Centralized UI Awesomeness

[Malorn]

In addition to the cycler irons gripe, I did want to point out something really awesome. Those of you might remember me being somewhat critical of the UI in the GDC video. Well there's some awesome improvements. Maybe they had it planned all along, but I'd like to think that someone took my feedback to heart. Regardless, thank you! :)

The Centralized UI Option! I do love how you have a centralized UI option which some people were using. I very much liked this. I would like tose the minimap also more centralized in that option but it adheres very well to good interface design principles.

For those who don't know what I mean, look here (6:20 in the day 1 stream, part 1):
http://i.imgur.com/TfXXG.jpg

I've outlined the core UI elements since they are sort of hard to see in this screenshot due to the red critical health indicator tinting the screen. This is a crappy picture that doesn't give the UI element a lot of justice, but int he video you can see that the health indicator is actually pulsing a bit and neither it nor the ammo indicator show unless they are not full. This is a great no-news-is-good-news approach to keep the UI from being cluttered and only showing you important information.
http://i.imgur.com/8yQMm.jpg


And here is a different shot from a light assault who just used his jetpack and fired a single round (shows jetpack energy & ammo simultaneously)
http://i.imgur.com/hwS3j.jpg

Note that the current ammo supply is listed on the right side so you know how much is in your current magazine.

Energy is on the left side opposite current magazine.

Health/shield is below the crosshair in a nice convenient spot.

Detailed ammo/resource information is bottom-center.

Fantastic! Love it! Thank you for adding this, I really like the take on it. It seems incomplete because the map is out of place but perhaps its a work in progress and the minimap will be changed a bit so it isn't all off in a corner and also more centrally located.

[Red Beard]

Good post Malorn

[Razicator]

Reminds me of the addons WoW had that enabled this waaay back. I forget the name now, Curse mod? Titan panel?

If actually we can mod the game just like WoW, that'll be freakin awesome. Custom UIs, custom alerts, custom preset class loadouts (beyond the limit), etc

[Spoof]

Nearly posted about this yesterday, but was too lazy :P

I love it, really immersive and unobtrusive.

I just hope we can position the map where we like.

[Coreldan]

It does indeed look great, but I think I personally prefer the more classic UI.

That said, I'd really want some "proof" of them actually having a compass rose.. They said it would also be a toggleable option, but we havnt seen it yet afaik. The "compass on top bar" is a horrible design and pretty much negates the whole point of having it :D

[Daffan]

Reminds me of the addons WoW had that enabled this waaay back. I forget the name now, Curse mod? Titan panel?

If actually we can mod the game just like WoW, that'll be freakin awesome. Custom UIs, custom alerts, custom preset class loadouts (beyond the limit), etc

Icehudd i believe did the bars on the sides, for information on resources/health

But this is great and i did see it too!

[Hamma]

The UI is awesome! I saw them doing some initial testing on it when I was out there and I was impressed. I think it is a great option to have for those who want to use it.

[Stardouser]

With bloody screen so real obscuring the edges, that might just be a very useful option.

And yes I know it's not bloody screen but it amounts to the same thing.

[MrBloodworth]

I can dig it, as long as its optional. Sometimes, I had a real issue with it in Global agenda.

[captainkapautz]

The UI is awesome! I saw them doing some initial testing on it when I was out there and I was impressed. I think it is a great option to have for those who want to use it.

Did you see if there was more UI-customisation, or just switching around the locations?

Like customisable a hitindicator would be baller, both ion form and color, cause I gotta admit the current yellow one is kinda poopy. :x


With bloody screen so real obscuring the edges, that might just be a very useful option.

And yes I know it's not bloody screen but it amounts to the same thing.

It isn't even nearly the same as BLOODY SCREEN SO REAL.

The bloody screen is mainly a healthdisplay, while here it is only used to show critical health afaik.
And it's not even blood, but a red outline of your screen, which has been in pretty much every shooter ever so far.

[bigcracker]

I am in love with the UI it shows you everything you needs and does not clutter the screen.Games like bf3 do not even have a good mini map and is filled with useless information and 3d spotting triangles.

[captainkapautz]

I am in love with the UI it shows you everything you needs and does not clutter the screen.Games like bf3 do not even have a good mini map and is filled with useless information and 3d spotting triangles.

Well, not to rain on your parade, but watch the E3 footage closer.

[MercDT]

It does indeed look great, but I think I personally prefer the more classic UI.

That said, I'd really want some "proof" of them actually having a compass rose.. They said it would also be a toggleable option, but we havnt seen it yet afaik. The "compass on top bar" is a horrible design and pretty much negates the whole point of having it :D

Ever since I played Project Reality, I feel that it's essential to have a compass rose at the bottom/top of the screen to call out contacts by degrees. I will be pretty sad if PS2 doesn't have it...and really it shouldn't be that difficult to implement.

[captainkapautz]

Ever since I played Project Reality, I feel that it's essential to have a compass rose at the bottom/top of the screen to call out contacts by degrees. I will pretty sad if PS2 doesn't have it...and really it shouldn't be that hard to implement.

Compass, w/o degrees though, is on top of the minimap.

Agree though that being able to put it on top or on the bottom of the screen, preferably with degrees, would be win.

[waldizzo]

The UI is looking great. Hope they give us the option to turn the bloody screen off though.

[Xyntech]

It does indeed look great, but I think I personally prefer the more classic UI.

That said, I'd really want some "proof" of them actually having a compass rose.. They said it would also be a toggleable option, but we havnt seen it yet afaik. The "compass on top bar" is a horrible design and pretty much negates the whole point of having it :D

So far they've been pretty good on their word, so if compass rose isn't in by beta, I don't think it will be a problem to get them to hurry up and put it in.

I'm glad there seems to be a lot of customization options for the HUD. The best way to keep vets and new players happy with it.

[Higby]

Glad you guys dig it. So do we. It will be the default once we get some issues sorted out with it.

[basti]

Glad you guys dig it. So do we. It will be the default once we get some issues sorted out with it.

I hope you leave the old style non central UI in, because i personally think that this centralized UI is ugly as fuck. :D

[Irondove]

this will kill wow app. I've used it and it doesn't come close in comparison. btw is there a site we can watch beta map feed. Would be nice to watch the big picture.

[Zhane]

I agree with Basti... as an option it's fine, but to me it's cluttered and obtrusive. The less crap in the middle of my field of view, the better.

[Synapse]

I'm not sure which one I care about here. Knowing there's 2 choices, I'm happy that I can just switch between them on my own.

However if you're not absolutely certain the players will be better off with it, then maybe leave the most familiar one as the default, since the players who don't know the game or are new to it will be least likely to find the toggle option in the preferences.

[Malorn]

Are you planning on allowing the minimap to be moved/resized, what about the kill spam/chat? The kill spam indicator looks fine where it's at, but personally I'd like to move either the kill spam list or the chat window down to the now-vacant lower right corner and expand it a bit so I can see more than the most recent 3 kills (which will just fly off my screen with hundreds of people killing each other in an area).

Changing up the map options and the capture indicators would be another great option.

In PS1 I liked having a large mini-map so I could better see what was happening strategically in the area.

[Spoof]

Agree with Malorn. I'd like to move and resize the map, and hide the kill spam.

[Arokel]

I have to say that the UI is looking very good. I like how its angled to look like you are actually looking through a visor/helmet hud.

Reminds me a little bit of Ghost Recon Future Soldier in that way. That game did the UI very well.