Overhaul User Interface (Tons of suggestions included)

[Tibian]

I've decided to compile a list of things that I want to see happen for the user interface. These are in no way a 'priority' list, but are simply listed because I'd rather see them happen.

Develop the new PC and PS3 user interfaces completely separate. I cannot even put into words the amount of frustration and dissapointment I feel when I play a really good game that was ported over to the PC from consoles without any special UI treatment.

Part of the reason the menu sucks right now is because of PS3 controller limitations. These controllers don't have the ability to bind windows or bind functions, in fact, they cant even select skills without having to press a D pad direction several times. Not only does this make the gameplay difficult and inefficient, but it brings down the PC players as well.

The PS3 and PC user interfaces need to be mutually exclusive. Neither should be tied to each other. This does not mean that the players must play only on PC or PS3, it simply means each system will have a different UI. This is one lesson that many developers need to learn, and if SE can pull this off successfully they will greatly increase their chances of making FFXIV work well on the PS3 as well as PC.

I think SE has some good ideas for the PS3 pad, and since I don't want to play on the PS3 I am only going to focus on the PC UI overhaul.

Menu Centric vs Icon and Tooltip centric UI

The PC version of the new UI overhaul needs to strive for efficiency. What do I mean by that? Currently it takes 5 input commands to change a skill. This could be significantly reduced to 2. How you ask? Lets say I want to equip Sacrifice instead of Cure. To do this on an icon and tooltip centric UI, I would press (Ctrl+P) to open my ability book, and then drag and drop the icon of the spell to the ability bar. Incredibly simple.

This is why the current menu heavy UI is inefficient. Nearly everything about the menu system requires a drastic increase in input commands.

An icon-tooltip centric UI will also keep things a lot more organized than they are now. I would love to open up a "bag" window with my all of my non-equipped items shown in an organized fashion where i can over over them and drag and drop things. The current menu system now, although somewhat organized, is just a hassle because of scrolling through 100 items. An icon centric menu would easily handle this massive load of items easier.

Furthermore, having icons and tooltips will remove the unnecessary secondary "information window" that currently appears below the list of items.

Lastly, a menu centric icon requires a lot of reading and not a lot of quick identification features. An icon centric tooltip allows players to hone in on unique icons for easy access.

If the above section about menu centric vs icon and tooltip centric UI is difficult to understand... just go play World of Warcraft. Everything about their item management is perfect.

Commands

Commands make life easier. If I want to go up with someone and trade them an item, just let me target them and type /trade or right click on their body and have a small menu that allows me to "Chat, Trade, Check, Browse, Invite to Party, Invite to Linkshell, Kick from Party, Kick from Linkshell."

I have no idea why these commands don't exist to begin with, but they need to be implemented. I understand /check is in the game, but it should be on a right click menu as well. This right clicking should also apply to the party names and the target frame.

Fade In/Out Animations

The fade in/out animations for the menu's need to vanish or significantly speed up to less than 1/10th of a second. They take up unnecessary time that doesn't make the game seem more polished or unique.

Hovering over buffs and debuffs should reveal tooltip information
When I hover over a buff or debuff icon, I want a tooltip that tells me exactly what it is doing. I don't want to have to 'select' the debuff.

Multiple action/spell bars need to be available to turn on and off.
Multiple action bars need to be activated. Currently having to press down on the arrow keys to select a different spell is incredibly inefficient. We're going to the whole "input command vs efficiency" issue here again. Simply have the ability to have 4+ bars able to be toggled that you can drag and drop skills on. Furthermore, each slot should be able to be customized to any keybind for easy activation without excessive mouse clicking.

Addon Development
One of the most significant improvements you can do is allow players to develop their own addons (that don't alter the game in a bad way). Once you see what creative people come up with, you have the right to alter that addon and implement it into the game itself to make it better and officially supported.

Targeting and Camera
I'd prefer not to have some sort of 'lock' on a monster. I want to click from monster to monster and then to person back to monster with ease. This means increasing the distance I can click on a monster, as well as fixing the issue with name plates, and removing the obscene 'lock' issue. Furthermore, the camera needs to be independent of character movement. I want to be able to swing my camera in a full 360 degrees and leave it at any position I choose even while running. The current "follow character while moving" doesn't suffice.

Equipping skills and gear should not stop my character running.
I probably don't need to explain this one.


