High-res font = yay; Now, how about the title screen?

[Daniel_Hatcher]

Then they'd best both fit in the lowest possible resolution, shouldn't they?

Not likely, far more likely if you're resolution is low you get one UI, if it's high you get the second, better UI.

[Ziyyigo-Tipyigo]

Not likely, far more likely if you're resolution is low you get one UI, if it's high you get the second, better UI.

The two UI's in XIV are going to be differentiated by user input type (gamepad vs. keyboard/mouse), not resolution.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

The two UI's in XIV are going to be differentiated by user input type (gamepad vs. keyboard/mouse), not resolution.

Ah, I see.

PS. If lolGoogle translate is working you will have the option of the new UI or old UI for FFXI.

[Elliander]

FFXIV will have two UI's, similar to how the PC will have one UI and XBOX and PS2 will have another for XI.

That makes me feel a little better to know, but does this mean that on the PC there won't even be an option for a Gamepad UI? And do you need to have a Gamepad at all to use the Gamepad UI? I still use a keyboard sometimes on both my computer and the xbox 360.

Two things:

1) the default UI configuration NEVER, EVER looked like that. If you took those shots yourself, you set it up that way yourself. Why would you configure the UI to be unpleasant for your own needs?

What are you talking about? That's exactly how it looked when menus were opened and there were no configuration settings to change the way those screens looked. You don't need to lie to me, I was there.

2) Yes, the UI has changed quite a bit since beta, largely because many battle mechanics have changed. Seriously. If you're judging the game from beta, you really need to take another look. The game is vastly different, a lot of things have already been totally redone and things like the areas are being redone for 2.0.

I am not just judging it from Beta alone, but by the general direction many different MMOs are taking. I am however judging the merits of playing a game based on the type of UI it has.

This is pretty close to the default UI, though I've made some adjustments (right click > view image to see bigger):

I made the target display and EXP bar bigger, and put the combat information in a seperate log window instead of a tab. The current targeting mode(left of the aciton bar) isnt in the default location but I don't remember where it was before. Most of the context-sensitive things that you used to have to open the main menu for now have buttons that appear and disappear as needed on the micro menu in the lower right (e.g., you don't need to open the menu to operate lifts or use objects and whatnot anymore)
The stamina system was removed, so there is no stamina gauge anymore (And the casting bar is only visible while casting, but you can still move it anywhere and make it bigger or smaller), you don't have to be engaged to cast spells anymore, and prior to the introduction of Jobs, nearly every spell and action was totally redone- many obscure ones removed and replaced with more well-known final fantasy type things. All weapon skills used to have very generic effects, now they all have unique animations.

That looks no better or worse than the basic screens during the beta. The real question is how the menus look. It's nice to hear that things fade away now, but I still don't like the whole point and click style interface. Drop downs that appear and disappear with a single button press are much cleaner and faster. I also don't like how the text is off to the side when it should be wider on the bottom like it is in FFXI. Does the text now disappear when not in use at least?

The game now has tooltips for virtually everything- Even tooltips explaining what purpose all your stats serve when you mouse over them. You can turn them off if you don't want them, and they work both with the mouse and with the keyboard/gamepad cursor.

For the targeting cursor, you now have a choice of the XI style cursor over the names of targets, XIV's original circular crosshair, or a combination of both (or nothing)

Yes, you can cast flare in the inn rooms (it doesn't require a target, it is centered on you and the damage varies depending on how close an enemy is to you)

What about home points? See, my last day in the beta (when it was in public beta) I fought a monster. Right after I killed it instead of getting exp I died. The game said "You killed you." and that was in. No option to respawn somewhere. Nothing. Just... dead.

And what about zones? One of the most annoying lag inducing changes they made was that instead of traditional zone lines new regions were loading as you approached them.

I don't get this clutter chat about other MMOs, when FFXI's own UI takes up a good 2/5th of the screen (3/5th in an alliance) at its native resolution, and doesn't provide remotely near the same level of information as modern MMOs.

Regardless of the resolution you are using, the menus are very streamlined and pull away when you aren't using them. Even the text which occupies a good portion of the bottom at most times can be limited to only display a few lines and can be expanded to fill all lines with a simple click. "Modern MMOs" on the other hand have tiny text boxes that provide so little information due to their tiny size you need to use many text boxes, and while certain objects may take less space in one of those, since they are ever present it's a burden on the eyes. Of course, on an HDTV it's much nicer looking.

[Kaisha]

Regardless of the resolution you are using, the menus are very streamlined and pull away when you aren't using them. Even the text which occupies a good portion of the bottom at most times can be limited to only display a few lines and can be expanded to fill all lines with a simple click. "Modern MMOs" on the other hand have tiny text boxes that provide so little information due to their tiny size you need to use many text boxes, and while certain objects may take less space in one of those, since they are ever present it's a burden on the eyes. Of course, on an HDTV it's much nicer looking.

By streamlined you mean nested menus that have zero hotkeys to open because it was built around controller input, not the 480i resolution.

Hopefully the majority of the nonsense I have with the current UI will be addressed with the UI update.

Also, the text boxes in modern MMOs are vastly configurable, and their size can be whatever you desire. Need a large font for easier reading? Not a problem.

The only thing I like about FFXI's interface (before some of the PC/360-exclusive adjustments) was how all of the windows fit into this dynamic 3x3 grid, which is interesting to me from a design standpoint, and worked back in the days when FFXI was a simpler game, and didn't require the amount of information and changes (and gear swaps) as it does today.


