What's your favourite interface?

[aussie]

I was just wondering what sort of interface people prefer in adventure games.

It's only because I've noticed a few games coming up lately with the Curse of MI-type interface, which I don't particularly like too much.

Is that the way of the AGS future?

I personally prefer the good old Lucasfilm verb parser at the bottom of the screen, although I don't mind Sierra's icon based interface.

What do you guys think?

[SSH]

Broken Sword is my fave: i.e.

Right-click look, Left click take/use/push/pull/go depending on object/hotspot (cursor changes over hotspot/object to indicate which action)

Inventory always visible (i think?) at top of screen

Invertory clicks: right = examine, left = make cursor to use or combine with other inventory

In dialogs, subjects are indicated by icons at bottom of screen, and any inventory item at top of screen can also be used as a dialog topic


I HATE the Syberia interface: what are all those circles supposed to mean?

Grim Fandango is an interestingly different interaface and is OK except if trying to run, I always end up in completely the wrong place.

[Gonzo]

The one I'm most fond of is the SCUMM verb boxes with the inventory icons beside it. That might be just because some of the best adventure games ever (Monkey Island 2, Indy FOA, DoTT) were made using it, but I think it's pretty neat in any case. Some people say there's too many options but it's not like it's overloading the human brain to be able to do all those things.

To me, something like Broken Sword is going a bit far, it sorta dumbs it down a bit. That said, those games were certainly not easy ones. The LucasArts verb coin was about as simple as the BS interface but I liked it more for some reason, not sure why.

So here's my top 3 adventure game GUIs:

1. SCUMM verb box/inventory box (e.g. Monkey Island 2)
2. Sierra-style right-click actions cycle (e.g. Sam And Max, Gabriel Knight)
3. SCUMM verb coin (e.g. Full Throttle, Curse Of Monkey Island)

[aussie]

I certainly agree with you on the first two, Gonzo. But I still don't like the coin.

[Vel]

My fave interfaces are
1)runaway's
2)gabrie Knight 3's

[Timosity]

My favourite is the Sierra style, right click change cursor, it just seems more obvious to understand, (plus you don't have to move the mouse to a certain point to change cursors [gets frustrating after a while])

since then too many games have tried to beat it, and in my opinion failed.

I'm not a big fan of any of the LA one's, but the quality of the games speak louder than the gui.

[Barcik]

I like the verb coin the most as it doesn't waste space. My second favourite is the verb box, due to its many possibilites.

[aussie]

What's the difference between verb coin and verb box?

[Archangel (aka SoupDragon)]

Personally I can't stand any interface other than the broken sword one, or some variation on the verb coin idea.

[plasticman]

while on this subect, i was wondering if anyone has used a text parser thing in an ags game before (i don't even know if it's possible). this is certainly not the most practical interface out there, but i actually enjoyed it in qfg 1 and 2.
when i have a simple interface, i feel compelled to try all the options everywhere, and all the dialog lines.
it's obviously what an adventure gamer is supposed to do, but i really liked the possibilities the parser offered. my liberty of action seemed wider, even though it was just an impression.
i think it's sad that this type of interface has been left out. i don't enjoy games where you just click everywhere and see what happens, it doesn't leave a lot of room for imagination...

other than that, i like the sierra/sam'n'max type interface. the one i hate the most is the lucasarts maniac mansion style, when you have to re-click to confirm every action, and the hotspots don't appear automatically.

[aussie]

I did enjoy that text parser too, back in the days of King's Quest 1 and so on. I know of another engine called SCI studio which allows you to do the parser interface, although I also think AGS supports it.

[Lucky]

I think I like all interfaces equally, except those which don't have any commands. It's just too simple.

Speaking of text parsers. Remember LSL7's parser? It's a shame no other game ever used it.  

[Barcik]

What's the difference between verb coin and verb box?

Verb box is MI2, verb coin is MI3.

[loominous]

I m not very fond of the movement towards simplified guis (ie one button=open,use,push,whatnot). The illusion of control n presence is lost imo when the actual (chooseable) options are reduced, n turns the game into more of an interactive movie.

(At the moment my own gui contains 12 verbs n the amount might grow.)

