Topic: Questions about Gamedesign/Usability

mavo Topic Opener Joined: 2009-12-19, 12:31 Posts: 9 Pry about Widelands	Posted at: 2009-12-19, 12:49 I just played Widelands for the very first minutes but I've got two ideas which would improve the gameplay. The first one ist really simple: I opened a dialog window and wondered why it wouldn't close on pressing ESC. In most games this would be the common action for it. (I know, right-click does it, but it took me some minutes). Greetings, Max PS: I'm from Stuttgart, Germany. The second: Why not include some description in the dialogs. For example in the building window, include some text which describes what the building does on hover. I know, there is a documentation, but why not designing a game which doesn't really need a documentation to start on? The third has nothing to do with the gameplay itself, but could you include a dialog to change the music track? The soundtrack's not too bad, but some tracks.. I just don't like them. I would really help in realising this ideas, but I've got not clue about mailing lists, IRC and all that, it would take me weeks to get into it. That's why I simply posted it here. But I've got a question on this, too: Where would you place decisions of interface design? Is this programming or artwork? I think there should be some extra team for it. Edited: 2009-12-19, 12:50 Top Quote

timowi Joined: 2009-11-01, 23:08 Posts: 146 At home in WL-forums Location: Germany	Posted at: 2009-12-19, 15:49 Hi, PS: I'm from Stuttgart, Germany. I'm in Stuttgart, too The second: Why not include some description in the dialogs. For example in the building window, include some text which describes what the building does on hover. I know, there is a documentation, but why not designing a game which doesn't really need a documentation to start on? A "in game help" is a good idea and i think it's even planned but nobody implemented it yet. I would really help in realising this ideas, but I've got not clue about mailing lists, IRC and all that, it would take me weeks to get into it. That's why I simply posted it here. But I've got a question on this, too: Where would you place decisions of interface design? Is this programming or artwork? I think there should be some extra team for it. There is only one team: The widelands development team :) There are not enough people to have multiple teams. Ok, graphics and i think the homepage are sort of different teams. But the coding is done by a few people. Desisions are done on the mailinglist widelands-public Top Quote

Ex-Member Joined: 2009-02-26, 11:50 Posts: 70 Likes to be here	Posted at: 2009-12-19, 16:39 mavo wrote: The first one ist really simple: I opened a dialog window and wondered why it wouldn't close on pressing ESC. In most games this would be the common action for it. (I know, right-click does it, but it took me some minutes). You could've read the ingame help (though who does that?). I'm all against using ESC to close a window - you can open as many windows as possible at a time, so it would be really stupid. A simple '×' in the corner would be better. The second: Why not include some description in the dialogs. For example in the building window, include some text which describes what the building does on hover. I know, there is a documentation, but why not designing a game which doesn't really need a documentation to start on? I'm all for it, if somebody would provide a way for doing so, I might find the time (and by most chances I would) to write all the docs. The third has nothing to do with the gameplay itself, but could you include a dialog to change the music track? The soundtrack's not too bad, but some tracks.. I just don't like them. You can remove (or rename or whatever) the tracks you don't like, and then only the ones left will be played (or so I believe). I would really help in realising this ideas, but I've got not clue about mailing lists, IRC and all that, it would take me weeks to get into it. That's why I simply posted it here. You could read about these on Wikipedia. Top Quote