my initial thoughts.

In the US Military rules and instructions are written with a 6th grader level of english to ensure comprehension, Instructions and user level manuals are very simple and easy to understand. This UI.2 seems way to complex for what it needs to be.

At a glance:
Old UI- I could see my Mechs load out, engine, modules, and weight at one glance
New UI - I have to click several times to search additional screens to check each of these things individually. Its confusing to find.

When I am prepping for a 12 man or even a 4 man and my unit says, Hey bring a light with ECM or switch to a light with Streaks, it was a very simple process switching engines, Open mech #1 to configure, remove engine, save. Open mech #2 install engine, save. Click ready.

I tried doing that last night and it was a much longer process, it was hard to see what my mechs had, and finding the engine from this HUGE grid list of engines I didn't own was to messy and cluttered. A drop down menu like the first UI was much simpler.

Organizing mechs
Old UI - We could not organize mechs or rename them
New UI - We can click weight groups an rename mechs but cant organize them like I want.[

I thought we would have the ability to Set up groups, my main mechs, my support mechs, my unused no engine scrapped mechs ect. I really do not like being shown trail mechs or additional mechs to buy when I ask only to be shown what I already have. I purchased Legendary Founder, and Overlord plus Saber Pack, now really considering Clan, Do I also need to be shoved these unwanted trail mechs in my list when I feel like I already have spent enough money on a game that I was unable to play for over a month due to crashes ?


My over all impression is that this UI was made way to complicated unnecessarily. Its cool to see weapon arches and speed and graphs and all that techy looking stuff but its not useful as say seeing engine, speed, weight, weapons and loadout plus modules. Leave that cool option in for Min-maxers but have that in mechlab under an analysis screen or something. Most of us don't need it.

The Old UI was simple, a few changes to it would have made it great. The ability to rename our mechs, allow us to organize our mechs either by tonnage or by letting us move them around to our preference. Getting ready now is way more complicated then before, with a simple button on top now I have to search several screens to get ready. Also the font is way to small.


Im sure this is all the same stuff others have said but like I said, I just saw my UI.2 last night for the first time. Hope PGI lets us know what they plan on doing with it.

Edited by Gamgan, 05 March 2014 - 06:44 AM.

[Belorion]

Most actions take way too many mouse clicks.

On the mech trees however, it is way to easy to accidentally use GXP. It has happened to me twice since UI 2.0, and I never had that problem before.

[ZeusAlbatros]

Worst UI i have ever seen in a game period especially on a 40 inch TV i can't read anything because the font is so small...

[sabujo]

ZeusAlbatros, on 05 March 2014 - 11:39 AM, said:

Worst UI i have ever seen in a game period especially on a 40 inch TV i can't read anything because the font is so small...

According to the president, the font is very readable...

I really don't know what keeps them from adopting a responsive approach to the interface. This is Flash, hopefully vector graphics, where you can scale things by code according to the size of the window or picked resolution.

[DirePhoenix]

sabujo, on 05 March 2014 - 01:37 PM, said:

According to the president, the font is very readable...

If you paid attention to the tweets preceding the one where that quote comes from, UI font scaling is on the way, and I sort of doubt he was referencing the current build anyway.

It is a little bit of a #FirstWorldProblem to complain about how hard the font is to read on your 60-inch TV from your recliner 15 feet away (even though I am having the same issue on my 40" screen sitting 10' away), but I'll be thankful for font-scaling. I don't think I can blame them for being caught off-guard that people would be playing this in a "living room" setup as compared to a more "traditional" desktop setup though.

[Kaosity]

Sorry... search found nothing and I'm not going to read through 54 pages of posts, so if this has already been mentioned I apologize.

In SETTINGS/CONTROLLER/CALL ARTILLERY STRIKE in JOYSTICK column:

I map "Joy 0 Button 11" to this, but when I scroll this command out of the window and back again "Joy 0 Button 11" shows as being bound to "Call Air Strike". If I try and remap the button back to artillery it says already mapped there, so the button is NOT bound to air strike, only being displayed improperly.

I HAVE NOT tested any other binding displays in the joystick column. I feel that is a test for PGI Q/A who apparently missed it. (get better testers ).

EDIT: Must have been that client load only. Cannot duplicate today. Q/A testers... my apologies.

Edited by WhenReaperComes, 06 March 2014 - 04:05 PM.

[Molossian Dog]

DirePhoenix, on 05 March 2014 - 06:53 PM, said:

If you paid attention to the tweets preceding the one where that quote comes from, UI font scaling is on the way, and I sort of doubt he was referencing the current build anyway.

