07/25/2020 - Feedback Request - Revised Interface - Test Server

[Xsyon]

I am working on revisions to the user interface. Some of these revisions are ready for testing on the Test Server.

This is a work in progress but I welcome feedback on what I've done so far.

So far:

- Instead of the Resource Panel, available resources show up as icons along the right edge of the screen. These include Scavenging, Foraging and any resources you can gather from the ground like grass, rocks and scrap materials.

- Instead of the customizable Control / Action Bar and having to drag icons from the Action Panel to the Action Bar I’ve redesigned the Action Bar. It now contains several elements:

----- The first two slots show your right and left hand weapons. The next two slots are reserved for additional combat attacks. All four of these slots will eventually be set up for special attacks. The plan is to have different types of special attacks based on the weapon type you have equipped.

----- Next is Hiding (as I didn’t have a better place to put this action and it’s unique as it’s not a resource gathering skill or craft)

----- Next are four Actions / Skills that require equipped tools. Instead of the player having to equip tools to their appropriate hand slots, the player can simply drag the desired tool for each skill to the correct slot. Once a tool is equipped, you can click the icon or hit the associated number key to run the action. The tool will automatically equip, run the action and un-equip at the end of the action. This should make these actions a lot more user friendly for new players.

The last of these actions is Hunting. This is simply a slot to place your hunting blade to be used when skinning and de-boning creatures. (I haven’t tested all the Hunting actions yet so this is something that can be tested for sure)

----- Next are your main Pack slots instead of the separate Pack Panel.

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Here are a few other changes I plan to make:

- Remove the Action Panel (with the icons for crafts and other icons that you would normally drag to the Action Bar).

- Replace it with a Crafting Panel. This will be a tabbed panel that allows you to switch between all crafts (like in many other games).

- Possibly combine the character Skill Panel and Stat Panel into one panel with tabs.

- Set up crafts to have an automatic display of available tools and materials for each item to be crafted. This would be similar to what the Pet feeding panel does.

- Put the farming Plow action as part of the Terraforming Panel instead of a separate small panel.

- Allow players to bind keys for all the action bar actions.

I'd like to know what you all think of these changes so far and I welcome suggestions for other improvements. Overall, I'm trying to streamline the interface and make it easier especially for new players.

Thanks!