The incomplete stock UI

[Jander]

Originally Posted by gutted

Lookin' good DW.

That version of the interface in your pic.. along with your minimalist TDC dials mod is definately the route im going. I dont really care for the SHIV style dials.

/signed. This looks definitely like the kind of interface I want to use in SH5.

[Westbroek]

Hey now, that's looking real promising DarkWraith. Keep up the good digging!

[gutted]

Originally Posted by SteveTRM

I got slaped in the face for mentioning this in a previous thread but please check this out - http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=164798 I think it is a sticky aswell!

My reply to you was not meant as a slap in the face. Sorry you took at that way.

I was merely pointing out that your suggestion to use the scriptmanager to make the change was overkill for changing two specific values that i had pointed out.

What you suggested would require:

They would have to launch their game.
change their graphics settings to a windowed mode.
Exit the game.
Enable the modding stuff in the config file.
Relaunch the game.
Turn on the script manager.
Make the two changes and apply them.
Change their graphics back to their Fullscreen mode.
Exit the game.
Disable the modding tools.
Then relaunch the game to play normally.

Understand now?

Yes we know about the script manager. And no i wasn't using notepad when i found the values.

[skwasjer]

Duci, most of the commands you mentioned are already supported by my speech recognition mod. Not saying the should not be added, but I've played the game for 4-5 days with it, and I am not missing the buttons in the UI at all. I just say 'standard propulsion' or 'rudder 5 degrees to starboard' and voila! Now, for those unable to play with speech recognition, the extra buttons would be a godsent, but I'm just saying, I like the bare UI as it is except for maybe the missing compas.

[edit] Oh, and I definately don't like to see a SH3/SH4 clone UI.

[Deep Six]

I Have to agree with Ducimus on this, going forwards not backwards is the right way to go....

Ducimus with his vision and Darkwraith with his modding will produce the best ui yet for SH5.

Nice to see all these little gems hidden away in the files that are now coming to light. This game definitely has the potential to be by far the best submarine simulation of its ilk, for many years to come. Pity that AGAIN its left to the modders to do the bread and butter stuff from scratch again.


Cheers

Deep six...... Up for air once in awhile

[Decoman]

I have a list of some conciderations:

• Movable UI elements, preferably with a lock, when appropriate.
• Resizable UI elements, when appropriate.
• Responsive mouse-over-balloons, when appropriate.
• Responsive mouse-over-graphics, when appropriate.
• Snap to screen edge, snap to UI menu elements, when appropriate.
• Hotkey support for UI elements
• Hotkey support for overlay UI elements, e.g spawning menu when holding down a button
• Unused UI elements, for adding new UI elements if new UI elements couldn't otherwise be modded to be used in the game.

[Coldcall]

Darkwraith,

Gotta say your UI is looking faboulous! Persoanlly i'd be pleased with a few UIs to chose from so i dont see why different modders dont come up with different UIs which can be switched around.

I/m just appreciative all you great modders like Ducimus, Darkwraith and all others who are creating mods. I really feel bad my tech skills are so poor because i feel im just leeching off eveyones work.

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by Coldcall

Darkwraith,

Gotta say your UI is looking faboulous! Persoanlly i'd be pleased with a few UIs to chose from so i dont see why different modders dont come up with different UIs which can be switched around.

I/m just appreciative all you great modders like Ducimus, Darkwraith and all others who are creating mods. I really feel bad my tech skills are so poor because i feel im just leeching off eveyones work.

well now that I can import my own 'settings' on demand I have the ability to make multiple UIs a snap. My vision is for the game to read files associated with a UI that defines what the UI looks like. This way people can create new UIs on their own.
The real neat part is that you'll be able to change up your UI in real time via a page like preferences or options. Don't like the way your UI looks while playing? Hit the escape key, go to preferences or options, make some changes, resume game to see changes. That's where I'm heading with this.

so now I need to sort out the orders bar. My vision for the orders bar is that it's orders that only the captain can give - orders like battlestations, rig for silent running, etc. So I'd like to compile a list of these commands so I can implement them. Let's make a list so I can complete the orders bar (it wasn't visible in my screenshot as I haven't implemented it yet). I'll compile a list of what each officer can do from the officer shortcut bar and post here.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

well now that I can import my own 'settings' on demand I have the ability to make multiple UIs a snap. My vision is for the game to read files associated with a UI that defines what the UI looks like. This way people can create new UIs on their own.
The real neat part is that you'll be able to change up your UI in real time via a page like preferences or options. Don't like the way your UI looks while playing? Hit the escape key, go to preferences or options, make some changes, resume game to see changes. That's where I'm heading with this.

so now I need to sort out the orders bar. My vision for the orders bar is that it's orders that only the captain can give - orders like battlestations, rig for silent running, etc. So I'd like to compile a list of these commands so I can implement them. Let's make a list so I can complete the orders bar (it wasn't visible in my screenshot as I haven't implemented it yet). I'll compile a list of what each officer can do from the officer shortcut bar and post here.