So if you wan t to please the likes of me, go with an extensive MI2 sort of gui, but if you re aiming to please a broader audience a simple one is a safer bet.

[Pau]

In my opinion verb box offers too useless options (and forces you to reduce the game screen too much) and add interaction for options which are never used ("talk to door") so some sentences are repeated very often by our character ("I can't do that"...).

On the other hand, excessive simple interfaces (look+one specific action) are too restrictive and the interaction is very poor. And the frustration increases

I think one of the best options is the verb coin because it offers three actions which are adaptable (and adaptability is the fascinating point of this GUI), the mouth could  represent "talk" but also could been used to "eat" or even "open with the mouth"  any other GUI could offer that as easy. (I remember MI2 split contest where verbs changed but it isn't the same). So it mixes simplicity and an wide range of possibilitiesper object (reducing the none-sense ones)

About sierra style, I'm not very used to it so several times I'm making one more click and I have to repeat the complete cycle again so I think it can be improved by setting automatically the most logic option first ("talk"for characters...) and indicating where the interactions are(higlighting the cursor...)

[rodekill]

I like the SNIRK interface.

I made a text parser game, but the general consensus is that it is terrible.

[Sylpher]

I would have to say my favorite is when a game has a really really well done parser. If it isn't though the game gets annoying real fast. otherwise it depends on the game...some games benifit from a more complex LEC or othwerwise parser and some games work well with a simple Right/Left click thing...

[Punchy]

I really like the Discworld interface (single click walk, double click interact, right click look). I always found that the best.

I thought the verb coin was great when I was playing MI and FT, but going back to it after getting used to the sierra interface is a little hard.

I don't like going back to the verb bar interface. It holds memories, sure, but I find that it interferes with game play.

- Punch

[evilspacefart]

I like the verb coin for its simplicity. (sorry aussie!) Mainly because I don't like right clicking.
i also like verb box with inventory beside it. I will try it in next game.  

[Nacho]

I think that there was a verb box hidden in some games  

That´s perfect for me, because it combines the versatility of that interface with the Full screen graphics...

But I am thinking in that game and I can recall it... Maybe I´m wrong?

Eeeer... Nevermind... Verb boxes and coin boxes are the best for me.

[EldKatt]

I prefer the one used in Beneath a Steel Sky (and, it seems, something similar in Broken Sword). Left mouse button - examine. Right button - everything else. And the inventory appearing at the top of the screen when you move your mouse pointer there. As simple as it gets, and still as much functionality as is really needed in an adventure game. Second best is the one in LucasArts games such as Monkey Island. Sam and Max style (the only game I can think of right now which uses it, although it seems very very common) annoys me greatly. Ew.

[Adamski]

I'm sure the BASS one kept confusing me whenever i tried to use the inventory. Or something. Anyway, my favourites are (as I went to great pains to script it back when I was doing TJH Part 1) the Monkey Island 3 / Full Throttle tattoo/coin popup GUI, and the Discworld two button jobby.
Come to think of it, that's why BASS confused me, as it was the reverse of Discworld's buttons. And I spent much more time playing Discworld... infuriatingly hard, it was.

[M]

Yeah, BASS is my fav. I prefer the simplicity of it in interacting with objects and characters. That game was cool. I wish I could get the game to work now, though. I blame Windows XP. And socieity.

[agsking]

I prefer the one used in Beneath a Steel Sky (and, it seems, something similar in Broken Sword). Left mouse button - examine. Right button - everything else. And the inventory appearing at the top of the screen when you move your mouse pointer there. As simple as it gets, and still as much functionality as is really needed in an adventure game. Second best is the one in LucasArts games such as Monkey Island. Sam and Max style (the only game I can think of right now which uses it, although it seems very very common) annoys me greatly. Ew.

I couldn't  agree with you more.
#1 BASS.
#2 Verb box.

[Vel]

The parser in LSL7 was a cracker!
And why doesn't anyone else mention GK3 and Runaway?
I like GK3's interface because there are lots of options and only the "active" one appear.
I like Runaway's bucause of the ease of use, the coolest inventory ever and the exact action wirtten(eg, not "interact with bike" or use bike, but "ride bike" , "break window", "take coin" etc)

[Eero]

1) LSL7
2) GK2
3) Runaway