a complete graphics and interface overhaul

[budd]

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Will rivers be on hex sides where they belong?
Will we still be stuck with the mini map?
Will there be a true hierarchy that will actually make the higher HQ useful instead of being used to block retreats?
Will bridges be represented so entire lengths of road isn't blown up simply because it's in the same hex as a river?
Will we get larger maps and more unit slots like we were supposed to get in a patch?
Is there any chance that player input will be listened to?
Who will win the Super Bowl in 2016?=SEAHAWKS Russell Wilson said a higher authority told him it was so.

[76mm]

Maybe in TOAW IV, it would be possible to have both hex-side and in-hex river types??

This would be great, but unfortunately I'm not counting on it...

[Rokossovskiy]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

Regardless, TOAW IV is getting an overhaul from a graphics designer - a very experienced one that Matrix has used before. Some of it will just be for style alone, but there will be functional improvements as well, I'm sure.

This would be somebody from Campaign Series?

[berto]

For our planned next game, Vietnam, we absolutely, positively have to support navigable rivers & canals, for river boats, patrol craft, sampans, etc. Unnavigable hex-side rivers only, and navigable but ugly full water hexes only -- that just wouldn't do!

[sPzAbt653]

navigable rivers & canals

TOAW already has these, you guys are playing catch up !

[sPzAbt653]

Just for giggles, a screen shot for your enjoyment - By removing the superfluous 2nd data/character/news/info line at the bottom of the screen, all the buttons fit at the top [except for the PO Assist buttons [:(] ]. That 2nd line, if needed, can easily be added to the first. Then there is room to display Tom's stack of units, with a red triangle indicating you are at the top, and a green arrow indicating there are more units below. Left clicking on the green arrow will advance the display to the next unit, right clicking will advance to the next three or the last, depending on how many units are in the stack.

And the standard disclaimer - This has nothing to do with anything that anyone is working on officially.

Edit: REPEAT - This screenshot is not anything official, it is just a visual representation of what it COULD look like IF it were ever changed to this.

[berto]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

navigable rivers & canals

TOAW already has these, you guys are playing catch up !

The CS has it, but in the form of full water hexes. So yes, in a sense, we are playing catch up (by having navigable in-hex waterways). But we also have legacy hexside rivers too. (Legacy TOAW doesn't.) Very soon, we will have the best of both (water)worlds!

edit> My purpose here is not to boast, or to play a game of one-upmanship. Rather it's to suggest: It's possible to have both. Where there's a will, there's a way.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653
Just for giggles, a screen shot for your enjoyment

Definite improvement in my view, but two comments:
1) the terrain background in the unit boxes makes everything difficult to see/read--better to give the unit boxes a plain background; and

2) Hex terrain info could be conveyed via text or something (icons?) other than the blurry terrain picture currently used; you could put it right where the starfield (or whatever you call it) is now.

Also, a question--all of the shown units seem to be the same--I'm assuming that this is just a cut and paste, and that the game will actually show individual units?

[sPzAbt653]

My purpose here is not to boast

But, the work you are doing on CS is great, so congratulations and boast away ! [&o]

[sPzAbt653]

1) the terrain background in the unit boxes makes everything difficult to see/read--better to give the unit boxes a plain background

I agree, and like I said earlier there is a mod for that. Somebody step forward and provide a link, please !

you could put it right where the starfield (or whatever you call it) is now.

The Circle of Stars is a most important feature and needs to be there. I think the terrain graphic is more for aesthetic purposes and isn't necessary.

all of the shown units seem to be the same

Yeah, its just a quick cut and paste for reference, to see if it all fits and to see how people might like it. Its nothing official.

Looking at it, I think I like it much better as the buttons are no longer piled up in one area, which made it difficult to quickly focus on any button at a glance. If they are spread across the top, the player knows exactly where to look once used to using it that way.

[larryfulkerson]

1) the terrain background in the unit boxes makes everything difficult to see/read--better to give the unit boxes a plain background

I agree, and like I said earlier there is a mod for that. Somebody step forward and provide a link, please !

