Need feedback for Verb Coin GUI

[Khris]

These aren't the "2 Golden rules of UI".

The first one doesn't apply to most user interfaces, only to specific parts like e.g. popup menus. With those, every Windows user is long trained to simply move off the mouse to cancel the action.
In contrast, with many interfaces the user doesn't get the chance to change their mind.

The second "rule" only applies to the shortcut scenario Sughly mentioned.

I'd say there's only one rule for UI design, and that's ease of use, i.e. get rid of every unnecessary click or movement. I've played Ghost Pirates recently and they use a verb coin which appears with examine under the mouse. It's very convenient not to have to aim for a button 50% of the time and I recommended to do the same out of the very subjective, personal experience I had when playing this game.
Since I'm a nitpicky bastard when it comes to interfaces and since bad interfaces make me drop otherwise superb games, that should count for something.

I agree that a UI should make it hard for the player to do something they don't want to do, however I fail to see how somebody could hold down a button then let go of it without moving the mouse all the time by accident.

[Monsieur OUXX]

These aren't the "2 Golden rules of UI".

I meant "2 of many"


I agree with everything you said.
But in that case we were discussing points of detail of the UI - I've given my opinion on those 2 points, and my reasons :-)

[Chicky]

Great to see Anna's Room in action! (well, kinda) I was trying to work out what the bottom button did for a while before reading 'telekinesis' on the text there. I would suggest having two hands with an object floating between them, it would mean making the button wider but i think that would be nice.

Kinda like this, but from the magicians POV:

[Ryan Timothy B]

Holy jeeze. Until now I had actually thought the telekinesis icon was a ghost with a big smile. Haha

So it didn't make much sense to me.

[Sughly]

Haha, first a banana in a house then a host with a smile . Alright, alright, I'm working on something! I like the idea of the hands Chicky... like you say though, would be hard to get into that icon without making it bigger, and since it would be used as often as any other I wouldn't want to preference it in size. We'll see, I'll be toying with it today.

Thanks for the all the feedback guys. I think as far as the whole debate on positioning of 'look' on the coin goes, I'm going to just be leaving things the way they are. I appreciate your suggestions though Khris! I personally kind of like the arrangement and the one-click look thing, so I'll see how people find it come testing.

Once again, thanks everyone for all the feedback!

[strangechicken]

Great to see Anna's Room in action! (well, kinda) I was trying to work out what the bottom button did for a while before reading 'telekinesis' on the text there. I would suggest having two hands with an object floating between them, it would mean making the button wider but i think that would be nice.

Kinda like this, but from the magicians POV:

and without the line of invisible thread which the magician can see God bicycle cards look so nice, especailly the tigers series, but I can't find them anywhere in the shops in Aust. Confined to doing my card magic with Australian "Queens slipper." Apparently more durable too, as it is i'm going thru 2 decks a month. but thats off topic.

This game looks great... I can't wait to play this

[Tabata]

I like the art and style! It's veeeery nice and remembers me of beloved crazy little Edna!

And about the icons: You are going the right direction with the changings. A little brain or something else, like a wand for special abilities would be better than ... ähm ... you really want to know, what I thought this icon is? 

First time I saw it and before reading the text or seeing the background with the girls face I asked myself: „Why is there a little bird? :o

Hopefully we will see more of it soon?

[Sughly]

Alright, ROUND 3! these changes are a bit more subtle, with telekinesis being the most obvious change. I toyed with Chicky's idea of a floating object, or hands somehow suggesting telekinesis, but I pretty much failed at that. Brain took some playing with, I think it turned out OK. I also added some colour behind each inactive icon (slightly more faded than when active) and made an ever so slightly thicker outline for each based on Ali's suggestion. Here's the last round of pics for comparison:



And now for the new pics:



Oh and I did try and play around with something inside the magnifying glass. I don't know, it didn't look quite right to me . I might be wrong on this one, but I kind of prefer keeping it simple, it started to confuse the image of the magnifying glass a little bit.

EDIT: looking at them here it seems the colour behind the inactive icons works, but is probably not faded enough. Maybe they stand out a little TOO much for being inactive?

[Ali]

I think that's a real improvement!

Rather than fading the inactive icons, I would consider highlighting the active icons more, possibly introducing another colour. Or a combination of the two.

[Sughly]

Ah yep, I see what you're saying Ali. Thanks again!

[Pinback]

I agree with Ali, I like how you changed the inactive to stand out a bit more- almost suggested the same. I'd definitely go with highlighting the active icons more too.