I must say I was quite disappointed. Here is my Feedback2.0
1) Accessability
Things are hidden really well. It takes much more clicks to achive things as before. At least that's how I experience it (I didn't actually count)
e.g.: Wanna change the loadout of the selected mech, access the skill tree - that should be just one click not two not three not four.
okay okay skill tree .... Griffins .... which one was it this no this no ... click oh now it's orange ... mhhh ... click little button below. click torso twist ...pop up .... click mech xp .... click okay .... click click click...
2) Icons and labels
There are many large icons with small labels. But the labels are what really matters. Monst icons are the same or look very similar. No clue how to distinguish a small laser from a medium laser. And (playing with high res. 2650x1440 or even normal HD) those labels are so tiny it hurts my eyes and I am constantly searching the right item.
Maybe an option to have smaller icons and larger labels might help here.
3) Filters and Sort functions
are missing. alphabetic and price / owned and purchasable is not really helpful. If you own a lot of mechs (80 in my case) owned mechs is a horrible filter. Was just playing with my Griffins. One was the third in the top row, the other two were somewhere in the lower right corner. What kind of sort algorithm is this? (As they are all named after the model number G-1N G-1M ... etc)
Another example: In the skill tree my Assault mechs are sorted:
Awesome
Atlas
Stalker
Highlander
Victor
Battlemaster
What kind of Order is this?
4) Noise
dub dub dub dub dibididididididi blob blob blob dibidibididididi
Just moving my mouse anywhere creates a bazzillion of sounds. For me this is a bit much.
5) Immersion
Your cart: 2.000.0000 CB.
Checkout
Yeah that really makes it feel like
mechlab Amazon. Please change these labels as it really kills my immersion (and prevented me from buying a Firestarter).
6) Orientation
I just tried to change the loadout of a mech. Okay I understand that you need to get used to new environments. Hell I even got used to WIndows 8 and Ubuntu Unity so how difficult can it be?
But it was really a horrible experience. First I dont know all hardpoints of my 80 mechs by hearth. So I liked the paper doll in the old UI. You could see in an instant where which hard points are available.
But now ... ummmm hover mouse over next mech ... .wait for info graphic to load (this really prevents one from comparing twist speed and angles for different mechs, the transition should be instantaneous)
Okay found the hard points but not their location. So you need to go through all these areas LA, RA, LT, RT
I really really really miss the overview I used to have. Okay most importantly how much tonnage do I have left to play with (search tiny number on the lower right)
Even if I account for the learning curve with this system ..... it jsut seems less user friendly than the old one.
7) Tl;dr
I wish UI2.0 could be more like this:
Load game.
Go to mech screen which is sorted as I wish (first click)
Choose mech (second click)
click on the nice large mech in the middel of the screen and directly get to that location and change the loadout. (third click)
Have a nice big paper doll right or left of the actual mech and see what is equipped.
Do not make us choose location and then type of equipment. It is again more clicks than before.
just brainstorming,
R.S.
Edited by Red squirrel, 04 February 2014 - 03:30 PM.