Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.development (More info?)
I've been toying with designing my UI for my game, and want to toss a
few ideas out there, and get some feedback, as well as some suggestions.
My original design was something like this (I hope the formatting
doesn't get messed up):
+----------------------------------+--------+
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | Stat |
| Map Display | Display|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+----------------------------------+--------+
| |
| |
| Message Buffer |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
A few things to point out first. The UI scales to the user's screen
dimensions. Minimum acceptable screen size is 80x25 characters. The
message buffer is always exactly four lines long. The Stat Display
box is always 18 characters wide. The map box is always variable,
depending on the user's screen size. Between the actual map drawing
and the map display borders, there's a one character wide gap. This
makes it look a lot less cluttered, and more professional.
Another UI I was toying with:
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| Message Buffer |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Map Display |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| Stat Display |
+-------------------------------------------+
I don't like this one as much as the one above, but I can see a few
benefits to it. Firstly, horizontal boxes tend to look better than
vertical ones in ASCII. However, I don't like putting the message
buffer on the top, even though a lot of other RLs do it that way. I
do like the fact that the map gets a bit more space in this one, at
least horizontally, which gives it a fuller appearance. Like I said,
I'm still rather unsure about this one.
+-------------------------------------------+
| Minimal Stat Display |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Map Display |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| Message Buffer |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
This one is somewhat similar to the one above, but with a few
differences. Firstly, the message buffer is moved to the bottom. I
feel this is more intuitive and visually nicer. Also, the stat box is
shortened to a mere one line height, and used for essential stats
only. Obviously, it's less informative, but it looks a bit nicer,
almost like a title bar, and can still be used to store vital info,
that's needed at a glance, Name/HP/MP/etc.
Well, those are the only UI designs I've really put any consideration
into. I'd really like some feedback, and some opinions on which ones
are preferable. Any new UI designs would be a welcome addition, as well.
--
"There are of course many problems connected with life, of
which some of the most popular are `Why are people born?'
`Why do they die?' `Why do they spend so much of the
intervening time wearing digital watches?'"
-- The Book.
I've been toying with designing my UI for my game, and want to toss a
few ideas out there, and get some feedback, as well as some suggestions.
My original design was something like this (I hope the formatting
doesn't get messed up):
+----------------------------------+--------+
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | Stat |
| Map Display | Display|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+----------------------------------+--------+
| |
| |
| Message Buffer |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
A few things to point out first. The UI scales to the user's screen
dimensions. Minimum acceptable screen size is 80x25 characters. The
message buffer is always exactly four lines long. The Stat Display
box is always 18 characters wide. The map box is always variable,
depending on the user's screen size. Between the actual map drawing
and the map display borders, there's a one character wide gap. This
makes it look a lot less cluttered, and more professional.
Another UI I was toying with:
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| Message Buffer |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Map Display |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| Stat Display |
+-------------------------------------------+
I don't like this one as much as the one above, but I can see a few
benefits to it. Firstly, horizontal boxes tend to look better than
vertical ones in ASCII. However, I don't like putting the message
buffer on the top, even though a lot of other RLs do it that way. I
do like the fact that the map gets a bit more space in this one, at
least horizontally, which gives it a fuller appearance. Like I said,
I'm still rather unsure about this one.
+-------------------------------------------+
| Minimal Stat Display |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Map Display |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
| |
| Message Buffer |
| |
+-------------------------------------------+
This one is somewhat similar to the one above, but with a few
differences. Firstly, the message buffer is moved to the bottom. I
feel this is more intuitive and visually nicer. Also, the stat box is
shortened to a mere one line height, and used for essential stats
only. Obviously, it's less informative, but it looks a bit nicer,
almost like a title bar, and can still be used to store vital info,
that's needed at a glance, Name/HP/MP/etc.
Well, those are the only UI designs I've really put any consideration
into. I'd really like some feedback, and some opinions on which ones
are preferable. Any new UI designs would be a welcome addition, as well.
--
"There are of course many problems connected with life, of
which some of the most popular are `Why are people born?'
`Why do they die?' `Why do they spend so much of the
intervening time wearing digital watches?'"
-- The Book.
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