Here is another discussion about some ways I think the UI could be improved, with illustrations, this time regarding the Planetary information display in the Star System screen. I will discuss the illustrations and the significant features, and I'll follow it in a second post (image limit) with a discussion of an alternative tweak to what is illustrated that could address a specific bit of info that I feel is missing completely as well as some other commentary.



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First, I'll describe some of the basic changes overall:

• The "Cannot Colonize"/"Colonizable"/"Colonized" text line has been merged with the "...EXPLOITATION..." text line, with a graphical container indication, as they are informationally redundant (e.g., the statuses aside from Colonized are important only when the exploitation is empty, and is Colonized when it is not). The graphical container further prompts you for available actions and status, even without reading the text, via color and the "prompting strobe".
  
  
  
  
• It offers one possible way to display the status of Moons/Temple exploration and discovery (easily processed at a glance).
  
  
  
  
• It offers information on the malus status of Anomalies and whether you have the Research necessary to address them (easily processed at a glance).
  
  
  
  
• It offers clear graphical click points to be able to perform planetary actions without zooming in and out of the Planetary display screen via the above indications.
  
  
  
  I did consider the possibility of making the Planetary display screen redundant, but I believe the nice graphical touches for developed planets make a good start in avoiding that, and some enhancement and cleanup of the information displayed would finish it. Also, Exploitations are the only ones that "have to" be brought out to the System display by the illustrated changes, though even then the alternative tweak below could give the illustrated indication a purpose besides that.
  
  

Without further ado...



A planet you cannot colonize starts out looking like this:

• First change: "Cannot Colonize" and its color prompting spreads to a new "not colonized" hollow graphic container. A hollow container is the universal representation of any planet not colonized.
  
  
  
  
• Second change: the Anomaly indication has added color coded indication of bonuses and maluses yet to be dealt with. Further examples include:
  
  
  • --: A second tier malus requiring more advanced research to address.
  • -/-- : An anomaly with a malus and a bonus.
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
• Third change: The moon graphic has been moved from bottom right to top right, which will help separate and clarify further changes to indication and operation that will become evident in the following illustrations, as a Planet and System progress in utilization.
  
  
  
  
• I avoided a set of "+" indications for bonuses to keep to the game's streamlined indication and keep all cases of extra characters displayed after text as representing something you have to deal with or (as in the current (-) (--) indication) have already dealt with.
  
  
  
  
• Some type of button graphic around this indication, or a clickable "Scissor" graphic next to this or the planet, seems like a way to "bring out" Anomaly Reduction to this screen.

A planet you can colonize looks like this:

• Only change from the above is the text and the color, which can be processed quickly along with the container symbology even without reading the text.

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Some new indications on a planet you've just colonized (*as a reference for the illustration after this one, this is the only colonized planet in the System):

• First change: A solid container and reversed text is the universal indication for any colonized planet. The "NO EXPLOITATION" uses the prompt strobing to call attention to that condition.
  
  
  
  
• Second change: A new indication for an unexplored moon (Note: this icon only appears when you have researched the necessary technology, and has the prompt strobing effect to catch attention for immediately available action).
  
  Clicking on the Moon or the Icon can queue searching a moon for a Temple, and perhaps the icon should have a "button" graphic around it to prompt for this action.
  
  
  
  
• Third change: New FIDS icons next to the planet, with little "carat" arrow indications that clicking one will change the planet.
  
  Clicking on these should function just as clicking on the FIDS icons in the Planetary display in the way it interacts with the construction queue, and I will also mention that I think all planetary FIDS icons should have not just the color but the symbol in a corner to have them stand out from other icons when in the queue and when browsing the Research tree, and it would also provide graphical consistency with these System display screen buttons.
  
  

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And some more new indications, and some tweaks to existing ones, for a more developed colonized planet. Note: the system in this case has other colonized planets, which relates to some relatively subtle graphical changes that are different from the illustration noted (*) above.

• First change: The solid container is colored according to FIDS color (in this case "Science Blue") of the current Exploitation, and has a graphical connection of that color extending to the currently selected FIDS exploitation for the planet. This is a basic visual aid improvement so you can tell the type of FIDS without first reading the text and then figuring out which type the current technology, but it is also intended to help create a sort of visual key...i.e., a FIDS color forming a visual cue in combination with specific types of planets to help you process things like "Arid/Dust", "Helium/Science", "Lava/Industry" at a glance. I will mention that some things like Arctic/Tundra distinction might benefit from being enhanced as well, if possible without sacrificing aesthetics.
  
  The carat indication only appears for buttons that will change the FIDS, and the currently selected FIDS is also made further distinct by a surrounding "bubble" at the end of the graphical connection to the Exploitation text display.
  
  
  
  
• Second change: There is an indication of whether a temple has been found (no graphic if a moon is empty, indicating no further action can be taken), with a given color and embellishment (e.g., a little "XP" in a corner for the ship XP temple), and even a background color as well if necessary, intended to be a usable shorthand for the effect of the temple.
  
  Mousing over this indication will also give the applicable temple tooltip.
  
  
  
  
• Third change: A more subtle set of changes are some (roughly drawn) graphical cues for population "tear off" and transfer:
  
  
  • Population on a planet that can't be moved (?) is pretty much the same as current, except with a little darker blue effect around it to hint at permanence.
    
