SO, I won't repost my entire UI suggestion for the 'Main Game' pages UI, but I'll throw the link here as its in another thread.
https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,406733.0.htmlInstead I'm moving onto some thoughts on how to streamline the 'in game' kneeboard UI.
I understand the concept that we're running with at the moment. There are options that change, options that slide new options in, and ones that just fill the information window above the function selection area. But first let me define the areas of the kneeboard that I'll be talking about. Because without a set definition of terms that are at least vaguely agreeable it will increase confusion overall.
These are very rough definitions, but thankfully the areas are clearly defined. I will only be interacting with the 'Function Select Window' in this thought experiment, but we'll call it FSW for short!
It's pretty clear that first off I have deeply defined limitations that both sides of the FSW, 8 lines per side. That's a hard limit, but from just some preliminary resorting it's actually NEARLY PERFECT.
The system that will follow uses a Primary -> Secondary -> Tertiary flow. Options that have downstream functions will include a -> at the end of their names. A downstream function is anything that changes the variables in the FSW. Not in the Information Window. We already have this function on many of the UI items.
Primary Options - When you load into any Arena these are the only 9 options your met with, every other option is 'downstream' from them. They would fill the left side of the FSW by default. The requirement for the 9th FSW Option on the primary (Exit Arena) would demand that it be placed in the right hand side of the FSW selection, meaning that on the downstream functions it would be overridden. This does create the problem of needing to move back to Primary to 'exit the arena' but I think we live in an era that most people who want to close software quickly enough know that alt+f4 is your best friend.
1. Tower
2. Hanger
3. Radio
4. Task Groups
5. O'Club ->
6. Missions ->
7. Options ->
8. Arena Setup ->
9. Exit Arena
Secondary Options - Secondary Options fill the right hand side of the FSW, again, never more than 8 at a time. Only the O'Club, Missions, Option, and Arena Setup Primary FSWs as this is currently written have any functionality to populate this side of the kneeboards FSW area. So, we'll Keep going downstream from the Primary Numbers. Many of these Secondary Options will have tertiary options, which I will describe in more detail once we get to that section. The secondaries that have passthru to tertiary will also include -> in the end of their names.
5. O'Club ->
->Squads
->Change Country
->Change Game ID
->Achievements
->Match Play
->Roster
->Arena Message
->Arena Setup
6. Missions ->
->Staged Missions ->
->Pickup Missions ->
7. Options ->
->Graphics Detail
->Controls ->
->Preferences ->
->Arena Setup ->
8. Arena Setup ->
->Environment ->
->CM Tools ->
->Objects ->
->Fields
->Offline Drones
Tertiary Options - This is the most complex of the workflows functions, as what happens when you downstream from a secondary to tertiary function changes the layout of the FSW. On Paper it 'slides' the secondary function over, placing it in the Primary FSW (left hand side) of the kneeboards options. Then populates the Tertiary functions on the right hand side of the FSW. All of these options end with the Back function that already exists, allowing a workflow that reads left to right, with further right being deeper into complexity and depth.
For the sake of visual simplicity I will just focus on the Secondary and Tertiary functions in this section.
6. Mission
Pickup Missions ->
->New Mission
->Load Mission
->Back
Staged Missions ->
->Select Missions
->Populate Missions
->Start Missions
->Kill Missions
->Back
7. Options
Controls ->
->Calibrate Joystick
->Map Keys
->Map Controllers
->Force Feedback
->Back
8. Arena Setup
Enviornment ->
->Arena Settings
->Change Terrain
->Adjust Time
->Wind
->Country Reset
->Task Group Jump
->Back
CM Tools ->
->Shutdown Arena
->Match Play
->Arena Tables
->Weapons
->Scripts
->MOTD
->Back
Objects ->
->Object Settings
->Destroy Objects
->Shape Settings
->Back
Conceptually this removes zero functionality of the current UI, absolutely no options are removed or lost. Only rearranged. No new UI functions need be created either, this is reusing only existing capability.
This is the full top level chart.
Primary Secondary Tertiary
Tower
Hanger
Radio
Task Groups
O'Club
->Squads
->Change Country
->Change Game ID
->Achievements
->Match Play
->Roster
->Arena Message
->Arena Setup
Missons
->Pickup Missions
->New Mission
->Load Mission
->Back
->Staged Missions
->Select Missions
->Populate Mission
->Start Mission
->Kill Missions
->Back
Options
->Graphic Detail
->Controls
->Calibrate Joystick
->Map Keys
->Map Controllers
->Force Feedback
->Back
->Preferences
->Flight
->Voice
->View Options
->Game Sounds
->Gunsights
->GUI
->VR
->Back
Arena Setup
->Environment
->Arena Settings
->Change Terrain
->Adjust Time
->Wind
->Country Reset
->Task Group Jump
->Back
->CM Tools
->Shutdown Arena
->Match Play
->Arena Tables
->Weapons
->Scripts
->MOTD
->Back
->Objects
->Object Settings
->Destroy Objects
->Shape Settings
->Back
->Fields
->Offline Drones
Exit Arena
>
