Some notes on Usability & GUI.

Hi everyone!

I finally got myself to make another metric fucktonne of suggestions! I was too lazy and busy to post them sooner.

Last time I've made "The Long Post" with 35 suggestions. This time I'm making a series of categorized topics. Some of them are even longer than my old post. Here's the list:

[spoil]

1. Game Mechanics Suggestions;
   
2. Items Suggestions;
   
3. Usability & GUI (you are here);

[/spoil]

Warning! This post is long!

I would really appreciate if you would read the full version, but if don't have time or got bored you can always read this [anchor=summary goto=]summary[/anchor]:

Please remember that summary doesn't contain explanations! Read full version for better understanding!

[spoil]

1. [anchor=general-target goto=general]Actions confirmation/canceling/interruption and general usability[/anchor]:
   There should be action confirmation for "Quit" and "Load" buttons.
   There should be more consistency in action canceling.
   Navigation in main menu and inventory using WASD/←↕→.
   Key bind to consume/use items and some key to drop them.
   Key bindings for inventory categories and some actions.
   Pressing Esc or Tab should close drop-down lists instead of current dialog window.
   Bandages, antiseptic, flares, lantern fuel should be stack-able.
   Player should be able to walk while drinking or eating (but not while opening a can).
   
2. [anchor=gui-target goto=gui]GUI[/anchor]:
   "Log" & "Map" buttons should be placed in the top-right corner of a main screen.
   "Prev/Next Day" labels on log screen should be made active part of the buttons.
   Player should be able to start treatment directly from "First Aid" screen.
   "Category" drop-down list should be replaced with symbolic panel.
   "Sort By" should be be replaced with a group of easy-to-see intuitive sort prioritizers.
   Item list should show condition and weight of selected and hovered items. Hovered items should get highlighted.
   Inventory should also display current condition parameters.
   Item list sorting on "Harvest" and "Repair" screens should be revised and they should be connected by a switch.
   "Start Fire" screen still misses appropriate sorting.

[/spoil]

Please use this questionnaire for your answers:

(press SELECT ALL and paste it in your message)

Questionnaire:
[spoil]
[x]/[+] yes; [ ]/[-] no; [/]/[...] your suggestions; [?] requesting details;
[] 01. Action confirmation for "Quit" and "Load" buttons.
[] 02. Tab should close dialogs and cancel placing actions as pressing Esc does.
[] 03. Navigation using WASD/←↕→.
[] 04. Key bind to consume/use items and some key to drop them.
[] 05. Key bindings for inventory categories and some actions.
[] 06. Esc or Tab should close drop-down lists instead of current dialog window.
[] 07. Bandages, antiseptic, flares, lantern fuel should be stack-able.
[] 08. Player should be able to walk while drinking or eating.
[] 09. Player should be able to start treatment directly from "First Aid" screen.
[] 10. "Log" & "Map" buttons should be placed in the top-right corner of a main screen.
[] 11. "Prev/Next Day" labels on log screen should be made active part of the buttons.
[] 12. "Category" drop-down list should be replaced with symbolic panel.
[] 13. "Sort By" should be be replaced with a group of sort prioritizers.
[] 14. Item list should show condition and weight of selected and hovered items. 
[] 15. Hovered items should get highlighted.
[] 16. Inventory should also display current condition parameters.
[] 17. Item list sorting on "Harvest" and "Repair" screens should be revised.
[] 18. "Harvest" and "Repair" screens should be connected by a switch.
[] 19. "Start Fire" screen still misses appropriate sorting.
[/spoil]

. [anchor=general goto=]Actions confirmation/canceling/interruption and general usability[/anchor]:

[spoil][tab=30]There should be action confirmation for "Quit" and "Load" buttons.

[tab=30]Right now there is none. Which means that if you've pressed it by mistake you'll loose all unsaved progress and it can be ~15-20min of real time. Though this issue has a low probable occurrence rate, it is still a really big oversight IMHO. Of course you don't loose your entire progress, but still, it kills game immersion completely and you're forced to redo your progress.

[tab=30]There should be more consistency in action canceling.

[tab=30]Pressing Esc or Tab should give equal result in most of canceling scenarios, meaning that pressing e.g. Tab should close "Sleep"/"Empty Container"/"Open Can" dialogs and cancel bedroll/lantern/fire placing actions as pressing Esc does.

[tab=30]So practically Esc and Tab should perform almost the same actions (except Tab shouldn’t close "Start a Fire" dialog), but have different "end points" ("main menu" for Esc; "action board" for Tab).

[tab=30]Navigation in main menu and inventory leaves much to be desired:

1. There should be possibility to navigate any menu using WASD/←↕→;
   
2. Holding ↕ should continue scrolling;
   
3. There should be some key bind to consume/use items and some key to drop them (Enter/Spacebar/Double click, CTRL+KEY to drop);
   
4. There should be key bindings not only for inventory (I) but also for inventory categories (Food & Drinks, Clothing, First Aid) and some actions (Start a Fire, Harvest/Repair);

[tab=30]Pressing Esc or Tab should close drop-down lists instead of current dialog window.

[tab=30]This one bothers me from the day I started playing this game, but I didn't write about it before as I thought that it's obviously needs to be fixed. In my experience in every software, game or website pressing Esc means closing the drop-down list that is in focus. E.g. in Windows OS pressing Esc closes every drop-down menus and context menus but it doesn't close the windows.

