Two suggestions for Quality of Life


Blackavaar

 

Posted

There is a feature of another MMO that I really enjoyed, and helped my gameplay immensely.

Queue'd sounds. It's very simple. Client-side, a text string is entered, with an appropriate sound to play each time that exact string hits any chat window that you are signed into.

For instance I could have a text string for each time Hasten is recharged, and have it play a simple tone that I have made just for this.

That way when I'm in Dwarf form, I know that my hasten has actually recharged, and isn't sitting on "Just about to recharge." I could even assign it to "You have defeated" so I know when I get the kill-shot, or LFT so I can skip a lot of broadcast BS, and see when someone is LFT. Just let us all custom sounds, and keep it all client-side.


My second suggestion is the one that is always /unsigned. Custom UIs. I love the CoH UI. I do. I just want something... prettier. I'm not asking that we are able to make anything as comprehensive as other MMOs. I just wouldn't mind using all the buttons I've created for the different powers. I made buttons for many power sets, just in case this ever happens.

That's it. Let's see how fast they get torn down.

~PPP


 

Posted

Sounds: Cool idea. You can sort of get the same effect from HeroStats, but it's not exactly accurate (loading between zones throws it off), making it unreliable.

Custom UI: I don't know why anyone would disagree with the idea, other than the fact that it's nigh impossible to do if you don't design it from the start. That said, there are some UI modifications you are able to do, such as the Vidiotmaps patch, Vanden's Power Icon Fix, Leandro's Splasher program, my instructions for modding the QuickChat menu, and you can also change the content of the Help menu fairly simply.


http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt

 

Posted

And just so you know, you can substitute your own button replacements if you use Vanden's.

And hey, Fleet. The bottom two links in your sig appear to be broken.


 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
And hey, Fleet. The bottom two links in your sig appear to be broken.

[/ QUOTE ]D:

Looks like they got pruned, they're not on my watchlist any more either, though they were yesterday.


http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt

 

Posted

I've seen games switch from a hard-coded UI to (For instance) and XML one. Last time I suggested this (Three years ago) I was flamed into the dirt for even suggesting it. In fact, it almost made me quit the game.

I prefer everything in-line on my game. MP3 players, queued sounds, mini HTML browser, and the list goes on. I dislike having to use external programs to fulfill me.

But that's just me.

~PPP


 

Posted

The only argument I can think of against this is that depending on how hard/easy the custom sounds/UI are to create and use, there might not be very many people who take advantage of it. So it could end up being a lot of work for something that only a few people would use.

It does sound like a cool idea though.


 

Posted

Well, Ideally they would have a few simple options.

"Name of trigger" Name the trigger so you can easily find & Edit the trigger if you messed up.

"Exact text string" This is the line of text that will trigger the desired sound effect.

"Sound to use" Might even have limitations on the size, but any wave format sound should do.

Then a list of the current triggers you have in place. Limit the number of triggers to five or ten.

It takes very little code to search a text string for exactly matched text, and luckily the game already plays sounds, just probably not waves. That's where I see the most problem.

~PPP