It is a little bit of a #FirstWorldProblem to complain about how hard the font is to read on your 60-inch TV from your recliner 15 feet away (even though I am having the same issue on my 40" screen sitting 10' away), but I'll be thankful for font-scaling. I don't think I can blame them for being caught off-guard that people would be playing this in a "living room" setup as compared to a more "traditional" desktop setup though.

You know, many people not being able to play their game might not count as first world problem for them.
(and considering we are talking about a video game I´m pretty sure everything we discuss here technically counts as a first world problem. You might want to find another meme.)

And font scaling is on the way? It is on the way since the first public test of UI2.0.

There have been numerous suggestions of stop gap measures, as font scaling obviously is quite a challange for the devs.

Other font type.

Bold or s p a c e d text.

Other background colour.

The option to choose two different resolutions for the UI and in game.

All of which is very simple. Very easy to implement. All of it done by countless other games. Their lack of interest or inability of taking care of such a basic matter is what irritates people.

DirePhoenix, on 05 March 2014 - 06:53 PM, said:

... I don't think I can blame them for being caught off-guard that people would be playing this in a "living room" setup as compared to a more "traditional" desktop setup though.

But you can safely blame them for ignoring the matter since months. And telling people that there is no problem despite being shown pictorial evidence.

Edited by Molossian Dog, 06 March 2014 - 03:50 AM.

[sabujo]

DirePhoenix, on 05 March 2014 - 06:53 PM, said:

If you paid attention to the tweets preceding the one where that quote comes from, UI font scaling is on the way, and I sort of doubt he was referencing the current build anyway.

It is a little bit of a #FirstWorldProblem to complain about how hard the font is to read on your 60-inch TV from your recliner 15 feet away (even though I am having the same issue on my 40" screen sitting 10' away), but I'll be thankful for font-scaling. I don't think I can blame them for being caught off-guard that people would be playing this in a "living room" setup as compared to a more "traditional" desktop setup though.

In fact I paid substantial attention, and the reason I came up with this is answered by a word you said: "preceding".

In one day he said "@Paul_Inouyeand I are looking into the font size today. Will let you know what we find when I can." and "Okay font scaling is now on the list but I don't have an eta yet".

But in the NEXT day, "About font size in UI 2.0. We did a test on the 4K monitor and it was very readable at even the high resolutions you are mentioning".

That seems like a u-turn that could influence the priority of the issue solving.

Also, my monitor isn't even 1080 in height (just 1050) and it is a pain to sometimes read the information. Either due to it's font size, contrast or background noise. Everything helps!

Edited by sabujo, 06 March 2014 - 11:34 AM.

[Werewolf486 ScorpS]

So is MWO's UI2.0 a direct rip off of Mechwarrior Tactics UI? Sure does look the same to me! Does this mean that PGI had to use Blue Lizards work? OR does this mean that PGI had to develop a UI for both games?



Watch this video and you will see.

[Hexenhammer]

Today while puttering around the house I realized that I could be doing anything I wanted without distraction and I wasn't playing MWO. So I asked myself why. Simple UI2


I wont attempt to explain why, others have done it far better than I.

For what its worth, UI 1.5 wasn't elegant, wasn't flashy, but it was simple and effective. It give me real information about my mechs that was simply to navigate. And as simple as UI1.5 was Smurfy is even more simple and that is why its the go to place to build mechs.

So give is a smurfy screen, with less glitz, and more information so we can spend more time killing than clicking.

[Corvus Antaka]

I've spent a week trying find a missing sceismic sensor.

I've spent more time in mechlab trying to rebuild a mech than actually playing the game. Because it takes so many clicks to build 1 mech.

Both of these things make me want to stop playing some days, they suck the fun right out of the game.

[Hexenhammer]

I'll summon it up " Do more with fewer screens."

[Aurrous]

Werewolf486, on 08 March 2014 - 03:46 PM, said:

So is MWO's UI2.0 a direct rip off of Mechwarrior Tactics UI? Sure does look the same to me! Does this mean that PGI had to use Blue Lizards work? OR does this mean that PGI had to develop a UI for both games?



Watch this video and you will see.

Pgi developed both games.. im sure they could do what ever they wanted to with the content..

Where they are missing the boat with MW tactics, is.. is it would be a great phone app, but sucks as a PC based game..
and this PC game sucks, because they are working on games that should be phone based.. I know they are two different companies, but the same chicken are in the same house, in the grand scheme of things.

[DirePhoenix]

Aurrous, on 13 March 2014 - 07:10 AM, said:

Pgi developed both games.. im sure they could do what ever they wanted to with the content..

Where they are missing the boat with MW tactics, is.. is it would be a great phone app, but sucks as a PC based game..
and this PC game sucks, because they are working on games that should be phone based.. I know they are two different companies, but the same chicken are in the same house, in the grand scheme of things.

