Make OpenXcom easier to use than original UFO!

[bramcor]

After playing around with openxcom and the original UFO for a while I got really really frustrated with some of the functionality.

As changes to the main game loop is probably off the table for a UFO remake I have focused on features that would make the game easier, more convenient and less frustrating to use - hopefully not things that have a significant impact on the game difficulty or tactics used to play it.

While playing I thought about how to provide as much and clear information to the player as possible, so he knows what his choices mean. Much of the original game is really fuzzy in that way - difficult to understand the exact consequences of actions due to a lack of appropriate feedback.

I really hope SupSuper is interested in feedback on these issues - anyways, here is my first batch of general issues. More to come later



GENERAL ISSUES: These are probably the least controversial points

# Make key shortcuts for game actions
* This would make it significantly easier to play the game - especially tactical missions

# Create main menu options to setup key shortcuts
* Often personal play styles and international keyboard setups require this feature

# No limit to save game slots
* Just plain silly to limit saves - would be more accessible if scrolling was put into the save/load-dialog

# Ability to deselect a save game after clicking it, without overwriting the previous save
* Just one of those irrational design decision that makes it difficult and frustrating to use the game

# Ability to differentiate between strategic and tactical save games
* In UFO only the entered text description shows - it would be significantly easier to use if there was a difference between the two

# Move cursor around in text fields without deleting existing characters
* Basic text editing feature I guess...

# Mouse scroll in all lists with arrown in the side
* So far I have come across research and manufacture lists, but I am sure there are more

[SupSuper]

# Make key shortcuts for game actions
* This would make it significantly easier to play the game - especially tactical missions

# Create main menu options to setup key shortcuts
* Often personal play styles and international keyboard setups require this feature

Good idea for the future.

# No limit to save game slots
* Just plain silly to limit saves - would be more accessible if scrolling was put into the save/load-dialog

Already planned.

# Ability to deselect a save game after clicking it, without overwriting the previous save
* Just one of those irrational design decision that makes it difficult and frustrating to use the game

Should be simple enough to implement.

# Ability to differentiate between strategic and tactical save games
* In UFO only the entered text description shows - it would be significantly easier to use if there was a difference between the two

Well there's not a lot of room for extra info, but I'll keep it in mind.

# Move cursor around in text fields without deleting existing characters
* Basic text editing feature I guess...

Good idea for the future.

# Mouse scroll in all lists with arrown in the side
* So far I have come across research and manufacture lists, but I am sure there are more

Already planned.

[pmprog]

# Ability to differentiate between strategic and tactical save games
* In UFO only the entered text description shows - it would be significantly easier to use if there was a difference between the two

Well there's not a lot of room for extra info, but I'll keep it in mind.

I was thinking about this, you could simply create a new file to be saved in the save game folders with the other files (unless you were planning on changing the save system). In which case you can store openxcom settings etc. but if you were to copy the files over to the original xcom dir, it would be ignored and the game load as normal 

[SupSuper]

# Ability to differentiate between strategic and tactical save games
* In UFO only the entered text description shows - it would be significantly easier to use if there was a difference between the two

Well there's not a lot of room for extra info, but I'll keep it in mind.

I was thinking about this, you could simply create a new file to be saved in the save game folders with the other files (unless you were planning on changing the save system). In which case you can store openxcom settings etc. but if you were to copy the files over to the original xcom dir, it would be ignored and the game load as normal 

Actually I meant space on the screen, currently the save name takes up half and the date/time another half.

[bramcor]

# Ability to differentiate between strategic and tactical save games
* In UFO only the entered text description shows - it would be significantly easier to use if there was a difference between the two

Well there's not a lot of room for extra info, but I'll keep it in mind.

I was thinking something along the lines of a single extra letter (a S or a T) at the beginning of each line at the cost of a couple of letters in the description - perhaps something like the pic I have attatched (never mind the mess I made with pixels... just a mock-up)

As for the practical implementation, pmprog, frankly I have no clue how it should be done

[battlesquid]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the value of this S/T prefix, as I always use the last four slots for saves anyway and usually just name them 0, 1 and so on.

[bramcor]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the value of this S/T prefix, as I always use the last four slots for saves anyway and usually just name them 0, 1 and so on.

I believe you and I both can figure out how to make it work as is, but that does not change that having two intrinsically different game modes be represented in the exact same way in the save game description is pretty bad UI design. It would be great with other suggestions for showing such implicit information in a coherent manner. I am just arguing against reimplementing bad design

[pmprog]

Actually I meant space on the screen, currently the save name takes up half and the date/time another half.

Touche!

Personally, I'm quite happy typing it my game name (I usually have two saves per game, one in Geo, one in Tac)

[battlesquid]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the value of this S/T prefix, as I always use the last four slots for saves anyway and usually just name them 0, 1 and so on.

I believe you and I both can figure out how to make it work as is, but that does not change that having two intrinsically different game modes be represented in the exact same way in the save game description is pretty bad UI design. It would be great with other suggestions for showing such implicit information in a coherent manner. I am just arguing against reimplementing bad design

Well, that would be quite intrinsically coherent!

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself there. I do agree with you though about reimplementing bad design; as little implicitness as possible is usually a good thing!

[bramcor]

Well, that would be quite intrinsically coherent!

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself there.

LOL .. good call!

I speak too little English, so sometimes it becomes a bit garbled

[terbro10]

Red Text Tactical mission, blue text geoscape view?!?

[bramcor]

Red Text Tactical mission, blue text geoscape view?!?

Interesting thought - color is a simple and elegant way of showing a difference! Only problem I can think of is that players would have to interpret which color means what, unless the color distinction is made even as you fill in the save game name or if there are clues in-game that connect one color with each game mode. Giving each game mode a particular color tone might actually be an effective and unobtrusive way of providing the player with clues. But I suppose that is way out of scope for a remake

[pmprog]

At work, we bought a few books on User Interface design. One of them made a very valid point on the subject of using colour as an indicator. It made a point that you shouldn't just rely on colour, because what if some of your users are colourblind? They might not be able to see those indicators.

I remember watching a vid from a gaming expo, and the host was asking a bunch of game designers "When designing a game, do you consider people with disabilities?" or something like that. Quite a few coughed up to a "No"; One said "Not until you just mentioned it".

I appreciate this might not be quite so relevant to a game remake, but hope it remain a consideration in other projects.

Example
https://forums.mode7games.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1983

[terbro10]

Does not the operating system do it's best to make for these consessions like ms's ease of access control panel etc. the magnify glass for example. I would presume that colourblind people don't just see a pitch black or bright white screen so colours that are pale or deep would probably disinguish for them.

@ Bramcor-  Perhaps it is a cop out to not have it, excuse the pun "in black and white" off the bat but you would only need to decipher the colour code once, instead of "Murphely Lawely" guessing the wrong savegame every time. Although I agree it would detract from the original asthetics of the game

[pmprog]

Does not the operating system do it's best to make for these consessions like ms's ease of access control panel etc. the magnify glass for example.

Yes and no. Sure you get a magnifier, or you can lower your screen res. However, regards to high contrast colours, that's fine if you use the System defined colours when creating your UI. However games 99% of the time have their own UI system. Accessability options generally have to added manually to your applications. It's not all done automatically.

I would presume that colourblind people don't just see a pitch black or bright white screen so colours that are pale or deep would probably disinguish for them.

No, they don't just see black and white. In fact there are a number of different types of colour blind. The main point is the inability to differentiate between colours, so having a blue option and a red option won't necessarily mean anything.
More reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colourblind