User Interface

Here we will discuss how the User Interface will look for Thrive.

My suggestion is to have a minimal HUD/UI during gameplay that can be expanded if needed, and a moire in depth UI in the editors. This will keep creating things easy and playing the game very simple.

editor GUI
https://2img.net/h/i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af285/sciocont/Evoeditorgui-1.png?t=1278723968
2 years ago on 27 nov 2010 (holy crap) I presented another version
https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/14/12/40/46/thrive10.jpg

The GUI should be able to be modified and expanded by the player.

I like the layout, scio, but the fading into nothing is really disconcerting for me. I need an obvious outline. I'll upload my own ideas later today.

It's just an error- a black GUI on a black bg looks like it's fading into nothing.

Oh alright, upload one with a different background if that's possible. I'd like to see a non-error version.

I'll see if i still have it.

Found it
https://2img.net/h/i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af285/sciocont/Evoeditorgui-1.png?t=1278723968

Do you have the Photoshop document? Did you use Photoshop to create this? I have a few changes i'd like to make.

It's a GIMP .xcf file. And i was a n00b with GIMP at the time, so it's not too great quality.

I might make a revision once i get rid of all of these sig requests.

~sciocont wrote:

It's a GIMP .xcf file. And i was a n00b with GIMP at the time, so it's not too great quality.

I might make a revision once i get rid of all of these sig requests.

You're a very talented computer artist. I love art myself, but can do sh*t on a computer.
Anyways, I'd love to see a revision (I might even request a sig, though, it seems you're quite busy!)

I'm currently working on some UI, and I'm going to use yours as a base if you don't mind, basically add some thing, and move some others. is that OK?
I'll post it here.
But for the Ingame HUD, I need to know which parameters we are using (health, evolution progress, energy, etc), for now with the microbe stage ones is fine.

HellKnightDan wrote:

I'm currently working on some UI, and I'm going to use yours as a base if you don't mind, basically add some thing, and move some others. is that OK?
I'll post it here.
But for the Ingame HUD, I need to know which parameters we are using (health, evolution progress, energy, etc), for now with the microbe stage ones is fine.

We discussed exactly what we'd need somewhere, but i can't remember the exact place. We'll probably need food, oxygen, and fatigue to start out.

~sciocont wrote:

HellKnightDan wrote:

I'm currently working on some UI, and I'm going to use yours as a base if you don't mind, basically add some thing, and move some others. is that OK?
I'll post it here.
But for the Ingame HUD, I need to know which parameters we are using (health, evolution progress, energy, etc), for now with the microbe stage ones is fine.

We discussed exactly what we'd need somewhere, but i can't remember the exact place. We'll probably need food, oxygen, and fatigue to start out.

No health or something like that?. it's something to start working on, tomorrow I'll upload the editor UI

HellKnightDan wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

HellKnightDan wrote:

I'm currently working on some UI, and I'm going to use yours as a base if you don't mind, basically add some thing, and move some others. is that OK?
I'll post it here.
But for the Ingame HUD, I need to know which parameters we are using (health, evolution progress, energy, etc), for now with the microbe stage ones is fine.

We discussed exactly what we'd need somewhere, but i can't remember the exact place. We'll probably need food, oxygen, and fatigue to start out.

No health or something like that?. it's something to start working on, tomorrow I'll upload the editor UI

Health is very abstract. We want you to know exactly what is going wrong. If a system is broken in your cell, there are no health packs. Only time will heal.

~sciocont wrote:

HellKnightDan wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

HellKnightDan wrote:

I'm currently working on some UI, and I'm going to use yours as a base if you don't mind, basically add some thing, and move some others. is that OK?
I'll post it here.
But for the Ingame HUD, I need to know which parameters we are using (health, evolution progress, energy, etc), for now with the microbe stage ones is fine.

We discussed exactly what we'd need somewhere, but i can't remember the exact place. We'll probably need food, oxygen, and fatigue to start out.

No health or something like that?. it's something to start working on, tomorrow I'll upload the editor UI

Health is very abstract. We want you to know exactly what is going wrong. If a system is broken in your cell, there are no health packs. Only time will heal.

Then something like a status panel, which shows damage or anomalies in your systems

We decided we would have a ‘complex damage system’ - a model of your creature (a wireframe, I think) with each body part colour coded to display its health, displaying green for entirely healthy, changing gradually to red for critical damage, and black for dead/destroyed.
However, this is displayed only when the player chooses, in a pop-up window, when clicking a simple damage indicator on the UI. This indicator will take an overall damage of the creature, using the same colour coding as the complex damage window to indicate overall health.

Source, and the discussion I have just summarised the results of: The Complex Damage System thread.

The Uteen wrote:

We decided we would have a ‘complex damage system’ - a model of your creature (a wireframe, I think) with each body part colour coded to display its health, displaying green for entirely healthy, changing gradually to red for critical damage, and black for dead/destroyed.
However, this is displayed only when the player chooses, in a pop-up window, when clicking a simple damage indicator on the UI. This indicator will take an overall damage of the creature, using the same colour coding as the complex damage window to indicate overall health.

Source, and the discussion I have just summarised the results of: The Complex Damage System thread.

Geez, I was about to say that but I thought it sounded strange...cool.

