2
about the new UI 2.0 i didn’t have time to reply and now the topic is locked, by the way i have no more to say, all problems have been shown by many and many negative comments, if you don’t know what i’m talking about, I suggest you to read at least the first few pages.
My personal opinion about Mech Lab in UI 2.0 at that point is: “Abomination”, a lot of clicks for doing nothing, an uncomfortable and unpragmatic interface.
I decide to create this thread for trying help PGI, much time has passed from UI 2.0 announce but things are far from what community asked.
This is my personal vision of what UI 2.0 should be, please leave comment and suggest changes if necessary, I’ll try to keep this first post update with your modifications.
Start point is UI 1.5, new version should have nothing less respect actual interface but a lot more functions; (so you can still select the parts of your mech from the 3D model or from the paper doll, you can double click for fit or remove a component etc..). I made the changes with Paint, of course a new graphics can be applied, but i hope these picture show you what i have in mind.
1. Mech Model – Unlocked Variant (Basic, Elite or Master)
2. Mech Name
3. Rename Button for change Mech Name
4. Some values may change with some mech tree upgrade, these values have the same color of the Variant and change coherently with the unlocked abilities.
Es: you finish to upgrade basic abilities, Variant at 1. becomes Elite, colors change to Elite color (a yellow-green) and if you unlock “Speed Tweak” speed changes from 56.7 to 62.4.
If you unlock all Elite abilities Variant at 1. becomes Master and all these infos get orange color.
5. Important details about free critical slots, Double Heat Sinks mounted (HS if mech mounts Single Heat Sinks), engine’s Type, engine’s Rate and Max Speed mech can reach. In this example there’s no more space but this section need to show also special components mounted like ECM or BAP.
6. Weapons show in a simple grid; the “]” indicates that LRM10 and LRM5 share the same ammo (540 Lrms in total).
7. Mech 3D model, you can turn it or select part you’re looking for by clicking it using the Paper Doll on the left bottom corner (normal UI 1.5 usage).
8. Strip All: remove all components and all armor from the mech.
9. Max Armor: assigns the Max armor’s value on all mech’s parts.
10. Weapons: Ballistics, Missiles and Lasers.
11. Ammo: show only ammo for mounted weapons or all ammo types (see 22.)
12. Miscellaneous components: HS (or DHS), AMS, BAP, ECM, Command Console, Etc..
13. Engines: STD and XL Engines.
14. Armor: same as UI 1.5 but you can modify values either clicking arrows and using keyboard typing values directly.
15. Upgrades: Artemis, Endo Steel structure and Ferro Fibrous Armor.
16. Modules: a comfortable section for modules, you don’t need exit Loadout window for mount a module anymore.
17. Component Scroll menu (see below)
18. Save As: save current Mech configuration in a file that can be reloaded next using Load button.
19. Load: load a saved configuration from a file. If all the components necessary for the configuration are available in your Mech Lab you don’t need further changes.
20. Save: save current Mech configuration.
21. Cancel: cancel current Mech configuration.
22. Pass to Paper Model mode (see below).
23. Sub-Menu: some component menu need a sub-menu (see below).
Component Scroll Menu:
Each component type have a specific color, for example:
- Yellow for ballistic weapons and ammo
- Green for missile weapons and ammo
- Red for laser weapons
- Blue for miscellaneous components: HS (DHS), AMS, BAP, ECM, Command Console, Etc..
- White for Engines
- Grey for all components that can’t be inserted in the Mech cause are too large or too heavy.
Paper and 3D Model
I named 3D Model the classic view from UI 1.5, if you press Buttons 22. you can pass to Paper (Smurfy’s like) Model.
In 3D model you can see how different components modify Mech’s esthetics.
In paper model you can modify your Mech with a few clicks and of course have a better view of all the component installed.
24. Pass to 3D Model mode.
25. You can modify armor either clicking “+” and “-” or using keyboard typing values directly.
Sub-Menu
Some component window need a Submenu tree for more options like in 22. For Engines.
- Weapons à Only Ballistic – Only Missile – Only Laser – Show All. If you’re using 3D Model and checking for a sections with only energy slots of course only Laser Weapons must be visible, but for sections with a mix of energy and ballistic for example you can choice to see only Laser, only Ballistic or all Laser and Ballistic weapons. For Paper Model you can’t isolate a single Mech’s section so this Sub-Menu become more useful.
- Ammo: same as Weapons.
- Engines à Only Standard Engines – Only XL Engines – Show All Engines
The Show All button is useful also if you want to see a component description; if you have noticed I have removed the info sections for a bigger 3D Model window.
I’ve used the UI 2.0 solution, a Pop-up window that can be opened if you left click the component’s icon (26.). it doesn’t work if you drag & drop or double click the component or you left click the right part (27.) of the component so you can check the statistics only if you want.
Engines Scroll Menu
Another change is in the Engine Scroll Menu, more info but easy to read, Max Speed, Tons, HS contained (10+4 means 10 HS are internal and 4 more can be fit in) and critical slots used.
First engine show a max speed with Basic Version (blue color), the second one show max speed with Master version (“Speed Tweak” is unlocked color became orange).
Simple changes, a comfortable interface to use, global view of all components, a few clicks for modify a mech; this is what I want from UI 2.0, hope you want to join me ask PGI to go in that direction.
Forgive me if there’re some errors, English is not my first language..
Edited by Boyka, 30 November 2013 - 07:20 AM.