Wrong. PGI has nothing to do with MWT. IGP is publishing both games (MWO and MWT) . IGP =/= PGI. Publishers are not developers. MWT is (currently) being developed by Blue Lizard Games. Preciously, MWT was being developed by A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. games.

Not only that, but the MWT UI shown in those videos is from a build of the game from last year, from footage from press releases, and still doesn't even resemble MWO's UI.

[Alexii]

Hi. I left a while ago , when i realized all you have is promises of the things to come ( CW was supposed to be how long after open beta ? ) and that you take ur development vector from WoT. As in more and more sellable material ( mechs ) and no depth/gameplay to talk about. Decided to poke back in to see whats new. Saw UI2. Left. Its a monstrosity ( Thats just like my opinion maaaan =) )

[Nathaniel Kell]

One thought.

Right now, when you are equipping your mech and want to put ammo in it, the click path is a little clunky.

As is:

click Right Leg > ammo > select ammo

now say you want to put ammo in the Left Leg section?

click Left Leg > ammo > select ammo

when you click on the LT section, it should remember what subsection you were just in, not default to the equipment subsection.

It should be:

click Right Leg > ammo > select ammo
click Left Leg > select ammo

say you need some ammo in the head?

click Head > select ammo

and the Right Torso?

click Right Torso > select ammo

This should be the same for what ever you are loading into the mech. It would be a small change that I think would go a long way to streamlining the load out process. Reducing the number of clicks to achieve the same end goal.

I say this because I tend to put things in the mech by groups. Lasors, ammo, equipment, etc.


I posted this elsewhere but it probably should go here...

[sabujo]

Nathaniel Kell, on 17 March 2014 - 01:19 PM, said:

It should be:

click Right Leg > ammo > select ammo
click Left Leg > select ammo

say you need some ammo in the head?

click Head > select ammo

and the Right Torso?

click Right Torso > select ammo

Exactly how it should be done. If you are placing ammo, when switching menus, it should stick to Ammo (if available).

The same should be done in Skills. If you click to open a mech skill tree, when you get back, the list is again collapsed while it should be open where you left it.

[Mumpitzmaster]

There is much feedback and i may repeat some things but i need to share my feeling about UI 2.0

It has a quite nice look, i like the information about mechs agility and beeing able to configure the weapon groups inside the mechlab.
But there are also things i dont like about UI 2.0. So, you cant see wich Engine is actualy equiped by a mech. That is a problem for me when i want to purchase a new one. Also i cant see which hardpoints are at which part of the mech. I have to guess where they are by looking at the mech model.
All over you have to do more clicks when doing things like modify loadout, change modules and so on. The old UI feels faster.
And last but not least, i cant see my C-Bills or GXP at the main screen. I want to know if i have to play another match to have enough of em with a quick look between matches without having to click somewhere else than 'play now'. It makes a faster gameplay.
A friend of mine shares the same thoughts, so count this post as two votes.

greetz
Mumpitzmaster

P.S.: I want to see already earned XP for mechs i have sold.

Edited by Mumpitzmaster, 17 March 2014 - 02:43 PM.

[Mabra]

Regarding UI 2.0 and nvidia surround.
There is considerable space however the windows appear to be locked to a particular side. Compounded with the inability to reconfigure them means having to do multiple, large movements to accomplish simple tasks.
As an example, an invite to a group consists of:

• Center monitor, lower middle to open the group window
  
• Right monitor, far right for group invite confirmation
  
• Left monitor, far left to ready for drop

This layout may work better on smaller width monitors and systems with a single monitor, but for a game claiming "native support" of nvidia surround... the implementation of the user interface lacks understanding of man-machine interfaces. This produces a great deal of unnecessary movement and delays individuals and groups from quickly participating. The excess movement, over time, also increases fatigue and decreases effective play time (unless this is a clever strategy to reduce server load by keeping more players in home screens).
There are ways of keeping UI 2.0's look and feel and still retain the functionality for single screen applications without making the UI cumbersome to users of multi monitor setups. Simply moving all group related windows to one side, keeping yes/no buttons in similar positions (relative: yes always left, no always right), and in general reducing the amount of mouse movement required to complete a task.

I've seen it posted elsewhere here, but it's worth mentioning. There are certain things like c-bills, mc, gxp that should be visible at all times. None of these things occupy much space and it would be useful to have that visible in the same place at all times regardless of what area you are in.

[The Djentleman Paulson]

it's a horribly clunky interface but it looks kinda cool

why does the mech get shoved over to the side in the corner in the fitting screen? i want to look at the damn things