Soldat Menu GUI

[L[0ne]R]

Current Soldat menus are very disorganized - server settings, player settings, sound settings and everything else are mixed into one huge pile. Sorting that pile into better-defined sections is the first step in improving Soldat's menu GUI, so here's my rough idea of how things could be reorganized.

Post your opinions and suggestions.

P.S. Don't think about if it'll fit on the screen or how it'll look. Contents and looks are different things, so let's only think about contents for now.




P.P.S. You'll notice that there's no "Join Game" section on the picture. I left it out on purpose because I think there's nothing to change there content-wise.

[darDar]

structure is bad currently. L[0ne]R´s one is looking more senseful
also a suggestion for the GUI...

old one:


there is just TOO much stuff on 1 page.

there should be some more buttons in the options menu.
This example shows what would happen by clicking/aiming a button.
It makes the box on the right visible.
By Clicking or just aiming to another button this would turn invisible again and show the next box.

new GUI suggestion:



From: February 20, 2011, 11:32:32 pm
could look like that also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXiJ9DQwK4o
[

[PQ]

I also hate the menu not being able to resize. Especially the lobby since you have to scroll to the right to see if a server is realistic etc.

[darDar]

I also hate the menu not being able to resize. Especially the lobby since you have to scroll to the right to see if a server is realistic etc.

this is really annoying

[Polifen]

I also hate the menu not being able to resize.

One more time I'll say, it's a 2 minute job, I'm at school and I'm not sure about the name of it, but as far as i remember it was called anchors. Using it you can set that all objects above the server list being sticked to left-top corner, so even with resize it won't move, set the server list anchors to top-bot-left-right, so it will stick to whole window, so if you change the resolution it will be bigger in both - height and width, and finally set Request Servers ( and "local" + "internet" ) to left-bot, and the rest to right-bot, that will make it sticky to the bottom and filters, pings and cancel will be on the right ( opposite to "Request Servers" ).

[thegrandmaster]

I agree with all that is said. PM sent.

[Clawbug]

I would actually support an idea of having the game itself separate from the GUI. The GUI would be just an stand alone window/program which would then launch the game, instead if having the GUI integrated to the game itself.

This would allow third party GUIs built easily, and have the GUI developed independently from the game itself. I understand that this would require major changes in the codebase though.

[Polifen]

Little presentation of how anchors works, I know it looks crappy and it's not soldat-style, but it's just an presentation of "sticking" to borders. All top objects are top-left, so they are not moving, list is top-bot-left-right, so it is way bigger on higher resolutions, and bottom buttons are left-bot for request and right-bot for the rest. And it's not a 2 minute job as I said before, it's 30 seconds job.

[thegrandmaster]

My idea is to have a main category/button named 'Settings' in a central main menu.
On hover, it would reveal several categories which for now are named:

• Player
• In-game GUI*
• Server
• System

These would encompass the current contents of the ingame options, and the options in config.exe, removing the need for it.

*Would contain a preview of the current interface. If registered, you could see a preview of any custom interface on that page, without having to go ingame to see it.
This preview could be an actual gostek firing at some practise targets and moving around for example, and on selecting a different interface, the interface in the preview could change


From: February 21, 2011, 03:11:47 pmAdded: mockup (made in powerpoint) of possible menu implementation. (Just settings part)

[10th_account]

Lol whut? where'd his post go?  You had some very valid points xD

I deleted it. It wouldn't allow me to replace an image.


It has always bugged me how the server list has remained packed with useless metadata and hasn't really changed since the first versions. I suggest the following changes. See attached images for comparison.

• Flags moved to the right of ping
• Removed the BattlEye icon (all servers should be forced to use anti-cheat anyway)
• Added a lock to show which servers are passworded
• Added a check sign to show recommended servers**
• Removed (WM) tag in server names
• Expanded Name column
• Merged Player and Max columns
• Abbreviated Game modes
• Map column moved to the right of the game mode
• Cut out common game mode prefixes from map names
• Ping dot removed
• Ping right adjusted and capped at 999
• All useless info to the right of ping removed, preventing the horizontal scrollbar
• Defaults to automatically sort by player count, then ping

**Recommended server: Dedicated, no bots, no WM, no R/S/A, map matches game mode

[thegrandmaster]

• Removed BattlEye logo on servers (all servers should use anti-cheat anyway) - agreed
  
• Added a lock to show which servers require a password - agreed
  
• Added check sign to indicate a recommended server** - ish*
  
• Removed (WM) name prefix - ish**
  
• Expanded Name column - agreed
  
• Merged Players and Max to one column - agreed
  
• Abbreviated the game mode - agreed
  
• Map column moved to the right of the game mode - agreed
  
• Game mode prefix removed from map name - not sure about that, lots of servers use ctf maps on dm servers etc. I'd keep the prefix imo.
  