The Uteen wrote:

We decided we would have a ‘complex damage system’ - a model of your creature (a wireframe, I think) with each body part colour coded to display its health, displaying green for entirely healthy, changing gradually to red for critical damage, and black for dead/destroyed.
However, this is displayed only when the player chooses, in a pop-up window, when clicking a simple damage indicator on the UI. This indicator will take an overall damage of the creature, using the same colour coding as the complex damage window to indicate overall health.

Source, and the discussion I have just summarised the results of: The Complex Damage System thread.

why not base damage off skeltal structures like overgrowth


(sorry no idea how to put links)

Here you go Editor GUI V2. It's mainly like yours but there are changes and more detail.
Colors can be easily changed.
My intention is to make the buttons change color when you hover and when you press them.

For some reason I can't manage to upload the picture so go to deviantArt and look for "Thrive editor interface", the one is made by HellKnightDan ok?
I'll upload the link as soon as I can ^^
Link:

Spoiler:

Not bad, but I do have some criticisms.
-the GUI takes up too much of the screen editors need to be very open
-the buttons are very bland. In one of my old editor GUI designs, I used my "shatter" style for the buttons, which the team told me they really loved. I'll try to dig that out...
-we do have an official typeface, if you want to use it. As a general rule, just stay away from serif fonts, we're trying to look a bit sci-fi.
-ah, J-rod. I can't remember if we decided to use him or not, but in the editors, we really don't have a place for him. Either way, J-rod and a help button are meant to do the same thing, but j-rod does it in a more theatrical and inventive way

Edit: I can't find the "shattered" GUI and I have to say my old one in the OP looks terrible. You did a good job.

Thank you ^^
It's dificult to make a smaller GUI, but I'll try.
If you show me the shatter buttons I'll change that.
The reason for the font is that it was a random one, I expected to use a game font, I'll change it.
I'll delete the Help button and replace it with J-Rod, deleting the actual J-ROD.

Basically smaller butons, thinner frame and font change. OK boss ^^

HellKnightDan wrote:

Thank you ^^
It's dificult to make a smaller GUI, but I'll try.
If you show me the shatter buttons I'll change that.
The reason for the font is that it was a random one, I expected to use a game font, I'll change it.
I'll delete the Help button and replace it with J-Rod, deleting the actual J-ROD.

Basically smaller butons, thinner frame and font change. OK boss ^^

I've been working on an editor UI as well, seeing as I don't know where the last one is.

~sciocont wrote:

HellKnightDan wrote:

Thank you ^^
It's dificult to make a smaller GUI, but I'll try.
If you show me the shatter buttons I'll change that.
The reason for the font is that it was a random one, I expected to use a game font, I'll change it.
I'll delete the Help button and replace it with J-Rod, deleting the actual J-ROD.

Basically smaller butons, thinner frame and font change. OK boss ^^

I've been working on an editor UI as well, seeing as I don't know where the last one is.

If you want I can work on the In game UI, and you finish the editor UI

Ok, Editor Interface V2

again, search for Thrive editor interface on deviant art. Onlly my two interfaces should appear.

This time it has the Thrive font and the edges are thinner, as well as other minor changes.

Spoiler:

~sciocont wrote:

I've been working on an editor UI as well, seeing as I don't know where the last one is.

I think this might be it. (3ʳᵈ post down)

HellKnightDan wrote:

Ok, Editor Interface V2

again, search for Thrive editor interface on deviant art. Onlly my two interfaces should appear.

This time it has the Thrive font and the edges are thinner, as well as other minor changes.

Spoiler:

I would like to suggest a few (justified) improvements.

• Personally, I don't like the frame/border. It takes up screen space, and seems to make it look like a simple Flash application. I think the interface would look much better without it.
  
• Imagining it without the border, colour-coded buttons might look quite nice, although that is just the personal preference of the person with the most ridiculously colourful signature.
  
  
• The (T)hrive in the top right seems a bit self-promotional in the editor. A simple (T) logo would do, and take up less space.
  

Other than that, it seems like a good design.

The Uteen wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

I've been working on an editor UI as well, seeing as I don't know where the last one is.

I think this might be it. (3ʳᵈ post down)

HellKnightDan wrote:

Ok, Editor Interface V2

again, search for Thrive editor interface on deviant art. Onlly my two interfaces should appear.

This time it has the Thrive font and the edges are thinner, as well as other minor changes.

Spoiler:

I would like to suggest a few (justified) improvements.

• Personally, I don't like the frame/border. It takes up screen space, and seems to make it look like a simple Flash application. I think the interface would look much better without it.
  
• Imagining it without the border, colour-coded buttons might look quite nice, although that is just the personal preference of the person with the most ridiculously colourful signature.
  
  
• The (T)hrive in the top right seems a bit self-promotional in the editor. A simple (T) logo would do, and take up less space.
  

Other than that, it seems like a good design.

The frame is to avoid leaving blank space among the buttons or just invisible space on the borders, but can try to make it even smaller. Besides leaving the buttons flying al over the screen makes it look much more like a flash app. And ther's enough space for the (T)HRIVE as there is space between the tab buttons and the screen border because of the species name field.
But I can try and make a V3 so that it looks like Sciocont's or like Revolutionary Games' logo.