RCT 3 PC An interface change?

[Tboy]

I think the current interface is the best so far. It has easily identifiable icons and flows quite well. IMO the RCT1/2 interface crowded the screen too much at times.

However, it would be nice to allow multiple sub-windows open and have the abillity to close them all by hitting ctrl+backsp.

Well, if the icons was to big, in a RCT1 interface for RCT3, they could just use smaller icons.
Also, the fact that you must change the path colour everytime gets anoying.
As well, with this interface, you can only have one roller coaster open at a time. With the old one, you could have many, which i find easier than doing your work on one, then trying to find the other.

Even if the rest doesnt get changed, I think the roller coaster window should be.

 

[Nuclear Fish]

I really don't think anything needs changing. It's fine as it is and I prefer it to the old one.

 

[Tboy]

Can you explain why though?

 

[Nuclear Fish]

Well, it's much more coviently laid out. And I prefer the track building interface how it's arranged than in the old games. There just isn't really anything wrong with it. The only problem is when selecting scenery as you have to scroll down, and I prefered it in RCT2 where you could view about 30 objects at a time.

 

[The Skipper]

Don't feel naked at all, just another forum I am a member of.

Amen brother! So what's it like without all the Mod powers you are use too, feel naked?

 

[Tboy]

You cant open more than one window at a time with this layout...

owever, i suppose if that was changed, it would be a bit better.

 

[The Skipper]

In some cases you can, not all, but some

 

[jpinard]

The current one is OK - it just needs some tweaking. Paramount to this is making the ride selection window taller. Younger players use the pictures to help them visualize what kind of ride they're going to be placing - so using the mini-icons isn't a good solution for them. They need to use the default icons and have a window that is very tall (see pic). http://www.jeffpinard.com/menu.jpg Most people don't have the patience to do that much scrolling.
Obviously having a re-sizable window that saves your last resize setting is the preferred option... but if that's not amenable then a much larger window would be great.

 

[Tboy]

Don't feel naked at all, just another forum I am a member of.

In the pplaces where it is more important, you cant.
Ex. peeps, rides.

 

[kyne_is_guilty]

See my post about Thrillville in the games forum.

The RCT3 GUI could have been improved by simply
making panels and windows resizable rather than
forcing the user to scroll up and down long lists
of objects and scenery.

They didn't go far enough with the "backspace" key
for use in closing open panels and windows. That key
should have closed ANY OPEN PANEL or window... they
also should have implemented SHIFT-Backspace for closing
ALL OPEN WINDOWS just like RCT1 and RCT2.

Many little things wrong with the RCT3 GUI. I hate that you
can't open multiple ride panels. Panels are locked in the bottom
left or right corner of the screen and can not be repositioned.
The ride construction and land terraforming tools can not be
used simultaneously, unlike RCT1 and RCT2.

It's all been said before... the GUI on RCT3 blows and it
will probably never be fixed.

 

[Live_The_Thrill]

kyne_is_guilty that reminded me, I am sick of opening the terrain panel as it closes any other active panels. This annoyance is mostly happens while constructing coasters.

 

[disneyland255]

This is one of my biggest annoyances with the interface. I would like to be able to terraform with the coaster building window open. Myabe with more than one window open it slows down the game. Hmmmm....

 

[kyne_is_guilty]

I believe this was a "design feature" to prevent players' screens from getting cluttered with too many open panels and windows. This would mostly be an issue at lower screen resolutions; intensified by the fact that it took them months to implement the "backspace" key command -- and even that was half-baked and doesn't close all windows. Anyone remember what SHIFT-Backspace did in the original RCT games? That's right... it closed ALL open panels and windows, not just some!

If some moron wants to open several dozen panels until he can no longer see anything else on the screen, let him do it. Anyhow, we're just beating a dead *****. It's all been said and nothing was done to make it better.

[EDIT: Why did the word H O R S E get asterisks?!]

Now Frontier wants me to buy Thrillville? I DON'T THINK SO, GUYS.

 

[Nuclear Fish]

You're just lazy. It doesn't take much exra time just to press backspace more than once.

 

[disneyland255]

Hey! I didn't even know about the "backspace." I never used the shortcuts on the games before. Let along did I know they existed! LOL - If I want a ton of windows open that will be my perogative. I want more than one window to be open. It helps me to work faster in my parks.

 

[kyne_is_guilty]

Oh no, someone called me "lazy"! Wah wah!

The backspace command doesn't close everything the way it should.
Some windows and panels still require a mouseclick to close.

In RCT and RCT2, SHIFT-Backspace would close ALL windows/panels.
There is a considerable difference between laziness and a desire for
a more efficient interface. There were some very convenient interface
features in the earlier games which did not get included with RCT3.

The earlier RCT games' interfaces had a more flexible and consistent design.

You're just lazy. It doesn't take much exra time just to press backspace more than once.