    
  • Population that can be moved has a white border to help give a "button" look to them, and prompt the player about the ability to drag and drop population, especially in contrast to when the effect isn't used.
    
    
  • Empty population spots to which you can move population have been given sort of an "transition" look with a gradient effect to sort of "accompany" the movable graphic change.
    
    
  
  
  

Now, for some further thoughts, starting off with the info I think is missing for planet development evaluation and planning and addressing it through the already mentioned alternative tweak:









Some further thoughts related to the System display screen that I haven't (yet) made into their own illustrations and/or threads:

• I've also thought the "System Improvement" section of the bottom windows should be split off, and give more info, like the benefit each Improvement is offering, and I think a list of all the temple benefits for a System should have its own section in it.
  
  I also had the thought the the increased vertical compactness might aid in making a bit more room for such a new section.
  
  
  
  
• Tier indications for the FIDS Exploitation on a planet, e.g. noted as a Roman Numeral subscript in the bottom right corner of the "Solid" graphic container, would help put your relative technological research into Exploitation technologies in perspective, at a glance, and help provide context for what you are getting out of your planets and System.
  
  For example, you might be browsing through your Systems and notice that your Dust Exploitation technology is Tier "I", while your Science Exploitation technology is Tier "III", and that it might help with your current Dust budgeting woes to leverage the latter into catching up the former.
  
  
  
  

First of all: Its great that you have so many well-designed suggestions! But i think its a bad idea to remove the planet screen totally. It might be the best to take the last design, but instead of showing all exploitations, you only see that one you're already using and no moon symbol, maybe like that:



The thing with the improved FIDS would be great in the planet view. So in system view you have only basic information and in planet view the details. But thats just my opinion (although i hope you like it )

You have a really nice and detailed suggestion, but, I'm not sure it's something that the developers would have time to implement. The UI the way it is now works fine, in my opinion. I like the planet view screen, for the up-and-personal look at the developing colony. And I like the layout of the screen, as everything has it's own spot. You screens make the options all look just a bit clustered, in my opinion.



But, again, for the developers to do this they would have to take the coding for the systems and almost start from scratch. I don't see why they would need to do so, when there really isn't anything wrong with the way the system is now.

I love the suggestions. I don't think they should get rid of the planet view, but would love a little more information density in the system view. There's a lot more that could be communicated there with a few tweaks to avoid having to manually "survey" your planets by cycling through them.



Color coding the current exploit would be great. Seeing if a moon survey needs to be done or if there's an anomaly improvement the planet needs with some small tick marks would also be great. I don't need to be able to change those things on the system screen, just see what their status is a little more quickly.

Landhund wrote:
First of all: Its great that you have so many well-designed suggestions! But i think its a bad idea to remove the planet screen totally. It might be the best to take the last design, but instead of showing all exploitations, you only see that one you're already using and no moon symbol, maybe like that:



The thing with the improved FIDS would be great in the planet view. So in system view you have only basic information and in planet view the details. But thats just my opinion (although i hope you like it )

Woah there! I was trying to specifically state how I did not want to remove the Planet screen: by recognizing that it might be viewed as somewhat redundant when my suggestion would let you access some of its functions more quickly outside of it but then also pointing out how the (already existing) neat graphical effects for upgraded planets and some improvements to the info displayed could counter that.



Also, I've explained other things that I find lacking that just as far as indications (the "alternative tweak" even extends that to everything pictured) even aside from the new actual functions from button clicks. And even given where you seem to be coming from, I'm not sure why you made a point of removing the moon symbol indication as well?

royreiss@royreiss.com wrote:
I love the suggestions. I don't think they should get rid of the planet view, but would love a little more information density in the system view. There's a lot more that could be communicated there with a few tweaks to avoid having to manually "survey" your planets by cycling through them.



Color coding the current exploit would be great. Seeing if a moon survey needs to be done or if there's an anomaly improvement the planet needs with some small tick marks would also be great. I don't need to be able to change those things on the system screen, just see what their status is a little more quickly.

My only confusion with your reply is that I'm not sure where this idea that I'm suggesting removal of the Planet screen is coming from. Maybe you can point out the phrase in my discussion that is confusing so I can address that?



If it is based on a concept of its removal being somehow made necessary by my full suggestions: there is no rule that says being able to do something in one place means you cannot do it in another at all (e.g., the Empire Management list and queue options don't make the queue display in the Star system view unnecessary). What I think should be a guideline is that it should offer significant advantage for a usage case, and I think I've provided some support for that.

First of all: Sorry, I misinterpreted you/your ideas. My fault.

And about the moon: Well I ...just don't liked it. Don't get me wrong, it's a good idea, but I dont like it the way you supposed. It think it wouldn't fit into the clean interface.

Hope that i dont misinterpreted you again.

Landhund wrote:
First of all: Sorry, I misinterpreted you/your ideas. My fault.

And about the moon: Well I ...just don't liked it. Don't get me wrong, it's a good idea, but I dont like it the way you supposed. It think it wouldn't fit into the clean interface.

Hope that i dont misinterpreted you again.

Just happy the removal thing is cleared up, as it was confusing to me.



Of course, I certainly hope something better than my roughly "hand-drawn" graphics would be used.

Well, when you don't want to remove the planet view (lol) your ideas are perfect, especially the improved FIDS presentation.

Wauw, as simple as that. I really like your ideas.