New Screenshots

[Stwa]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Menu or not, the buttons still have to be grouped according to function.

They are grouped by function. They are MENU ITEMS, of which EXIT or BACK is a valid menu related activity just like DISPLAY Allied Ships.

[DuckofTindalos]

Sorry man, we won't agree on that.

[Bodhi]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

That's not usable. It violates a basic design principle of grouping interface elements according to function, and the Exit Button has a fundamentally different function from the other buttons on that screen.

Not that the WitP interface applies basic design principles: note how the exit button position wanders around in the different pop-up windows. [:D]

[DuckofTindalos]

Well, yeah... But that's not by design. It's the leprechauns that are moving it about![:D]

[Bodhi]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Well, yeah... But that's not by design. It's the leprechauns that are moving it about![:D]

Are those the same leprechauns that inserted the two-tone brown maps and textured light-brown backgrounds? If so, maybe they should be caught and sent back to the Emerald Isle as soon as possible. [:D]

[Tankerace]

Hey.... the brown maps are gone, and I like the wood interface.[:D] At least its not another run o' the mill metal one. And no, the exit buttons weren't my doing [;)]

[Tankerace]

In either case on the exit buttons, I do agree it should be moved. But, Mike has to work on other projects, so we decided to worry about things such as the ASW model (which is leaps and bounds ahead of WitP's) or the exit buttons.

Needless to say, the ASW model won out. That plus to get the new stuff we wanted in WPO to make it feasible and fun, we had to basically "accept" the WitP interface as is.

And for those wanting to know, here is how the ASW model is different in WPO: the chance of a destroyer finding a sub has been reduced, and now the majority of "hits" are actually near misses, with the text "SS ** suffers internal damage from near miss." This equates to light bulbs bursting and minor leaks. This translates roughly to 1 or 2 sys damage. Direct hits (especially in shallow water) will be killers, but the only sure way to take out a sub is to catch it on the surface (with say a Q ship) and blast the bejesus out of it with gunfire. It will littlerly take dozens of ASW attacks for a confirmed sub kill. So now, you can actually watch the combat animations without saying "I lost that sub".

[Stwa]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

Hey.... the brown maps are gone, and I like the wood interface.[:D] At least its not another run o' the mill metal one. And no, the exit buttons weren't my doing [;)]

I share this opinion. I am glad we are trying the wood interface, I am really burnt on all WWII games using a metal theme. Also, I very much like the map colors as is, so I hope they will remain.

But now I am worried about the Main screens before you start the game. At first I did not like these, but they grew on me over time and like them a lot now, but would they create WPO ambiance? Seems like something else would be better. I would like something a lot simpler that looks more or less like the in-game screens, but maybe this can't be changed due to budget as well?

[DuckofTindalos]

If you're talking about the main menu screen, it IS a lot simpler than the WitP one.

[Stwa]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

If you're talking about the main menu screen, it IS a lot simpler than the WitP one.

Yea, thats what I am talking about, and I am so glad to hear they are a lot simpler, but I will be hopeing that this means everything is contained on one screen, and much smaller that the WitP ones. Seeing all those BIG graphics, then going to basically small fonts and map detail just was not a good transition in my opinion. I also think thats what makes the full screens seem so weird.

You are basically working with a map and lots of text detail, with small aircraft and ship graphics. Then to go from this to a full screen with Giant radio buttons or 4 x 6 pics of WWII stuff, just doesn't seem right to me.

Oh, well, just MY opinion of course.

[DuckofTindalos]

Oh, then I misunderstood you. It's the same basic layout, but in a different, simpler design. You can't squash all those buttons into one screen![X(]

[Stwa]

Ok, well good, one screen will be MUCH better than the five it uses now.

[DuckofTindalos]

It's early morning here, and I made a posting boo-boo. It should have read "you can't squeeze all of those buttons into one screen". Sorry!

[Tankerace]

The screens are different color wise and style wise, but all the buttons (sans those not used by WPO) are in the same posiition. This was necessary because since the project was to be an expansion, it was just something we accepted early on, and after it became a standalone, we decided to pour everything we could into it to make it the "definative" 1920's simulation. I agree though, a gazillion screens to set options in is kind of a nuissance, but since you really only need do it once a patch, its not that bad really.

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

In either case on the exit buttons, I do agree it should be moved. But, Mike has to work on other projects, so we decided to worry about things such as the ASW model (which is leaps and bounds ahead of WitP's) or the exit buttons.

Needless to say, the ASW model won out. That plus to get the new stuff we wanted in WPO to make it feasible and fun, we had to basically "accept" the WitP interface as is.

And for those wanting to know, here is how the ASW model is different in WPO: the chance of a destroyer finding a sub has been reduced, and now the majority of "hits" are actually near misses, with the text "SS ** suffers internal damage from near miss." This equates to light bulbs bursting and minor leaks. This translates roughly to 1 or 2 sys damage. Direct hits (especially in shallow water) will be killers, but the only sure way to take out a sub is to catch it on the surface (with say a Q ship) and blast the bejesus out of it with gunfire. It will littlerly take dozens of ASW attacks for a confirmed sub kill. So now, you can actually watch the combat animations without saying "I lost that sub".

this sounds great. will they be adding updates like this that you guys are working on for WPO to good old WITP at a later time as well??? [:)]