UV (and WiTP) need better usability

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UV (and WiTP) need better usability

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> UV (and WiTP) need better usability

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UV (and WiTP) need better usability - 1/8/2003 6:50:09 AM

XPav

Posts: 550
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: Northern California
Status: offline

After playing UV for a while, I have come to the following conclusion:

There is too much **** clicking that I have to do.

UV makes use of the following user interface elements:

1) Button (little round ones and the toolbar buttons)
2) Lists
3) Clickable text
4) Clickable map

That's it.

Here are some examples of things that would make this game easier to use for everyone - grognards and new players alike:

1) Use of the right mouse button and sub menus
- Right click on a hex, get a list of TFs, move the mouse to another TF, get a list of order, click "Move", click destination, TF destination set.

This would take one right click, two left clicks, and two mouse moves, never leaving the map.

Current system requires one click for the TF list, mouse move to the proper TF, one click, mouse move to set tf desination, move to destination, one click.

Put every single order currently only accesible from modal dialog boxes in sub menus so that experienced players can do what they need to quickly.

2) TF organization and formation. Currently, its click click click click click whooops back click click click whoops click click click whoops thats not the AAA destroyers click click click. It takes too long.

I want multiple dialog boxes overlaid on the map with the list of the ships in the current TF/port. To move ships from TF to TF, utilize multiple selections, dragging, and a select all. Have a "current ship" hover info box that displays the info of the ship that the mouse is currently over, and wa-lah, TF organization is now quick.

3) Fix the utterly unintuitive "Retire/No Retire/React/No React" 4 position switch that has completely different behavior depending on what type of task force you're using. Mine Warfare task forces especially. How about having a list of behaviors per task force. Then, you could have more than 4 types of behavior so that you could go ahead and add (for example) seperate "Night Bombard speed run" and "Slow lazy Bombard don't need to be quick about it" options.

4) How about seperate replays for US and Japan automatically combined with the save game transfer? Then you don't have the currently strange circumstance where the neither player knows what happened to their own forces unless they examine each and every TF that was engaged for actual damage.

5) How about letting us put save games wherever we want with whatever name we want? Ditch the slot system, please.

Every single one of these things are things that the veteran UV players have come to deal with. Every single one of them is something that could be made better with some work paid to the user interface.

If the current UV look and feel is used with no changes in WiTP, that's a game I won't be buying, because, you know what? I'd rather spend my time fighting my opponent, not the interface.

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Post #: 1

- 1/8/2003 6:29:15 PM

coralsaw

Posts: 418
Joined: 10/29/2000
From: Z�rich, CH
Status: offline

One of the best posts I've read in a while. With you all the way XPav.

/coralsaw

(in reply to XPav)

Post #: 2

- 1/8/2003 10:38:45 PM

Sonny

Posts: 2008
Joined: 4/3/2002
Status: offline

I like the slot system as it is. Helps keep confusion to a minimum.

One other thing that would be improved by not going to the TF screen to make a move is that you could see what path your TF is taking. Right now you have to go to the TF screen then select DH and then exit the TF screen to see if you got the path you wanted. If not, then it is back to the TF screen and do it again.:(

Know what is nice about this game? The fact that we are complaining about little things like the interface and not major bugs.:)

(in reply to XPav)

Post #: 3

- 1/9/2003 1:29:02 AM

XPav

Posts: 550
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: Northern California
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sonny
[B]I like the slot system as it is. Helps keep confusion to a minimum.

How about letting me put my save games for different people in differnent folders and having the save games contain the replays. Then I could make a "Sonny IJN / XPav USN - Scen 17 Game 1" folder and put all my save games in there with no fear of accidently overwriting anything and no need to coordinate "slots" with my opponent.

quote:

One other thing that would be improved by not going to the TF screen to make a move is that you could see what path your TF is taking. Right now you have to go to the TF screen then select DH and then exit the TF screen to see if you got the path you wanted. If not, then it is back to the TF screen and do it again.:(

Know what is nice about this game? The fact that we are complaining about little things like the interface and not major bugs.:) [/B][/QUOTE]

Oh, agreed! The interface may just be an "annoyance" in UV, I'm just really, really worried that WiTP will be unplayable for all but the micromanagement elite.

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I love it when a plan comes together.

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Post #: 4

- 1/9/2003 3:26:19 AM

Bax

Posts: 129
Joined: 8/9/2002
From: Rochester, MN
Status: offline

quote:

How about letting me put my save games for different people in differnent folders and having the save games contain the replays. Then I could make a "Sonny IJN / XPav USN - Scen 17 Game 1" folder and put all my save games in there with no fear of accidently overwriting anything and no need to coordinate "slots" with my opponent.