• Ping right adjusted and capped at 999 - agreed
  
• Ping color dots removed - instead of dots, maybe just colour the number?
  
• Flags moved to the right of ping - I'd keep the flags in the same place, it's nice to see where it is before anything...
  
• Removed all useless info to the right of the ping - it's not doing any harm!
  
• Defaults to sort by players, then ping - sure
  

** Recommended server: Dedicated, no bots, no WM, no realistic/survival/advanced, map matches game mode.

*seems a bit in-your-face
** agreed that (WM) is not the nicest way of showing it.

[L[0ne]R]

• Flags moved to the right of ping

~ agreed, since country and ping are kind of related - might be a good idea

• Removed the BattlEye icon (all servers should be forced to use anti-cheat anyway)

~ Anti cheat could interfere with some scripts though. Anti-cheat shouldn't be forced, but enabled by default.

• Added a lock to show which servers are passworded ~ agreed
  
  
• Added a check sign to show recommended servers**

~ depends how recommendations work. Personally, recommendations don't fit my preference in most games/software.

• Removed (WM) tag in server names

~ disagreed. There should be some indication of whether weapons are modded or not, so that people won't confuse official WM with lame modded one.

• Expanded Name column

~ better just make all columns' width adjustable. I never had problems with name column anyway.

• Merged Player and Max columns

~ agreed, but then how can you sort by max players, or current players?

• Abbreviated Game modes

~ agreed, but there needs to be some place where newbs can learn all those abbreviations. A popup when you hover your mouse over gamemode name perhaps?

• Map column moved to the right of the game mode ~ agreed.
  
  
• Cut out common game mode prefixes from map names

~ disagreed for same reason as grandmaster said

• Ping dot removed

~ agreed, but like grandmaster said - ping numbers should be colored instead. It's easier to see how laggy the server is by looking at colors instead of numbers.

• Ping right adjusted and capped at 999 ~ agreed.
  
  
• All useless info to the right of ping removed, preventing the horizontal scrollbar

~ agreed, but instead of removing it should be simply hidden. Then by right-clicking on column names you could select which columns to show or hide. Some of those columns are actually useful.

• Defaults to automatically sort by player count, then ping

~ it's a matter of preference. Personally I think ping is more important especially if you live in a country that has very few non-laggy servers.
[/list]

[Illuminatus]

I support all of your suggestions except:

• Cut out common game mode prefixes from map names - there are maps which are spelled the same, like X and ctf_X
  
• Defaults to automatically sort by player count, then ping - I would sort by ping first, because I don't care about the ~70% of servers which are >200ms.
  

- A check sign for "recommended" servers would be amazing.
- Removed all useless info. --> Oh yes! I never ever cared about the columns "Speed", "Respawn Time" and "System" for example. And why is there a "BattlEye" colum if there also is a the "BattlEye" logo? And why would you sort by "Players" instead of "Max Players"? Makes no sense imo.
The other idea would be to hide all the useless ones. And "by right-clicking on column names you could select which columns to show" (like L[0ne]R said).

I'm for simplifying things as far as it's concerned with GUI.

• Removed the BattlEye icon (all servers should be forced to use anti-cheat anyway)

~ Anti cheat could interfere with some scripts though. Anti-cheat shouldn't be forced, but enabled by default.

MSAC doesn't check if the player behaves strange (speedhax, etc.) but checks the memory for any alterations afaik. So imo all servers should get forced to anti-cheat.

• Removed (WM) tag in server names

~ disagreed. There should be some indication of whether weapons are modded or not, so that people won't confuse official WM with lame modded one.

But this indication shouldn't be in the servername but in one seperate column. Or just shown by selecting it in the filters menu.

[L[0ne]R]

And why would you sort by "Players" instead of "Max Players"? Makes no sense imo.
The other idea would be to hide all the useless ones. And "by right-clicking on column names you could select which columns to show" (like L[0ne]R said).

