Thoughts on the New UI

[Mihana]

I was looking at the images for ARR when I started thinking about the new UI Yoshi-P and his team have created. I talked about this in another thread but I wanted to hear some thoughts on it too. First before I start, this isn't a petition, request, or complaint trying to make them redesign the UI. From what I know of we're supposed to have the ability to reskin and change aspects of the UI via user-created plugins at a later date. Also the UI despite what I'm going to say is absolutely beautiful in my opinion. It looks clean, simple, and not the least bulky compared to the current user interface we have now. So kudos to the team for streamlining it.

But, looking at the UI, the look and feel doesn't quite make me believe it really fits the game setting. Maybe it could just be me of course which is why I want to know what others think. Do you like the new UI? Do you feel it fits with the overall theme of FFXIV? Personally, again I say personally just to stress that part, no. It feels like something that would belong in a sci-fi type setting. If you've played any of the Star Ocean titles this is the kind of UI I would see used in that type of game. To me the UI has a semblance to a game you'd expect to travel to other worlds on giant space crafts and use advanced technology. Final Fantasy XIV really doesn't fit that setting and viewing the scenery of what appears to be Gridania with a futuristic-styled UI layout seems a little out of place to me.

Like I said, this is not a request to change the UI, not a petition or complaint (Well maybe a tiny one.) about what's to come in ARR. It's pretty, simple, very clean and minimal which should be a staple in many MMO titles out there. But from this standpoint, it just doesn't really feel like the style belongs. Still it won't stop me from playing at all. Please post what you think of the UI. Does it fit? Do you like it? If so, why? If not, how come? Thanks!

[Lirion]

ARR is a MMO and they are using the standard MMO UI, there's a reason it's standard pretty much just like CoD set the standard for the FPS layout on controllers.

My thoughts on it? Well I haven't tried it yet but I can asume it will work like other MMO games and I welcome that, any other modern MMO out there have an infinitely better UI than current one IMO. People like to say it's a FF game first and foremost but I don't agree with that, it's a MMO game set in the FF universe so they have to get the MMO part right.

But from what I have seen I love the new UI.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

because it's magitek gui !
Sriusly, if it feels too futuristic for you, just wait a gui skin via addon

[darkm0d]

ARR is a MMO and they are using the standard MMO UI, there's a reason it's standard pretty much just like CoD set the standard for the FPS layout on controllers.
.

I'm not one to typically nitpick the hell out of a post, but on this subject, I must inform you that you are far from correct. COD did not set the standard for anything.

• Halo: 11/15/2001
• Medal of Honor: Frontline: 11/9/2002
• Counter Strike: 11/18/2003
• Halo 2: 11/9/2004
• Call of Duty: Finest Hour: 11/16/2004

Halo most certainly set the standard for "Xbox". Which continued onto Xbox 360. The first COD, was PC only. I never played those terrible games, so, I was not even sure what COD was first on Xbox but it appears to be Finest Hour.

Anyways, I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just can't stand by idly while someone doesn't acknowledge Halo for all it achieved.

[Esk]

Well as we are (well i think we still are) being allowed addons, hopefully that also means we'll be able to reskin the ui. And I'm hopeful that means the menus as well, but well thats more a hope lol.

It fits with a mmo (and at 1st glance it is ok), it's not very fantasy/FF a bit more Sci-fi fantasy but still..

Edit:

I'm not one to typically nitpick the hell out of a post, but on this subject, I must inform you that you are far from correct. COD did not set the standard for anything.

• Halo: 11/15/2001
• Medal of Honor: Frontline: 11/9/2002
• Counter Strike: 11/18/2003
• Halo 2: 11/9/2004
• Call of Duty: Finest Hour: 11/16/2004

Halo most certainly set the standard for "Xbox". Which continued onto Xbox 360. The first COD, was PC only. I never played those terrible games, so, I was not even sure what COD was first on Xbox but it appears to be Finest Hour.

Anyways, I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just can't stand by idly while someone doesn't acknowledge Halo for all it achieved.

lol i tried explaining that about EQ (and many many others) Vs WoW (on the wow forums). My god the flames were impressive took me a week just to stop giggling when i thought about the rage they must have had while typing..
People only remember the latest big thing or their 1st mmo/game unfortunately.

[Eruantien]

lol i tried explaining that about EQ (and many many others) Vs WoW (on the wow forums). My god the flames were impressive took me a week just to stop giggling when i thought about the rage they must have had while typing..
People only remember the latest big thing or their 1st mmo/game unfortunately.

Similarly to people saying ffxi copied wow, even though xi came out 2 years prior.

Edit. And I would say goldeneye was the first fps, but I guess that didn't have duel joysticks

[Mihana]

I don't mean the layout really. For example I love that cross-style they use for the gamepad setting. I think that will be used possibly on PC too and if so that's gonna be awesome. But okay let's take this picture for example:



Look in the top right hand corner of the image. See the connection icon? It feels out of place a little to me. Let's view a few more pieces. The HP/MP/TP bars for example, the Level bar is another. In fact if you go back to the concept art they released back when 2.0 was first announced you'll see a bit more what I mean. The style, rather the theme I guess to be more accurate, feels a little too futuristic.

They really do look nice, I don't deny that at all. My only concern was that it felt a little too futuristic in the theme and appearance to suit the setting for FFXIV. By setting I mean the world, Hydaelyn if you want to be technical. Anyway I don't know if I'll use a reskin or not, depends if it can be minimal and still look well made. In past games I've played that support the whole "reskinning" deal often they have little bugs in them or glitches that just don't look as good as the original.

Maybe this is just one example of the UI themes available, I recall in FFXI (In fact most FF games offered alternate themes including the console titles.) there were varying window styles on top of the default original one. Guess we'll have to see.

[Eruantien]

Well it was a said, no idea how truthfully, that any good ui mods could make it to ps3 with options to turn them on, so maybe in the future you can change the style/theme similarly to how you can on a board forum.

With them added officially, hopefully the bugs will be minimal

[darkm0d]

Similarly to people saying ffxi copied wow, even though xi came out 2 years prior.

Edit. And I would say goldeneye was the first fps, but I guess that didn't have duel joysticks

Hah, yeah. I twitch when people toute WoW as the first MMO. Also agreed with 007. And shortly after, Perfect Dark. But his post pointed at Xbox, so that what I touched base on. Also, if you go back and try to play 007/PD, you're like OMG HOW DID I EVER MANAGE THIS.

(Side note) Halo 1 has a "Legacy" thumbstick layout thats a homage to 007/PD. It emulates how those controls schemes worked for those seeking that retro feel.

[Matsume]

Similarly to people saying ffxi copied wow, even though xi came out 2 years prior.

Edit. And I would say goldeneye was the first fps, but I guess that didn't have duel joysticks

007 Goldeneye for Nintendo 64 - 25 August 1997. Paintball Mode. Legit, hands down, best FPS of it's time. NEver forget this. Then Halo, then Counter Strike imo...

Edit: Perfect Dark, how could I forget /shame