Amen! I am paranoid that some night when I'm bleery-eyed and have an empty bottle of wine next to me, that I'll accidently over-write the wrong save game slot. They do look a lot alike when they are close together. If nothing else, how about a different colored background for the even numbered slots?

quote:

Know what is nice about this game? The fact that we are complaining about little things like the interface and not major bugs.

Totally agree with you, Sonny. This is a great game, and UBB's being the animal that they are, people will always find something to whine about. It sure does speak volumes that we're down to picking nits regarding how many mouse-clicks it takes to play the game. Just goes to show you how much we are playing! :)

(in reply to XPav)

Post #: 5

- 1/9/2003 5:35:28 AM

Fred98

Posts: 4430
Joined: 1/5/2001
From: Wollondilly, Sydney
Status: offline

I have had this game for 6 months and only in the last 3 weeks have I discovered that there are short cuts.

On the mini map I now know the location of all the major places so I can get there quickly without slowly scrolling across the map.

If you click on a button on the toolbar � eg list all land based air units, and then if you click another button � the first list closes and the second list opens all with one mouse click!

If you are reviewing units at a base and need to quickly open the base screen, you will see the name of the base in yellow text in the bottom left corner. Click on the name and the current screen closes and the base screen opens � all with one mouse click!

With the �List all� screens (and with some other screens) you can go to the unit in question by clicking on the yellow text in the right hand column. The title of that right hand column is misleading so ignore it.

There may be more short cuts but I have not yet found them.

Over on the WiTP forum, I started a thread titled �The various List All screens�. The topic is connected to this.

(in reply to XPav)

Post #: 6

- 1/9/2003 5:42:25 AM

Grotius

Posts: 5798
Joined: 10/18/2002
From: The Imperial Palace.
Status: offline

Joe 98, thanks for your post; I didn't know all that.

XPav, I wholeheartedly agree: I love UV, I think it's the best wargame ever yadda yadda, but my mouse-clicking hand starts to hurt after awhile. In addition to your suggestions, I'd like to add my own: more keyboard shortcuts! (Yes, I know the game already has excellent keyboard shortcuts for lists etc.) How about arrow keys to scroll through TF missions or aircraft squadrons at a base? How about number keys for CAP%, Nav Search%, ASW Patrol%, etc. If I could just tap "6" instead of clicking around to set CAP to 60%, that would make me very jolly.

(in reply to XPav)

Post #: 7

- 1/9/2003 1:32:14 PM

Krec

Posts: 548
Joined: 3/9/2001
From: SF Bay Area
Status: offline

just give me a next TF button, please, its driving me nuts !!

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Post #: 8

Another Suggestion - 1/9/2003 6:31:17 PM

BK6583

Posts: 411
Joined: 10/8/2002
Status: offline

OK - I just can't resist but I do agree that it's a great tribute to this game that we are indeed starting to comment about improvements that are not related to major game flaws. My interface suggestion is to have a one click 'Save' icon at the top of the screen. From many frustarting years of experience both at home and at work I've long since got into the habit of saving everything I'm doing frequently. With a Panzer Campaigns game, all I would have to do (once I named the scenario under 'save as' is click once on a Save icon at the top of the screen - done. Unless I'm missing a shortcut, in UV I hit the 'F' key, which takes me to the Save screen, where I then click on the scenario I want to save, and then I have to actually click on the Save botton at the bottom of the screen and lastly, hit the Escape to exit. That's WAY too many steps.

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Post #: 9

Airgroup Management - 1/10/2003 12:32:42 AM

NorthStar

Posts: 219
Joined: 5/17/2002
From: New York, US
Status: offline

What I would like to see is a screen with a master list of all the Air Groups located at a particular Base or TF, with pulldowns to adjust (at least the major settings).

I'd like to be able to open this screen and see all my Fighter Groups AT THE SAME TIME with their fatigue & skill levels, and have the ability to adjust CAP levels and missions here. It would make it a lot easier when trying to balance protection with resting, rather than having to move individually through every squadron, and then back track when you find more tired squadrons than you thougt.

Same with bombers, I'd like to see evryone at the same time when setting missions, so that I can make sure I am assigning the right guy to the right mission.

(in reply to XPav)

Post #: 10

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> UV (and WiTP) need better usability

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