Well, sometimes you might just not care about max players (most servers are 8-12 anyway, which is good enough). Sometimes you might want to have a quick game that has 4 or so players already playing instead of 1 who is in spectators anyway.

[Illuminatus]

I've just created a simple mockup for the filters menu because I always hated the layout and functionality. Do not care about the graphics or the colors in the mockup - it's only about the layout, the order of the filters and about the simplicity of the switches.
Here you have a gif-animation which changes every ~8sec and here are all the frames.

Tell me what you think.

[thegrandmaster]

All this is very interesting about the lobby, and the filter.. but it's gone off-topic to the original thoughts.
(quote L

[one]R:)
Current Soldat menus are very disorganized - server settings, player settings, sound settings and everything else are mixed into one huge pile. Sorting that pile into better-defined sections is the first step in improving Soldat's menu GUI.

Some key thoughts and issues I want direct quote and opinions of:
1. Soldat should combine config.exe into the settings already ingame
Alot of people I've spoken to are keen to integrate config.exe into the game.
On this thought I posted this: http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=39691.msg486134#msg486134
- Dis-advantages:

• Some people are unable to run the game without altering a setting or two. Removing config.exe would prevent that being done easily
• Some settings, although with a similar title, have unsimilar workings (e.g. there is a 'network' section both in config and ingame, but the actual content/focus of these settings are different)

- Advantages:

• Almost everything in a central place, easier to navigate and change what you wish without exiting the game
• If someone really was unable to run the game, they could always alter the .ini

My thoughts:
However, after debating in different places with people, I can see why it has remained separate. I would say that some settings should be transferred inside the game, but some need to be kept outside: network connectivity, video and sound adapters/drivers, backbuffer count etc (see end of post for my idea on arrangements of these settings).

2. Soldat's starter should act like most other games
E.g. This sort-of autorun (no idea what game this is btw)
This autorun is available whenever the CD is put in. It allows the game to be started and vital settings to be altered. Soldat could work in a similar way - the starter becoming more like a usual autorun.
The 'Setup' section of the autorun/starter could contain all the driver settings for audio and video, language choice, troubleshooting etc (see my thoughts for organisation at the end)
- Disadvantages:
Ermm I can't really think of any atm (say if you can think of some)
- Advantages:

• Solves issues with thought 1 above.
• Works more like a normal game, which is friendlier for newbies
• Splits config.exe into necessary and preference parts. Necessary and key components put in a 'Setup' section on the starter, and the more preference settings placed along with the in-game settings.

My thoughts
This seems a much more feasible option, and for newbies it looks good to have the starter as a main hub.
I've never really used starter, I don't think many people do. But having that central place like other games, is logical!

Structure
A small Setup utility with a button from the starter to it which has settings important to the running of soldat, less about things that affect gameplay.
Settings ingame split into separate subcategories, with some added settings from the previous config.exe.
Some settings (e.g. resolution) are changeable from both ingame and from setup.
- Setup:
Graphics

• Full screen
• Bitrate
• Refresh rate
• Dithering
• Antialiasing
• Windowed mode
• Video adapters
• Resolution
• Video compatibility
• Force software
• Blank screen while bonus fix (ATI cards)
• Troubleshooting: FAQ [Button]
• Texture filters
• Resolution filters
• Backbuffer count
• + option to switch to classic soldat menu GUI

Sound

• Sound Output Type
• Sound Driver List

Performance

• Particles on screen
• File logging

Network

• Internet connection speed
• Game port
• Never forward clients
• Register server with All-Seeing Eye (ASE)

- Ingame:
Player

• Player Name
• Player Colors
• Skin
• Hair
• Headgear
• Chain Style
• Secondary weapon
• Mouse Sensitivity (%)
• Controls

GUI

• Interface Style
• Player Indicator
• Sniper Line
• Gamma
• + preview of gostek/interface
• + option to switch to classic soldat menu GUI
• Show death console
• Bullet Time

Server

• Connection
• Register in lobby server
• Maximum Players
• Balance Teams
• Game Name
• Server greetings message
• Server link
• Game Password
• Chat (bots)
• Bot difficulty
• Normal respawn
• Maximum time in team games
• (bonus) frequency
• Beserker, Predator, Flame God, Cluster, Vest
• Weapons
• Maximum Grenades
• Friendly Fire
• Bullet Time

System

• Render bullet trails
• Render weather effects
• Render smooth polygons
• Particles on screen
• Resolution
• Animated scenery
• Sound quality
• Teamspeak Integration
• Play Intro
• Clan-match
• Auto end-game screenshot
• Action-snap

[/essay][/list][/list]

[Monsteri]

I agree with thegrandmaster. I have seen his GUI suggestion, and it's freakin' wonderful! I'd love to see it in the game. He didn't allow me to show it, and well, I can't make my point as I wanted to make it, but, yeah, I agree with him.

