suggestions to improve the production screen

[The Silent One]

There are a few slight changes that would improve the production screens usability significantly. As always, mockup:



1] To make it easier to tell the research and production screen apart, the panel on the left could be color-coded, e. g. red for production, green for research (=> scout). (Has been suggested before.)
2] PP/turn can be removed (can be seen on the bottom list)
3] "center on project" - if you ask me, this button is useless
4] no need to show place of production, can be seen on the sidepanel
5] new border like on the bottom
6] labels may be helpful
7] description can be seen on the top
8] remove x-axis lever
9] buttons moved to bottom
10] bug: planets are cut of
10b] see 10
11] red area can be released

Well, now that I review this, all in all this is not much of an improvement...
still, the border on the top (5) and 6 and 8 would do the screen some good. Also, 10(b) should be fixed.

[Geoff the Medio]

Most of your suggestions are to remove information because it's available elsewhere. This doesn't necessarily improve usability, as it's often easier and faster to have information duplicated if doing so makes it easier to find that information. If I'm reading the full description of a build project at the top of the screen, I should be able to see how long it will take to build and how much it will cost without looking down to the list and finding the relevant entry. Similarly, if I'm looking at the list, a short description (the same as what would appear in tooltips for a building on the sidepanel) of the building's purpose may eliminate the need to select the building, then look up to the top of the screen to figure out what it does.

Regarding the "At Wherever" location text, I do think this should be moved, along with the number to build selector, and the add to queue button. The latter two should be on the buildable items list, where you select and order things to be built. The top panel should be just description of the buildable item, not anything to do with the specific project on the queue (which the location text and number spinner are). Removing the location text entirely probably isn't good, as it's not immediately obvious what the circled planet means and when it's relevant to the location of something on the queue. Perhaps the queue item itself should have this info on it... or a separate queue item panel could be added for when a queue item is selected, rather than just a buildable item from the list.

[The Silent One]

Okay, here's the next attempt:




Especially, it might be a good idea to make the left panel transparent to give a free view of the space behind it.
I'd also like to increase the likeness of the system and the left panel. Right now, these two look inconsistent. (The same applies to the science screen.)
[Edit: did this and replaced mockup]

BTW, do we have an icon for PPs and RPs?