Inventory UI concept design v2.1 (window based)

[Photolysis 25]

To me, it sounds like you want the current ARMA2 UI, with a timed delay between moving items?

Please tell me how you would be struggling with my UI design so that I may improve upon it.

Definitely not, the current Arma UI is terrible for this sort of thing.

I think the problem with your design (while significantly improving over the base experience) is that it tries to cram too much information into too small a space, which gives it a very cluttered feel and make it so you have to hunt around more. I also think your reasons for doing so (to preserve peripheral vision) are misguided because when you're looking through your pockets and backpack your attention will be distracted. To that end, having it take up a lot more of the screen is not a bad thing.

When it comes to the backpack, having it pop out by default on top of the existing UI adds to the feeling of it being cluttered. You can move it around and when you do moving items becomes much quicker but I feel there is a better way to manage this than by a movable box.

]The UI in this thread spreads things out much more and is fairly intuitive and informative, and the use of colour quickly draws your attention to the appropriate parts of the UI. There is a lot of room for improvement and the size could probably be taken down quite a bit though.

I do quite like the interface you've designed for looting however, assuming that it shows items within a certain radius of your character, and item volume is displayed when you mouseover an item. It might run into problems when you have a very large number of items in a small area though.

[JESUSFOOD 12]

I really like it, however I too think to much is going on at once. Its hard to tell how many clips of ammo you have as its all over the place. I think the graphics and all are awesome and you have some real good ideas.

[joeyslucky22 638]

I also think your reasons for doing so (to preserve peripheral vision) are misguided because when you're looking through your pockets and backpack your attention will be distracted. To that end, having it take up a lot more of the screen is not a bad thing.

I disagree. When you need something from your backpack or your pockets, you're not sticking your entire head in. Especially when going through your pockets, you will most likely go by touch, something impossible to do ingame. Keeping your peripheral is absolutely necessary in a game like DayZ and creating a more "authentic" inventory management experience by using clothing as inventory slots, opening/closing a backpack to access it, dragging and dropping items from on the ground to a pocket or pouch, would only add to the immersion of the DayZ experience.

The UI in this thread ...

To be completely honest, this UI is not nearly as understandable or intuitive and uses far too much screen space.

I do quite like the interface you've designed for looting however... It might run into problems when you have a very large number of items in a small area though.

Rightfully so.

IF THERE'S A GIANT PILE OF STUFF ON THE GROUND AND YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A SINGLE BULLET

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BAD TIME.

[DemonGroover 8836]

I think people are getting caught up with the fact that it possibly looks cluttered. But with all the stuff you are carrying shouldnt this be the case? If you are fully geared and loaded you would start resembling the Michellin man and i would hasten to add not very mobile or fast.

To me DayZ works on visuals rather than stats. I would much rather see an item in my pack than Beans (5).

One thing i dont want however is the Inventory to go all Skyrim. Lets make sure the system is realistic. Can you really put an AS50 in a backpack? Carry a large toolbox?

A system that makes you think about what to take and what to leave behind is fine by me.

[Photolysis 25]

Rightfully so.

So how do you propose solving the issue created by your UI? I can easily solve issues like this in real life by hunting through a pile of items.

As for the rest of your post, you asked for my opinion, I gave it. We will obviously not agree with each other.

One thing i dont want however is the Inventory to go all Skyrim. Lets make sure the system is realistic. Can you really put an AS50 in a backpack? Carry a large toolbox?

Uh, yes you could fit an AS50 in a very large backpack, especially if you stripped the weapon down for transportation and yes you could carry a decent sized toolbox... people carry the latter around every single day for their jobs.

Skyrim is unrealistic because you can carry around multiple suits of armour and a huge number of items that would take up very large amounts of volume. No one is suggesting this.

[SquirrelGott 4]

Some great ideas here. For a mockup these are great.

[DemonGroover 8836]

So how do you propose solving the issue created by your UI? I can easily solve issues like this in real life by hunting through a pile of items.

As for the rest of your post, you asked for my opinion, I gave it. We will obviously not agree with each other.

Uh, yes you could fit an AS50 in a very large backpack, especially if you stripped the weapon down for transportation and yes you could carry a decent sized toolbox... people carry the latter around every single day for their jobs.

Skyrim is unrealistic because you can carry around multiple suits of armour and a huge number of items that would take up very large amounts of volume. No one is suggesting this.

So perhaps you could fit a large sniper rifle in a backpack, but you say you would have to strip it down. How long would it take to reassemble - a mere click of an arrow key and i have miraculously changed my primaries? This is what i am getting at. In a game like DayZ where there are animations for starting fires and the like there should be some mechanic that means you cant just get something out of your backpack in an instant.

As for a toolbox i really dont see players lugging around a box full of tools. People may carry tools for their jobs but i cant envisage a person with a huge backpack carrying a toolbox, axe, two weapons and god knows what else and STILL be able to sprint away from chasing psychopaths.

