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Map Data Filtering Method

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:36 pm
by Impaler
I had an idea for Map info filtering methods that can help the player see sumarized information about their planets on the Galaxy map.

Currently we are showing a small fleet Icon next to each star which basicaly says "Their is a Fleet here belonging to the empire of this color". Call this the "Fleet Presence Filter" my idea is to alow the user to instead show a wide variety of similar icons for other querries.

The player can select from a long list of various querries ecah of which has its own set of small icons that can answer the question by showing colors, shapes and numbers. Idealy these querries can be modular and designed with a modest programing knowlage and added to the game without too much hastle. The player can open a "Filer Control" page andselect any number of these querries (just the ones they find usefull ect) as being in the "Filter Loop". The FL is then cycled through by holding down the Right Mouse button and scrolling the mouse wheel. All stars on the Galaxy map will display the Icon for that Filter loop next too the Star. Our current fleet display Icons would be but one of many options. The Filter method remains in effect until the player changes to another one. Most of the Filter icons lead to pages and menus of some sort that will alows the player to fiddle with what ever Icon is giving info about.

The Picture below shows 2 Stars with a Triangles that would corespond to normal unselected stars. The Large star though shows a "Mouse over Halo"

Image

The Mouse over Halo activates when the players mouse is over a star. Several things happen, The star grows in Size and brightness and a Halo Ring of the stars Color apears around the star (it could possibly be an Elipse if that looks cooler). On top of the Halo apear a number of "Sub Loop" Icons which provide additoinal information. Each Entry in the Filter Loop can cause a different set of Sub Loop Icons to be displayed and the combinations can be set from the same Filter Control page. Atleast 8 and possibly 10 sub-loop options can be used (10 alows us to make 1 Icon for each planet in the system which would be very nice). The player can still move through the Loop using the mouse wheel in the same mannor meaning that the player can with only a click and few wheel rotations can access 100+ querry Icons.

When the player actualy selects and opens the system the Sub loop will be displayed for the open system regardless of mouse position. The mouse can then be used to mouse over other system and compare them to the opened system. Closing the system will return the Sub-loop to mouse over dependency. Lastly it might be nice if the player could cause ALL system to show Sub-Loop Halos, this couls be done by holding the Right and Left Mouse Buttons at the same time.

[Edit] Oh yes and for people who dont have/dont like the mouse wheel you could have a pull down menu at the top of the screen that lets them jump to any option in the Loop.

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:33 pm
by MisterMerf
Just to clarify, these Sub-loops are intended for surveying rather than finding specific things, yes?