Opening thread for all kinds of feedback & suggestions for the city screen.
I suspected it's going to undergo changes in the future anyway. However, there is this one change I would like to propose to be done earlier if you agree with the notion:
1. Top Panel for CityscapeWith the zooming and scrolling over the map, couldn't be possible to add top home panel on top of this screen too?
Here is a mockup for illustration:
https://s26.postimg.org/keb0nb2vb/Vigilantes_Cityscape_mockup_v19.png
Edit: Apologies that it went too far off the course. Doing mockups in gimp is a kind of hobby for me. As was thinking about the Citiscape for some time, tried here and there small changes with each version. Hadn't have enough time for making a new mockup from the ingame screen. So at least posted the current iteration of the old one, because I really think the top panel could be handy.The main thing is really just the
top panel: AFAIK there is no physical traveling happening between home and city map. The amount of clicks and mouse movements the panel can reduce is big. Additionally, no need
back home and
manage party buttons on cityscape itself anymore. Personally, even with more allies I will more often need to check the character sheet or inventory than manage party.
Advantages apart interface functionality: can easily see cash, time and weather forecast before launching the mission.
That's all for now.
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Summary of feedback & suggestions (apologies for repeating old things), but feel free to skip now.
Approx sorted from the most important:
2. City surveillance (as of v19 now) means a lot of mouse clicking and traveling.The issue of bouncing back and forth city <-> debriefing was already highlighted by Nomad in this thread:
http://timeslipsoftworks.com/forum/index.php/topic,215Just take a look at the rollercoaster: from home (top) -> click on a tile (left) -> surveillance (right) -> from debriefing screen back to map (up) -> surveillance (down) -> back from debriefing screen (up) -> surveillance (down) -> back from debriefing screen (up) -> surveillance (down) -> back from debriefing screen (up) -> launch? (down)... Now multiply that by 64, and take into account intel deterioration over time...
Nothing against debriefing. Can see it useful right before the mission starts. But is there any reason why it needs to switch there after each intel piece uncovered? Couldn't be all the info already presented / highlighted on the city pane?
3. Buttons shouldn't change positionAlso already mentioned by Nomad in the above thread (accidentally launching when the launch button moves at the position of the intel one). In the short, I believe it's not good to go against the muscle memory. It's better to rather grey out and make them unusable when buttons aren't needed anymore/yet.
4. Special treatment for Surveillance buttonSeriously, it's like the most active guy on the cityscape. Shouldn't it be the closest to the map? And perhaps more near the top, esp. if the top panel is on the city screen too.
5. District info vs. mission infoRelates to discussion in the pacing thread. By my very vague understanding, some district properties are set in stone at the game start (
gang, wealth?), then strategic parameters can change over time in various ways (
intel lvl, crime, facility, leader), and then there are things tied more to the mission type - but still in a way relate to the district and overall state of gangs (relative change in
numbers/buffs/equipment). Don't we have more enemies when attacking a facility? Isn't leader more dangerous than district mission on a low danger tile? Etc...
Theoretically, can be divided between the district and the mission parameters. However, the posted mockup itself is just a brainstorming. Not everything needs to be given away, am unsure what is or will be useful to know. Not even liking the look of it (too button-like), just tried to bring it closer to char. screen.
6. Ability to choose type of mission7. Camera and more zooming outI guess it depends on resolution, but I could use more zoomed out view and still be able easily pick the district.
8. Keyboard supportA proposal of keys in the attachment.
9. City Map and district coordinatesFunctionally, only needed is to show tile coordinates. Info on the side panel is probably enough, albeit on the map it's more handy. Not particularly fond of those neon highlights though. Trying to put aside my fondness for maps, I think the city might look better when it's like framed on the wall - perhaps similar wall as behind Sam's portrait.
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