Edited August 29, 2012 by DemonGroover

[koolducksftw 3]

I love it, I hope they implement a better system into the game

[Photolysis 25]

So perhaps you could fit a large sniper rifle in a backpack, but you say you would have to strip it down. How long would it take to reassemble - a mere click of an arrow key and i have miraculously changed my primaries? This is what i am getting at. In a game like DayZ where there are animations for starting fires and the like there should be some mechanic that means you cant just get something out of your backpack in an instant.

Already suggested there should be a delay on getting items out. I have no problem with having to reassemble certain weapons, or being able to disassemble them to reduce the space they take up so they can fit in certain backpacks. In fact I think that would add quite a bit to the game, allowing you to switch weapons but you wouldn't be able to do it instantly and would have to think carefully about what weapon you use, and it would go quite a way towards reducing the effectiveness of sniper rifles (along with modelling the weight accurately).

Weight should influence how quickly you move, but most weapons are not that heavy. An AS50 is at ~12kg unloaded, but something like an M4 only weighs ~3kg unloaded. As long as the weight as properly distributed, the average person could carry quite a bit. And yes tools should count towards that limit. Every item you carry should.

[Lights Out 141]

I understand its somewhat of a rough idea but definitely shows promise. I'd love to see random updates like this by the dev team. Show us what they're working on.

-Aside from that, some helpful criticism. Top thing I think I don't like is the "on the ground" loot is pictures. I don't know about anyone else but I'd like to see more wording of the items rather then pictures, maybe just a tiny thumbnail. I feel too many on screen images adds that cluttered look I saw a couple of fellow members mention.

-As far as clothing, I'd almost have a full sized picture of the character and his clothing. Then continue with what you did with having any type of body physical equipment off to the side of the part of the body it would be on.

-Weapons, ammo and tools i would put on top of the character in its own area.

-Food, medical equipment and such below the character.

I feel that would definitively take away that cluttered look and keep everything organized and together by type. I like the item to trade and and items to pick up off to the side like you have it. I would just put that as wording with a small thumbnail next to it at most. Then you'd be able to drag equipment in and out of those boxes, to and from your inventory.

Edited August 29, 2012 by Lights Out

[joeyslucky22 638]

Ok... Couldn't wait

but here it is anyways. I will update this as I go but here's a really shitty flash version of the interface:

http://joeflashedme..../dayzUIas2.html (give it a moment to load, didn't make a proper loader)

Press "G" to access the gear menu, open the gear tab and mess around with it.

You can press "R" to rotate the knife

You can right click and open the backpack

Obviously it's buggy as all hell but it's something to fool around with and should provide us all with a little more insight on this concept.

[Lights Out 141]

I like, it's coming along. Question though, what's the blue tab on the bottom for. Sorry if you already mentioned it and I didn't see it but just asking because it doesn't open anything in that flash.

[joeyslucky22 638]

I like, it's coming along. Question though, what's the blue tab on the bottom for. Sorry if you already mentioned it and I didn't see it but just asking because it doesn't open anything in that flash.

It'll eventually be used to initiate a trade

Basically how it'll work is:

- You'll drag any items you have on your character into the trade area

- Those items will then be highlighted in blue in your gear menu

- To allow the other player to grab an item from your person, you'll hit the blue trade button (toggling trade)

... to be honest I haven't given it much thought yet but I'm sure we'll come up with something lol

[DemonGroover 8836]

Ok... Couldn't wait

but here it is anyways. I will update this as I go but here's a really shitty flash version of the interface:

http://joeflashedme..../dayzUIas2.html (give it a moment to load, didn't make a proper loader)

Press "G" to access the gear menu, open the gear tab and mess around with it.

You can press "R" to rotate the knife

You can right click and open the backpack

Obviously it's buggy as all hell but it's something to fool around with and should provide us all with a little more insight on this concept.

Nice one, it seems to be coming along quite well. Keep up the good work!

[Lights Out 141]

If you want it so that no one can just see everything you are carrying (You would let some just rummage through you're pack haha) This list can be used to say what the player actually wants (regardless of whether you possess it or not) or what they are willing to trade out of the items they have. This way if a player has something he doesn't want you to see, you can't.

[joeyslucky22 638]

If you want it so that no one can just see everything you are carrying (You would let some just rummage through you're pack haha) This list can be used to say what the player actually wants (regardless of whether you possess it or not) or what they are willing to trade out of the items they have. This way if a player has something he doesn't want you to see, you can't.

Hm. I agree some things you should be able to "hide from prying eyes", but it would be fairly hard to hide bigger items like rifles and tires.

Perhaps, when right clicking your clothing or a backpack, there would be an option, something like "keep closed for trade", and anything attached would not be visible to the other player?

Just thinking out loud.

[Lights Out 141]

Maybe you can use it to do the same thing the green/yellow menu button does except it will pop up the player you are trading with. Then you can clicks those Items and click a trade button. this will then pop up on their screen and they can make an offer out of what you have.

Something along those lines, tossing out ideas so we can build on it. Best way to figure out an idea.

[L0G!N (DayZ) 149]

Seeing you took the blue bottom thing from my feedback, perhaps i could shed some more light on how it may work...

