Suggestions wanted for GUI improvement

[dreammaster]

EDIT: It seems my mistake of direct linking to the images on Tripod has spawned quite the thread.Ã,  Since cpage was considerate enough to make a copy of the images, I've reused his links.

I've just released a remake of the classic Disney game Black Cauldron, and a common feedback point is that my GUIs could use some improvement. Currently, I use a slightly modified version of the initial AGS icon bar, and my dialogs are a modified version of dialogs ripped from Space Quest 4.

I'd appreciate any suggestions of how I could modify the GUIs to make them more appropriate to the game subject.

Screenshots below:







DreamMaster.

[BlackMan890]

image hosted by tripod?

[sedriss]

Upload them on 2dadventure.com
http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/upload/upload.html

[Haddas]

to see the images you can copy&paste the link directly into the browser, but 2adventure would be preferrable. I personally think there's nothing wrong with these GUIs whatsoever.

[Nacho]

Blackman, it's the second time today you reply "Image hosted by Tripod!". I don't think it's that funny to point that another member does not know how tripod works... IMHO, I am not a moderator, you could reply how to post images propperly in spite of being so incredibly funny... 

[BlackMan890]

thats because all iget is: Image hosted by Trypod!!!
and what's wrong with that???
and No i don't know why this happens

[Darth Mandarb]

[offtopic]
Blackman,

I think what Farlander was trying to say was that there's really no point in posting a message that says, "Image Hosted by Tripod!", or "Big red Xs".

If you can't see the images, just wait awhile.Ã,  The author of the thread will (most likely) take steps to fix the problem.

Most times there are ways to view them anyway.Ã,  For instance, with Tripod, you can copy the image location into a new browser window to view them.Ã,  Or, if it's a big X you can view the image location and see if there are any obvious mistakes in the location, such as wwww.website.com/image.jpg (four w's) or changing .JPG to .jpg ... stuff like that.

[on topic]
Just try adding some colors to the GUIs.  Even if it's just from gray to blue or something.  The problem is that they don't appears to have had any time spent on them (well the slider one perhaps).

[SSH]

I think what Farlander was trying to say was that there's really no point in posting a message that says, "Image Hosted by Tripod!", or "Big red Xs".

If you can't see the images, just wait awhile.  The author of the thread will (most likely) take steps to fix the problem.

Sorry to stay offtopic, but I think that in this case, actually blackman was correct to mention it, becuase these problems are actually often invisible to the one who posts them due to their cache, cookies, etc. However, if you are a person who knows how to solve the problem (which he wasn't) then you should of course try and be helpful and post a solution as well as the problem...

[BlackMan890]

I think what Farlander was trying to say was that there's really no point in posting a message that says, "Image Hosted by Tripod!", or "Big red Xs".

If you can't see the images, just wait awhile.Ã,  The author of the thread will (most likely) take steps to fix the problem.

Sorry to stay offtopic, but I think that in this case, actually blackman was correct to mention it, becuase these problems are actually often invisible to the one who posts them due to their cache, cookies, etc. However, if you are a person who knows how to solve the problem (which he wasn't) then you should of course try and be helpful and post a solution as well as the problem...

then it is good for me to know how to fix this, anyhow, can you see the GUI Darth Mandarb???

[MrColossal]

well I've never played Black Cauldron and I don't know your drawing ability but if you take the theme of the game and apply it to your guis, like it's a medievil fantasy game so stone work with chiseled words on it for the guis.

with vines creeping up it and little flags, I dunno.

[Albert Cuandero]

*ignores ongoing discussion*

dreammaster, I say one word - wood!

I think that a rather "rustical" design of the GUIs would fit fine to the scenery of the BGs.

Or maybe stone slabs - or both!

EDIT:

Just a simple example (took me some 2 minutes in PS - so it's not quality work...)

[Andail]

Blackman, you're adding up to a warning here.

Lately you have been replying to almost every thread in the critics lounge, and your posts are either one-sentence nonsense or some moderator-wannabe crap.
If this had been a one-off incident, I might believe you just wanted to help or something, but the situation here is that you just want to post. Furthermore, you never check spelling, you never punctuate legibly and you keep over-using smileys.

