Menu Screens

[oDDity]

I loved the T2 interface and hated the T3 one. This one is a bit too streamline design oriented and minimalist for me, I'd like to see a more integrated and relevant design approach.

You look at that, and wthout the Dark Mod heaing, it could be a menu for any game.

[SneaksieDave]

It's probably the four buttons along the top. I'm fine with it either way though.

 

 

Anyone who can guess where my char is in that shot is the MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

[oDDity]

It looking like the Morrowind UI isn't the probelm, it's just a symtom.

The problem is it's genericism. It looks like a typical UI, rather than the Dark Mod UI.

I'd like to see something a bit (lot) more identifiable.

Edited June 16, 2005 by oDDity

[Domarius]

Well maybe that's the downside of being TOO minimalist.

[Springheel]

I think the fact that it's going to have a map of our city in the background will make it pretty distinctive. If you took the background graphics and titles away, D3 or HL2's menus would look pretty generic too, as would most games.

[Fingernail]

Add in the fact that it's a basis for other maps, and it's fine IMO.

 

Yeah, our own location will look great and make it more unique.

[oDDity]

Justify a faceless generic UI all you want, but I don't like it. Slapping a screenshot from the game into the background is hardly a solution.

As long as my opposition to it is documented here, then by all means go ahead, but there is really no need to commit to a UI at this stage.

Edited June 16, 2005 by oDDity

[New Horizon]

Justify a faceless generic UI all you want, but I don't like it. Slapping a screenshot from the game into the background is hardly a solution.

As long as my opposition to it is documented here, then by all means go ahead, but there is really no need to commit to a UI at this stage.

From my understanding, it's not just going to be a screen shot but rather a moving backdrop.

[pakmannen]

I doubt it's going to be hard to replace the interface graphics later down the road if we make something prettier, but I think it's good that we finally have something so poor Napalm can get to work.

[Springheel]

Justify a faceless generic UI all you want, but I don't like it.

 

If you have a better idea of what the "Dark Mod UI" should look like, feel free to post it.

[oDDity]

I haven't thought about it yet, but I'm sure I could come up with one.

This isn't a beauty contest, but we do seriously need several different UI's to choose from, rather than just one 'take it or leave it' design. Everyone else should feel free to come up with ideas as well.

[SneaksieDave]

How about something based around the Builders? The way T1&2 did, but... well, in a kind've weak way (if you ask for my opinion). I was never too crazy about those menus, but they were fine. The T3 one is rather lame.

 

So here's a chance to go all out and make one in the style of T1&2, but much better. Hammers and shit, cogs and gears that swivel and move aside, steam shooting out of cracks or joints or menu options when you select them, something real "IRON BOLTED PLATE PICKUP TRUCK COMMERCIAL" type of mechanical devicey looking. Or something.

[pakmannen]

I have some sketches I did a long time ago, before we decided upon the "Half-Life 2" in-game background thingy. I'll see if I can find them again. Some of you have probably seen them already. I know I showed them to Tyrot at least.

[oDDity]

So here's a chance to go all out and make one in the style of T1&2, but much better. Hammers and shit, cogs and gears that swivel and move aside, steam shooting out of cracks or joints or menu options when you select them, something real "IRON BOLTED PLATE PICKUP TRUCK COMMERCIAL" type of mechanical devicey looking. Or something.

Yes, that's the sort of meaty design I was thinking of as well.

THe T3 UI was designed for the xbox, so it's hardly surprising it sucked. It was seriously tacky and amateur, and whoever designed it was completely lacking in talent (a common flaw at the Ion studios in general I believe)

[SneaksieDave]

Edit: Okay, I'm going to try to do a verbal layout, because I'm no photoshop wiz or anything. Maybe I'll try a mockup later, but I imagine it wouldn't do any better than imagining from a description (because it'll probably look teh shit).

 

Vertically, all of the main options (Visual, Audio, etc) are laid out on mechanical thingies, like gears or piston objects

Behind them, pipes and joints (some leaking steam) in a mass leading toward a machine of some sort, off to the right (which is mostly clear until an option is selected - alternately, the menu could be centered, and then when something is selected, the whole housing shifts left, and then...->)

When an option is selected, it folds open like an iris, the interior rolls backward and then unfolds toward the right, revealing the particular facets of that option, displayed vertically.

 

When an option is cancelled, the piston/gear/whatever folds back up, makes a bunch of steam hissing which clears to restore the menu as it was, or

When an option is changed and applied, some sort of IRON PRESS(!) comes down and pounds that shit into the machine beneath/behind and ... I dunno, looks like the change is made permanent. Like a forge hammered out the change you selected, that's what I mean.

 

Radio/check boxes could be rivets or punch buttons or something like that, while sliders would be geared or bracketted piping, or (I'm really having trouble wording this, is it obvious?) you know, that "clack clack clack clack" metally type of spring loaded or notched slider. Of course everything has appropriate nasty sound effects and such, like in a factory.

 

Could expand on this more, of course, but that's a basic flow.

 

 

Oh and definitely with rhythmic ambient mechanical noises.

 

CHONK-KAH phoooo sssssshhhhh PSST COOF tssssss

CHONK-KAH phoooo sssssshhhhh PSST COOF tssssss

CHONK-KAH phoooo sssssshhhhh PSST COOF tssssss

Edited June 16, 2005 by SneaksieDave

[Springheel]

People should probably be aware this menu wasn't created in a vacuum. There are a series of discussions on this topic, where lots of different kinds of menus were presented and voted upon. It was eventually (after months and months) decided that people prefered a simple, HL2 style menu.

 

If people want to reopen that discussion, be my guest, but be aware we're treading old ground by doing so.

[SneaksieDave]

It certainly would be easiest. I can't even begin to guess what would go into making the thing I've pictured. Models? BSP? Bitmaps? Who the hell knows. FM authors will likely want to customize the menu for their FM, as well.

 

Edit: And, my burst of enthusiasm above would eliminate the street scene, which would be very cool, so that'd be a problem.

Edited June 16, 2005 by SneaksieDave

[god_is_my_goldfish]

An idea is to have a street scene, but have our menu on a wall in the foreground, on a peice of paper or something like that.

 

Lemme do a mock up to explain better (I do think what we have here already is perfectly suitable though)

[Domarius]

A good argument already raised for the simplicity (of Springheel's mock up) is that this is a toolset which many varied styled missions will be created.

 

Granted, they could make their own menu style if they really wanted to, but the shouldn't feel like they have to go to that extra work - they won't feel that if the interface is fairly generic and simple.

Edited June 17, 2005 by Domarius

[Darkness_Falls]

I like Sprinheel's. The only other option I would consider is something that looks reminiscent of Thief 2's menu. But that's the only other option I'd consider. I might even kinda prefer that, but I'm good either way.

[sparhawk]

For a nice and interesting interface you might take a look at Syberia. It is very well integrated into teh game ambience, and it also has this machine style that I would prefer. I don't say we should copy it, just for reference to get some ideas.

Intro screen

Main menu

 

The springs and buttons are animated, so that the move when you click on them. The color and text of the buttons is obvisouly not so fitting for us, but I think the background theme could work to give some ideas.

[oDDity]

Yes,. that's good, except for the big white buttons.

This idea that we have to make our menu bland and generic becasue people will be making different missions is nonsense. 90+% of people will be making the same type of thiefy missions set in the same world as ours, and that's what this toolset is intended for. Anyone moving drastically away from that style should not be taken into consideration. We can't start to guess at someone using the toolset to make a puzzle game set on the Moon.

THe only other argument here is 'This one is simple and easy to do', but if we're starting to use those criteria for our decision making, then we may as well give up now.

[Subjective Effect]

90+% of people will be making the same type of thiefy missions set in the same world as ours, and that's what this toolset is intended for

Quoted for truth.

 

I really like gimg's idea. A poster on a corner with a street scene in the background would be interesting. A UI that is integrated into a wall or machine or carved into stone would be nice. There are a lot of rubbish IUs out there. UT2k4 anyone? Doom3? Dull dull dull.

 

But the current mock-up is too simple and too generic imho.

[sparhawk]

We can also make a mini map as a menu. The player could go through the main door to enter the mission. Down in the cellar where all the options are stored, in the living room there are the selections for missions, etc. You get the idea. If the ways are short and simple this wouldn't be bothersome to use and may look rather nice.

[sparhawk]

Speaking of corner posts. This could also be done. You know. A streetsign that points in the direction and depending on which selection the user makes the post is rotating acting as the button.