Originally i had the idea that instead of just the bottom the whole (on the ground) pane would change to say a blue transparent pane once you click trade, this would let you drag things in that you would be willing to put up for trade. My idea behind it was that IF you clicked on a person, you could only see this pane (given ofcourse the player is still alive) ... I hadn't yet thought about the actual trade mechanism... But now that i see how you split that pane in half, having one for the ground and one for trade ... something struck me...

So what if this is indeed the way you see your interface when you open it... but, as you open it to interact in a trade, the top now becomes the other person's trade pane. And you can view what this person has up for trade (and obviously just that as you innitiate an 'open bagpack' on someone. So now when you drag an item to your own 'trade-part' it would promt both users to give an item in return or hit OK. Perhaps a visual is better.

[------------------ other person trade pane -----------------]

[ ok ] [ item in return ] [ alternative suggestion ] [cancel]

------------/\--------\/------

[ ok ] [ item in return ] [ alternative suggestion ] [cancel]

[-------------------- your trade pane -------------------------]

So this is a very basic barter system, which could be completed without even talking. You go to a character and 'open backpack' on them, this will give your inventory window, with the above simplified interface to the side (taking up the whole pane, so no 'on the ground') You see what the other person has up for trade, and once the open backpack is innitiated this other person is notified and gets a [view trade] promt (opening the same interface on his side. So player one drags the item over to his side, which then loads this item in user2's [item in return]-slot. User two can drag an item back to the other side, and it gets loaded in his [item in return] slot. If both agree on the trade a simple [ok] on both sides completes the trade. BUT, user2 may disagree with the return item, and drag another item over to his side, this is then loaded in user1's [alternative suggestion]. Then user1 has to decide wether he removes his suggested item, in favor of making the trade...

SO ok, this doesn't seem to work on multiple item trades though :P ... but i must admit this was just a brainwriting idea formulation, and it led to some troubles on trading one item for multiple others. Still though, perhaps with 'areas' instead of truely slots, the two could drag items back and forth untill agreement is reached on which items to trade for which items... so 'lol', appartently it would work for multiple trades with a small adjustment.

[------------------ other person trade pane -----------------]

[-------------- items you get in return ------] [ ok ] [cancel]

------------------/\--------\/---------------------------------------

[-------------- items you give in return -----] [ ok ] [cancel]

[-------------------- your trade pane -------------------------]

So now the 'items' part is similar to the whole sidepane setup, just an 'area' where you can drop things, but both users see this interface the same way (so 'you' are always at the bottom, the 'other' is always on top), and both users can drag and drop items into and out of eachothers side. This can be done untill some equilibrium is reached or an infected roars it's ugly head and both press 'cancel' closing the interfaces...

I would go with a confirmation screen at all times:

You want to trade your: blablabla, with user2's: blablabla

[ok][cancel]

where [ok] completes the trade, and cancel brings both back into the above 'barter pane', that should work :) (ohw and on coding please do think of checking whether there is room for all items ;)

Edited September 1, 2012 by L0G!N

[Zeppa 562]

Like in the OP.

Maybe get option on the other person to "Trade" , like there are "bandage wounds" etc.

Then it brings up your invertory and both persons trade boxes, so you can see that he has right item on trade. Then when you are ready press the "trade" button, when both sides have done this they will change items.

[aoshi 32]

my opinion (which does not matter much) is that the items should be separated, weapons, clothing, tools, and etc. (or something like that) so I prefer, but I found this good (just a little chaotic) but this is personal of each

might still be possible to steal the other weapon (food and drink as well) is entertaining (could have a command to "lock the bag") been locked 3segs takes to open and makes some sound and maybe a swing camera (which would give a tone of realism because backpacks are not instantly open and reveal all content) still leave chance for thefts, a mistake that many make is to take small things in the game (like being able to spy on a backpack in dayz) there are people who will not forgive until .... because sometimes its lacking, hope it will not be removed

By google tradutor....lame

[nikiller 122]

hi,

Good job. I really like the drag and drop system. IMHO, inventory is a bit complexe and not enough intuitive but it's a nice first try. Anyway, I think it is the right direction.

One thing bother me, I cannot remove my clothes to roll me in the morning dew :(

cya.

Nikiller.

[logan23 118]

I like where you are going with the UI.

It's a tad confusing, but its looking good.

Keep working on it.

You might want to add Tabs so you can open what section of the full UI - you want to since the UI you have is very large.

[TeNnAnT 93 7]

I took a very good look at this and was unsure it looks great and i can see you thought about it alot, but like other people say I do think it is too complicated for my use if i was smaller and simpler i think you would really be on to something. Remember its a tool to most people they want it to be quick easy to see what your doing I personally think its too much. But beans for you effot very good just make it more simple I think pal :thumbsup: :beans:

[aidas2 1]

Not sure if this was suggested but how about when you sellect the ground item, a square in your inventory lights up, indicating where to put the item?

Edited January 9, 2013 by Aidas

[hAWkA 1]

omg nice :thumbsup: