Game Play Area

[Jibbit]

I have an issue that i feel needs to be brought up before the new GUI goes in, rather than let it be a massive complaint after al the work is done.

Are we sure about the new style with everything at the bottom ?

Don't get me wrong, i really like the new GUI's coming out (mostly cause they took me ages.) But the play area is the issue.

In SF we like a nice 360 veiw, helps to see all around you, cause enemies come from every angle !

At the moment 1024 x 768's play area is 685 x 553. The new style play area is 1024 x 515.
                        1280 x 800's play area is 932 x 685. And the new one                1280 x 547

I'm worried that even though we have a massive gain to X, the loss to Y is going to be too much to bear for most serious players.



EDIT added image.

Discussion......Comments......Suggestions for new layouts (bearing in mind both chat and map have to be 200 x 200 to be viable)

[NiteHawk]

I kind of agree. The loss might be too much. I'm pretty much worried about this too... However, alot of game style it like the current one your working on is. More people have less issue with height vs width because of how our eyes are.

In general I'm not sure, I too still might be worried of the loss. But it's not a huge loss for the gain we curerntly are getting.

Perhaps something like the image attached below would be a solution to cut down on some bottom information if we agree that it is too small height wise.

[Jibbit]

Am i right in thinking that as the game stands the play area must be defined as a square.....edit......or rectangle ?
And does it have to be anchored to any edges of the screen ?

[NiteHawk]

Am i right in thinking that as the game stands the play area must be defined as a square ?
And does it have to be anchored to any edges of the screen ?

More or less it is a square currently, but you can shape the non playable area like how you did the non dregin, it generally work fine. But again all the interfaces should have the same area for the buttons/warning signal, writing display, radar, chat, etc.

It doesn't have to be anchored but I think anchoring looks alot better then floating. Also if its floating, you wouldn't currently be able to move it around, not at the current state anyways.

You can always curve the interface , I generally can shape up the writing line to start a tab or two (or a couple spaces) and other things... But for the anchor I'd generally stick with that.

[CloakedKiller]

What about making the GUI a tad bit transparent?

[Jibbit]

ok. i guess i should have asked this ages ago. If you look at the top edge of the terran or dregin gui's how would you set the edge of the play area ? And how would the play area interact with the non-straight edges ?

[NiteHawk]

In general they wouldnt really interact with the non playable area because its more or less just 'looks' for a interface since all the text etc is in the same area. The interface main play area would span behind the interface, thus we need to figure out whats the most visible though you cannot click anything thats 'over' the interface.

[Staker]

How bout stop working too hard... and think for a moment... Don't hurt your head...

Fact: Playing screen is the whole entire square... Take out gui... and the ship is centered right down the middle.

Fix: Resize map. Center to the MAP = Center to the background viewable. That should fix anyone coming from behind. Cause if they see you from south and you can't see anything... its cause it has been a flawed design. Now... If they can see each other w/o cloak then yea go for the Fix. XD

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Well, we have a minimap to balance things out when it comes to searching.  And that's square.  Overall, I doubt people would complain very much except for those who played the old version and that's what...  twenty of us tops if you include a couple Mars or whoever's got on hold?

I think we're okay.

[Jibbit]

ok if i have this right ... the fact that the top edge of the gui isn't flat dont matter, the playable line will be below the top of the gui, any ships behind it wont display on top of the gui. Basically the gui has a higher z value than the ships.
ok. so no need to change anything then !
Then the only thing to sort out now is that the centre point (where the ship is, and planets when orbiting.) can be moved to a higher point where as now it's at 512, 384. for 1024. We now need it at 512, 260.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Which is the coding area, and Nite's got a handle on it.

[Staker]

Well there you go.. problem fixed... XD

[NiteHawk]

Yeah im sure theres some positioning coding involving orbiting.

[Staker]

Instead of orbiting why not park next to the planet and see some sparks fly cause of the colonist fighting with the ship crew XD

[NiteHawk]

Instead of orbiting why not park next to the planet and see some sparks fly cause of the colonist fighting with the ship crew XD

I'm going to invent the first weapon that allows me to punch people over the internet.

Then im coming for you.