v0.8.9 (Bugfixes + translations) released to Google Play!

Useful links
Source code of the game - Contribution guide - ATCS Editor - Translate the game on Weblate - Example walkthrough - Andor's Trail Directory - Join the Discord
Get the game (v0.8.9) from Google, F-Droid, our server, or itch.io

Combat log

Unstructured ideas, requests and suggestions for the development of the game.
Post Reply
Soullessktty
Posts: 217
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2019 3:05 am
android_version: 11 - Android 11

Combat log

Post by Soullessktty »

You can see the part I point out with arrow in the picture attached. This messages shows when you are in combat.

Firstly, why does this messages go away immediately once the battle ends? Can it stay a bit longer for, say, 5 seconds?

Secondly, if we can have it stays for few seconds post-combat, why not put the display loot short notif here? The current one with pop up short notif is no so reliable especially if you kill several enemies rapidly.
Screenshot_2021-03-03-22-45-15-08.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Antison
Posts: 5254
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 11:33 pm
android_version: 14 - Android 14
Location: A home without a beagle is just a house

Re: Combat log

Post by Antison »

Click on the treasure chest, the on the crossing swords to see the combat log.
"A home without a beagle is just a house"
QQkp
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2019 4:33 am
android_version: 10 - Android 10

Re: Combat log

Post by QQkp »

Soullessktty wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:55 pmFirstly, why does this messages go away immediately once the battle ends? Can it stay a bit longer for, say, 5 seconds?
Previously, the combat log only displayed hit/miss entries, line by line, in the course of combat. You'd typically only care about those in detail while combat was in progress, so the window is part of the in-combat UI.

In 0.7.13, we added the additional lines for showing XP, gold, item drops, and item consumption. We haven't updated the behavior of the window itself to reflect this usage, but I agree that it's something to revisit.
Soullessktty wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:55 pmSecondly, if we can have it stays for few seconds post-combat, why not put the display loot short notif here? The current one with pop up short notif is no so reliable especially if you kill several enemies rapidly.
Agree. For me, the short notification option almost always obscures my HP, which doesn't feel right. I think it could be repositioned, but I can't think of a way to position it that would work well on all device resolutions/orientations.

I like the idea of offering configuration options for combat log display - something like, "show only during combat" vs "show for 5s after combat" vs "show permanently". It's on my list of things to work on, although somewhat hindered by the fact that I'm absolutely garbage at UI design. :lol:
Einsame Hirte
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:22 pm
android_version: 13 - Android 13

Re: Combat log

Post by Einsame Hirte »

QQkp wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 7:34 pm Agree. For me, the short notification option almost always obscures my HP, which doesn't feel right. I think it could be repositioned, but I can't think of a way to position it that would work well on all device resolutions/orientations.
I was just about to comment on exactly this. It's tough to try to see the HP through the notifications in the middle of a melee. But I didn't notice the gold and specific items are now listed in the combat log (another suggestion I was going to make for the notification), so if the log would say on the screen a little longer like Soullessktty suggests (good idea), I'd just turn turn the notifications off.

Another issue related to the HP bars is that they are so far apart. Constantly looking up and down to keep an eye on both enemy and hero HP during combat is a bit straining, and I often end up fixating on one or the other, especially during boring grinding missions. If I watch the enemies', I might miss a critical hit and not use a potion in time to save myself, and if I watch my HP I lose track of how much damage I'm doing or how many are left. Granted, this might be a situation of needing to pay more attention and/or save more often, but the friction could be reduced with a UI tweak.

Two solutions come to mind: either move the enemy HP down to right above the player's, or put them both on the same line during combat. This should probably work the zero points in the center, Street Fighter style, so the bars shrink toward each other. The second option would be really good for landscape mode, since the two HP bars really use an awful lot of real estate in this mode. May even auto select one or the other depending on the mode.

Of course, this should definitely be optional and may involve a lot of UI work, but I think it would be worth it. I'm just starting to get into android development, and this could be an interesting initial project...
User avatar
rijackson741
Posts: 4451
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:04 am
android_version: 10 - Android 10
Location: Somewhere in Dhayavar
Contact:

Re: Combat log

Post by rijackson741 »

Putting the enemy HP on the same line, with zero in the center, is a nice idea. Also put player and monster AP below that, with the monster sprite to the right. But then what to do with the XP bar, the chest, the End turn and Flee buttons? if something is changed it has to work both in combat and out of combat.

Perhaps the XP bar could just be replaced by the AP bar in combat. AP does not matter outside of combat, and I can't imagine many players want to look at XP in the heat of battle!
Level:71, XP:6493739, PV:608, FQ:84
HP:210, AC:212, AD:58-77, AP:4, ECC:16%, CM:1.5, BC:188, DR:3
Gold: 237559 | RoLS:1, RoL:1, GoW:1, VSH:1, RoFLS:1, WoB:1
HH:1, WA:1, CS:2, Cl:1, IF:4, Ev:3, Re:2, WP:DA:1, WP:1S:1, WP:B:1, AP:L:1, FS:DW:2, S:DW:1
Soullessktty
Posts: 217
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2019 3:05 am
android_version: 11 - Android 11

Re: Combat log

Post by Soullessktty »

rijackson741 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:40 pm Putting the enemy HP on the same line, with zero in the center, is a nice idea. Also put player and monster AP below that, with the monster sprite to the right. But then what to do with the XP bar, the chest, the End turn and Flee buttons? if something is changed it has to work both in combat and out of combat.
Maybe different UI for combat dan non-combat? It's going to be tricky to make it works seamlessly. That reminds me of Final Fantasy's engine in the 90s...
QQkp
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2019 4:33 am
android_version: 10 - Android 10

Re: Combat log

Post by QQkp »

Einsame Hirte wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:22 am Another issue related to the HP bars is that they are so far apart. Constantly looking up and down to keep an eye on both enemy and hero HP during combat is a bit straining, and I often end up fixating on one or the other, especially during boring grinding missions. If I watch the enemies', I might miss a critical hit and not use a potion in time to save myself, and if I watch my HP I lose track of how much damage I'm doing or how many are left. Granted, this might be a situation of needing to pay more attention and/or save more often, but the friction could be reduced with a UI tweak.
Flashbacks to my first attempt to go through the maonit/arulir on a permadeath character...yeah, I agree 100% here. :D
Einsame Hirte wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:22 am Of course, this should definitely be optional and may involve a lot of UI work, but I think it would be worth it. I'm just starting to get into android development, and this could be an interesting initial project...
If you do have a chance to work on this, please feel free to reach out if you run into any trouble setting things up, or just want feedback. I'd be happy to look.
Post Reply