Optimized GUI

[Jaiden]

Hi Guys,

I've been working on a new project, and one of the things I really like to get into is designing the GUI.

I love EO's GUI design, but I wanted a bigger screen size with a more compact design.

Using EO's GUI design as a base, I whipped this up:

>! 
Critique is always welcome. Let me know what you guys think.

[MCADAMS]

Damn, I want something like this for Bastion Online! Nice job.

[Jaiden]

Thanks!

[XPiXel]

Cool work!
What type of game are you working on,fantasy?

[Lukin]

Looks good and simple. I'd remove the white behind the ping though.

[juvanio]

I like it so muuch :3 So cute. :]]

[chuchoide]

It's very, very nice, good job!

[Jaiden]

@Lukin:

> Looks good and simple. I'd remove the white behind the ping though.

You're right, I probably should have just the bubble not the whole square icon.

@Apple:

> Cool work!
> What type of game are you working on,fantasy?

It's a fantasy game. I'm going to make a thread soon, I just don't have any mapping done because I prefer to do that last.

[Robin]

That's not very compact at all. Cut out the right completely and have the windows floating. It's currently too big to fit on most mainstream monitors.

[DFA]

I don't get what's optimized.

Your silver icon is from a set used in angband. I love those sprites

[Jaiden]

@Reign:

> That's not very compact at all. Cut out the right completely and have the windows floating. It's currently too big to fit on most mainstream monitors.

It is a bit wide, but I think the height is alright. What do you mean by floating? As in have two separate windows for the Chat and the Inventory?

@DFA:

> I don't get what's optimized.
>
> Your silver icon is from a set used in angband. I love those sprites

Optimized was probably the wrong word to use. It's optimized compared to other GUI designs I've had I suppose. I wanted things closer together I guess with a larger screen size.

[Robin]

Floating as in on-screen.

[Jaiden]

@Reign:

> Floating as in on-screen.

I was trying to avoid that I suppose. I don't really have the capability to do that properly yet. Plus I don't really like putting stuff on the screen because I feel like it limits the player's view. I plan on using fixed maps, not scrolling maps, so that just becomes inconvenient.

[Robin]

Why? People won't be running around with all the different window open at once. You'll open your inventory to use an item then close it. You'll open your character screen to level a few stats then close it.

At the moment it's very unsightly.

[Jaiden]

@Reign:

> Why? People won't be running around with all the different window open at once. You'll open your inventory to use an item then close it. You'll open your character screen to level a few stats then close it.
>
> At the moment it's very unsightly.

True, the inventory and etc are better off floating. I'll probably try that.
But what about the Chat? Making that floating would be silly because it's always open, then I just have a big open space above it unless I draw it on top of the screen also.

[DFA]

Alpha blending works well for that

[Jaiden]

Strike that, I think I have a better idea.

[Cyprien]

Looks Great… I've already seen it as you know. He's right it's somewhat too big for small screen resolution. Anyone using higher 1024 width would be fine however. I'll be waiting for the finish work.

[Jaiden]

~1000 pixels is as small as I'm going with it. I don't know too many people who have 800x600 as a standard screen resolution. I have a workaround for that, I agree with Robin that everything to the right is rather unsightly, but I want to avoid drawing anything to the screen.

[Cyprien]

I don't think anyone in there right mind would use 800x600 on a computer. If they do they should upgrade to at least 1024.

[Godlord]

@Cyprien:

> I don't think anyone in there right mind would use 800x600 on a computer. If they do they should upgrade to at least 1024.

Netbooks & old GPUs.

Regards,
  Stephan.

[Cyprien]

I know. However I would hope no one would be as crazy to try to even use one of them to play a eclipse game. It can be done but it would be like trying to use a iphone to play an eclipse game (somewhat pointless) [ps. iphone can't be done].

Netbooks however are able to show a good width resolution of 1024\. There height on the other hand goes to 600 which is shorter then a basic computers 1024x768\. The problem is it will look small because of the screen size of the notebook. There are 12inch notebooks which do have a higher screen resolution of 1280 x 800.

Alright… now for the people using a outdated gpu. Well most gpu outdated or not should at least support 1024x768 as long you have a computer before the year 1995 I think your alright. If your not do your self a favor take your computer out back and hit it with a hammer a few times and buy a cheap $400 computer it will be x20 greater then anything 1995 had.

While developers try to help and support the people with as much compatibility as they can there is a point where there nothing they can do.

I hope that helps.

[Drummerpete]

I play Crystalshire on my netbook. (Okay, it has a monitor hooked up, but it still works).

[Robin]

You'd be very surprised how many people will play your game on a shitty netbook. We've got dozens of active members on Crystalshire who use one.

[Jeff]

back on topic….
the GUI has a large unused area in the bottom right.  I'd follow robin's advice and make the windows floating while taking out the right column.  Also, he doesn't mean to make the chat floating, keep the bottom HUD the same just take out the right side and make it into windows.