SE V demo Interface

frightlever · #1 September 16th, 2006, 11:36 AM

If I've done this right there'll be an attachment with a picture of my screen during system display. I'm having a hard time getting past the cack-handed way this is handled. The default option is a 3D display, except it isn't. It's a faux 3D display. Before you tee off on my about space being 3D consider that the 3D display is just a lumpy approximation of a 2D image anyway. There's no actual benefit to be had from the 3D display. If you've ever referred to a map you'll know that they're a 2D representation of a 3D environment. Nobody feels the need to make maps 3D to represent the height of a mountain or the depth of a valley so why is it necessary in a GUI? I'll probably edit this further to show other examples of the interface that make no sense to me. The file names should make this self-explanatory.

frightlever · #2 September 16th, 2006, 11:43 AM

Do we need this?

frightlever · #3 September 16th, 2006, 11:44 AM

How about this?

frightlever · #4 September 16th, 2006, 11:44 AM

3D rocks?

frightlever · #5 September 16th, 2006, 11:47 AM

Long and short of it is there anything in the first image that can really be improved upon with further panning out, panning in or converting to 3D?

frightlever · #6 September 16th, 2006, 11:54 AM

I refer to the combat replay view about once every 30 or 40 turns on average since I only play strategic. I refer to the system display constantly.

The other point being that there's a large blank border around the scrollable display probably to account for the fact that when you scroll right-in the border represents about a hex and a half but when you scroll out you can illogically scroll the 2d view about 2/3rds the length of itself. I kinda thought this was self-explanatory from the pictures.

If I can't lock the edge scrolling I'm constantly having to re-centre what can elegantly be represented by picture No 1. If I switch to 2D that's pretty much all I (ME) need. Your mileage may vary but flicking the screen about to get a decent view doesn't seem like progress.

Suicide Junkie · #7 September 16th, 2006, 11:57 AM

My preferred view is as shown

Suicide Junkie · #8 September 16th, 2006, 12:03 PM

Quote:

frightlever said:
Long and short of it is there anything in the first image that can really be improved upon with further panning out, panning in or converting to 3D?

Yeah, definitely.
Most of the improvements come from modding, however.

Zooming in and going to angle view to make better use of the screen area would still help.

Suicide Junkie · #9 September 16th, 2006, 11:46 AM

I don't think I follow what you're getting at...

The angled view does let you make more use of your screen without having stuff be off the edge.
Tilting compresses the vertical, and essentially changes the aspect ratio of the map.

PS:
How are those screenshots any different from stuffing your view into the far corner of an SE4 combat replay?

I'd prefer a more flexible camera to what we have now than a more restricted one.