UI improvements coming

[Eagle Pursuit]

Per this interview, Andrew Fredricksen says (in response to a question about frustration with the UI) that they are already prototyping improvements to the UI that present more information to players

 

[ombak]

Once the minimap and UI reach the state they're in where they work and look fully integrated into the style, I imagine that they become projects that get pushed down the board every time producers and developers meet. With Civ 5 and 6 as past experiences, at this point, they probably understand they are likelier to do better with polishing the UI and map with feedback, which might contribute to them moving those down the priority board.

 

[Siptah]

They are quite open that it wasn't prioritized at all, and state that this is just the initial version. In a way, they thereby admit that the UI - and thus indirectly the game - isn't finished.

If you can stand the accent, this is actually quite an interesting interview. I really liked the questions (or rather suggestions) about nested tooltips, but also about a customizable difficulty levels, and little "late game phases" at the end of each age.

 

[Acid.Crash]

Good to hear.
Hope they try to get some inspiration from Civ 6 UI mods as well.
Also thumbs up for the interviewer!
The questions were interesting/important and very specific (liked this)

 

[AriochIV]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

Defeniately get that, I'm just glad that we live in ages of constant patch updates. Imagine having to do that manually.

 

[ombak]

Improvements don't mean something is unfinished, especially in this age of huge projects with ongoing internal objectives that need to be juggled and prioritized.

 

[stealth_nsk]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

The definition of "finished" game is quite blurry in the age of digital goods.

 

[j51]

I just want to play it so I don’t mind if the UI is unfinished! That said I’m not surprised they were understaffed/resourced in the user experience realm

 

[Riconatic]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

There is no such thing anymore. Modern software developement is not trying get ”everything done” at once. Modern software developement tries to deliver minimum viable product soon and then do incremental deliveries to customers to improve experience and react also feedback. Our products are never finished. One day we just stop developing them. Until then we try to improve them for customers no matter how old.

 

[Isengardtom]

One of the more interesting interviews in my view.

Often they feel too “scripted” in terms of what’s being asked
This didn’t

I like open communication from devs that’s not just marketing

 

[brainwashh]

I haven't been able to follow. Is the UI finalized or not? What about that one screenshot where the city banners looks different/better?

 

[gunnergoz]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

The last game released in a finished state was probably checkers, LOL.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I haven't been able to follow. Is the UI finalized or not? What about that one screenshot where the city banners looks different/better?

View attachment 716885

Oh this looks so much more better than what we were seeing from before.

 

[Gorbles]

I haven't been able to follow. Is the UI finalized or not? What about that one screenshot where the city banners looks different/better?

View attachment 716885

That's an old screenshot ,and there's no official indication it's ever coming back.

Personally, I get why folks prefer it, but I also think it takes up a lot of vertical space and has the same kinds of issues as other parts of the UI (flat, angles are a bit unpolished in places, lack of cohesion between background shape and painted UI accents).

 

[marius_kaparius]

I've always thought the UI was as dull as it is because they were going to add UI skins. I was hoping for something with the vibe of the white "C" logo. Maybe it will be moddable?

 

[brainwashh]

That's an old screenshot ,and there's no official indication it's ever coming back.

Personally, I get why folks prefer it, but I also think it takes up a lot of vertical space and has the same kinds of issues as other parts of the UI (flat, angles are a bit unpolished in places, lack of cohesion between background shape and painted UI accents).

It's not just the city banner. This reddit post shows other screenshots and the UI/UX looks so much better there. Check this out for example. All this battle data is next to the unit instead of (I may be mistaken) being nestled in the bottom right.

https://www.reddit.com/r/civ/comments/1i3wpql/vii_release_ui_spotted

Are you saying these screenshots are actually older? If so, that sucks. The UI/UX they showcased is really really bad, in my opinion. The loading screens look atrocious. It's a real shame because the graphics look outstanding.

 

[Gorbles]

It's not just the city banner. This reddit post shows other screenshots and the UI/UX looks so much better there. Check this out for example. All this battle data is next to the unit instead of (I may be mistaken) being nestled in the bottom right.

The city banner was confirmed as being from an older build in one of the recent threads. Didn't recall the other screenshots at the time.

Certainly, I'd bet on what they're revealing in gameplay trailers and the like as being more current than stuff surfacing from past videos. Even if aiming low leaves you less likely to be disappointed.

I've already said what I don't like about the current UI (I don't mind grey and gold, in theory, but the execution could be better), but I also don't think they're going to surprise us this late in development. The fact they're talking about improvements r.e. prototyping suggests they're further down the pipe than the release date.

 

[RedCourtJester]

If the game isn't finished, they shouldn't be releasing it next week.

Seems more likely than not that most of the civs added in Crossroads/Rule will be those that feel like they should have been in the game at release at well.

Which, that I can at least find excuses for to some extent (even if I don't think they justify leaving out blatant holes in civ paths like Franks/Byzantium, Ottomans, exploration Korea/Japan, Samoa, etc. from the base experience) but I would think that given that so many assets and ideas were recycled from prior installments that they could have at least polished the UI better; that's like...a huge chunk of what will make VII truly different from VI.

 

[ombak]

What assets are recycled?

As far as DLC being civs that could have been included at launch, I find that a bit silly. They have to pick a cut-off date or they'll never launch. There will always be things coming down the pipeline the way AAA development works.

If they waited until March to release and included those Civs and leaders, then we'd be hearing about the next DLC and some people would be saying it should be included at release.