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Author Topic: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls  (Read 6696 times)

Offline TC

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Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« on: August 04, 2010, 08:33:13 pm »
As a new player, I feel the user interface is somewhat clunky. I'd like to offer the following suggestions:

1. The "E" key is too easy to press by mistake. All the keys surrounding "E" change the view. They are pressed when the player is looking at the screen, yet they require a floating hand position (i.e. a position that can't be found by feel, such as the default typing position which uses the bumps on "F" and "J"). Given this situation, "E" is probably the single most likely key on the entire keyboard to be pressed by mistake. Therefore I recommend that the End Turn key be changed to something else. (I know the key bindings can be reconfigured by the user, but I'm suggesting a change to the defaults.)

2. The left mouse button sometimes shoots, sometimes moves, and sometimes changes the selected squad member. The developers have done a good job providing visual cues about which action will happen. Nevertheless, I have accidentally moved squad members when I really meant to change the selection, and I have accidentally instructed squad members to shoot other squad members when I really meant to change the selection. The game has an option to confirm movement, and I find that option does a great job of preventing accidental movement; I recommend that the developers make that option the default. Furthermore, I suggest they create a similar option to help prevent squad members from targeting each other (or, better yet, simply make such targeting impossible).

3. The right mouse button sometimes backs out of the current command and sometimes changes the orientation of the squad member. It is too easy for the player to change orientation (and spend TUs) accidentally when they really intend just to cancel out of a pending command. I suggest the developers either stop using right-click to cancel or stop using right-click to change orientation. My preference would be for shift-right-click, not right-click, to change orientation.

4. When a button opens a window, that same button should close the window. I'm thinking specifically about the Physical Stats and Inventory buttons in combat mode, but there are other places where this rule applies as well.

5. It would be nice if the keys for changing the view in combat mode also worked in geoscape mode.

Experienced users are probably proficient with the existing controls and perceive no problem with them. As a newbie seeing the game through fresh eyes, however, I can affirm that these are areas for improvement.


-TC

Offline bayo

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2010, 12:41:56 am »

1. Yes, that's right. I already see people pressing it. At worst this action dont need shortcut.

4. Yes, it should work like that.It think it is now easy to do with some lines of scripts.

Offline Borsti67

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2010, 07:59:19 pm »
good points!

Offline dodon

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2010, 09:16:34 pm »
1. I changed "End turn" to "Quit turn" and used the E-key for "inventoryEquipment screen"
   So i have all my important shortcus on the left hand side. And don't loose TUs if I accidentally press "E"

Offline Destructavator

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2010, 10:00:39 pm »
Perhaps the "end turn" key should need to be pressed twice to take effect, with a confirmation pop-up, to avoid unpleasant mistakes.

Offline Kildor

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2010, 08:29:43 am »
No, please, don`t change from «end» to «quit». And don`t remove this hotkey, it is very usefull and really logical.

Offline geever

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2010, 09:14:44 am »
No, please, don`t change from «end» to «quit». And don`t remove this hotkey, it is very usefull and really logical.

What do you think about Destructavator's suggestion? One 'E' throws a popup, another confirms the end turn on it?

@bayo, can we assign hotkeys  to menu nodes already?

-geever

Offline Gren

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2010, 11:44:45 am »
What do you think about Destructavator's suggestion? One 'E' throws a popup, another confirms the end turn on it?
-geever

Not a bad idea, but I think it's probably toffee paper really.  ::) I only occasionally use the E key anyway, and I guess lots of other players like me tend to use the mouse than the keyboard, so adding the extra keystroke(s) could be like putting too much icing on the cake. - [Just my opinion]

Offline Kildor

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #8 on: August 06, 2010, 12:34:00 pm »
I`m consistent keyboard-user, and never got confused with «E». I sometimes mixed «X» and «C», but this is another story. I don`t like idea about any popups, at least if they will not be customised (for example, add new value for confirm_actions, like «3: Confirm hotkeys actions».

Offline Mattn

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2010, 12:39:31 pm »
@bayo, can we assign hotkeys  to menu nodes already?

/bayoMode:On => yes - we can - see the bindui command

Offline bayo

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2010, 01:53:59 pm »
OMG... owned by the boss

Quote
What do you think about Destructavator's suggestion? One 'E' throws a popup, another confirms the end turn on it?
Shortcut is to provide something faster. If it is need to use the mouse to validate a popup, it is useless (cause it is faster to use the default button instead of using E+click on ok)

Offline MCR

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2010, 02:06:26 pm »
I agree with Kildor here, there is no need for such a popup, this would just be annoying & desturbing...

But there should be a popup for exiting the campaign, currently you just click on exit 1 time & you are out...
There is a request on souceforge for this already & I think I will implement that one sooner or later...

Offline geever

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2010, 02:11:06 pm »
Shortcut is to provide something faster. If it is need to use the mouse to validate a popup, it is useless (cause it is faster to use the default button instead of using E+click on ok)

That's why I asked if we can bind E to the popups Ok (name it 'End turn') button aswel so no mouse action needed.

-geever

Offline bayo

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2010, 02:25:37 pm »
Quote
That's why I asked if we can bind E to the popups Ok
Hooo, double "E", interesting. Yes we can. Key binding is per window. I think it is a nice idea.

chenchen21621

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Re: Simple Suggestions for UI Controls
« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2010, 09:20:47 am »
I`m consistent keyboard-user, and never got confused with «E». I sometimes mixed «X» and «C», but this is another story. I don`t like idea about any popups, at least if they will not be customised (for example, add new value for confirm_actions, like «3: Confirm hotkeys actions».
« Last Edit: August 24, 2010, 12:58:36 pm by geever »