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UI work needed before beta 1B

By Draginol on October 5, 2009 7:37:30 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

The more I work with the beta of Elemental the more I think we need to integrate info cards into it.  Those of you who have played Sins of a Solar Empire know what info cards are. They are one of the major game UI innovations that Ironclad has introduced to the genre.

The idea is that when you mouse over something, a “card” appears on the screen that gives detailed information about it. They’re kind of like super tooltips.

Well, for Elemental, that’s what we’re looking to do too. In this case, I’m thinking we should have them look like cards:

image

So the idea is that you could have your units on screen, mouse over them and see the card. Same for improvements in cities, artifacts, etc. It means a lot less click click click. 

It also gives another opportunity for players to customize something that has a practical use because they could, when designing units, have some control over the info card and thus be able to make distinctive cards for units they want to be able to recognize at a glance.

+81 Karma | 50 Replies
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Reply #1
Charvel1
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October 5, 2009 6:35:41 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

Those Sins info cards are one of the reasons I love that game so much. Very helpful to people jumping into the game.

Good move.

Reply #2
Tormy-
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October 5, 2009 6:38:22 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

This sounds neat!

Reply #3
SaintFrank
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October 5, 2009 6:43:41 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Anything to create less Click Click is a huge plus!!! And info cards will be a great universal way to get info across in a hurry. The less is more approach is what makes games addictive and fun and someday, hall of fame material. Keep up good work!!!

Reply #4
TatertotEatalot
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October 5, 2009 6:45:40 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Force of Nature would own chuck norris

Reply #5
CapnWinky
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October 5, 2009 6:51:11 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Quoting TatertotEatalot,
reply 4
Force of Nature would own chuck norris


What are you talking about? Nothing owns Chuck Norris.

Reply #6
zigzag
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October 5, 2009 6:55:44 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

My only complaint about Sins cards was that the real-time nature of the game made it difficult to constantly mouseover a unit to actually read the infocard. Should work great in a TBS like Elemental.

Reply #7
Hawawaa
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October 5, 2009 6:57:05 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Look I found a Chuck Norris! "Few turns later..." Wait thats it... I won... damn that was fast...

Dang lots of stuff to add in 1b! Looks good!

Reply #8
Hawawaa
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October 5, 2009 6:58:24 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Damn double post sorry!

Reply #9
RavenX
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October 5, 2009 7:36:00 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Sounds like a great plan. Make it so

Reply #10
ZehDon
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October 5, 2009 7:44:32 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

You've got my support on this idea! As we're able to create our own units, are you thinking of letting players customise the Text for their cards as well or just have general descriptions?

Reply #11
NuclearEngine
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October 5, 2009 7:51:50 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

This sounds great. Would be cool if some of the unique mosters, like dragons or quest boss type monsters, have cards that detials some small back story or factoid about them. Would make finding and fighting/running away from them seem more epic.

Would also be intresting to be able to collect the cards of unique mosters slain, on a limited basis of course dont want to create pokemon mini game.

Reply #12
Thrawn2787
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October 5, 2009 7:55:03 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

 

The idea sounds great by the way. I love Sins' cards, and since Elemental is supposed to have some trading card style to it (ingame) this will fit right in!

Reply #13
Star20
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October 5, 2009 7:59:53 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Sounds like an awesome idea I must say, it will help out with micromanagement in game and help see info easier as it did in Sins.

Reply #14
Scoutdog
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October 5, 2009 8:05:51 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

While I dispise Chuck Norris, I looooovvvveeeee the card idea. Any chance of someone, somewhere actually printing up a pack of them for us dedicated fans to trade with our less-dedicated friends?

Reply #15
RavenX
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October 5, 2009 8:25:32 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Just please, PLEASE....Don't turn this into Yu-Gi-Oh or some other kiddy nonsense like that.

Reply #16
theenowned
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October 5, 2009 8:42:31 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Great idea!!! 

Reply #17
SilentShout
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October 5, 2009 8:58:02 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

+1 on putting Chuck Norris into the game... Wait what was the original suggestion...?

Reply #18
MagicwillNZ
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October 5, 2009 9:02:52 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Quoting Thrawn2787,
reply 12

The idea sounds great by the way. I love Sins' cards, and since Elemental is supposed to have some trading card style to it (ingame) this will fit right in!

"If you have any Stardock employees in your hand you may sacrifice them to play Frogboy"... how barbaric!

Reply #19
GW Swicord
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October 5, 2009 9:20:13 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

The first thing the thread title made me think of was lamperti's thread about movement and right-clicking. I'd prefer to see MouseOver events yield just a simple text label, and avoiding an involved MouseOver pop-up like that seems like it might also help with support for 'low end' hardware.

Reply #20
Entorwellian
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October 5, 2009 9:29:14 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Displaying all the units and spells as cards would be awesome. Even though the graphics were basic and rudimentary, Master of Magic did the whole card thing quite well and made it feel like you were playing a mix of Magic: The Gathering.

Reply #21
Spitz
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October 5, 2009 10:06:19 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Yes, please.

Reply #22
Maccilia
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October 5, 2009 10:13:39 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

What are you talking about? Nothing owns Chuck Norris.

No, not even Nothing owns Chuck Norris.

Reply #23
Denryu
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October 5, 2009 10:29:17 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Yes these "super tool tips" are awesome!

Reply #24
Thrawn2787
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October 5, 2009 10:29:28 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

If you mean the nothing from Never ending story... don't get me started. That movie was horrible!


Nothing happened... litterally!

 

I feel like these guys when I say that!

Reply #25
ZehDon
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October 5, 2009 10:31:11 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Indeed, you can't even Google Chuck Norris.

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