Improvement: UI Ideas

Babyfark McGeez · 2012-10-11, 01:32 PM

Right now the UI still is a pretty confusing mess. I dunno what the official plans are in that regard, but here is my take (feel free to discuss and add ideas):

- Options for each element to be turned on/off or where it should be displayed (playing view/map/off) - i'm pretty sure that one will be implemented though

- A more "dynamic" way to get informations your soldier needs "right now"
(For example: When you yell for a medic the map/playview displays only medics for a short period of time, same for ammo, repairs and the like)

- Assigning yourself to "defense" or "attack" (on that note: more voice macros please) could highlight areas/capturing points where your assistance is needed right now - i.E. points that are being attacked or being defended by your faction (allthough a less clunky and customizable UI could allready render this point obsolete)

WiFiN · 2012-10-16, 05:09 PM

Here are my 2 cents.

I remember Matt said in one of the interviews that they borrow successful ideas from other games. I'd adress them to the awesome game Battlefield 2142. The only thing it would still lose to PS2 is the scale. In many other cases that game was superior to many other shooters of the time.

The classes were balanced perfectly, and their roles were perfectly distinctive.
But I want to draw the attention to two great features of that game that made it so ergonomic and fun.

First one was BattleNet system (or NetBat, can't remember correctly).
It was a spotting\command system, pretty close to one we have now in PS2. It was also a bit more informative compared to what we have now. Plus, you could mark possible enemy positions if you failed to target the enemy directly.
Let alone that awesome commander system with squad control, orbital scan, bombardment and supply drops. Current system has most of these features, but is still not that ergonomic and intuitive. I hope it will improve that way.

Communications rose.
That was ENORMOUS improvement over crippled Counter-Strike voice system with stupid numbers! That system was BF2 legacy we can all thank it for.
All essential voice actions were arrenged in 2 comminications roses you could call up by a press of a button and choose any option with a short move of the cursor.
It was also context based, so depending on the current circumstances you could spot, request any assistance, order to follow, lead, enter or bail out of a vehicle, give squad orders - anything you need, keeping your left hand on WASD, and no stupid numbers memorising involved.

Last, but not the least - I'd like to see dynamic minimap scaling. It should scale up when you gain speed and scale down when you are moving slow (or vice-versa if I failed with the use of the word "scale")(maybe I'm wrong and it's here, but I didn't notice it). Also it should differ for infantry, armor and air. I found myself tactically blind when I was in a tank, someone spotted a pair of tanks behind a hill, but my minimap was ending 100m ahead of me. It was okay as I still saw the triangles, but what if someone spots an enemy behind you?

SheepsRule · 2012-10-18, 12:35 PM

I'd vote for the BF2-styled Communications Rose. Fast on-target commands issued. That' be especially usefull for Squadleader to set markers. Those in BF2/2142 were near perfection. Simple: move/attack/defend
That in conjunction with the scalable or context sensitive minimap could structure situations where voip is not possible due to e.g. language barriers.
Other then that I really like the HUD as is it now. Its not to bloated or clutterd. Or mainly there is not that constant bombardment of info in the middle of the screen. One reason I stear clear of BF3.