Settings in request window

Got a cool idea that should be in R'n'D? Let's hear it!

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Eizzoux
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Settings in request window

Post by Eizzoux »

This one may be a bit complicated, but can there potentially be request-based setup for most options with more than two choices as a toggle for custom levelsets in the future?
Here's few mockups* of what it would possibly look like.
* (in other words, fake screenshots, just a reminder for... some peeps here)

one1.png
one1.png (317.95 KiB) Viewed 747 times
two2.png
two2.png (153.34 KiB) Viewed 747 times
three3.png
three3.png (137.22 KiB) Viewed 747 times
four4.png
four4.png (91.48 KiB) Viewed 747 times


Although on second thought, the volume and game speed ones are a bit too large and maybe would need to rather stay as separate screens or have a different design (like a slider for volume, for example, but that's just speculations).
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Holger
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Re: Settings in request window

Post by Holger »

Those "fake screenshots" to demonstrate your idea indeed look visually appealing. :)

On second thought, I would be interested if this (a graphical alternative to the current implementation) is your main motivation, or if those changes might address usability concerns you might have experienced.

When looking at those request-based selections of setup options (which use level editor style radio buttons), I am thinking about how these UI elements would be used. In the level editor, it is clear that you would just point and click with the mouse, as the level editor's user interface is clearly mouse driven. (Even though there are a number of key shortcuts here and there, it would not be possible to use the level editor without a mouse (or any other pointing device -- for example, the level editor can be used on touch devices when using a specially prepared graphics set to make it easier to select game elements from the element palette).

On the other hand, all R'n'D screens other than the level editor are designed to be fully usable with either a keyboard or a two-button joystick (or game pad), and do not contain most of the more sophisticated "gadgets" (graphical user interface elements like select boxes, check boxes, radio buttons and others).

While it would principally be possible to use the proposed new request dialogs just as before (with keyboard or joystick), it would add another break in the user interface. As radio buttons currently cannot be selected by clicking on the radio button text (as it is possible with all setup options now), but only on the button itself, it would make things harder to use, especially on a mobile device.

Another question might arise what should happen when there are more option than fit to the request window. Add a scrollbar? How wide should the scrollbar be then? As R'n'D currently does not support swipe gestures to scroll the screen, it should at least be as wide as the current scrollbar in the setup menu, which might look weird for a dialog request with small buttons and small text.

So for now, it seems that there would be more disadvantages than advantages for the proposed change.

Any other comments or ideas on this?
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