[EDIT] On the subject of 'streamlining', I 'streamlined' this post. No room for examples of why the current UI is hindering the game in this post due to self-ignorance and laziness!

[Daniel_Hatcher]

That makes me feel a little better to know, but does this mean that on the PC there won't even be an option for a Gamepad UI? And do you need to have a Gamepad at all to use the Gamepad UI? I still use a keyboard sometimes on both my computer and the xbox 360.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...User-Interface

You have the choice on PC of the new or old UI.

They wont remove controller functions, the controller just wont be able to use the onscreen macros or adjust the UI.

[Alhanelem]

What are you talking about? That's exactly how it looked when menus were opened and there were no configuration settings to change the way those screens looked. You don't need to lie to me, I was there.

Well, you'd be lying to me, because I was there since the very first wave of alpha testers, and it never looked like that. if it did, it was bug or glitch. Also, all UI components were draggable and moveable on screen even in the first alpha version.

The game has come a long way since launch, and there are now tons of configuration options avialable to tailor the HUD and UI to your preferences.

What about home points?

You get not just one, but two home points (One being your choice of any aetheryte camp- usually the one nearest to whatever BCNM or dungeon you are going to do; the other being your choice of any of the inns in the city-states), and you can return to either of them at any time without having to die. Do you really think they'd let something like "you killed you" stick around for 2 years?

One of the most annoying lag inducing changes

This was not "lag inducing" nor did it cause lag at all. Any lag you experienced had nothing to do with this and everything to do connection issues (if you mean lag in the sense of what it really means- connection problems) or not meeting the system requirements and thus having a low frame rate (which is probably what you really mean). I played the game since the first alpha test and never had any lag brought on by moving from one area to the next.

However, Most of the areas are being redesigned for 2.0. The system requirements for the game are expected to be considerably lower.

It's nice to hear that things fade away now, but I still don't like the whole point and click style interface. Drop downs that appear and disappear with a single button press are much cleaner and faster.

That's a matter of opinion. People who are used to playing games on a computer are used to using a keyboard and mouse and find point-and-click interfaces easy, clean and fast to use.
People who are more used to console games are more used to a gamepad and find a different interface design more effective.

The good news is that there are different control schemes available for gamepad and keyboard users. There are text commands that modify how the UI handles certain things, especially targeting- In fact the UI has tons of options for how to handle this. There is a setting in particular for subtargeting (for choosing a target for a spell etc. while locked on to something)- Because of the nature of the way the mouse and keyboard combination works, many mouse/keyboard users felt subtargeting slowed them down. However, gamepad users find that the subtarget featuer makes it much easier for them. Now, the game automatically sets this when you first start playing to off if you are using a gamepad and on if you are not. It's quite clear to me you prefer a gamepad, and they are designing the controls and UI to be friendly to both. For normal targeting, you have a choice of three different targeting modes, each made to cater to a different person.

You keep talking about things in the beta. The beta prior to the original launch was a long time ago. Everybody knows they messed the launch up, and that's why they fired the senior staff and appointed a new one. Even SE knew it f'ed up. That's why they're working to make it better. And it HAS gotten better and will continue to get better as 2.0 launches.

Menus: The command menu as you know it isn't necessary in XIV because you can Attack/disengage with a button; the abilities/magic menus aren't necessary because these are all on the action bar. Call for help isn't necessary because the claim system works differently. Check isn't necessary because you can see the levels of all normal monsters. The chat mode menu is in the log window itself (And the menu has a handy link to the log window options screen). Most of the menus and windows in the game can be accessed in a variety of ways, and you're sure to find one that suits you. You can bind most windows like the gear or inventory screens to a key or button. Though you no longer have to open the main menu to interact with objects, the option is still there if for whatever reason you liked that. They have gone back to most objects having a targetable name or ??? like XI. For those that don't, a little icon appears on the micro menu in the lower right that you can select to activate the object. Sometimes I stream the game

There is a free welcome-back event going on right now, so you ought to try it for yourself.

I am not just judging it from Beta alone, but by the general direction many different MMOs are taking. I am however judging the merits of playing a game based on the type of UI it has.

You have to realize that most hardcore gamers (the clientele typically interested in MMOs) are mouse/keyboard users. Thus, most games design the interface around that. MMOs aren't gravitating toward this interface style because people don't like it and it's not functional, that much I can tell you. Fortunately, FFXIV is taking both M/K and gamepad users into consideration. Also, you're really shutting yourself out of a lot of good games if you're going to judge them based on their UI over other aspects of the game like the actual gameplay and other attributes. A good consumer weighs all aspects of a product before making a decision, not just one of them.

I also don't like how the text is off to the side when it should be wider on the bottom like it is in FFXI. Does the text now disappear when not in use at least?

You're just used to FFXI. The log window doesn't need to be 100 feet long. in FFXI, at high resolutions the log window still covers up a huge portion of the screen when it doesn't really need to. You don't seem to like clutter, yet you like a giant window blocking the entire bottom segment of the screen? The very first thing I did when the option was added was limit FFXI's log window to about 40% of the width of the screen. At 1680x1050 resolution, you can't even type a chat message the full length of the window. The window is way wider than it has to be unless you're at a low resolution.

And to answer the question: Yes, the text fades away if the log is inactive for a while. You can also set its transparency, and it darkens/becomes less transparent both when you're interacting with it, and when you point at it with the mouse.

------------
TL;DR: FFXIV's UI is being designed to be customizable, and to be friendly to all of mice, keyboards and gamepads, and that is what SE is trying to do with the new UI in XI too. It has been officially stated that the old UI will remain available and if you find you don't like the new one, you don't have to use it.