From what I understand there are files called bk_*.bmp that are used to generate the background terrain in the unit display
and I've made a file that has only a single color for the background ( I'm using black ) and I've copied that file into the
bk_*.bmp files one at a time so that they all are a single color and note that this is in the AltGraphics directory that I'm
doing this. That way you should have a plain background.

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

Just for giggles, a screen shot for your enjoyment - By removing the superfluous 2nd data/character/news/info line at the bottom of the screen, all the buttons fit at the top [except for the PO Assist buttons [:(] ]. That 2nd line, if needed, can easily be added to the first. Then there is room to display Tom's stack of units, with a red triangle indicating you are at the top, and a green arrow indicating there are more units below. Left clicking on the green arrow will advance the display to the next unit, right clicking will advance to the next three or the last, depending on how many units are in the stack.

And the standard disclaimer - This has nothing to do with anything that anyone is working on officially.

Edit: REPEAT - This screenshot is not anything official, it is just a visual representation of what it COULD look like IF it were ever changed to this.

No... just no...

Best wishes,
Steve

[r6kunz]

The Circle of Stars is a most important feature and needs to be there. I think the terrain graphic is more for aesthetic purposes and isn't necessary.

I quite agree. It was an "ah-ha" moment when I discovered how to use the Circle of Stars to monitor use of rounds of combat I had used....

[Falcon1]

The terrain graphic is a pain in the butt and is the main reason that I use the classic redux mod.
For me, the terrain graphic just makes it difficult to read the text in that window.
I can see the terrain on the main map, don't need it again in that window.

[Meyer1]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

Just for giggles, a screen shot for your enjoyment

Thanks for the effort, nice work.
Now, the button layout is much better and intuitive this way. But, since the side panel is the same size as before, the visible area map is even smaller, which is not good.
I would also prefer in the side panel more unit info instead of the stack composition, but if the mini map could be closed we could have both.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

Maybe in TOAW IV, it would be possible to have both hex-side and in-hex river types??

This would be great, but unfortunately I'm not counting on it...

Yes, it would be a great addition in TOAW IV to have the possibility to choose. Old scenario will be compatible.
New scenario development may choose to use new hex-side rivers later.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

One other thing to fix: the unit database...

Yeah, Bio-Ed is an outside program used to edit the equipment database, TOAW has no such function. Using the Bio-Ed is another step on the TOAW Ladder to Heaven [long climb]. You should only Replace an entry, never delete one. And it has been done several times but its not easy, but can be very rewarding !

That said since TOAW has no such function, I wouldn't expect any change there. Wait ... scratch that ... I DO expect a change as this is the best game out there and how can it be the best if we can't limit or change the menu ?

And, this would be great if the unit equipment database could be directly integrated in the TOAW IV interface... if the interface is improved... Thinking of this, all these equipment files existing, is there a planned compilation for TOAW IV?

Cheers

[sPzAbt653]

Its getting a little off track so I'll restate that this thread was started because of the stated soon coming overhaul of the Graphics and Interface. So here is a place for players to state their interests in this area. Its a great opportunity to have some possible input into what might be a huge change to what many of us have become used to over the past many years.

It wouldn't be fair to expect Matrix to answer any questions or make any statements about what will happen until much later in the process, if at all.

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653



So, as Matrix has a desire to do a complete overhaul to graphics and interface, its a good idea for those of us that it matters to have some input. Regardless of who is in BETA or Development, what is said here is heard.

Since the map sizes are to be greatly increased the mini map becomes more cumbersome to use for moving large distances across a large map. I would like to see a 'jump map' like is used in some other games. You open the map, it shows the entire playing field regardless of how large it is, and anyplace you click on that map is where you go on the playing field. Hearts of Iron has something like that as does most of the larger strategic games. It would be nice if TOAW4 could incorporate this. In fact, for the larger scenarios it would be a necessity, not a convenience.

[ncc1701e]

You are right. Sorry for the off track, I quote things from this thread I have found interesting.

Regarding the interface, mini map is not very useful from my point of view. If we have a "strategy map" view option by one menu item, this is enough for me. The mini map today is not displaying everything anyway. That way, we could gain room for other things.

Formation and units display could be inspired from SSG series (Kharkov in particular showing the unit hierarchy if TOAW IV will finally implement more advanced HQ rules and the possibility to change the units from one HQ to another.