Equipment screen feature request

[Coconut Jonlan]

I was thinking today how tedious moving to the equipment screen and equipping items is during combat gameplay,  - open equip screen, put grnade in hand, exit equip screen, then throw grenade

It occurred to me that it would be nice if we could have something similar to the reload option in the HUD  for misc items and perhaps secondary weapons too.
So for example if there were say a couple (say 3 or 4?)  of allocated / numbered  slots in the equip screen that during battle the items would then show in the HUD - the use that item simply click the item(either an icon depicting the item or simply a number, then the cross hair, then use the item - and have the full TU cost including equipping the item displayed and decucted. That way the equip screen need harldy ever be used during combat at all.

Here's a (very) rough mock up of what I mean

[attachment deleted by admin]

[vedrit]

I personally like this idea. Why not have spots for the holster and belt? I notice that it uses TU to move equipemnt around to use something that is supposedly right where it can easily be grabbed and used

[odie]

I personally like this idea. Why not have spots for the holster and belt? I notice that it uses TU to move equipemnt around to use something that is supposedly right where it can easily be grabbed and used

Well, not sure if u have been a soldier before..... i have, for a 2.5 years full time and still on reservist list.
(Going back once a year at least)

Even if its like diablo style, where 1-8 items on belt, do u know that from belt transfer to hand and insert to ammo clip area, u will take time??

Eg, u use M16 / Assault Rifles. U will technically need to press the clip to undo the clip (and recover, or even if its just quick release, click and ignore), u will then need to recover the new clip, slot it in, and cock the weapon (ready the weapon if u may).

This takes time.... well.... which is TUs in game terms. Making sense??

[BTAxis]

The purpose wasn't to change the game rules, it was to improve the interface.

Mind you, I don't care much for this idea.

[Coconut Jonlan]

I personally like this idea. Why not have spots for the holster and belt? I notice that it uses TU to move equipemnt around to use something that is supposedly right where it can easily be grabbed and used

There's a number of ways I'd envisage it being implemented - for example there could be specific buttons for secondary weapons, medikit and grenades and the program would automatically equip the required item (provided it is actually used) regardless of where it is ibeing stored - or there could be preset positions in the equip sreen (such as 1 slot in the backpack, 1 slot in the holster and 1 or 2 slots in the belt ) that would make the item appear in the HUD.

I'm not suggesting that rules are changed to so that there is no TU cost for equipping it - neither am I suggesting that the equip screen is done away with during game play - merely made unnecessary in most common instances.

In  principle it's just a logical step on from  the reload button (good idea IMO) as opposed to having to manually reload.

BTAxis - care to discuss reasons why you don't like it?

[BTAxis]

It seems arbitrary to me. Why put some equipment on the main interface and not others? It can be confusing. Furthermore, even with these slots, what happens when you don't have a hand free for the items in them? One option is to put your weapon in your backpack, another is to drop it onto the floor. The game can't know which one is preferred, as this changes according to the situation. For example, there might be space in the backpack, but only after rearranging the things that are already in there.

So basically what I'm saying that while a change like this might ease operation for the player, it will likely introduce more problems for being complex.

[Coconut Jonlan]

It seems arbitrary to me. Why put some equipment on the main interface and not others?

Good point - and it was something that occurred to me - which is why I suggested a number of allocated slots - that way the player can decide which items appear in the HUd dependent on their own personal preferences and gameplay style

It can be confusing.

Short answer: Nah

Long answer: If anyone finds the HUD in its present incarnation the slightest bit confusing then perhaps they should be graduating kindergarten before playing computr game like this - alternatively show them the considerably more complex XCOM HUD and they can thank their lucky stars how much more simple and streamlined the current HUD is.

Furthermore, even with these slots, what happens when you don't have a hand free for the items in them?

They are greyed out / unavailable in exactly the same way that a two handed primary weapon becomes unavailable / greyed out of the player equips something with the left hand - so no change to fundamental gameplay or interface required

One option is to put your weapon in your backpack, another is to drop it onto the floor. The game can't know which one is preferred, as this changes according to the situation. For example, there might be space in the backpack, but only after rearranging the things that are already in there.

So basically what I'm saying that while a change like this might ease operation for the player, it will likely introduce more problems for being complex.

Think of them as shortcuts to simple common actions and I think you might start to see what I'm driving at.

