HUD UI Suggestion - Star type icons and jumps remaining

[Kurotama]

Hello Frontier! I'd like to offer a couple of suggestions for the HUD UI.



(Yeah, I know, I think I might've made the arrows a bit huge, but you can't miss them, right? )

Both of these suggestions only appear with the target system panel that shows up before a jump, so neither of these is persistent and doesn't add more clutter to the usual layout.

1. STAR TYPE ICON -- Color and letter coded. I'm aware that this does show up in the info panel, but this icon should make it easier to deliver the information at a glance.

2. FUELED/UNFUELED JUMPS REMAINING -- I sometimes struggle to remember how many jumps I can still make with available fuel, and it takes quite a while to pull up the galaxy map and count the 'broken line' jumps, not to mention the nav panel only shows you the total number of jumps in the route. So these two numbers show up only when a route has been planned: the number on the left indicates jumps remaining with available fuel, while the other one denotes total jumps in the route. (In this example it's 3/5; a fully fueled route should show up as 5/5, etc.) I know that the 'abort jump' message appears here when needed, so that should override the jump numbers whenever necessary.

Hope you like these and find them useful

 

[GhostBuster]

Sorry but I vote no.

Already the HUD is a cluttered cluster****, incorrect display iconography, poor design decisions and wasted space. It already has duplicate and even triplicate of information.

And you're asking to duplicate stuff again?

No.

That's what side panels are for. Shortcut key them or use TrackIR. But no more crap / duplicates in the gorram display, thanks.

 

[phfrediv]

I think the fueled jumps remaining addition would be great, actually. Perhaps not on the main HUD but somewhere in the Navigation side panel.

 

[Kurotama]

GhostBuster, I disagree. The side panel doesn't display the info I ask for, hence the numbers, and it eliminates the wasted movement of having to switch to the side panel when the pilot should be looking ahead. Plus these are designed to appear with the jump info panel and are not persistent, so no clutter otherwise.

Not to mention we don't all have the means or desire to use VR or Track IR.

Thanks for the input nevertheless.

 

[Kurotama]

Yep, phfrediv, counting dotted lines is a real chore

 

[Lestat]

I say it make it screen cluttered. Right now I hit a button and see what needed. You don't need VR or headset. A lot of times when you look at the star you already know what type it is by just by looking at it.

 

[Ronzer]

One thing I'd like is for the current system to be on one of the forward facing HUD's. If you're jumping, the bottom left of the forward HUD shows your destination info, but typically the info below is only 'unknown' unless scanned. If you look in the navigation panel, on your left, tho, you see the destination system and above it you see the current system you're in. Make it an optional toggle. There, no worries if you dont want too much info.

 

[Kurotama]

That's exactly the point Lestat. If I have to deduce what kind of star it is by "looking at it," then the UI has failed its intended purpose to deliver the proper information when I need it. Also, there is no economy of motion in having to hit a button or switch views for information, when it could be presented in a concise yet contextual manner which goes away after a few moments when you don't need it anymore. Hence, no clutter.

 

[GhostBuster]

GhostBuster, I disagree. The side panel doesn't display the info I ask for, hence the numbers, and it eliminates the wasted movement of having to switch to the side panel when the pilot should be looking ahead. Plus these are designed to appear with the jump info panel and are not persistent, so no clutter otherwise.

Not to mention we don't all have the means or desire to use VR or Track IR.

Thanks for the input nevertheless.

Never mentioned VR. It's a silly system, totally unwieldy and not really ready for prime. Been saying that for years.

TrackIR though, what means do you need? I assume you have a head?

Regardless, I have TrackIR AND I have the panels on a hotas Hat so I can bring one up without turning my head. The number of jumps is right there on the left panel.

As for the star type, I can only assume it's useful for scooping. in which case, it can't hurt to have the star class in the (horrible) transitory display - don't think we need colours / graphic though, but ultimately, you will know by either your route planning only using scoop able stars, or by 2 secs after warping in you collect fuel or you don't!

Yeah, I'm new here, but the UI Lead on this game hasn't got a clue what a HUD or UI should be.

I've read posts that say that the reason we can't have more fire buttons is because the UI / HUD graphics as they have been drawn can't handle that many. Like OMFG, if that's not the definition of the tail wagging the dog, then I don't know what is.

The pitch ladder, the landing animation / power up on a planet, but you don't get it or need it in a station even though you're still doing the exact same thing is crazy... the TRIPLICATE of information, or stupid bloody info messages that obscure the displays that you need to be looking at, with useless redundant messages etc.. I could go on.

My point is the HUD should be completely redesigned, and more information pertinent to the mode / function currently in use should be on screen.

Adding clutter is counter to that.

I mean, I know the name of my ship - I named it. So why the bloody hell do I need it constantly displayed on my Heads up view? I mean really people... sigh.

