Andor's Trail

Hey all!

My apologies if this was already discussed somewhere else, but I couldn't find anything some hours ago when I started creating this post (and before getting distracted with Stephen Fry videos).

I like the game so far, but I want to make some suggestions regarding the user interface, since I have the idea some improvements can be made:

Firstly: rather than moving the combat-controls to the top of the screen I'd position them in the same area as the movement controls, so you keep your thumbs/fingers in the same area and don't have to cross the screen (thus obscuring the view). The reason I'm putting both controls on top of each other is that movement is blocked once you're in combat (as far as I've experienced).

Secondly: getting rid of the meters, they take a lot of space which can be used for other things. We can safely assume anyone with an android can figure out the various functions of numbers, so both a meter and a <current>/<full>-number display is just doubling the same information. If the purpose of the meter is to give a sense of urgency if the amount of health is getting low one could change the colour of the current HP (for example: white -> red (at a certain percentage) -> dark red -> black, although I'm not sure if that affects colour-blind people).

Thirdly: Just a minor thing, but the little flare/glow on the character once it's able to level up didn't cought my attention, hence I tried it with an arrow next to the character in it's info box.

Fourthly (is that even a word?): Track quests in the info-bar at the top

I made a mock-up with the above suggestions to visualise what I meant.





A = attack
Q = inventory quickslots (shown activated)
F = Flee
I = Inventory/quests/character (could also be doubled with the player character sprite/level up arrow in the lower right corner).
E = End turn

A portrait version:

(The quickslot bar might as well pop out to the top instead of to the right.)


As I wrote: this is just a mock-up, things I'd change if people want one or more advanced mock-ups are:

• Replace the arrows and letters with pixelated versions and icons (saves translating)
• Remove the hero-sprite from the PC info box, maybe move it's details up.
• Fiddle a bit more with the info bar at the top, maybe integrate information of the PC box with it (in top left, with enemies at top right, like in beat 'm up/fighting games)

Unfortunately I don't have much programming experience, so I can't create a working example, hence I do it this way. (I might be able to contribute with pixelart and graphic design in general.)

Looking forward to your remarks and suggestions!


Edit: Gah... somehow I posted it in the Dev-forum instead of suggestions/ideas. My apologies! If a mod could move it I'd appreciate it.

Welcom to the forum !

Right timing for this kinda suggestion, Because as far as I know the whole combat system will be changed in future. Some opinions:
-I hope that move buttons still works as and attack button. I like to move fast and i dont like the idea when I need to press some another button just for attack..
-Attack button should be big one (or just let it out) and any other small ones and further from arrow. There are too high risk to press wrong button here.
-How this works when player have millions or ewer thens of million exp...
-How those track question infi works if you have currently then quest in actice ?

Nice to have you here.

Happy hunting

I much prefer the interface as it is now. I do not use the directional arrows and do not want them on-screen at all times, especially intermingled with the other controls as you have them. I would hit what I was aiming for less than half the time on your interface. Having the "end turn" button, the least used of all, in the center and largest space pretty much guarantees that it be hit accidentally very often. Why do you want the quest numbers cluttering up the interface page at all? It is not relevant to the playing actions of the game. I think that the current meters are much easier to see at a glance than your numbers off in a corner, where there is definitely not room for 6-digit (or more) numbers. And why use such ornate, unreadable, large letters for all your hp and xp labels? I think that the yellow glow behind the character icon is more noticable than the arrow, though the arrow may be more understandable.
In short, for me your proposed changes are both unnecessary and unworkable.

Welcome to the forums, LAB!

Wow,you really went all out on that post! Great job with the examples.

The biggest problem I see is for those that do not use the directional interface. Many of us do not, take Lady Black and myself as an example. For us, the UI is just fine as is, and the quickslots would really be in a bad spot for us where you have them, as one example. I do like the up arrow for helping to indicate level up.

If/when we get more buttons on the screen for more combat abilities, I would prefer the buttons on the bottom over the player health and experience. I don't really like where attack, end turn, and flee are now, but since the battles are turn-based it's not really a big deal. I would really like to see the top buttons switched with the bottom, except for the quickslots.