Ember Online

NiteHawk wrote:I'm all for customization (I.E. moving the minimap to the top of the stats for example, and closing the bar). but I think it doesn't need to get overly complicated. I don't really like those systems where you can move all windows all over the place, it bothers me for some reason, hence why I like this setup which has some freedom but not 'messy'. It's similar to a new age ROK client pretty much.

I was literally telling someone earlier that some customization is good but too much is bad. The goal should be a "controlled chaos" of sorts. Lots of options but never, ever total freedom.

Agreed. The way ghost dealt with it I think gives plenty of customization without making the client a complete mess looking. It has that old client feel, but it has newer modern features that people would enjoy.

I really like it. A++ 8)

Looks great! I usually like the player list on the other side but it looks so good I could sacrifice.

As for fully moveable Windows besides being a pain to program how would that hurt? Like confusing for the player?

I guess I love how aleveria worked and how when I use gimp I can move crap where ever when working. Dont get me wrong it would all still be in a main window but moveable within?

Idk how i feel about players/items on the left....awkward xD

Kenichi wrote:Idk how i feel about players/items on the left....awkward xD

If players and items were moved to the right and the stats/inventory were on the left, I'm sold.

Zeroun wrote:

Kenichi wrote:Idk how i feel about players/items on the left....awkward xD

If players and items were moved to the right and the stats/inventory were on the left, I'm sold.

Me too but why not just have movable windows within the client if it's not too hard to program. Then people can put crap wherever they want. I guess I'm confused why this could be a problem?

The reason I've decided to design this way is so that "Important" information is fixed in it's location in the interface. This allows my "eye" to know where certain information is going to be at any given moment. This improves my ability to process and scan for the most important information quickly... Because I know where it's going to be. (Not to mention the majority of our users will be accustomed to processing content left to right (language)).

If we design an interface with a collapsable panel and the layout (thus information) is designed to move because of that, we don't want the starting point for the other information on screen to move if it's important.

If the collapsable content was on the left, then where my eye goes to process the text, in a text based game, can vary by 150-200 pixels. This will slow game play and ultimately provide a disadvantage to skilled players as they develop hundreds of hours familiarizing themselves with the layout. It would actually be in their best interest at this point to never collapse the menu - which isn't what we want.

Sure, all of you today, as players of RoK, are uncomfortable with the progression of information – but that will change quickly. RoK wasn't designed with collapsable content. This game is and we want to take all of that functionality into account. Especially based on a previous conversation about the panel auto-expanding when pertinent information is present.

The reason we don't wanted to create a fully customizable interface with draggable and moveable panels, is because we want to be able to fully understand the User Experience with our content. If we know specific information is always going to be on the left, when we can design interactions based on the fact that content is on the left. Both Nitehawk and Remnant spoke to this earlier. Customization only makes sense when the range of interactions is vastly different amongst each user. However, In Rok and Ember, almost every activity in the game follow the same user flow (leveling, OADing, dueling, exploring - the same). It's better to not customize but instead improve those exact user flows than to allow users to customize and muddy the User Experience unknowingly.

But hey, if it's what you want - go for it.

Ghost wrote:The reason I've decided to design this way is so that "Important" information is fixed in it's location in the interface. This allows my "eye" to know where certain information is going to be at any given moment. This improves my ability to process and scan for the most important information quickly... Because I know where it's going to be. (Not to mention the majority of our users will be accustomed to processing content left to right (language)).

If we design an interface with a collapsable panel and the layout (thus information) is designed to move because of that, we don't want the starting point for the other information on screen to move if it's important.

If the collapsable content was on the left, then where my eye goes to process the text, in a text based game, can vary by 150-200 pixels. This will slow game play and ultimately provide a disadvantage to skilled players as they develop hundreds of hours familiarizing themselves with the layout. It would actually be in their best interest at this point to never collapse the menu - which isn't what we want.

Sure, all of you today, as players of RoK, are uncomfortable with the progression of information – but that will change quickly. RoK wasn't designed with collapsable content. This game is and we want to take all of that functionality into account. Especially based on a previous conversation about the panel auto-expanding when pertinent information is present.

The reason we don't wanted to create a fully customizable interface with draggable and moveable panels, is because we want to be able to fully understand the User Experience with our content. If we know specific information is always going to be on the left, when we can design interactions based on the fact that content is on the left. Both Nitehawk and Remnant spoke to this earlier. Customization only makes sense when the range of interactions is vastly different amongst each user. However, In Rok and Ember, almost every activity in the game follow the same user flow (leveling, OADing, dueling, exploring - the same). It's better to not customize but instead improve those exact user flows than to allow users to customize and muddy the User Experience unknowingly.

But hey, if it's what you want - go for it.

Honestly, I think some people just need to get into it. For the actual right and left panels being swapped, that is easily done through a configuration option, but I think default can be the way you designed it, as I agree with you 100% on how collapsible content should be. Besides that though I 'won't' do fully draggable/movable panels or anything like that. I don't like it that way period. Someone else with permissions can eventually make a different client that's like that but the default client I prefer something more set. So I agree with the partial things you can do with panels as discussed.

I try to take what people say at heart for alot of things, but sometimes I'm going to go with what I think will be better in the end. I think in all honestly Ghost has a good idea on how a client should flow, so I do hope you continue with what you're doing for the client interface. 8)

@nitehawk good deal honestly I could care less about moving panels was just curious why everyone was against it. It seems a lot of people want the client set up differently so it seemed like a everyone wins.

But I totally agree you need to take a stance on things. We all have our own visions of what we would like the game to be and if everyone had their way it would be a cluster haha.

Lateralus wrote:@nitehawk good deal honestly I could care less about moving panels was just curious why everyone was against it. It seems a lot of people want the client set up differently so it seemed like a everyone wins.

But I totally agree you need to take a stance on things. We all have our own visions of what we would like the game to be and if everyone had their way it would be a cluster haha.

I think I like some order above all when it comes to the interface layout. ROK's for example was easy to use. I don't mind some movement but I think some limitations would be good. I think a nice presented interface can go far vs just set windows you can move around. I also think people will grab the interface better (and play better) when they are accustomed to a set interface, bar what they think is best. I know that sounds terriblish, but designs and the way an interface functions can effect user experience.

This doesn't mean that I don't want other clients, I.E. A phone based client if you think it could work.. It might actually benefit it there to have more movement because your screen is often alot more limited. But for the default computer client I think it works good.