Thanks for the great debate though. Glad someone can take differing opinions on here without getting childish!

 

[madbilly]

I vote yes, nice idea. I can't be bothered getting into the rest of the banter though

 

[Hydrino]

I support the OP idea, but I like dense and graphical presentation of information.

But the nay-sayers have a point. What FD really needs is a big quality pass on the HUD with ideally modular functionality that players can switch on or off and possibly re-position.

I find the target and self holograms are mostly pointless except for the shield indicators. All sorts of extra data could be displayed in their place and the shield strength displayed in smaller fashion elsewhere.

 

[Kurotama]

High five Ghost About the equipment though, I forgot to mention I don't play HOTAS. That's one more item on the list I don't feel like getting; for my purposes a dinky old Xbone controller with a chatpad works quite well. Hence my desire to minimize any need to switch panels; I think of it kind of like texting and driving.

Anyhow, the star type: at my age things tend to slip by even after a few seconds lol, so I thought it'd be useful and more intuitive to use icons rather than text. I mean, I do read the destination info in the panel as it appears, but it's kind of a slog considering it can be conveyed in a snap. Plus like I said, this is all contextual and not persistent; I mean for this to augment and streamline the jump info panel. This is just like you say: all I need is for information pertinent to the mode / function currently in use to be on screen.

The ship name: I found it cool myself actually Doesn't bother me in the least.

 

[GhostBuster]

That's exactly the point Lestat. If I have to deduce what kind of star it is by "looking at it," then the UI has failed its intended purpose to deliver the proper information when I need it. Also, there is no economy of motion in having to hit a button or switch views for information, when it could be presented in a concise yet contextual manner which goes away after a few moments when you don't need it anymore. Hence, no clutter.

You do know that the star class is clearly displayed in the INFO window when you initiate a jump? It also gives system state (if there is one).

We don't need duplication of data.

The number of jumps remaining - IF YOU HAVE A ROUTE PLANED - shouldn't be another part of the HUD it should be a gradation of coloring in the jump fuel bar - as it almost is now.

So, when you have a target to jump to it highlights the amount of fuel needed in light blue right?

So the next plotted jump should be in a slightly more muted shade of blue, and so on and so on until the bit that is insufficient for the plotted route is RED, and if you'll reach your system before it ends, it should stay orange.

Simple, elegant, conforms to the existing methodology and doesn't clutter up the hud with more stuff.

Right?

 

[ByteMe]

You do know that the star class is clearly displayed in the INFO window when you initiate a jump? It also gives system state (if there is one).

We don't need duplication of data.

The number of jumps remaining - IF YOU HAVE A ROUTE PLANED - shouldn't be another part of the HUD it should be a gradation of coloring in the jump fuel bar - as it almost is now.

So, when you have a target to jump to it highlights the amount of fuel needed in light blue right?

So the next plotted jump should be in a slightly more muted shade of blue, and so on and so on until the bit that is insufficient for the plotted route is RED, and if you'll reach your system before it ends, it should stay orange.

Simple, elegant, conforms to the existing methodology and doesn't clutter up the hud with more stuff.

Right?

This makes a lot of sense to me, I would definitely approve of adding this feature. [up]

 

[GhostBuster]

This makes a lot of sense to me, I would definitely approve of adding this feature. [up]

Thanks.

They won't because they don't understand HUDs / UI and user experience. And show zero intention of ever addressing it.

But it's a nice thought.

 

[X-Terminator]

NO - ALL centre HUD must go on the Lower Left Panel next to the System Name. Much there is totally wasted!

"UNKNOWN" - well errr actually it is known. My Ship did just tell me on the Map and did also plot a Nav Course!

All this is the exact opposite to...wait for it...GUNNER VIEW!!!

 

[Kurotama]

You do know that the star class is clearly displayed in the INFO window when you initiate a jump? It also gives system state (if there is one).

We don't need duplication of data.

The number of jumps remaining - IF YOU HAVE A ROUTE PLANED - shouldn't be another part of the HUD it should be a gradation of coloring in the jump fuel bar - as it almost is now.

So, when you have a target to jump to it highlights the amount of fuel needed in light blue right?

So the next plotted jump should be in a slightly more muted shade of blue, and so on and so on until the bit that is insufficient for the plotted route is RED, and if you'll reach your system before it ends, it should stay orange.

Simple, elegant, conforms to the existing methodology and doesn't clutter up the hud with more stuff.

Right?

The star class in the info panel disappears after a while, sooner than the one in the jump panel. And if the jump panel's gonna give you info, might as well give the best it could without having to spell out the whole star info when an icon does the same thing faster.

While I think the 'gradient' idea has merit, it's not explicit enough. I need the ship computer to tell me the numbers outright and not make me do guesswork.