Usability

[AIAndy]

The filtering/grouping/sorting for units and buildings makes it easier to use the game in the way it is intended, but I think there are a lot of other improvements that can be made to the game UI.
In the end you want to fight civilizations and not the UI.

One thing I consider annoying is the production popup whenever the queue of a city is empty. Especially now with the new methods for production selection in the city screen. It also forces you to make the decisions at the start of the turn instead of being able to move some units first (which you might want to do, especially in a multiplayer game).

So what about instead of the popup you get icons somewhere on the screen, one for each city with empty queue. Mouseover over the icon tells you the city and what it finished constructing. If you click on the icon, it is removed and the city screen is opened.
This could also be extended so when you click on a button in the city screen, such an icon is added as a kind of city bookmark (for one time use, different icon graphic).

What do you think?
Do you have other ideas that would improve usability?

 

[BlueGenie]

Basically already exists. In Options/Game choose Minimize Pop-Ups. That way it'll minimize your builds and science pop-ups and let you move units, only popping up after all the units have been moved, or if you click on it.

It only does not have the information you are wanting.

Cheers

 

[EldrinFal]

Somewhere in the back of my mind I recall being able to rush production from the Domestic Adviser screen, but I've been unable to do that recently. I may be thinking of another game though. Or I'm clicking in the wrong place

But if that isn't the case, I think it would be great to have that. With all the available money, I'd like to put it to use more easily than clicking on every city separately.

 

[Thunderbrd]

One thing I consider annoying is the production popup whenever the queue of a city is empty. Especially now with the new methods for production selection in the city screen. It also forces you to make the decisions at the start of the turn instead of being able to move some units first (which you might want to do, especially in a multiplayer game).

YES!!! Additionally, I wish that control and especially ALT worked when making a selection in that popup... nothing is more frustrating than knowing that I want to build repeated units of a certain type here but because I want to use that function I must go into the city screen to do it. Sometimes, by the time I get into the city screen thanks to delay I've already forgotten what it was I had in mind... ugh.

That said, the suggestion for a solution was a bit tough to envision and from what I was gathering, you were suggesting that we wouldn't be taken to each city individually - I often know what city I'm dealing with by seeing its position on the map and picking up on the terrain details. The icons for each city... I'm not sure what you might have in mind for those.


One MAJOR issue in the UI presently is specialist citizen selection.

Problem: I must regularly go into my cities to see what stupid selections its making for specialist citizens and change its automatic selections to what I desire.

Solution: I would LOVE to see a button next to each specialist that allows us to select which type of specialist we want the city to automatically assign as many as it can (of those it would normally assign AS specialist citizens.) If it worked a bit like the espionage weights that'd be even better!

 

[AIAndy]

YES!!! Additionally, I wish that control and especially ALT worked when making a selection in that popup... nothing is more frustrating than knowing that I want to build repeated units of a certain type here but because I want to use that function I must go into the city screen to do it. Sometimes, by the time I get into the city screen thanks to delay I've already forgotten what it was I had in mind... ugh.

That said, the suggestion for a solution was a bit tough to envision and from what I was gathering, you were suggesting that we wouldn't be taken to each city individually - I often know what city I'm dealing with by seeing its position on the map and picking up on the terrain details. The icons for each city... I'm not sure what you might have in mind for those.

The idea was not to recognize cities by the icons but that for each city you have not dealt with yet this turn (but would have gotten a production popup for) there is an icon that you can use to get to the city and deal with it. When there are none left, you know that you have looked at all cities that are without production assignment.

That would be the first step although more icons for other kinds of messages or bookmarking could be added.

EDIT: I checked out the option BlueGenie mentioned and it actually does what I wanted except that it calls the popup instead of zooming in on the city when you click on the icon. Funny, I never noticed that option before.

One MAJOR issue in the UI presently is specialist citizen selection.

Problem: I must regularly go into my cities to see what stupid selections its making for specialist citizens and change its automatic selections to what I desire.

Solution: I would LOVE to see a button next to each specialist that allows us to select which type of specialist we want the city to automatically assign as many as it can (of those it would normally assign AS specialist citizens.) If it worked a bit like the espionage weights that'd be even better!

Hmm, what about emphasize buttons similar to those for the yields.

 

[Thunderbrd]

That'd work well too

 

[AIAndy]

I have added an option that avoids the production popups entirely and opens the city screen instead so you can select what to produce there. It is activated by a global define currently (ZOOM_CITY_FOR_PRODUCTION_POPUP in A_New_Dawn_GlobalDefines.xml). I can make it a BUG option instead if there is interest.

 

[JosEPh_II]

Problem: I must regularly go into my cities to see what stupid selections its making for specialist citizens and change its automatic selections to what I desire.

Pet peeve of mine too.

I believe most of it has to do with everytime you get a tech or bldg/wonder/etc that allows you to use a type of specialist it automatically does so. Even with the AI Governor turned Off it will turn it back On again. I would Love to see it so that if you turn the AI Gov Off it stays Off. And if you do have it On it stays with the way you have it set up. (2 different problems here actually I know.)

JosEPh

 

[Thunderbrd]

@AIAndy: I'd LOVE that as a BUG option!

@Joe: I also encounter the problem where every time the population grows I have to make sure to set that new population to the new specialist (well... past a point where the land is fully worked anyhow.)

 

[BlueGenie]

Pet peeve of mine too.

I believe most of it has to do with everytime you get a tech or bldg/wonder/etc that allows you to use a type of specialist it automatically does so. Even with the AI Governor turned Off it will turn it back On again. I would Love to see it so that if you turn the AI Gov Off it stays Off. And if you do have it On it stays with the way you have it set up. (2 different problems here actually I know.)

JosEPh

As far as I know the AI Gov doesn't auto turn on again if you turn it off. If you click the city square in the City View though it does turn it on again, as a feature. I never have any problem with it turning itself on without me actively trying to turn it on. Which I never do.

Cheers

 

[JosEPh_II]

Not sure I'm following you here?

I turn the AI off. I get a tech etc. that allows a New specialist of any kind, I go into City View and the AI Is back On. I've not clicked on any tile in the city view. That's wht I get frustrated with it.

JosEPh

 

[BlueGenie]

Weird, doesn't happen for me. I deactivate the Citizen Automation on settling a new city and it doesn't activate again. Ever. Not sure what settings you have that would allow it to start itself again but something seems to be wrong.

Cheers

 

[AIAndy]

@AIAndy: I'd LOVE that as a BUG option!

I made it one now. It is in the C2C tab of the BUG options screen.

I will add the emphasize buttons for specialists but it likely won't happen before the freeze.

 

[Thunderbrd]

Thanks Andy!