Marine UI Ideas

xVisions

<div class="IPBDescription">Please constructive posts only.</div>I played a few games this morning and i just had a bunch of ideas so i decided to mock them up. I want this thread to be constructive and have plenty of great ideas flying around. If you post and say, "I dislike this part of the UI design, or it is just a bad idea." please express your concerns about it, ideas to improve upon it, or suggest a new layout idea. I'd be more than happy to send you the the work i did on these so that you can edit or change anything i did.

All Status" would be a bound key such as alt** not a interface button. While holding the key the names, health, upgrade progress would display*

feel free to contact me on steam user name: x[visions].
I'd love to discuss the game with you.


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xVisions

Did a second version of the squad UI concept.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/5ACPL.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Runteh

<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=111133&st=20&p=1799828&#entry1799828" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/in...p;#entry1799828</a>

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->When commander starts the right hand side of the screen has 4 (or so) of the top players on the team. It displays health/ammo/location/player alias and icon.

<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_O5wLta7OteY/TJ5PQcVFu2I/AAAAAAAAAGc/vLx8jhhkis0/s912/10.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

This is something I would call a 'ping' bar. So when somebody communicates (text or mic) their alias pops to the top of list, indicating how they are communicating. New communications would stack underneath, and eventually push others off the top. This means that anyone you need to click on does not move just as you are about to click on them.

<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_O5wLta7OteY/TJ5PQexzBhI/AAAAAAAAAGg/WQdaitjNZq4/s912/11.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Clicking on the player opens up health/ammo options at bottom right. This allows you to heal/arm the player when in screen view.

I know this takes away the more 'active' involvement of dropping for players (if you do or not still?) but this allows the commander to concentrate on strategy. Such as when to supply in a battle, rather than trying to chase an active player around with the cursor and dropping behind them before they die.

Double clicking would take you to the players location, so in imminent death you can aid someone. That or the player in trouble can 'ping' (tap push to talk so it gives an audible 'pinging' down your speakers) so that they pop to the top of the list. This would inform the commander that there is danger in that area if they die before he can save them.

<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_O5wLta7OteY/TJ5YfPaT7cI/AAAAAAAAAGw/DMpeKwvt3BU/s912/12.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Griefing could be solved by the use of mute.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I also support the idea of a 'ping' bar on the right.. it would so much improve dealing with players.

Also your improved 'way point' is great. An issue I have about 'floating' way points, is that even when you are near them, they seem a long way off... they would be much better placed on the ground....

Maybe even a circular decal on the ground, with a little beam of light rising up from it with an indication of what you should be doing in that area. I'll post an image in a mo.

xVisions

I didn't see that post :P. They sort of have notifications right now for buildings being attacked and player radio communication. I elaborated more of what they currently have implemented and i think i did a pretty good job coming up with solutions and responsiveness of the UI.

I didn't really think about mic communication. I would probably place it on the left side either next to mini map or far left.

Display the Squad,name,Mic symbol. I really like the idea of the mic graphic fading out so there's time to see who called for something.

1. He says commander need ammo here through mic. I can see his name and identify his squad easily. I can click his name to select him and press the Ammo button on my UI and it will drop on him. I could see where people could say oh that's really way too easy to supply players with items but effective solution.

I don't know if they want the commander to physically have to place the drops on the map though, i would like them to comment on that.

Runteh

My feelings are that the commander is becoming watered down by trying to do too much, rather than some things more than others.

The issues with NS1 commanding have been addressed in NS2 by saying "let's add more to the current system", rather than rethinking the whole experience and starting from the question 'what is the role of the commander?'

What I mean by this is that instead of looking at the issues that prevent learning as you play (from the point you enter the game as a new player) they have said:

"We have an old system, lets add in multiple commanders, this, that and the other", as a way of patching over the issue. (Not that multiple commanders is a bad idea)

However this brings more to the plate. Currently you are expected to:

<b>Build
Repair
Strategise
Supply Players
Communicate/Direct Players</b>

Now the percentage of time you spend doing these things is dictated by learning experience, also NS2's hierarchy tree is more complicated (lots of people get stuck when it comes to knowing how to get the later upgrades) and power nodes/build bots mean you are spending more time being alienated from the players.

For me (someone who knows the system) I spend (percentage of time):
<b>
Build: 60%
Repair: 10%
Strategy: 20% (This includes deciding where to place structures, etc)
Supplying Players: 8%
Communicating with players: 2% </b>

If you ask me (not sure what other opinions are) the role should be more defined, and I would rather be up at the front line directing players, talking with players and creating a 'really' good relationship with them when it comes to strategy.

<b>Build 40%
Repair 10%
Strategy 20%
Supplying Players + Communicating with Players 30%</b>

This could be taken further, so even advising on (by some method) what aliens are in the immediate area, letting them know that you will drop catalysts when they go into the next room, telling them to defend the node when the Build bot is repairing.

