Player Features and Ideas Discussion

First off, let's talk about the map window. The new map window is pretty clean, overall isn't an issue. The background could be a little darker, but generally it's not a big issue. The icons are fairly clean and easy to understand. The map itself, specially in full screen mode, is good.

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Here is where issues start forming. The new directional scanner window. First off, I feel that this window should be by default separated. It is a common window to use separately in a lot of situations, specially wormholes and often most players can use it without the map. This doesn't mean it still cannot go hand in hand, but there is no real nice way to keep the map and dscanner window open in combat or 'needing to dscan constantly' situations because it takes up the window to far largely, and I feel as a default, for new players to understand, it should start separately.

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The second issue to me is the actual cone transparency. The cone itself is good, using it with the map is good, but the cone itself it not transparent enough. This is what I mean: http://i.imgur.com/yNHnAFB.jpg

You can see the cone overlaps all the planets, and other icons, but I feel like they are masking them too much. I get the IDEA is that you should know where the cone is, but it should still be very visible to see what is in the actual cone without having to zoom in a large deal. I believe the issue is to do with the bright colors that spin around the actual cone, they are just simply far too bright and mix in with the white icons too well.

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The scanning buttons should be dockable either at the top or the bottom of the dscanner window. Depending on where the window is, is where I would put them as a player. If the window is higher, I'd probably put the buttons at the bottom, if the window was lower, I would put them at the top. The reason is simply to reduce mouse movement time. It sounds like a little nitpick, but I think it's still a UI thing that needs to be addressed. It could be similar to how you can HUD align it to the top or bottom of your screen.

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The dscan gong noise is stressful to listen too. Please remember that players in certain cases are using the dscanner window CONSTANTLY. It's too much. Either make a disable toggle for it, or make the noise very subtle. While I am wearing my headset, the gong noise is pretty annoying and deep, it bothers me. Here is a good example of it posted I believe by Tangarchik Ru (or at least from what I found): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Af1pb-hB54&feature=youtu.be ... That will drive me mental. Specially with headsets.

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Scanning window changes. I actually like the drag probe sound effects here. What it does is when you are closer to a signature, the noise gets a high pitch, and when you aren't, it goes lower. This should help with positioning without having to always double check every position once you understand how it works. Nothing wrong with this as it will help you realize if you see the probes on a signature but waste a scan because they are very high/very low of the signature and you forgot to check. If anything the noise can be reduced in strength a bit as it could be a little bit loud, but I approve of it, I think it's a good idea overall.

There are some changes that, I think, should be put in place though.

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First off, scanning should still be able to be managed with a mouse only. Even if it's a click to change, we shouldn't have to hold down ALT to change the size of the probes. I don't really understand 'why' you have to do this to begin with though. It feels to me an unnecessary addon that has no impact other than to be annoying. Also, I would very much LOVE to be able to drag location on the probe AU bubbles. Right now I have to hold down ALT, but then also click one of the arrows rather then just simply hovering over the edge of the bubble and dragging. Both to me seem unneeded, or you can at least keep the edge of bubble sizing. If you don't understand, here is an image: http://i.imgur.com/bqrvVV4.png

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Lastly, the scan signal percentage lines. They bother me because as someone with pretty bad eyes, it's hard to follow. What I mean is this:

http://i.imgur.com/Zz4SZoF.png


The lines are in the MIDDLE of two signatures, it bothers me. It is not a good way of doing it to me. I get that the signature line is below the signature, not above, but on a quick glance it often plays with my eyes and can be a bit of a bother. I think it should be similar to the old system, for example, here is a mockup (the first 4 signatures):

http://i.imgur.com/9ZkUuwV.png


I think it is more clear and to the point on what is what without a double take when you have 20-30 signatures all with lines in them.

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Also:


1. Try new probe launcher/dscan window should be separate buttons. I feel like right now I'd prefer one and not the other, but I cannot do this unless I enable/disable them while opening them first. Please keep these separate!

2. Did T3 scanning rigs get changed? Or are they simply not displaying their combat strength due to a miss on adding T3 bonuses to the window? If it did get changed, I disagree with removing it completely. I can understand them being weaker than covops scanner ships that are specifically designed for scanning, but I don't think setting it to nil is the right answer either.



Thanks guys. Let's keep it civil. 8)