Nav map

radio_babylon · Post by **radio_babylon** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:53 am

id love to see just a simple circle denoting jump range...

Elvisman2001 · Post by **Elvisman2001** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:40 am

Originally posted by Vice
I've been working on some nav map improvement recently and I wanted to pose some questions on functionality. The biggest issue I've received feedback about regarding the nav map is the text, so that's what I've been focusing on at this point.

If the mouse over system only works when you are zoomed in on a sector, would that still be the preferable option? The nav map is created as a texture in memory, so keying in on icons isn't as simple as tagging icon entites. But when zoomed in, the system does allow for range checking on specific icons for the right click option, which could probably be expanded to holding the pointer over an icon for details to appear. If that's not the preferred option to you, would bigger, more spaced text be a better improvement overall?

So, are you saying the roll over would only be available when zoomed into the closest zoom?
If so, i don't think a rollover would do much. But, i could be misunderstanding what you're saying as well.
But, anything to improve the text would be a big help.

Winter Owl · Post by **Winter Owl** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:47 am

Originally posted by Vice
I've been working on some nav map improvement recently and I wanted to pose some questions on functionality. The biggest issue I've received feedback about regarding the nav map is the text, so that's what I've been focusing on at this point.

If the mouse over system only works when you are zoomed in on a sector, would that still be the preferable option? The nav map is created as a texture in memory, so keying in on icons isn't as simple as tagging icon entites. But when zoomed in, the system does allow for range checking on specific icons for the right click option, which could probably be expanded to holding the pointer over an icon for details to appear. If that's not the preferred option to you, would bigger, more spaced text be a better improvement overall?

My two cents... given those two options, I'd prefer the mouse over system, since I can read the existing text just fine when it isn't overlapping with other text.

Thank you for listening to us bitch, Vice. The game is great.

Post by **Vice** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:19 am

So, are you saying the roll over would only be available when zoomed into the closest zoom?
If so, i don't think a rollover would do much. But, i could be misunderstanding what you're saying as well.
But, anything to improve the text would be a big help.

The 'classic' text mode would still be available, if desired. I may just try to increase the font size for that to make it more legible. But the new mouse over 'highlight' option would be for zoomed in sectors specifically and it would provide a far more legible text presentation at the bottom of the map. A small window would pop up with the description text inside and it should be far easier to read with no overlapping.

My two cents... given those two options, I'd prefer the mouse over system, since I can read the existing text just fine when it isn't overlapping with other text.

That would be the primary goal of the new system, no overlapping would take away the biggest issue. Plus, the larger text would also be more legible.

What I'll likely do is work on the system for the next day or two, then offer a test build so you can try it out. If it turns out to be useful, I'll make it part of an official update.

Skiiwa · Post by **Skiiwa** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:18 am

For me its not the font size, its when I am zoomed all the way out trying to find some place and the text is all garbled together. If anything maybe a smaller, very simple font with your mouseover Idea, but at maximum zoom would be nice...I Also Like the IDea posted on here for a Fullscreen Nav map with full zoom and scrollability<Woot I Invented a new word?:)P

Somthing I Havent heard mention for an Idea yet is a Textual box were U could type a name like Olympus Gate, and the Nav system could bring up the Olympus gate and how far it is, with total jumps and fuel, and preset all your cord so all U have to do is put your ship on a 0 bearing and hit F2 dropping U out, depending on how good a Nav system U have installed:)P, on a good intercept course with the Olympus gate. (This Idea probly has been thought of before. Lots of Work by Vice also:(

Thanks for hearing us Vice!!!

Cougar_DK · Post by **Cougar_DK** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:53 am

Originally posted by Vice
What I'll likely do is work on the system for the next day or two, then offer a test build so you can try it out. If it turns out to be useful, I'll make it part of an official update.

I would gladly help testing it out. Looking forward to this.

Post by **Vice** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:39 am

Ok, I've been designing a system based on the feedback I've received (a lot of it in e-mail), I've included the requested goals in the list below. I may have a test build ready some time later in the day:

- Option to remove the current overlapping text, but keep it as an option (some players view as too obstructive and not legible enough, often at resolutions below 960 vertical, some players don't mind and may want to continue using it).
- Provide a roll-over option. It should allow an icon's detail to appear by just holding the mouse pointer over the icon. No other text will be visible in this mode except for the current icon's details.
- Text for this mode should not be rendered close to the object itself (eliminating the overlapping problems with icons and other text), so it will be rendered at the bottom center of the map in a small window.
- Make the text larger and easier to read, much like the rest of the text around the nav map on the nav console.

wolis · Post by **wolis** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:39 am

Hover over sounds like a great way to go.

Chalk me up as a beta-tester.

Im not in favour of increasing font size.. its large enough (too large?) as it is.

Have we thought about make options like font size, colour and menu transparency read from settings.ini?

MadBoris · Post by **MadBoris** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:02 pm

Originally posted by wolis
Have we thought about make options like font size, colour and menu transparency read from settings.ini?

The option exists, atleast for font and size.
Make a file called setfont.txt in the game directory.
On each line place font name, size, 0 or 1 (normal or bold).

The file contents will look like this-
Tahoma
10
0

That helped alot when I found it in the readme, the text was too large and too bold, and a font not conducive to reading at my 19x12 rez.

Personally, I am not a fan of busy UI's that have a seperate area for popup info, although it has it's place in certain UI's. Not when there are many objects to rollover, it forces you to stop the mouse on a small object, move your eyes to another location, then come back to the map for the next object to rollover. Sometimes your mouse moves a pixel or two and you lose the info and have to rinse/repeat (Sins of a Solar Empire has this issue when you only want to see health of a ship). It's a bit cumbersome compared to a text popup appearing in the map area itself where you can see it right away without changing focus from the object you are actually rolling over.

The seperate area method is good when there is a list of items to show and when there isn't a host of objects to rollover one after another. The good thing is they aren't moving so it would be better than the current method.

[Edited on 2-10-2009 by MadBoris]

tk7223 · Post by **tk7223** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:56 pm

I'll be happy to test it...I'm not doing a lot of playtime hours atm due to my gamepod project..but I'd be happy to play with it when I do log in.

Skiiwa · Post by **Skiiwa** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:07 pm

Sounds Good to me! Count me in.