Currently you have no clue to the commander's intentions, and it is not helping unification of two genres. The player commands (do this, do that) will never be used effectively, and there is no reward for players (you need short term gratification otherwise people will not do things) who carry out said commands.

I want to be 'emotionally' attached to my players, I want my screen to 'feel' when a player is killed who is in view.

Remember this part in 'Aliens':

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kmTNObny3k" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kmTNObny3k</a>

(By the way I know it is a movie, and things would never be like that... but perhaps something closer to that)

Personally I think the commander role should be moved away from a very 'STRONG' RTS element, because it is something altogether different and should be more active and noticeable to players. Micro-managing is great, but I think there is too much going on and it does not help the comm/player relationship.

I am all for making the build process a lot easier, because it is taking away from other areas that could be very cool.

EDIT:

People spend more time looking at the floor, it is also more noticeable.

<img src="http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8364/floorwaypoint.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Mr.InTeLeX

I also suggest these tooltip to look like brain interface of some sort (like in renegade and dystopia).

Jiriki

Waypoints were used mainly only on public. I wouldn't put too much focus on them. And the minimap would be more functional as two/three-color version as in NS1.

The GUI is fine although I hope there'll be buttons for medpack etc. requests. Also I'd prefer there'd less other clutter (smaller sized view), and more transparency. Only minimap and the right-area buttons would be needed.

Here's a picture of how it is in nL pack which has been used by competitive commanders for long:

<img src="http://www.ninelegends.com/files/Custom/Natural%20Selection/Packs/Screenshots/nlnsp/3.%20Commander.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

But as long as it is customizable, I don't see this as an issue.

Runteh

Public is where it all starts, it is where it all begins... The elite guys can take care of themselves, and making interface 'harder' does not make it more '1337'.

Interface should be made more understandable. If you want to be good at a game, you just need to play consistently 1-2 hours a day with a 'team'.

Team play, which is why comm and players should be more intertwined. Communication is king, and should be paramount to the outcome of games.

xVisions

Yeah i agree totally with your analysis of overdoing the RTS aspect of the game. I feel like the commander is playing a separate game from the marines currently.

The marines are assisting the commander and I think it should be the other way around where the Commander Assists the marines.

+Things that take away from Commander/Player interaction:

-MACS building structures
-MACS repairing structures
-Commander Setting all way points and objectives, having to micro marines and squads.

+Things That could make the interaction better.
-Commander assists squads instead of individual marines more.
-Squad commanders are taking care of the squad by communicating with the commander with what they need and what they are trying to accomplish.
-Marines having to build/repair structures that MAC's drop. (Missing that whole feel where the marines have to work together to accomplish things such as building resource towers and setting up bases and defending positions while building.

Runteh

I agree on some points, but you are right. The fact that marines do not build any more completely takes away their goals as players.. things have become more separated to strengthen publics, but I think it has really weakened the game in other areas. (Is dividing comm/player really a good thing?)

However, to strengthen some of the areas that have been lost (comm/player interaction and communication) you need to introduce easier ways for them to be located, supplied, managed and REWARD them for carrying out these actions (somehow). But also make build hierarchy/building in general easier because it is taking up too much time.

People only see short term benefits, not long term.

This thread is another good comm UI debate, not sure if this works but:

@SgtBarlow
@Max
@Flayra

JimBob_UK

I agree. I made a point before about maybe marines repairing structures instead of building them and leaving that to the MAC's. Marine should be able to buy a welder. Then if a marine is sent by the commander to defend a place on the map that's under attack it can repair it after all the aliens have been killed. Or respond by himself by alerts.

Tacota

<!--quoteo(post=1810113:date=Nov 24 2010, 09:36 PM:name=JimBob_UK)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JimBob_UK @ Nov 24 2010, 09:36 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810113"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I agree. I made a point before about maybe marines repairing structures instead of building them and leaving that to the MAC's. Marine should be able to buy a welder. Then if a marine is sent by the commander to defend a place on the map that's under attack it can repair it after all the aliens have been killed. Or respond by himself by alerts.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The opposite could be cool in my opinion. marines build, macs repair.

Solitario

I like this ALL-STATUS Button! Make it [ALT] As Default! It's similar to RTS Games like SC2: where you can enable Health Bars of your Units/buildings

xVisions

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/o1ZXb.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

uffo

Haha, just thought myself today new comm UI features and made a photoshop picture and almost made a new thread, but what you know there already was one with similar kind of squad view idea.

When being a comm I'd love the possibility of seeing every marine player as an icon which would show his/hers health and if the player has requested any ammo or medpacks.
And when clicked on the icon the comm camera would be moved to the player's location.

Here's my shot. Not as stylish though.
<img src="http://ameba.lpt.fi/~kallleo/roskat/comm_view.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />