SH4 vs SH3 UI

Sheppard · 03-21-07, 03:49 PM

You might say "But, Sheppard, the SH4 UI is better, it's less space taken up!"

Sure, but a lot of that is simply wasted by the STUPID STUPID report log. Rather than being in a fixed location at the bottom of the screen, it's a floating log; which leads to much problems. Sure, you might say "having it at the top of the screen is no problem!"

but look what happens when you load the sub status screen:

The damn log is blocking the buttons, and in order to access them, you have to click and then drag the log away from the buttons!

So what if we move that damn log towards the left so that we can free up the buttons?

Why now, it's blocking the TDC controls!

It's not just the log as well.

Quite a lot of real estate space is taken up by the "tools" on the nav map

While having the names of nautical land marks on the map are a nice improvement, way way too much space is taken up by the damn tools when SH3 allowed you to use the tools as well, while retaining more screen space for the map

The periscope also suffers from bad design.

You know, that's quite a lot of black......nothingness, and is not very immersive, and having the tabs in and out is stupid; exactly what kind of screen real estate are we saving? The Great Yawning Blackness?

Back to SH3 UI!

partyboy · 03-21-07, 04:00 PM

Yeah, the log is annoying. No matter where I move it it always ends up blocking something.

Anachronous · 03-22-07, 04:05 AM

Sadly I agree. Your points are exactly what I was thinking when I first ran the game. It's going to take some getting used to, but from what I see, we have less information on screen, with more space taken up and less immersion.

KrvKpt. Falke · 03-22-07, 04:28 AM

Ive seen a gameplay movie from november 2006 and the log is at bottom left (look like it was modified sh3 menu1024.ini). Look much better than your screens

Cant it be hide somehow somewhere? (i dont know cause i dont have SH4).
Edit: i think it can be easly modified via menu1024_768.ini to be in right place. Dont panic

P_Funk · 03-22-07, 04:37 AM

Hey in your first image the Speed Indicator was larger than the other 2 but in the second it was the same size as the other two. Does that mean that the 3 dials there pop up to a larger size when you hover over them?

That would be a helluva lot like a few SH3 mods eh?

Boris · 03-22-07, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_Funk

Hey in your first image the Speed Indicator was larger than the other 2 but in the second it was the same size as the other two. Does that mean that the 3 dials there pop up to a larger size when you hover over them?

That would be a helluva lot like a few SH3 mods eh?

Yep, that is indeed the case

P_Funk · 03-22-07, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boris

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_Funk

Hey in your first image the Speed Indicator was larger than the other 2 but in the second it was the same size as the other two. Does that mean that the 3 dials there pop up to a larger size when you hover over them?

That would be a helluva lot like a few SH3 mods eh?

Yep, that is indeed the case

Well there we go. Thats at least ONE thing that they did right.

Soviet_Sharpshooter · 03-22-07, 10:28 AM

Yeah i HATE the User interface in Silent Hunter 4, i DID just start playing today, but i dont see why they dont keep the same general lay out they did in SH 3.

Is it historical accuracy or something? I guess the Americans just aint as good at designing effective boats like the germans

P_Funk · 03-22-07, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soviet_Sharpshooter

Is it historical accuracy or something?

Yes. The Americans hit F5 to beam to the bridge instead of F4.

stabiz · 03-22-07, 10:45 AM

:rotfl:

Anyway, I guess this is easy to mod.

P_Funk · 03-22-07, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stabiz

:rotfl:

Anyway, I guess this is easy to mod.

Isn't there already a mod for that?
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=108015

03-21-07, 03:49 PM	#1
Sheppard Captain of the Nautilus Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 146 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 0	SH4 vs SH3 UI You might say "But, Sheppard, the SH4 UI is better, it's less space taken up!" Sure, but a lot of that is simply wasted by the STUPID STUPID report log. Rather than being in a fixed location at the bottom of the screen, it's a floating log; which leads to much problems. Sure, you might say "having it at the top of the screen is no problem!" but look what happens when you load the sub status screen: The damn log is blocking the buttons, and in order to access them, you have to click and then drag the log away from the buttons! So what if we move that damn log towards the left so that we can free up the buttons? Why now, it's blocking the TDC controls! It's not just the log as well. Quite a lot of real estate space is taken up by the "tools" on the nav map While having the names of nautical land marks on the map are a nice improvement, way way too much space is taken up by the damn tools when SH3 allowed you to use the tools as well, while retaining more screen space for the map The periscope also suffers from bad design. You know, that's quite a lot of black......nothingness, and is not very immersive, and having the tabs in and out is stupid; exactly what kind of screen real estate are we saving? The Great Yawning Blackness? Back to SH3 UI! Last edited by Sheppard; 03-21-07 at 04:04 PM.

03-22-07, 04:05 AM	#3
Anachronous Medic Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tasmania Posts: 167 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	Sadly I agree. Your points are exactly what I was thinking when I first ran the game. It's going to take some getting used to, but from what I see, we have less information on screen, with more space taken up and less immersion. __________________ Use of undefined constants causes assumptions!

03-22-07, 04:37 AM	#5
P_Funk Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 2,537 Downloads: 129 Uploads: 0	Hey in your first image the Speed Indicator was larger than the other 2 but in the second it was the same size as the other two. Does that mean that the 3 dials there pop up to a larger size when you hover over them? That would be a helluva lot like a few SH3 mods eh? __________________

03-22-07, 10:28 AM	#8
Soviet_Sharpshooter A-ganger Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 72 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Yeah i HATE the User interface in Silent Hunter 4, i DID just start playing today, but i dont see why they dont keep the same general lay out they did in SH 3. Is it historical accuracy or something? I guess the Americans just aint as good at designing effective boats like the germans __________________ I died in Scapa Flow

03-22-07, 10:45 AM	#10
stabiz Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 4,224 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	:rotfl: Anyway, I guess this is easy to mod. __________________

03-21-07, 04:00 PM	#2
partyboy Helmsman Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 106 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Yeah, the log is annoying. No matter where I move it it always ends up blocking something.

03-22-07, 04:28 AM	#4
KrvKpt. Falke Planesman Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Iron Coffin Posts: 195 Downloads: 40 Uploads: 0	Ive seen a gameplay movie from november 2006 and the log is at bottom left (look like it was modified sh3 menu1024.ini). Look much better than your screens Cant it be hide somehow somewhere? (i dont know cause i dont have SH4). Edit: i think it can be easly modified via menu1024_768.ini to be in right place. Dont panic