Linkshell/Guild Administration
The Linkshell/Guild Administration needs a huge overhaul as well. We need to be able to kick and invite people to linkshells from whatever location they are at. Furthermore, there need to be different ranks with different functions. Ie: some ranks can invite, some ranks can kick, some ranks can silence spamming, etc.

Also, there needs to be some type of recruitment UI window to see who is looking for a linkshell. This should show each job level and the main language, as well as a "casual/moderate/hardcore" tag for what person/linkshell is looking for.

Linkshell descriptions should also have casual/moderate/hardcore tag, along with a short description of what they look for in new members.

The maximum number of members in a linkshell needs to be uncapped.

Linkshell chat should be as easy as typing /ls1 /ls2 /ls3 /ls4 instead of having to switch the linkshell each time you want to talk.

Looking for group/party
There needs to be a fully functioning LFG/LFP system. Should show vital information such as available jobs, rank, language.

Casting spells should not require pressing the skill number and then enter -- also AOE toggle
Casting spells shouldn't require pressing enter! Furthermore, just make separate spells that are AOE and adjust the SP accordingly or make it if say... Water is equipped, Watera doesn't cost anything to equip.

Increase the amount of slots available for trading items.

You should be able to type while crafting.
Currently every time you perform a new crafting function, the chat resets and you can't effectively type. Needs to be fixed to where you can continue typing past pressing a crafting function.

Client side UI
Everything is sent to your servers in Japan. For players outside of Japan, that causes lag. Not just "occasional lag" it causes HUGE AMOUNTS OF FRUSTRATION. The UI must be developed and run client side!

Finally, your servers should be located around the world and not 100% in Japan.

[Morphemes]

all you need to look at for gamepad UI in this context...

http://static.patsnap.com/patent/ima.../US20010048425

[Tibian]

all you need to look at for gamepad UI in this context...

http://static.patsnap.com/patent/ima.../US20010048425

Sure, just make the development of PS3 and PC UI's separate and I won't have to deal with that

[tymora]

Addon development for UI:
This might already be on their roadmap somewhere. The UI files are separated out already (.form files) - Doesn't take much to figure this out from the file names. They only need to provide the means to edit them.

Equipping skills and gear and running:
I don't think this is a necessary fix. Though it will be nice to finish the entire macro before redrawing so that I don't appear in various states of undressing/dressing.

Targeting:
You do know you can unlock the target right?

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I support all the other suggestions though.

[Naqaj]

all you need to look at for gamepad UI in this context...

http://static.patsnap.com/patent/ima.../US20010048425

Doesn't work. The picture shows a 12-way directional control. Gamepads have 8-way directional controls.

[DAOWAce]

Only 10 thumbs?

Personally, I'm fine with the menu/tooltip driven UI, but I agree with everything else. Drag and dropping skills from a segregated pool of skills from all classes (instead of individually selecting each class from a menu to get their listing of skills) is something that is highly needed.

And, regional servers; Can't reinforce that enough. http://ffxiv.zam.com/forum.html?foru...92063227414682

[Aramyth]

I basically agree with everything in the original OP. I'm tired of having to play with a controller, it takes twice as long to do anything. I want to be able to play with just the keyboard, or keyboard and mouse.

The major issue with this UI right now is that it's server side. It sucks. The lag is just terrible.

[Apollyon7]

Give us the sweet old "Seek Party" button to click and the "/sea all" command.... DAMN WAS PERFECT!
I wanna lvl up, not turn off the game tired of searchin noone.....
FIX THOSE THINGS!!! PLEASE! Give finally a full life to FF XIV!!!

[Deatheye]

I pressed "like it".
I agree on pretty much everything.
The only one not so sure about is the UI Addon development from 3th parties.
Sure it can create a lot of bonus. But I see two problems with it.
1. How do you handle it so PS3 user aren't at a disadvantage? This is even more import if you look at number 2.
2. In WoW you just had to use some addons. Without you you coudn't play as good as with it. That lead to the situation that you actually didn't get invites without certain addons. I don't like this. In regards to PS3 user this could led to split of community.

[Rikuu]

I agree with most of you, but for those that wants desperately the "/sea all" command (and search for party seekers, etc), I'm pretty sure they're on the way to add it, and I'm also sure they're working as hard as possible to implement that and much more features fast and good, so we have to be patient They are doing all they can by far, with time all will come.