His vision doesn't sound as myopic as mine.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by skwasjer

Duci, most of the commands you mentioned are already supported by my speech recognition mod. Not saying the should not be added, but I've played the game for 4-5 days with it, and I am not missing the buttons in the UI at all. I just say 'standard propulsion' or 'rudder 5 degrees to starboard' and voila! Now, for those unable to play with speech recognition, the extra buttons would be a godsent, but I'm just saying, I like the bare UI as it is except for maybe the missing compas.

[edit] Oh, and I definately don't like to see a SH3/SH4 clone UI.

Skwas, i love your work. I really really do. (do you sense a "but...." ? )

But.... do you know how silly i would look in front of my Gal, and friends if i sat here calling out orders into a microphone? Id be getting stranger looks, and colorful new names, and be on the recieiving end of pointed jokes. Hell, even the neighbors would probably hear me and think ive flipped my lid. I won't give them that opportunity!

If i wasn't for that, id be using voice commands.

[sergei]

Yep.
My friends already think I'm strange for playing sub games.
God knows what they would think if I started barking orders at my computer.

[skwasjer]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Skwas, i love your work. I really really do. (do you sense a "but...." ? )

But.... do you know how silly i would look in front of my Gal, and friends if i sat here calling out orders into a microphone? Id be getting stranger looks, and colorful new names, and be on the recieiving end of pointed jokes. Hell, even the neighbors would probably hear me and think ive flipped my lid. I won't give them that opportunity!

If i wasn't for that, id be using voice commands.

You're missing out! But I see your point. But even if I don't play I'm talking to my computer anyway (oh ffs, **** this, this is bull****, etc...) so people around me are used to it

[Hyfrydle]

Just stumbled on this thread and the idea's are really sounding good. I especially like the talking to the officers to carry out tasks. Maybe they should have got rid of the storyline and concentrated on making the crew interaction actually useful. The enjoyment would come from been in the right place at all times on the sub.

Imagine a scenario where you have retired to your bunk for the night and the watch shouts ship spotted. In the stock game the map is available at all times but maybe it should only be available if your in the control room so first you would rush to the control room to check the contact and plot the course then speak to the navigator to order the course change including speed and depth.

Then you would have to order battle stations so that the sub is prepared for battle you would need to keep checking the range to the contact and probably go to the conning tower for a visual check.

This would actually make the 3D sub environment more meaningful and actually put the crew to use.

Regarding the problem of putting commands in the dialogue options I'm no modder but some do actually have an effect on the sub so there must be some way to do this. Hopefully not hard coded.

I've started to really enjoy the immersion in SH V and interacting with the crew would take this to another level.

Hope this makes sense.

[TheDarkWraith]

Almost finished up with the CE (Engineers orders - he's the far left officer icon). I have to remove one icon from his category bar (Emergency orders - the round lifesaver has to go). All his categories and associated orders work when you click on them. Greyed out means not available.
You'll notice that I added another icon to the left side depth bar. It has the same appear as the crash drive (it's located below crash dive) and it's emergency surface (keeping with the theme of the bar). I'll need a new .dds so that I can get an icon for it (we need to create one). I have to attach the command to the button yet but at least it's added.
Adding missing tooltips as I find them.


So the CE has categories of (his category bar):

Propulsion (the propeller)
Maneuvers (the jaggy arrow)
Emergency orders (the round lifesaver) - going to be removed as causes problems
Reports (the piece of paper)

Currently what you see are the Propulsion orders available - the orders bar for the category propulsion (from left to right):

Normal propulsion
Battery recharge mode
Rig for silent running
Secure from silent running
Raise snorkel
Lower snorkel

I also removed the depth arrow when you're not in advanced mode (along with the verical line). It was annoying the hell out of me. It should only be visible in advanced HUD mode.

[sergei]

This is looking very promising DarkWraith