Launch button should require a long press

[CMDR Larmakosa]

A very old problem, although the latest version of the menu makes it less likely to happen, accidentally firing the "Launch" button can still be an issue sometimes
I imagine two possibilities :

1. Launch button requiring a long press (something around 500ms) ; visual feedback could either be the button filling in with blue for instance (horizontally or vertically), or via a smaller loading bar or circle
2. Launch button only gives you authorization, but taking off would require the same procedure as on planets. Only once the ship has actually taken off, does the pilot lose access to the station menu.

 

[here_it_comes]

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

I would pay for this.

 

[ars]

Have to agree. At least on console the UI has a tendency to choke every now and then, even if it's just for a millisecond, but it does interrupt your menu navigation and can cause an accidental launch because you expected the highlight be somewhere else and already activated it.

Option 2 might not be that viable due to the autodocker, probably being allowed to dock request while inside a station would cause a pathfinding/queue nightmare too. But simply having an extra layer of security before you actually lift off and the station throws you out would prevent yet another case of the loop of shame(tm).

 

[m0rl0ck]

Have you guys been playing the alpha? On the galaxy map you now have to hold a button to target a system as a destination and wait while a progress bar fills up. Its horrible design and frustrating to use.
No. No. No.

 

[FraggleRock]

The pause on the galaxy map is bad, but I can see the "engine start" process being used in the station as well as on planets being actualy quite consolidating of the different mechanics, and stopping accidental launches!

 

[LeoBartlet]

A very old problem, although the latest version of the menu makes it less likely to happen, it can still be an issue sometimes
I imagine two possibilities :

1. Launch button requiring a long press (something around 500ms at least) ; visual feedback could either be the button filling in with blue for instance (horizontally or vertically), or via a smaller loading bar or circle
2. Launch button only gives you authorization, but taking off would require the same procedure as on planets. Only once the ship has actually taken off, does the pilot lose access to the station menu.

No

 

[here_it_comes]

Have you guys been playing the alpha? On the galaxy map you now have to hold a button to target a system as a destination and wait while a progress bar fills up. Its horrible design and frustrating to use.
No. No. No.

Accidentally selecting a destination on the Galaxy Map does not set anything into motion, so it really makes no sense to have a long-press for this.

Clicking Launch accidentally does, however, immediately set a process into motion than requires you to either exit and re-dock or relog to correct. That makes it the ideal candidate for a long-press. A 500ms long-press isn't much more of a button press than a click, but long enough to be nearly impossible to accidentally click.

 

[ars]

Have you guys been playing the alpha? On the galaxy map you now have to hold a button to target a system as a destination and wait while a progress bar fills up. Its horrible design and frustrating to use.
No. No. No.

On console we have to use "taps" and "long presses" all the time to work with menus, it's quite intuitive when made so. If on Windows you already got used to this because that's how you repeat your characters, too.

When you "click" or "tap" something you take no longer than 10 ms to perform the click. Even a 100-200ms long press trigger is not intrusive, but it IS enough to prevent an accidental click. I'm not familiar with Alpha's galaxy map, but it seems likely you're talking about a very different thing

 

[m0rl0ck]

Well if you need time to think about it, enable the launch checklist.

 

[CMDR Larmakosa]

Have you guys been playing the alpha? On the galaxy map you now have to hold a button to target a system as a destination and wait while a progress bar fills up. Its horrible design and frustrating to use.
No. No. No.

It's interesting you mention this. Long press has different use cases, some I find relevant and some I don't.

To me, long press is usually a great alternative to any kind of confirmation (when I develop admin interfaces, I usually propose this for deletion buttons and people like it better than a confirmation box) but it's not necessarily a good idea on a simple selection feature when there's no risk of misfiring an unwanted event. To me, the launch button is a typical use case for long press (that's why we have long-press when landed on planets actually).

I could only play the alpha something like four hours, during phase I, but if memory serves, the long press on the system map was thought as an alternative to more clicks, so I suppose, it's not that much of a problem since you don't have to use it, and can still use normal clicks. If it was the only way to access the feature, it would probably be a bad use case. But as a shortcut to the most common action among several possibilities, I guess it's fine. I personnaly wasn't bothered by it, but a bit puzzled they would implement it there and not on obvious "riskier" actions.

 

[here_it_comes]

Well if you need time to think about it, enable the launch checklist.

That would only make the entire process longer for everyone. Longer than having a short long-press, and would accumulate to exponentially more time spent to solve the issue.

 

[m0rl0ck]

That would only make the entire process longer for everyone.

No it wouldnt. Enabling the checklist is a toggle in settings. If you need time to think about it or cant be bothered for some reason to pay attention to what you are doing in game, just enable the launch checklist.

 

[ars]

The UI issues and accidental launches are real. I know it's tempting to try and hijack the thread to belittle every other participant on it, but perhaps just let it go

 

[MacIntoc]

Accidentally selecting a destination on the Galaxy Map does not set anything into motion, so it really makes no sense to have a long-press for this.

Clicking Launch accidentally does, however, immediately set a process into motion than requires you to either exit and re-dock or relog to correct. That makes it the ideal candidate for a long-press. A 500ms long-press isn't much more of a button press than a click, but long enough to be nearly impossible to accidentally click.

I must admit it's a good point. So i support the overal idea.

 

[m0rl0ck]

If you arent yet upset about lowest common denominator, reduced functionality, UI design play the alpha.
Besides, enabling the lauch checklist actually solves this problem.

 

[CMDR Larmakosa]

If you arent yet upset about lowest common denominator, reduced functionality, UI design play the alpha.
Besides, enabling the lauch checklist actually solves this problem.

The launch checklist is an awful and tedious solution. Long press is so much faster and fluid.

 

[ars]

Prolonging all your launches to prevent your accidental launches is not a "fix"

 

[m0rl0ck]

Prolonging all your launches to prevent your accidental launches is not a "fix"

Exactly my point, thank you. Anything that requires and extra step or extra time, as in waiting for a progress bar to fill up, is less efficient. ED already has enough time wasters in it.
If you actually need help in this area, just enable the launch checklist.

 

[MacIntoc]

Prolonging all your launches to prevent your accidental launches is not a "fix"

In fact, it's one. You have to confirm a significant action in all good UI (like deleted a file, closing without saving,...)

 

[m0rl0ck]

In fact, it's one. You have to confirm a significant action in all good UI (like deleted a file, closing without saving,...)

Yeah i think that is Frontiers philosophy of UI design, extra steps are good, especially in a game, where spontaneity and immersion dont matter.