[tab=30]People are (well, at leas I am) so used to it that it is just intuitively expected, and when you get closed dialog instead of drop-down list it is a bit annoying.

[tab=30]Bandages, antiseptic, flares, lantern fuel should be stack-able.

[tab=30]It'll ease up the inventory navigation and understanding how much stuff do you have.

[tab=30]Player should be able to walk while drinking or eating (but not while opening a can).

[anchor= goto=summary]Back to summary[/anchor].

[anchor= goto=general]Back to paragraph start[/anchor].[/spoil]

. [anchor=gui goto=]GUI[/anchor]:

[spoil][tab=30]"Log" & "Map" buttons should be placed in the top-right corner of a main screen.

[tab=30]Logic:

[tab=30]"Info-screens" now have their own place on main screen, letting all the "action-screens" to be placed in one consistent group. "Log" & "Map" screens are info-screens. You can't perform any action with their help, only get information. Other screens (snow shelter; inventory; etc.) are action-screens.

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/458/heTXkM.jpg

[tab=30]"Prev/Next Day" labels on log screen should be made active part of the buttons.

http://imageshack.com/a/img909/1377/5Fqik1.jpg

[tab=30]It's intuitive.

[tab=30]Player should be able to start treatment directly from "First Aid" screen.

[tab=30]Here is an illustration of how it can look like:

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/7792/QVLYZu.gif

[tab=30]This animation also shows a first aid mechanics suggested in my Game Mechanics Suggestions topic.

[tab=30]"Category" and "Sort By" drop-down lists in "Inventory" screen should be revised.

[tab=30]"Category" drop-down list should be replaced with symbolic panel. 1^St Symbols are faster to perceive. 2^Nd Introducing the panel will reduce amount of clicks needed to get wanted category.

[tab=30]"Sort By" should be be replaced with a group of easy-to-see intuitive sort prioritizers.

[tab=30]Item list should show condition and weight of selected and hovered items.

[tab=30]Hovered items should get highlighted.

[tab=30]Inventory should also display current condition parameters (at least hunger and thirst).

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/5504/nk4JeC.gif

[tab=30]Item list sorting on "Harvest" and "Repair" screens should be revised and they should be connected by a switch.

[tab=30]In case of "Repair" screen the list of items should be arranged like this:

• [sortByPercentage(Clothing you are wearing)] – you mostly repair what you wear.
  
• [sortByPercentage(Tools)] – they don't get repaired so often.
  
• [sortByPercentage(Unequipped clothing)] – usually are for harvesting.

[tab=30]Tools list should be sorted by name. When a player chooses item to repair, appropriate tool should be chosen automatically (with lowest %).

[tab=30]"Harvest" screen list of items should be sorted in this way:

• [sortByName(Materials)]
  
• [sortByName(Unequipped Clothing)]
  
• [sortByName(Tools)]
  
• [sortByName(Clothing you're wearing)]

[tab=30]As the item condition isn't relevant for harvesting the primary sorting parameter should be "name" though item condition should still present in the list.

http://imageshack.com/a/img633/7498/u0Cryk.gif

[tab=30]"Start Fire" screen still misses appropriate sorting.

[tab=30]There is an alphabetic sort in fireplace/stove menu but in "Start Fire" everything is still being sorted by the order in which it was picked up by a player. Fuel, tinder etc. should be sorted by name. The tinder should be sorted from Z to A, so that the tinder plug will always be on top of the list.

[tab=30]I've some suggestions about starting a fire in Game Mechanics Suggestions.

[anchor= goto=summary]Back to summary[/anchor].

[anchor= goto=gui]Back to paragraph start[/anchor].[/spoil]

Associated Posts:

1. Game Mechanics Suggestions;
   
2. Items Suggestions;
   
3. Usability & GUI (you are here);

Your ideas around the replacement of drop downs for the inventory and the sorting consistency are great ones. Love the work you've put into showing what you are suggesting through animations. Keep it up. Thanks.

Your ideas around the replacement of drop downs for the inventory and the sorting consistency are great ones. Love the work you've put into showing what you are suggesting through animations. Keep it up. Thanks.

Thanks for the reply. It's funny how I've posted these 3 topics right before the update came out. Now I need to play few hours to re-test everything and write another couple of posts

Great post.

[] 07. Bandages, antiseptic, flares, lantern fuel should be stack-able.

+1

I agree. All items shall be treated identically.

This include especially foot. If you are playing in easy mode (v183) you have so much food that you have to scoll a long list to the end of your inventory.

For rare items like "storm lantern" (which also show the current fuel filling state) I am not sure. I think it can stay as it is.

[] 08. Player should be able to walk while drinking or eating.

+1

I agree.

[] 11. "Prev/Next Day" labels on log screen should be made active part of the buttons.

+1

I agree.

This should be easy implemented. I clicked to the labels without feedback some times.

[] 13. "Sort By" should be be replaced with a group of sort prioritizers.

It would be nice to have a table to sort by % or kg, but it may break the current "easy to use" implementation.

The reason for the display "not stackable" items may be the different condition of the items.

[] 17. Item list sorting on "Harvest" and "Repair" screens should be revised.

[] 18. "Harvest" and "Repair" screens should be connected by a switch.

I don't have problems "Harvest" and "Repair". I think the number of items is not large enough for groups here.