MultiPlayer UI redesign feedback

Dont like the stretched out look... The AI computer icons and side flag icons look very distorted in the MP setup screen.

+1 for the simpler look. I like.

Love the new Design.

A lot more useful too.

_neo_

I like the changes.

One issue that still bothers me that needs fixing with regard to the server browser is that when running with a 16:10 (1680x1050) aspect ratio the mouse pointer becomes out of sync with where the actual "click" is the further you move down the server list.

EG:

So, I go to click the 10th server down the list with the mouse pointer, but it actually selects the 9th server in the list.

If my explanation is too confusing I'll post a screen shot.

If you'll make sides buttons as a tabs (above the slots list) (like many people suggested) then slots column will be very wide.

Then you could make 1-line slot, something like:

group1
        1. SoldierClass1, group leader   |   playerNick/AI   |   AIButton
        2. SoldierClass2                 |   playerNick/AI   |   AIButton
group2
        1. SoldierClass3, group leader   |   playerNick/AI   |   AIButton
        2. SoldierClass4                 |   playerNick/AI   |   AIButton
        3. SoldierClass5                 |   playerNick/AI   |   AIButton

AI-enabled icons (if you want to keep them, then you should colorize them more OA, which is not green) could be replaced with something simpler and looking more consistent to the rest of UI, I mean rectangle button / check box with "AI"/"no AI" label

If you'll do replace side-buttons with tabs, then please make it very clear which tab is currently open (f.e. using blueish background for blufor etc) - because it was problem in arma1 (and as I remember in early version of arma2).

well you can either have functionality or eye candy :)

i prefer first the usability ... and if possible then the eye candy :)

I don't need eye candy... I much prefer functionality.

I would also like a favorites tab.

But I like the changes so far. It's been quite awhile since I started up OA and I was very pleased with the new look although I haven't really played with it enough to comment thoroughly yet.

I would also like a favorites tab.

One thing I would add now I have had a good look (most people have asked for most things) ... the picture and sub text when you looking at campaign main menu or scenario, it would be nice to have the sub text aligned to the image / centred rather than wrapped, it looks a little "HTML without any breaks".

Very minor point though.

I would also like a favorites tab.

+1 here for that too.

I didn't read the whole thread, so if this has been posted already, then consider this my endorsement...

...but there REALLY needs to be some sort of indication of how many players are connected to the dedicated server when at the create game screen. I run a weekly MP event and I choose missions based on how many players are present. I currently go by the amount of players connected to our Teamspeak, but some drop out or are idle so it only provides an approximation.

A simple number somewhere on the screen indicating how many players are actually on the server would be a godsend.

I didn't read the whole thread, so if this has been posted already, then consider this my endorsement...

...but there REALLY needs to be some sort of indication of how many players are connected to the dedicated server when at the create game screen. I run a weekly MP event and I choose missions based on how many players are present. I currently go by the amount of players connected to our Teamspeak, but some drop out or are idle so it only provides an approximation.

A simple number somewhere on the screen indicating how many players are actually on the server would be a godsend.

This!

Great redesign

I think the current layout is not very logical and does not follow a user input process.

My idea for initial changes, the layout to a more logical ordering.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/5558/arma2bis.jpg

The process for creating a new ARMA 2 game is as follows:

1. User selects the MAP on which he wants to play

2. Users eyes natually will move right to select a MISSION from the list

Note - Currently a users eyes have to move LEFT after selecting a mission which does not follow any convention in the western world for reading practices, we're all used to LEFT TO RIGHT design.

3. After user has selected a mission he can see the TYPE / SLOTS and a description on the right hand side of the mission select screen

That is as far as I have got for now, will think more about it tomorrow, excuse the rushed photoshopping! Have a few ideas for button locations too when I get time.

Another feature would be linking the DESCRIPTION.EXT slots to the SERVER STATUS, possibly changing the colour of mission names on the fly to denote missions which do not have enough slots for the current number of clients connected to the server.

Apologies if any of these have been suggested already, did not read the whole thread :).

I had to vote for "could be better" cause: there is now a little bug in the locations of the words (like a mission name or mapname) in relation to where the 'button' is to actually select the it, so this is kinda misaligned for my resolution @1920x1200!

With the menu's being larger this makes setting up a mission like warfare a little slower but i guess this can be solved by a mission.cfg on the server or correct params in the mission itself. But if you like a full blown warfare mission you just have to bite trough it (hoping guests wont get frustrated).

Although the menu's have improved a lot it would be nice if some kind of logo is displayed there or some kind of animation to make it more lively.

Other then this i'm great full for the efforts :bounce3:

The new design is really an improvement.

Just one thing which caught my eye:

The game parameter screen seems to have a lot of wasted room left, and every option (like duration) seems to have its own screen. Since you have so much space left in the parameters screen, I think it would be better to have lists to pick out your options. That way you don't have to go to a new screen every time to make your adjustments.

tha'ts because you can have mission with e.g. 50 parameters with long name and each of the can have 50 options again with long name :)

Hm, haven't seen such missions yet, so from my point of view I would say that it's not very likely to have so many options. Wouldn't a "listBox" (don't know how to call it better; a box like you have in word to choose your font from) fit better for each parameter?

Even if you have 50 parameters with 50 options each, it would be still a pain to adjust them. But if you have to change the screen every time it would complicate the process. Having the options and the paramters on screen you could instantly compare the parameter you are changing to the ones you have already set, because they are on one screen.

while i understood what you want , it's not easily doable with actual UI state

Ok, that's sth I can't know. It was just meant as a suggestion what could be better (if it's possible to realize). In the end it's best to have sth that works, instead of not having it at all ;)

Is it possible and feasible to get an "ok button" in the difficulties dialog, instead of having to enter it's edit box to select that difficulty? So instead of

"Edit" "Cancel"

we get

"Ok" "Edit" "Cancel"

or something?

During mission editing I'm frequently changing between difficulties to verify effect on mission. This would take away two of the way too many clicks needed. Or is it possible to somehow open that menu directly without having to go through the options menu? Is there a "IDD createDialog" I could use?

while i understood what you want , it's not easily doable with actual UI state

so what You have is compromise for functionality

While my MP Param UI improvement ticket proposing this, is already dusty and I've been taught about complications involved, I would like to add the following to this:

While other shortcuts could be helpful, at least hitting "Enter" on the keyboard should confirm a change, so I don't have such long ways to move the mouse pointer in order to confirm every param change, i.e. assign a default action/button to "Enter".

I don't like It because this new UI looks on my new graphic card sometimes weird

I dont like it too.

The whole thing is much to big and it looks more like a 1980s arcade menu like in 8bit or something.