Works more like a normal game, which is friendlier for newbies

lol. Soldat so special?

[darDar]

- Setup:
Graphics

• Full screen
• Bitrate
• Refresh rate
• Dithering
• Antialiasing
• Windowed mode
• Video adapters
• Resolution

Other

• Video compatibility
• Force software
• Blank screen while bonus fix (ATI cards)
• Troubleshooting: FAQ [Button]
• Texture filters
• Resolution filters
• Backbuffer count

[/essay][/list]

put graphics & Other together as they´re both Graphic related.

Graphics

• Full screen
• Bitrate
• Refresh rate
• Dithering
• Antialiasing
• Windowed mode
• Video adapters
• Resolution
• Video compatibility
• Force software
• Blank screen while bonus fix (ATI cards)
• Troubleshooting: FAQ [Button]
• Texture filters
• Resolution filters
• Backbuffer count

is what i suggest.

The structure you posted makes lot of sense.

[

• + option to switch to classic soldat menu GUI
• Show death console

• + option to switch to classic soldat menu GUI

[/essay][/list]

death console would be great, but i think the option to switch to the classic GUI needn´t be ingame as you won´t change it much.
Should be in config.exe

From: February 22, 2011, 09:07:08 am

[


1. Soldat should combine config.exe into the settings already ingame

Yes, thats what people except in 2011 ( also in 2005)

 

2. Soldat's starter should act like most other games

wouldn´t be bad , but this got less priority for me than all the other things mentioned.

[thegrandmaster]

Ok. I'll alter my list accordingly.
I'll move 'Switch to classic GUI' to the Setup list.

[L[0ne]R]

All this is very interesting about the lobby, and the filter.. but it's gone off-topic to the original thoughts.
(quote L

[one]R:)
Current Soldat menus are very disorganized - server settings, player settings, sound settings and everything else are mixed into one huge pile. Sorting that pile into better-defined sections is the first step in improving Soldat's menu GUI.

Thanks for getting things back on the right track. :P Redesigning a lobby window is a whole different issue, so let's put that aside for now (or at least in a different topic).

Some key thoughts and issues I want direct quote and opinions of:
1. Soldat should combine config.exe into the settings already ingame
Alot of people I've spoken to are keen to integrate config.exe into the game.
On this thought I posted this: http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=39691.msg486134#msg486134
- Dis-advantages:

• Some people are unable to run the game without altering a setting or two. Removing config.exe would prevent that being done easily
• Some settings, although with a similar title, have unsimilar workings (e.g. there is a 'network' section both in config and ingame, but the actual content/focus of these settings are different)

- Advantages:

• Almost everything in a central place, easier to navigate and change what you wish without exiting the game
• If someone really was unable to run the game, they could always alter the .ini

Messing with ini file is not exactly user-friendly and could cause even more problems if not done correctly, so in this case it'd probably be best to keep config.exe.
Best solution would be making Soldat's menu as a whole separate instance (basically moving all Soldat's menus into config.exe), but as Shoozza said - separating Soldat and menu GUI would be quite a bit of work and shouldn't be expected anytime soon. :(

So for now what we can do is reorganize what we already have without integrating and separating things (but keeping in mind that it might be done at some point).

2. Soldat's starter should act like most other games
E.g. This sort-of autorun (no idea what game this is btw)
This autorun is available whenever the CD is put in. It allows the game to be started and vital settings to be altered. Soldat could work in a similar way - the starter becoming more like a usual autorun.
The 'Setup' section of the autorun/starter could contain all the driver settings for audio and video, language choice, troubleshooting etc (see my thoughts for organisation at the end)
- Disadvantages:
Ermm I can't really think of any atm (say if you can think of some)
- Advantages:

• Solves issues with thought 1 above.
• Works more like a normal game, which is friendlier for newbies
• Splits config.exe into necessary and preference parts. Necessary and key components put in a 'Setup' section on the starter, and the more preference settings placed along with the in-game settings.

