After battle update -- Overhaul UI?

[Tibian]

I am curious to know what will be fixed after the battle update, but in an effort to just create some communication for the dev's to hear I suggest that the UI is overhauled next.

I imagine there are already some battle UI updates that are going to be seen. However I compiled a list of several ideas with a description of each in the UI forum section.

That incredibly long post can be found here.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/13378-Overhaul-User-Interface-%28Tons-of-suggestions-included%29

In short, I'll just post the headlines that I'd like to see in a UI overhaul.

• PC and PS3 UI's should be developed separately.
• Focus on more icons/tooltips/drag and drop rather than cumbersome menus and drop downs.
• A comprehensive command list and right click menu needs to be implemented. Ie: /invite /kick /browse /lsinvite /lskick /trade etc.
• The speed of fading in/out animations needs to be significantly reduced or removed.
• The speed of the menus need to be increased (localize the servers so I don't send everything to Japan!!)
• Global chat.
• I want to hover over buffs and debuffs to see critical battle information. Selecting is inefficient. (Partially implemented but not on the party box)
• Several action bars need to be on the screen at one time -- and fully customized with keybinds.
• Addons should be allowed to be created. Future addons could be implemented by SE themselves into the core game.
• Targeting needs to be improved drastically still. I have no desire to tab through targets. I want to click with my mouse on an enemy, then a player, and back to the enemy with ease.
• Camera functions need to be improved so that the camera can be swung in 360 degrees and not always on "follow player."
• Linkshell/Guilds need a massive administration/UI overhaul. We need to kick and invite people from whatever location they are at. Ranks as well.
• Fix the issue when equipping skills and gear that my character stops moving and disappears. Incredibly frustrating.
• The number of trading slots needs to be increased. Four slots is incredibly small. Needs to be increased to at least 10, or don't limit it at all.
• I want to be able to type and communicate when crafting. I know this was looked at earlier but it is still massively broken.
• Search, /who functions, and looking for party features need to be implemented in the game.
  

[TessaJalloh]

i agree with a few things, but others are completely unnecessary and wouldn't help you in the long run. such as, the PS3 UI being seperately developed, that splits the UI team in half, means everything takes longer to achieve.

They're already going to be working on a few improvements like you've suggested though if i remember right, such as the skill equipping and the buff info.

[Renshi]

Who knows! That's the fun =D
Anyway, fret no need, since if there's an UI overhaul they'll let us know, and if they're Goodfellows they'll release an old-style Q&A or an old-style Guide for Eorzea about that. Man, I miss those =D

[Wolfie]

I want them to focus all of their resources to fixing the server infrastructure and engine. Half the time we ask for a feature, we get hit with "Core Programming Issue" or "we'll do that after we fix server infrastructure".

[kukurumei]

Class update though they're all being worked on together.

After the class/job system, most likely the craft systems would come to fruition, after that we are probably looking at economy if it hasn't been snuck in somewhere.

UI is on the back-burner(relatively) if you believe Yoshi's check list.

[Rowyne]

• PC and PS3 UI's should be developed separately.

YES. This this THIS.

I agree with everything in the OP, but this really gets to the heart of the issue. This has been a huge point of annoyance for me.

As far back as the beta feedback forums, it's been said that dual UI's need to be developed for this game. One for PC (keyboard/mouse) and one for PS3 (controller). If feasible, they could implement an option so that you could choose which style you prefer (such as for those who want to play on their PC but use a controller). The one-size-fits-all approach is making both parties unhappy.

I want to be able to single-click options with my mouse instead of going through layers and layers of menus. I want right-click functionality. I want my left-mouse-click to manually pan my camera, and the right-mouse-click to pivot my character. I want drag-and-drop functionality when I load up my action bar. And while we're on the subject, I don't want to flip through action bars, I want all of them visible all the time. I want to be able to target NPCs on my screen without having to click my mouse 3 times before selecting them because my nameplate is in the way and it keeps targeting me.

I'm seriously tired of feeling like I'm playing a console port, and that the keyboard/mouse players are an afterthought.

FFXI was near and dear to my heart, and I played for 4 years. I've considered playing again, but the fact that it is purely a console-style menu driven interface with zero mouse functionality is the single biggest thing that's keeping me from doing it. I only put up with it back in 2004 because it was my first MMO. But I know trying to pick it up again would frustrate the heck out of me.

Ease of use and UI design is an important issue to many gamers, especially MMO players and even moreso for the PC crowd.

[Kilta_Firelotus]

"I want to be able to single-click options with my mouse instead of going through layers and layers of menus."

not to be mean, but name an mmorpg or an rpg in general that does this.
most games in general have menu layers only fix is making it dynamic like Fable 3 or the soon to be released Skyrim ( e3 showcased the dev demo on the 360 ^^ i thpought it was the pc graphics are AWESOME~~~ )

[Rowyne]

"I want to be able to single-click options with my mouse instead of going through layers and layers of menus."

not to be mean, but name an mmorpg or an rpg in general that does this.

... Wow? Aion? Warhammer? Pretty much every PC game that you can directly access things with a single click of your mouse?

I'm really starting to think you've never played any of these games you claim to be such a veteran of.

Let me see if I can explain it to you.

If this game were set up with a PC-interface, when you approached an Aetheryte, you would right-click on it and it would slide out a list of available options to directly access.

Instead, when we approach an Aetheryte, we have to open up our activation menu, go to Aetheryte, and then go through layers of menus that open and close, progressing and backtracking, until we find what we want.

This is due to the PS3-interface limitations.

[Mack]

"I want to be able to single-click options with my mouse instead of going through layers and layers of menus."

not to be mean, but name an mmorpg or an rpg in general that does this.
most games in general have menu layers only fix is making it dynamic like Fable 3 or the soon to be released Skyrim ( e3 showcased the dev demo on the 360 ^^ i thpought it was the pc graphics are AWESOME~~~ )

OH no......

[Rau]

"I want to be able to single-click options with my mouse instead of going through layers and layers of menus."

not to be mean, but name an mmorpg or an rpg in general that does this.
most games in general have menu layers only fix is making it dynamic like Fable 3 or the soon to be released Skyrim ( e3 showcased the dev demo on the 360 ^^ i thpought it was the pc graphics are AWESOME~~~ )

You're comparing the menu of an MMO to the menus of Action RPGs?
Even Bethesda is trying to simplify their menus to reduces amount of clicks/presses.