The Silent One wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 7:23 pm
Some more work on the theme UI with focus on better use of vertical and horizontal space. Removed arrows between tiers with exception of the arrow between the last unlocked tier and the one currenly being unlocked.
Looks good
The Silent One wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 7:23 pm
Filter buttons on opened theme bars for locked, researchable and researched techs. Mech tier demonstrates use of "only researched techs" filter button.
The icons feel a bit like they are no buttons/hard to click. If we do not have condensed horizontal view, I think we only need three states instead of six (in this design this means two filter buttons instead of three). Locked techs tiers do not take up extra space, so they can always be shown.
The Silent One wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 7:23 pm
Ophiuchus wrote:Still I would like to have a very condensed view level showing all tiers (we could use abbreviated tech names if that helps).
We probably could have a button that scales tech width so that all tiers can be shown next to each other. The tech width in my concepts (naturally) isn't meant to be final, it could be reduced so that more tiers fit.
I was thinking along those lines. Not sure if one can still read the techs though / how that would look like if all six tiers are shown.
The Silent One wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 7:23 pm
Ophiuchus wrote:What I was thinking about was linear dependent technologies/atomic "themes"
I see what you mean (now). I had imagined side-themes as actual, albeit smaller themes, that would be shown next to the other categories once their requirement had been met (in my concept pic that might be the "void" category). That way side-themes would not require a complete different UI component. The themes should be drag-droppable, enabling the player to arrange themes as he wants (likely placing the one he uses most at the top).
I was (maybe prematurely?) trying to save vertical space. The theme header rows take up the space of one and a half tech row currently. So if you had a side-theme with two options per tier you would almost double the space requirement. And I was also thinking of side-themes with only one option per tier.
For answering "What is the big tech picture" there has to be an option to show also the locked side-themes.
I like the drag'n'drop idea for (side-)themes.
I still think it might make sense for reducing side-theme UI complexity. Imagine we have twenty side-themes - we will probably be forced to do this. But this depends a lot on contents, so I am ok with taking the standard theme UI for sidethemes as starting point until much later. I sketch what i imagine it could develop into:
- Side-theme header row gets merged with theme content. They are easily recognisable because each side-theme has a prerequisite icon
- Themes are not drag'n'droppable - their order is fixed and functions as basic structure to drop in side-themes inbetween (via drag'n'drop).
- Side-themes maybe do not have individual view filters but global buttons
- No tier-unlock techs for side-themes
- Maybe no specific min-count prerequisites for tier-unlock of side themes. Make it the same for all side themes. Could be one/all/two-thirds...
Also i would model refinements rather as side-themes or the roman number upgrades. At least until we know we need something different, I'd say lets get rid of the refinement-specific UI.
Any code or patches in anything posted here is released under the CC and GPL licences in use for the FO project.
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