Option to revert to old "Predux" UI please!

[ArcherAC3]

Hello.

I'm not sure where a feedback about the latest changes should normally be posted, so I decided to post here on the wishlist anyway.

I'm really loving pretty much all the changes made both to Wintermute and Survival after the "Redux" patch, nice work guys! But also, while I didn't want to be that guy, I must say that for me the new UI feels like a serious downgrade. While the last one felt so much more immersive, having a beautiful draw style that looked so The Long Dark-ish, this newer one feels like some sort of compacted mobile game duller one.

So, not only I have to say I absolutely didn't like the design and art style itself of this newer UI, but the symbols/icons are also either too small or too big (when selecting the HUD size presets) and the arrows pointing down/upwards by the side of those symbols -that indicate whether a necessity is increasing/decreasing - are barely visible, once they are just way too small and too close to the symbols themselves.

Please, allows us to play with the old UI again, perhaps making it an optional setting or just reverting it as a whole.

Thanks.

[kurgut]

Personally, I feel the circular displays give way better/clearer infos than previous ones (on the amounts of calories, hydrat, etc). But yeah, agree with the aesthetic argument indeed.

One thing too, while doing certain things (fire, etc), the progression cricular thingy goes now counter-clockwise.. It disturb me haha.

[ArcherAC3]

4 hours ago, kurgut said:

Personally, I feel the circular displays give way better/clearer infos than previous ones

That's another reason why I liked the older one better, you must have kind of a feeling for it, not absolute certainty - although if you wished to know in details your calories at least you could always open the menu.

 

4 hours ago, kurgut said:

the progression cricular thingy goes now counter-clockwise.. It disturb me haha.

Hahaha same. It disturbs me SO much! I'm always expecting it to go clockwise and it goes the opposite direction, it's so weird. Gonna be some time getting used to it.

[Strategizer]

26 minutes ago, ArcherAC3 said:

That's another reason why I liked the older one better, you must have kind of a feeling for it, not absolute certainty - although if you wished to know in details your calories at least you could always open the menu. 

Yeah I always like the imprecise filler bars, fits the survival style game more, as opposed to the new menu where looks like I'm exactly 78.59% Hungry.  I've been critical of this new UI on the X1X too.  Perhaps its better on PC where it looks like it was primarily tested.  I'm fine where ever they put the interface as long as they keep contextual option so I can have it off!

My problem is the previous  Bar I could determine everything in a fraction of a second and get back to it.  Now this menu requires it to be on for best results (ugh), or to take a second or two to get the info.

I suppose the BEST thing would be a player option in the menu.  1. Circle or 2.  No circle and Fill/Drain the Icon.  This gives both PC players and console players the best interface for THEM.   

[Pillock]

Never mind mind that! 

The progress bars now go anti-clockwise instead of clockwise! 

It's blowing my mind! 

[TeflonGoon]

On 12/18/2018 at 7:34 PM, ArcherAC3 said:

the arrows pointing down/upwards by the side of those symbols -that indicate whether a necessity is increasing/decreasing 

Yep. But what is the point of the arrows anyway? If you're breathing, and not consuming some form of health benefit, your stats are bound to be decreasing. Those arrows are unnecessary clutter and should be removed completely (or at least have the option to).

[U47]

The arrows I find are really only needed on the temperature indication.  The arrows for example, allow for a quick decision if it is too cold (3 downward) and I need to find shelter now compared to 2 downward, I still have some time before I need to find shelter.

On the other Needs I usually just ignore them.

[ArcherAC3]

9 hours ago, TeflonGoon said:

Yep. But what is the point of the arrows anyway? If you're breathing, and not consuming some form of health benefit, your stats are bound to be decreasing. Those arrows are unnecessary clutter and should be removed completely (or at least have the option to).

Temperature (and taking notice of when you're doing more effort depending on the steepness of a slope on some occasions).

[TeflonGoon]

But we also have other indicators (ie: shivering, heavy breathing, or the simple fact that we're trudging uphill). To me, the arrows are superfluous.

[ArcherAC3]

I was watching some "Predux" videos to help me getting out of Hushed River Valley and couldn't let of noticing the UI.

Really, comparing both is sad, the old one was simply so much better and it blended so well into TLD environment. There are some unnecessary changes and decisions the Devs make that I'll probably never understand.

[ArcherAC3]

On 20/12/2018 at 11:34 PM, TeflonGoon said:

But we also have other indicators (ie: shivering, heavy breathing, or the simple fact that we're trudging uphill). To me, the arrows are superfluous.

Agreed come to think about it. I am all for a more immersive experience with uncertainty and guesses whenever possible, so if there was an option to turn off the arrows I'd be all for it.

Listening to the character non-verbal feedback and the ambient sounds around seem way more fun than having an indicator telling you precisely what is going on indeed.

Another one of the reasons I liked the old UI was that the hunger icon would be over the "hunger line" on its bottom. So basically when reaching about 200 calories (if I'm not mistaken) the hunger icon would look as if it was empty.

It was a bit like hitting the reserve fuel on the car and not knowing when it would go out. There was an odd but pleasing feeling about it as I'd be desperate to find more food.

