ID:935615
 
Keywords: design, interface
I've been working on the interface for a reboot of my game, The Elemental Stone, and I was looking to get some comment and criticism outside of the people I know.

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/9858/screenie21.png

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/8954/screenie20.png


EDIT:
New one http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5518/screenie27.png

It still needs to have some decorational (apparently this is not a word, learned something today) stuff around it, but this should be enough to critique.

Ignore the tree. It's a placeholder. Everything else is 100% original.
Too simple?
Aside from the hotbar being a few different colors, I like the color choices and simplicity. I don't like that chat window. Make it a semi-transparent HUD control instead.
I intend to in the future. I just went with the interface control route for now, since it was simpler at the time. I'm not fond of it either. Now, if we could add transparency to it....

As for the hot bar:

-Grayed out boxes are skills on cooldown. hard to tell without the skills having an icon, I know.

-The blue box indicates the current skill you have as your shortcut. Skills that are shortcutted can be cast using the S key, rather than reaching up for the number.
Also, the square patches of dirt are throwing off the perspective in my opinion. They look top-down. Maybe make the uppermost edge look like the grass is going up instead of down?

Same with that concrete slab(?). Maybe give the bottom edge some definition to look like it's raised off the ground.
It was good thinking going for out side opinions. I am enjoying the feedback we are getting.
I think I have to agree, it does seem to simple. I'm not exactly fond of either. I also miss TES so I hope it comes back soon.
The one you already had was fine to me.
It's simple by design. It's designed to be like a cross between Diablo 2 and just about every other MMO out there.

What would you have me improve upon to make it better?
I really don't know how to answer that. Well the hot bar thing looks a little cartoon-y I don't know if that's what you were going for but it turned me off right away. I assume those large circles are for like health and mana? I don't know why people try to do fancy things with that, a regular bar works much the better and is easier in my opinion for most people to read and understand. It also takes up less room and is less distracting in my opinion. I don't so much mind the chat interface. As far as everything else goes, I don't really know, just over all it seems to simplistic.

I will also say, I am not as fond of the new icons you are using, which might also be what is making the game/interface seem a little more cartoon-y. One of the reasons I liked TES in the first place was because it used RPG Maker tiles very well and looked rather professional. I kind of hope these are just place holders. Lol.
Part of the cartoon-y feel comes from the fact that the artist has been doing a Mario fan game for the past 4 years. I do partially agree with you that the style is much brighter and..happier, I suppose? I am getting him to ween off those types of features. I like the style he has very much, and these particular screenshots don't really do it justice.


I think this boss design is a better representation.

Everything you see is a WIP graphically, so do keep that in mind. The C&C I was looking for was more about the interface design and layout, and less about the graphics for this very reason.
@Pyro so are you still working on Tales of Tournament??(off-topic)
Monsters are nice the interface fits style the box could use some work
In response to ImmeasurableHate
ImmeasurableHate wrote:
(off-topic)
If it's off-topic, it's best to message him about it. No need to try derailing the topic.

Now to keep my post on-topic: I really like the look of that boss. Who is this artist? I somehow doubt it's someone on BYOND.
In response to Albro1
Albro1 wrote:
ImmeasurableHate wrote:
(off-topic)
If it's off-topic, it's best to message him about it. No need to try derailing the topic.

Now to keep my post on-topic: I really like the look of that boss. Who is this artist? I somehow doubt it's someone on BYOND.

Its not going to derail it he will simply make a reply with yes or no and thats it. You replying to me when you have nothing to do with it is derailing it and making me reply back. So who to really blame? You.


Derailed *facePalm*
In response to Albro1
ImmeasurableHate wrote:
@Pyro so are you still working on Tales of Tournament??(off-topic)

It's put on hold for the time being. This will have a hgher rate of success and possibly get some profit. Who knows at this point.

Now to keep my post on-topic: I really like the look of that boss. Who is this artist? I somehow doubt it's someone on BYOND.

No, he's not from BYOND. He has an account naturally, since he's working with me. I know him personally since I went to college with him.
Well that guy is pretty epic at what he does tell him to keep it up. And I think the interface is fine I like the simple look. Idk why everyone on Byond thinks everything needs to be complected.
It's not bad, but I think you can do a lot better with a few changes. For example, the bar seems too detached, maybe use a gold outline for it and change the size up a little so it feels like its a part of the whole hot bar thing.

Then, more importantly, make something to attach the globes to something; I don't mind them being used but they look weird just sitting there with nothing holding them up in place.

The chat, once its transparent, should be nice long as it fits into the bottom left corner rather than appears kind of high like in the preview. Honestly, I don't care about complexity, it just needs to all feel like it belongs together and makes sense.
Rather than create a new topic about the same thing, I'll just bring this one back.

So, here's where we are now. I think it came out much better.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5518/screenie27.png

Special thanks to Jemai1 for his chatbox library. Came in handy.
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