TMW GUI - HUD thread

[adamaix]

heads up display demo

hud_demo1.jpg (167.34 KiB) Viewed 3117 times

Here's a draft HUD I've been working on to compliment the new skin, other things I'm planning is a more friendly display for HP, MP and XP in the top left, as well as icons instead of buttons in the top right for the different windows (status, inventory, equipment etc.). Possibly intergrate the minimap as well?

This is just a draft, the final revision will be segmented and tilable to work with different screen resolutions (screen size here is 800x600 though).


PS. There is a camera inside the logo, the GMs can see what you doing!

[Kage]

I dunno... maybe we can make it optional

[swimmy]

i think TMW mark should move to the left corner.
center is a little bad i think.
anyway, thats good idea.

[adamaix]

well, optional is an option

This is an even lighter version. It could be segmented into 4 parts,
1) left corner
2) right corner
3) middle
4) Tileable section

[swimmy]

left or attachment one is good.

[kasra5004]

em... and hp,mp bars should be included. and also inventory and other things. if you draw some icons for`em ,it`ll be even better.

[Crush]

This might look nice but the idea has two problems.

1. it makes it impossible to change the screen resolution
2. it reduces the screen real estate

[feline monstrosity]

If this was an option I would switch it off to, as Crush said, increase the screen real estate.

[Ktoso]

Just do the "top" bar maybe (dont draw the |_| border, it's pretty much useless).

[adamaix]

This might look nice but the idea has two problems.

1. it makes it impossible to change the screen resolution
2. it reduces the screen real estate

1. It is possible to change the screen resolution, its using the same concept as the actual windows that is already implemented, which would allow dynamic on the fly resizing.
2. I realise that could be a problem, depending on your viewpoint I could definitely make it much smaller than this (4px borders instead) but the point of a HUD is to integrate many things into a small space to save on real estate. examples include shortcut bar, minimap, various menu's etc.

The reason I've decided to work on the HUD, is because the new theme needs a new client release, and it would be efficient to include the HUD in simultaneously to take advantage of the release.

Like any other window it could be closed I would imagine and the HUD could have an opacity setting like all the other windows which could aid in viewing the map behind it. Beings are only viewable 14 tiles anyway, but you need space for chat/inventory windows.

Give me a size to work on, and I'll come up with a design that is as compact as possible and think out of the box, the HUD doesn't necessarily have to fill up the entire width of the top screen.

[John P]

adamaix thank you for working on the display! You HUD and skin both look excellent. This is something TMW desperately needs. Keep up the good work, I think your latest (straight bar) concept is exactly right. Forget real estate and transparency, to me the HUD solidifies the game. Maybe to take advantage of all space, there could some day be a "relax and chat" mode where clicking the manaworld button removes most of the bar -- everything but the manaworld button itself (you don't need access to any of your icons or health when you are relaxing chatting in town).

Also on a more personal note, I've never liked the concept of a wrench for settings.

Thanks again keep up the good work.

[Inkweaver]

I think and important thing to consider is moving the bar to the bottom. If you do a little research into software psychology (which I've done as an application/web programmer) you'll find that most people do not like bars or heavy elements like that "hanging over their heads" or on the right side of the screen.

Most successful games and software put their bars on the left or on the bottom.

At the very least, add some setting so that the bar can be moved to the bottom of the screen if the user wants to.

I think having the bar hanging from the top will not be as good as having it on the bottom.

[kasra5004]

I think u can use the tmw symbol as a button. It`ll be good.

[adamaix]

I think and important thing to consider is moving the bar to the bottom. If you do a little research into software psychology (which I've done as an application/web programmer) you'll find that most people do not like bars or heavy elements like that "hanging over their heads" or on the right side of the screen.

Most successful games and software put their bars on the left or on the bottom.

At the very least, add some setting so that the bar can be moved to the bottom of the screen if the user wants to.

I think having the bar hanging from the top will not be as good as having it on the bottom.

I prefer my chat box at the bottom, but I see your point.

[Rotonen]

Actually if the edges are tilable, that can be used with 9-patch. What I'm against is the lost screen real estate caused by the unnecessary borders. That could work for skinning windows if you were to tone it down a bit.