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View Full Version : Suggestion: Simplify starship combat display


swbuza
March 22nd, 2021, 17:09
On the PC Starship Weapons tab (which contains more than weapons), there are no fewer than 28 boxes used to display the status of systems and shields/firing arcs. It works, but I think it could be simplified to just 8 boxes.

We need to track Life Support. Sensors, Power, Engines, Forward, Aft, Starboard, and Port arcs. That's eight systems, and all the information we need can go in one box for each system. For four of these items, the box can contain an abbreviation for the system. For the other four, they can contain the current shield value. The status (working, glitching, malfunctioning, and wrecked) could be indicated by color.

See attached image. I am not an artist.

For clarity, as depicted, Life Support, Sensors, and Starboard arc is glitching. Aft arc is malfunctioning. Port arc is wrecked. Everything else is working.

Thoughts?
Evolivolution
March 22nd, 2021, 21:51
It does look cool. I really like simplistic/minimalistic designs. I do however see an issue with this layout. You do need some sort of editing the damage state of the weapon arcs that is seperated from the shield points remaining.
swbuza
March 22nd, 2021, 22:02
Just change the color of the arcs. That's independent from the shield points number. I'm thinking click the box to rotate colors and scroll the wheel to change the shield number.
Evolivolution
March 22nd, 2021, 22:23
That's true, but that would be display only, how do you input damage to a weapon system assuming clicking on the shield arc is already reserved for editing the amount of shield points.
It's okay for the other systems because you could click to cycle through the damage states but you can't layer inputs that way.
superteddy57
March 22nd, 2021, 22:25
I would imagine it being a cycler. You click on the 'button' and it would cycle the colors.
swbuza
March 22nd, 2021, 22:33
Yes. Click the button to cycle the colors, and scroll the mouse wheel to change the shield value.
Evolivolution
March 22nd, 2021, 22:48
Yes. Click the button to cycle the colors, and scroll the mouse wheel to change the shield value.

I don't see this beeing practical. Imaging scrolling through 100 numbers to get to where you want instead of just clicking and typing.
deer_buster
March 23rd, 2021, 00:50
Love the idea, but what about Starship Operations Manual?
swbuza
March 23rd, 2021, 03:44
I don't see this beeing practical. Imaging scrolling through 100 numbers to get to where you want instead of just clicking and typing.

Fair enough. Swap the idea and make the color change by scrolling the mouse button.
swbuza
March 23rd, 2021, 03:45
Love the idea, but what about Starship Operations Manual?

I haven't read it yet, so I'm not sure what it changes.
superteddy57
March 23rd, 2021, 10:58
It changes quite a few things. Adds new things to track. More to cram in such tiny spaces
bmos
March 23rd, 2021, 15:31
Click the title of the system to change color, use the field for just the shield points.
superteddy57
March 23rd, 2021, 16:38
Yeah, I was heading that direction myself.

45107


Been trying to figure out how best to put the weapons into the graphic as well.
swbuza
March 23rd, 2021, 16:56
That's looking great!
superteddy57
March 23rd, 2021, 20:01
Close to being finished

45114
superteddy57
March 23rd, 2021, 21:21
Ok, I like this and will be the final setup for it.

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Evolivolution
March 23rd, 2021, 22:23
Ok, I like this and will be the final setup for it.

45118

Yeah this looks clean
superteddy57
March 23rd, 2021, 22:29
I think it kinda looks like a screen you would see on a terminal on the Enterprise lol
swbuza
March 24th, 2021, 03:25
This is perfect!
Ulric
March 24th, 2021, 03:55
Looks good to me too!
deer_buster
March 24th, 2021, 06:48
I think it kinda looks like a screen you would see on a terminal on the Enterprise lol

At least 1 cosmetic change I would make is rename "Weapons" to "Tactical"
swbuza
March 24th, 2021, 07:52
So, what is the second text box for in each quadrant? Is this something I haven't yet found in SOM (which I have now purchased).

One observation: I'm not sure that the arc buttons need the text Forward, Port, Starboard, Aft. Isn't it obvious which quadrant they represent by virtue of the background image? Seems like they could be smaller.
Ulric
March 24th, 2021, 13:05
So, what is the second text box for in each quadrant? Is this something I haven't yet found in SOM (which I have now purchased).

One observation: I'm not sure that the arc buttons need the text Forward, Port, Starboard, Aft. Isn't it obvious which quadrant they represent by virtue of the background image? Seems like they could be smaller.
I think the Text for shield arcs should stay but could be smaller font. The terms are from the CRB and new players will expect to see visual connections to what’s in the rules.
I was also wondering how the extra boxes were to be used.
superteddy57
March 24th, 2021, 13:31
So, what is the second text box for in each quadrant? Is this something I haven't yet found in SOM (which I have now purchased).

One observation: I'm not sure that the arc buttons need the text Forward, Port, Starboard, Aft. Isn't it obvious which quadrant they represent by virtue of the background image? Seems like they could be smaller.

SOM introduced Ablative Armor and it needs to be tracked in each arc. Think of it like temp HP.
swbuza
March 24th, 2021, 13:43
Doesn't everyone know what forward, port, starboard, and aft are?
superteddy57
March 24th, 2021, 13:53
I'd like to cover my bases and be sure, it's not a real eyesore.
swbuza
March 24th, 2021, 13:56
Fair enough.
superteddy57
March 24th, 2021, 13:58
At least 1 cosmetic change I would make is rename "Weapons" to "Tactical"

Yes, I know to change the tab name, just will do that during the fine tuning part of the update.
deer_buster
March 24th, 2021, 15:42
Doesn't everyone know what forward, port, starboard, and aft are?

Never assume anything. No not everyone knows what those are. Hell, I was in the Navy for years and my wife still doesn't get it.