My thoughts
This seems a much more feasible option, and for newbies it looks good to have the starter as a main hub.
I've never really used starter, I don't think many people do. But having that central place like other games, is logical!

Uh, to me it looks like the good old starter with a slightly different interface. o_O Your structure is much better organized though. I only don't like how some video and performance settings are in the game and some in the launcher (I think they serve the same purpose (quality & performance), so they should be kept in the same place). Also, "System" sounds a little too vague and different people might have a different understanding of that word, but that's just me being picky. :P

-----------

Here's a reorganized list of things grouped into categories and subcategories for redesigned Soldat menu GUI. It contains both current stuff and stuff that could potentially be added in the future.

purple - things that are present in config.exe or starter.exe
navy - things that aren't present in neither the Soldat menu, nor the config.exe, nor the starter.exe, but should be considered.

so here's the list:

[Start Game]

Game Style Description                            Deathmatch Teammatch Rambomatch Pointmatch Capture the Flag Infiltration Hold the Flag Game Mode Realistic Mode Survival Mode Advance Mode Start Button

Players # of Players                    # of Bots (random) # of Bots (teams) List of specific bots Bot Difficulty Bot Chat Point Limit Time Limit Autobalance Friendly Fire Bullet Time

Weapon Settings load custom weapon mod Max Grenades Allowed Weapons Bonus Frequency Allowed Bonuses Map List filter maps (e.g. for selecting CTF maps for INF) available maps selected maps map preview Loop maps (IMHO not needed, loop by default?)

[Options]
Possible sub-tabs:

• Video (Video + Performance + Compatibility)
• Audio
• Game (Game + Interface)
• Network (Network + Server)

Video Gamma                        Resolution FullScreen Window Resize Bitrate Refresh Rate Anti Aliasing Dithering Texture Filter Resolution Filter Video Adapter low-medium-high settings slider Performance Backbuffer count Animated Scenery Particles Bullet Trails Weather Effects Smooth Polygons Bot seeing quality <-- does what? Compatibility Video Compatibility Force Software ATI Blank screen fix

Audio Sound Quality                Sound Output Sound Driver Sound Volume Explosion Effect Distant Battle Music Volume Game Music MP3 Music Interface Language Interface Sniper Line Player Indicator Death Console Mod Picker

Game Settings Play Intro Clan Match TeamSpeak Integration Kill logging Action Snap Auto Endgame Screenshot Auto Demo Network Connection Type Connection Speed Server Register in Lobby Register server with ASE Server Name Server Password Server greeting Server contact info Game Port Max allowed player ping Never forward clients

[Player]

Player

• Switch Profiles

• Player Name
• Player Colors
• Secondary Weapon

Controls

• Mouse Sensitivity
• List of Keys

Taunt Editor



[Help]

• How to Play
• Manual
• Troubleshooting

Now, I know it looks like a lot of settings and some of them aren't even needed most of the time (especially in [Options] tab). However this is how most games do it, and I think it's the right way because it's better than having things scattered in different exe's.

In order to keep everything neat and hide unnecessary stuff but at the same time keep it accessible there are different solutions:
1) Sub sections, sub tabs (tabs within tabs).
2) A sidebar or bottom bar that can be opened to display additional settings.
3) Vertical scrolling for menu, so that tab contents aren't limited to window's height.
4) A checkbox to hide and show advanced settings.
5) Lots of things can be grouped into dropdown menus and popups (for example, game style selector).
6) Leaving SOME settings in config.exe, only the very least common ones that will not be changed unless there are critical problems with the game or server (connection settings, hardware settings, compatibility settings).
7) <this is a solution that I haven't thought of.. yet>
8) <this is a solution that you haven't thought of.. yet>

I'm 100% sure there is a way to fit all of this stuff into Soldat menu and still make it look nice and neat. Shoozza, you don't have to worry about that part - this is something that the community can do, while you can concentrate on the technical part (we'll try to not get carried away and make it within the boundaries of whats possible).
And again, this is not intended for 1.5.1. This is all just planning for when time actually comes to work on the GUI.

[/list]