[TeflonGoon]

On 12/22/2018 at 10:41 PM, ArcherAC3 said:

Listening to the character non-verbal feedback and the ambient sounds around seem way more fun than having an indicator telling you precisely what is going on indeed.

Bingo. For me, sound is what makes this game so immersive. The motion is really good too, like slowing down in deeper snow.

[TeflonGoon]

On 12/22/2018 at 5:15 PM, ArcherAC3 said:

I was watching some "Predux" videos to help me getting out of Hushed River Valley and couldn't let of noticing the UI.

Really, comparing both is sad, the old one was simply so much better and it blended so well into TLD environment. There are some unnecessary changes and decisions the Devs make that I'll probably never understand.

I just went and looked at an old Ep 1 video to compare. Agreed. The old UI also feels more... critical. 

[Dan Lipscomb]

Up vote for some of the previous UI.

Please...

Bring back the icon meters or option to use them without the circular bars.

Allow for center justified.

Fix time to rotate clockwise again.

Remove the black cooking choice overlay. (I'm a console player, and all I hear is that we needed this. How so? Better hit box detection on the fire vs cooking maybe? Or maybe the option to click the rocks and get the cooking menu? Also, you had the answer to how to do this before. In the previous version when you clicked the fire and you had mutiple pages (LT1/RT1 to navigate) between fire management and cooking. These pages were more immersive and beautiful than this new black box)

Please tell whomever at Hinterland that inspired the fill meter icons that they are a gangster of design. A vertical bar that graphically represents the subject and has nuanced and subtle changes to it to indicate your status all in a single form. Kudos to that team or person. I'm sad to think that there will not be the level indicator inside my eye to indicate starvation, or the parasitic affliction, those were absolutely genius subtleties. The only thing missing from the game may have been a HUD display breakdown? I too struggled in my initial play through to get acquainted with it, but I was all the better for it in time. The time taken to make the transition screens could have allowed for an info page to breakdown this HUD's subtleties and been accessed from the main menu, or pause menu. 

Now, without the interactivity of the status in the icon, those large icons serve no purpose other than to label the circle that encompasses them. Sad. A return to the 5 bars with percentages would have been more to those certain players liking's and less painful to see those icons of past usefulness relegated to such low status.

The fact the circular fill bar of health has had the effect of conflating the passage of time with a counterclockwise circle for all other activities, breaking immersion, only adds to the sadness.

I understand changes are sometimes made based on player feedback. Sadly, this takes away from immersion and feel, which is what truly makes TLD different from other games. Instead it's towards the always on, percentage indicator, HUD. How sad would it be to see the map overlaid in the corner and red dots to indicate wolves and bears in the HUD? We must admit it can go to far, yes? Why too then, the removal of the percentage of health? Because on it's face, the concept of exact measurement of health, thirst, hunger, and fatigue are erroneous? I'd add the feeling of temperature but someone would argue thermometer.... Uhg. The removal of the percentages initially was a masterstroke and made TLD a better game.

I say this only because of how much I love TLD, so I'm more passionate about it. This has been my favorite game I've ever played. It's progressed and gotten better over time, which is incredible. The option to give players choices in how to view their games is commendable, allowing for the contextual display is evidence of your care for the community of gamers looking for world immersion. And I respect Hinterland's need to balance adding new players and engaging with a crowd that is entrenched in always on HUD mechanics.

I know that these changes are never going to happen, I know that no one can change their menus 3 times and survive. But I just can't help but say how much I thought the previous design was a part of what made TLD great.

 

[hozz1235]

On 12/22/2018 at 6:41 AM, ArcherAC3 said:

Agreed come to think about it. I am all for a more immersive experience with uncertainty and guesses whenever possible, so if there was an option to turn off the arrows I'd be all for it.

I believe there is an option to turn the UI off.

[XAlaskan_420X]

I like the new campfire UI (add fuel, take torch, cook or water) but I like the old hud how it was in the center at the bottom and instead of a circular meter the meter was inside the water, food or thermometer symbols (higher or lower). It was simple, it worked and I got used to interpreting it. So I would like an option to change the hud to a the old version hud (perhaps a toggle option: "change hud style | old or new" could be the solution here) also with the ability to move the hud old or new around: bottom right, bottom left or bottom center. So the new UI and the old hud, is probably what would I would prefer. But the old hud would have to be tweaked to show the new condition buffs - a simple blue plus sign + above it would do.

[ArcherAC3]

Yup, I'd also like to disable the fire UI. It's just unnecessary. You already had the three tabs for fuel, water and food, and they looked better. It makes no sense AT ALL (for me) to change that for a dull black screen with 3 options. 

Sadly though, I don't even believe a Dev is going to read this thread.

[Guest kristaok]

I really like the way everything is now, I really don't want to see the ui messed up. If anything maybe give people a couple or so choices in the menu setting, but please don't force a change. 

[TeflonGoon]

On 12/27/2018 at 4:26 AM, Dan Lipscomb said:

I know that these changes are never going to happen, I know that no one can change their menus 3 times and survive. But I just can't help but say how much I thought the previous design was a part of what made TLD great.

But there's nothing stopping them from allowing the user to select the UI they prefer in HUD Options.