interface design ideas.

[zenos]

Primary suggestions
Minimal d-pad invisible background small arrows in center and white circle outline.
Minimal quick slot buttons small as possible inviz background and have the count overtype image.
These mess with my ability to see the screen fully. :-/

Secondary
Music and sound
Have ability to move health bar and options to top.
Also the ability to display health as hearts would be awesome.
Have enemy health a bar under the icon.
Have outline color of icon show danger level: very easy-blue to red-very hard.
Have icon change w move direction.
Have animated attack sequences.
Have icon change with what is worn.

Also some classic pop game references spareling seeded in the game would be cool.

[ctnbeh13]

Welcome to the forum!

I definitely agree that a redesign of the D-pad is in order, and look forward to offering up some designs in the future. However, it might actually be more interesting if we just posted the required specifications for the icon, and allow forum members to submit their creations to get public feedback on.

A current development build implements a new movement style, and additionally allows for full 8 direction movement as opposed to the current 4. Some decisions need to be made as to whether the new movement style is going forward or not, which in turn affects the potential design of new D-pad style options.

Many of the other ideas have been covered in part elsewhere on the forum, such as music and sound. A few of the not previously suggested ideas are more likely a possibility later down the road, as one single change can make way for the introduction of new styles, designs, and content.

Hopefully we'll see more follow up to your post that reflects the topics you've mentioned. This always helps chart the course of development.

[roebert]

One idea for the inventory - how about a different tabs for weapons/armor/potions/jewelery/other ...

[ctnbeh13]

One idea for the inventory - how about a different tabs for weapons/armor/potions/jewelery/other ...

I would like to believe that this may be a likely refinement, in time. The closest to this so far has been to allow the player to reorganize the list of items displayed in total inventory, which was a popular feature request from the players.

In a sense, I guess you could look at it as the root structure of this tree needs to develop further before refinement might take place. For example, a dagger is under the category of "Dagger", which primarily would be used as a weapon, but can also be used defensively, to block, but in this case is not as beneficial for such a purpose as an actual shield might be. So, on a related note, the argument for such items as a dagger could be made to add the attribute of a defensive block value. Then, if that became effective, it would also seem likely that the player could find a dagger that was either cursed or so dull, that it would be more effective defensively than offensively. Deciding as to how things qualify for categorization could be a point to consider, but I tend to view taking it that far to be excessive.

While new game content is added that can be categorized to be carried in the player's inventory, I believe consideration should be given to developing the categories that could be tabbed for organizational purposes. I feel that his would take a little discussion and agreement to best implement, and avoid the possibility of having to review and recatagorize regularly. Some items may never be anything beyond "Miscellaneous", or "Other" since there are items that you could collect that would be unknown to the player, especially if it was specifically in-game as a quest related item.

I would like to believe that it's just a matter of finding the balance that most will find satisfactory without getting into a great depth of detail, and having no tabs at all.

Thanks for making the time to share your feedback. As the game development progresses there should be more of a real need to expand upon such design elements.

[roebert]

thanks for yout thoughts about my idea. you are totally right about the considerations which should be given to developing the categories - every item from v0.7 and any other future item should find a right place in a properly tab without having to edit the categories all over.
But a dagger is a weapon! It's not armor when is has some BC or DR. It's not a magic staff when it has some magic effects towards the enemy. And it's not a potion when it has regeneration ... ok this was a little exaggeration, but i think you know what i mean.
I took a look on some rpgs and how they managed their inventory, and what i saw very often was at least Weapons|Armor|Potions ... and now the ugly part: finding the right categories for the items remaining ... there is food, rings, amulets, quest items, animal parts, gems and so on ...

ok, this is not a simple task

[Zukero]

Actually, cornering the categories shouldn't be that hard.
I'd say: weapons, armo(u)rs, jewelry, consumable (food & potions), and miscellaneous.
From a game code perspective, it's rather easy:
- You can equip it in main hand ? It's a weapon.
- You can equip it on finger or neck ? It's jewelry.
- You can equip it somewhere else ? It's armour.
- You can "use" it ? It's consumable.
- Otherwise, it's in miscellaneous.

The hard part is designing and implementing a fine UI. I have a few ideas for it, but maybe something is in the works somewhere already.