Community based project: Creating a new default UI
I've had an idea for a couple years now that I wanted to pursue. I really wanted to create a community-based project with the modding community to create a new UI from the ground up that could possibly be packaged with the base game; sort of an alternate Default UI. The target audience would still be new players as well as existing players so I wouldn't want to fill the UI up with a lot of advanced features. The main point would be to redesign the UI in a more intuitive way, a fresh look, and a more organized configuration of styles and elements. I was thinking of this project back when I created the window manager because I thought that I really wanted the new UI to have minimizable windows. But part of me would really like to see a more integrated UI that isn't based as much on floating windows like the current Default. Something that has a more "HUD" feel to it. Another thing I wanted to do was create a "drawer" system for hotbars so pressing a hotbar button would popup a drawer with other icons in it. This way you could layer all of your potions/poisons behind a single button for example. One of my biggest gripes is that our players have to open 6+ hotbar windows in order to play the game.
Anyway, I've gotten off on a tangent. But seriously, if the idea of this project sounds good to anyone, we should talk about it. |
That definitely sounds like a good idea. If you try for a community based project like you were talking about, it would open up a whole new spectrum of things we can do. There are so many different minds that could contribute. You, the modders/players, perfectionists, me :D. We could make the UI much better by doing this.
I would be up for it. |
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In order for it to work well, I think there needs to be a small group of people that actually do the work and make the final decisions, but involve the entire community via screenshots and forum posts throughout the process. This way if the community has an idea or sees something they don't like, we can talk about resolutions during development. I can provide code support for special needs on my own time so it doesn't interfere with my normal workload. The biggest thing I ask from the project is that everything we do from top to bottom is professional looking and doesn't cut any corners in quality. There are a lot of niche custom interfaces out there that look cool and will be popular to a part of the player base. But I'd really like to do something that's traditional looking that will have a wide appeal to the most people. If we're successful in making something that's leaps and bounds beyond the Default UI, I would push for making it the new Default or at the very minimum having it shipped with the client and marketed in a way that players will know how to try it out. I really love the idea of doing something of this caliber with the talent that you guys have. It certainly would not be meant as a replacement for the UI's that you guys are already working on. A good example of functionality is the click-to-cure feature that has become a part of several UI's. I think this is a really awesome idea and a great testiment to your ingenuity, but I'm not sure if its something you'd want to include to the mass player-base. I guess the first step is to determine what the goal of the project is. Are we creating a replacement for the Default UI that should be easy to learn for new players? If so, advanced features like those should probably be left out. However, if we think that what the game needs is a Default-style interface, but one that caters to the more advanced players, then maybe those are the type of features we should include. There are lots of things to talk about obviously. I guess the first step is find out who is interested in doing this and put together a team. Then we can hammer out the details over chat. =) |
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I agree with Rothgar, that windows should not have elaborate scripting in them.
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Yeah. The elaborate scripting is for the us :D
Otherwise what are we here for? |
Though I am not a code wizard by any means, I would be very interested in being a part of this project, perhaps in a testing capacity or with the look/graphic elements involved.
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1. A community constructed alternate default UI would be awesome.
2. We need to think even further back to the basics here first. I really believe there needs to be a way for users to select their UI from within the game, and have the setting saved. I know that this is the PC age, but I think it would help out a lot of players if they didn't have to setup a eq2.ini file and then set a variable inside it. 3. I know this post is sorta off topic from the original post, but to go along with my #2. I would really like to see the UI INI layout files be in a readable format, editable by a text file, rather than in a compressed/strange format that we can at best, backup the files because we know they're working from with in-game. |
I made a new thread out of this discussion. I'm sure you'll forgive my editing of posts where necessary to achieve that. :)
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The hotbar idea is interesting for all the extras we like to have quick access to. But if you are thinking of redesigning hotbars a new issue has come up with TSO. I swap mostly between a swash and brig and play 95% from the keyboard. The problem is there are only 3 keyboard driven hot bars and all the of mine are used for combat, no fluff in them. TSO has added 4 new combat arts i have no place to put except in clicky bars and swapping the primary hotbar in fights is a pain. Setting up 2 spell macros doesnt work well since you can't see the status of one of the spells. A 4th keyboard hotbar using Shift-1, etc maybe would help.
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3. I've wanted to do this for awhile myself. In fact I sort of already started on it about 6 months ago writing a replacement for our streaming class to stream to XML instead of the binary format it uses now. The problem is that every single window in the game needs to change so that it not only outputs the value, but the name of the value. Currently we rely on the position of the data in the file to know what it is. To move to an XML format, we'll need to send more information about the data. We also need to remain backwards compatible with the older format since we never know when a player might log in from an old installation. So behind the scenes, our deserialize code will look kinda bad supporting both. However, I still think its something worth doing. It would be a tremendous help when it comes to troubleshooting issues related to ini settings. gm9, thanks for making the new thread! |
i would prefer to add this community UI as an advanced UI and keep the default UI as the basic / beginner UI like in many Tools (software) there are often basic settings and advanced settings. The player can decide wich fits his need best. Or if possible doit like the Con-System, switchable?! GroupWindow with C2C and without. On a Raid i prefer C2C, on a casual Group i don't really need C2C or at soloing.
At the beginning of the Game there are several hints displayed, maybe display a hint to switch UI if the player reaches a level? (30/40?) I also vote for the fourth "keyboard-hotbar"! kind regards, Nimda |
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Maintaining backward compatibility isn't really a problem, its just an inconvenience in the code. Landiin, I don't have any time frame for getting this done. This is not something that is actually on my schedule so it would most likely be something I have to do in my spare time. |
Do you think you will support <include> statements therein?
file: ProfitUI_1280x1024_eq2_uisettings.ini <setting1/>Also if you work on the file already, could you store the UIfolder in it? <UIname>Default</UIname>That would be sweet. |
Woot, feedback on INI files :)
Thanks, Rothgar. I think anytime frame of "the future" works well enough for me. Been 4 years anyhow :p Suggestions/Food For Though/Requests 1. [Think this is what Gm9 was saying...] Have configurations saved separately per UI (or in the same file). 2. Have the correct (last used) UI load upon logging into a character. Many people would like to have different UIs for different characters (IE: from templar to an assassin) Nothing else comes to mind off the top of my head. I really think open discussions like these are the best starting point for any additions to the game. Lets do it more often :D :nana: |
This entire post has me excited Have a lot of typing and mock ups to do! Also nice new avatar gm9 :D
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Sounds great! The art and style of the UI is obviously something that needs to be determined as early as possible. So if you've got some ideas and want to submit some screenshots, that would be excellent!
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:D |
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Any specifics that are off limits? |
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