I originally envisaged this as a quicker simpler way of selecting and using different grenade types - (later in the game I generally carry 3 or 4 types) - so what happens after you use it is irrelevant in the respect you are talking about - it gets rolled or lobbed then goes boom.

In terms of other items that will remain in hand after use like medikits and secondary weapons, there's a number of ways this can be dealt with - all of which either simplify operation or don't make any difference.
for example with a medikit or 2ndary weapon, once it has been equipped and used there could perhaps be an option in the popup menu from the crosshair that says "drop" and another that says  "return" - that way the player can perform either of his preferred options without having to access the equip screen - alternatively they can do nothing and the item remains in hand - result: operation simplified.
Alternatively the player can access the equip screen and do it manually - result: no change to this operation but the overall operation of equipping, using and returning/dropping the item is simplied.
In the situation where a player needs to use an item not shown in one of the HUD shortcuts then they use the equip screen as normal - result: no change to this operation.
Finally there is no mandatory demand for a player who chooses not to use them to use them at all - they are just shortcuts after all.

Either way during battle gameplay the trade-off is in favour of the player with only very minimal additional complexity.

Outside of battle it does an an additional planning element for the player - they must decide which items are most likely to come into play during a particular battle scenario and where best to equip them for best use - while this does make the initial pre-battle equipping stage a little more complicated, this kind of thing is something that a lot of players will positively enjoy this as an additional management feature.

Do you have any other concerns or objections?

[BTAxis]

All I can say at this point is that the battlescape HUD is due for a complete redesign, but this can take a good while. In the mean time your suggestion stands, but there are more people than just me who'll have to comment.

[Coconut Jonlan]

All I can say at this point is that the battlescape HUD is due for a complete redesign, but this can take a good while. In the mean time your suggestion stands, but there are more people than just me who'll have to comment.

Overall I think the HUD is pretty well balanced between simplicity and functionality - is there a list of suggestions / implementations for the redesign and the rationale behind it that I can take a look at? I used to contribute to a Government web interface usability panel so I have be able to offer some useful contributions

[BTAxis]

No, there is none. We haven't touched this one at all yet. However, you can see the design decisions we've made for some other parts of the UI here:
http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Proposals/New_UI

[homunculus]

without being concerned about changes that would need to be made to the present gui, i'd suggest getting rid of the grid in inventory screen, at least in most cases, because in most cases it imho does not make sense.

there is already a no grid like thing at the hand slots.
now, without being concerned about the changes and the principal difference it would make, or the lack of it, i think it would look nicer if the weapons would just be attached to a point, rather than into a box.

where this came from is that, say, you might have a rocket launcher on your back.
assuming you have some kind of backpack, i wouldn't put the rocket launcher in the backpack, but it would rather be hanging on my back.
i believe this connects to the current discussion in the sense that 'hanging on your back' is a quick access slot, while the backpack, if there is one, is not.
'hanging on back' would be a quick slot where you can put one item no matter how big, but also no matter how small.
provided the item has the appropriate belt (or whatever you call it), meant for carrying it on the back, like most bigger guns do.
the difference is that you can put no more than one item there.

also, when you put something on your belt, like a secondary weapon, it usually comes with a holster or sheath appropriate for attaching it to the belt.
so, if your secondary weapon is a monomolecular knife, it will not be in your backpack, but in the quick access slot on your belt instead.
as there is no grid, you cannot put a pistol there _and_ fill the rest of the space with grenades.

the grid might be appropriate for the backpack, as backpacks might actually have something like volume.
accessing the content of your backpack would certainly take more time than accessing something from a quick slot.
and, probably, with the use of the quick slots, the inventory screen could even be reduced to just the backpack box, if simplification is needed (bit sarcastic here).

there would be a requirement that every weapon either has its appropriate holster on belt, or else can be carried on back.
this requirement would  remove the artifact of dropping things on the ground or putting a knife in the same slot where there was previously a pistol.

hopefully this kind of more strict system will help to simplify equipping and removing weapons if the shortcut system starts to appeal to someone.
i mean, if the pistol in hand is being replaced by a grenade, there is no question about where the pistol would go -- it would go to its dedicated holster.

[BTAxis]

The grid container is already gone from soldier equipment in base (it has been replaced by organized, scrollable lists). It is still there in missions though, and it will likely stay.

The boxes will stay regardless. I don't really like the alternative you're proposing, and I also don't see any reason to change something that works.