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[AlwaysGeeky]

Hey guys,

Was wondering if I could get some feedback on my frontend that I created for my voxel engine game. For the previous 3 months I have been spending a lot of time on the technically voxel side of the development, and now I have transitioned to making game features. So the frontend is the first thing I have tried to make more game-y.

http://youtu.be/RN1pUxobvSg

Would appreciate the feedback and to know what you guys think

Thanks.

[waxx]

I am aware that the whole menu needs to be to be nice and smooth, however I think that the character picking screen is taking way too long for characters to actually change. Might just get too annoying in the long run.

[Nix]

If you're using the system cursor, it would be nice to switch it to the pointing hand when it's over a button. I'm really used to that visual feedback when navigating UIs.

[AlwaysGeeky]

Thanks for the feedback.

Waxx - Yeah I thought that at first too. I have toyed around with the idea of having all selectable characters on screen together and when you pick one, they become centered, or  highlighted to show what character you have selected.

Right now I am trying to get a good animation so it seems fun to change characters, eventually there will be backgrounds and different settings etc, so each time you select a different type of character it will seem like a totally different change. i.e switching from a wizard human, to a lizardman hunter... if you know what I mean.

But essentially you are right, I think the switching of characters needs to be more fluid and quicker for ease of play.

[AlwaysGeeky]

Nix - Cool suggestion, I plan on having custom cusors anyway, but I think you are right, a different cursor is needed when hovering over a button/menu.

My idea is to probably have icons very similar to the windows one anyway, (pointer, hand, resize, scale tools, etc) but have them feel more gamey and specific to my voxel style.

That reminds me, I need to look up how over games do modified cursors anyway, I guess most games stick with a simple solution, but there might be some legs in gaving cool animated or 3d cursors. (like the hand cursor from dungeon keeper )

If I stick with the default windows cursors I will still probably switch to the hand for buttons, as because like you said, most people are more comfortable with that icon to mean "I am hovering over a clickable button"

[Nix]

Why did you just split one post into two several days later

[AlwaysGeeky]

I wanted to add some more details to my responses, but ended up messing up the original reply, so decided it was best to split the two responses into two separate replies.

[blinkok]

i agree with the timing thing. i think it's very important to keep things simple and quick. maybe when you select one character the others fall apart.
one thing i did want to mention was that the buttons seem a little bland. it's hard to say which direction (style wise) they should go because the video does not really convey a style.
one game that sprang to mind was this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1wzk26oHaw(about 1:28 onwards). i think they have done a particularly good job on the interface design (buttons etc)

[ViridianGames]

i agree with the timing thing. i think it's very important to keep things simple and quick. maybe when you select one character the others fall apart.
one thing i did want to mention was that the buttons seem a little bland. it's hard to say which direction (style wise) they should go because the video does not really convey a style.
one game that sprang to mind was this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1wzk26oHaw(about 1:28 onwards). i think they have done a particularly good job on the interface design (buttons etc)

This.  Your system looks like a rally good start.  The game in that video looks very professional, and you wouldn't have far to go to get there.  Plus, having the other characters fall or fall apart or explode or cry when you pick one gives the player feedback and a moment's enjoyment as well as good feedback as to what they just did.

[AlwaysGeeky]

Thats a great video demonstrating a fluid GUI blinkok, I like how the whole GUI and frontend matches in style and feels a very concrete part of the game. I need to get my GUI and graphics to all match up in style. Something I am working on.

ViridianGames - Thanks, yeah the playfulness of the whole experience is something I am really keen on. I like your idea of the players crying or showing some disappointment when you choose another character

[JMStark]

I love the fluidity and motion you have already added to it, and has already been pointed out, all you really need to do is speed it up a little. I will assume that the button graphics are simply placeholders, but even still, of all the colors in the world, why did you have to pick that type of brown in particular?

[AlwaysGeeky]

Thanks for all the feedback, I have taken a lot on board and already made something where selecting the chracters is much quicker. Also JMStark yes you are right, the button colour style is still placeholder. You will be surprised but I actually just picked it at random from the colour picker tool and stuck with it... its more yellow/hazelnut than brown, but anyhow it will change soon