Read the darn rules.
The general posting rule on these forums is that should only post if you have anything thoughtful and interesting to say.
The specific rule in the critics lounge is that you must provide some sort of constructive criticism.

Please adhere to these rules, or I'll start removing your posts without warning. I'll pm you so I can make sure you read this post.

[cpage]

andail: I dont mean to be rude or any thing but, wouldnt have made more sense to just PM him instead of continuing the ongoing off-topic chat?
But of course people (like me) never check those. Hell you're the boss ignore me.

now dream master:
Are you going for the EGA look? Cause looking at your backgrounds it seems you are using your colors conservitivly.

I have never played BC so i dont know if thos are straight ripped or if those are remade 

If I were you, Judging  by the graphic style I see I'd keep it the way it is.

Now if the game had been more graphicly flashy and had used more color I would have had to agree with albert wood would have fit well.

BTW IF YOU STILL CANT SEE THE PICS LOOK HERE!

[Gilbert]

I don't know, but in my opinion if you keep the original graphics the gui is more fit if it's made in 16-colour-agi-like.

[cpage]

this is all I can think of using your current colors
1x
2x

MrColossal's post gave me the idea

[dreammaster]

MrColossal and cpage, those are brilliant ideas.Ã,  Putting the cracks in gives it a nice old-style look. I wasn't particularly going for an EGA look, but now that you mention it, it will probably be best to keep the number of colours down to a minimum, given that all the screens are currently only 256 colours.

This actually has a bearing on Albert Cuandero's suggestion. I'm not sure, but a wood look for the icon bar might be somewhat out of place given that the bulk of the game is low resolution AGI images. I may replace some of the default icons though, now that I've had time to think about it - they have a slightly "cartoony" look to them that I don't think works well with a serious adventure theme.

DreamMaster.

[BlackMan890]

Blackman, you're adding up to a warning here.

Lately you have been replying to almost every thread in the critics lounge, and your posts are either one-sentence nonsense or some moderator-wannabe crap.
If this had been a one-off incident, I might believe you just wanted to help or something, but the situation here is that you just want to post. Furthermore, you never check spelling, you never punctuate legibly and you keep over-using smileys.

Read the darn rules.
The general posting rule on these forums is that should only post if you have anything thoughtful and interesting to say.
The specific rule in the critics lounge is that you must provide some sort of constructive criticism.

Please adhere to these rules, or I'll start removing your posts without warning. I'll pm you so I can make sure you read this post.

ok i will work on it
now on the topic
i love the buttons on the menu, the look really good,  you obvios edited the original Statusbar GUI and i ove the changes, small thoughts, i don't like the background(grey)
it makes the game look so.. sooo.... i don't know but it makes it a little cheap, could you please modifie the backgrounds on the GUI
but then again it could just be me

good work, can't wait too see some more posts from you
off topic
how is that?

[Babar]

The GUI's on their own are OK, but I would suggest you standardise them all. Like on the grey of the "settings" GUI, the text is black with a white glowy outline, but in the quit box, the text is white. Also, the buttons on the "settings" GUI have some sort of "extruding" (is that the word?) borders outside the buttons, that go all the way, but disappear at the top. In the quit box, the borders go all the way. Other than that, it would be nice if you changed the AGS bar a bit more, to make it look like it is part of the set of your other GUIs

[intermalte]

If you want to keep the style of the background, only use colours used in the original graphics and don't use shadings.
The standard AGS GUI looks too good. Use a textbar or simplified icons. No wood or stone like design - it doesn't fit.

[Mr Flibble]

I think you should try to keep the GUI as plain as possible to match the background style. As nice as your options/quit screens are, they really don't match the style of the game.

I would suggest the Sierra text box look, but I personally never liked it. Although something akin to it would work nicely with your exellent graphics.

I wasn't particularly going for an EGA look

I find that hard to believe, as these are good. Before anyone accuses me of giving praise for the sake of it, let me remind you that using very few colours is a damn sight harder than using a plethora of colours.