Improving the user interface

from Sins Forums
Hi everybody !

This is my first post.
I'm a french fan player but I only play the demo version... I'm impatiently waiting for the european release.
So maybe my post is obsolete regarding the commercial version, the patchs or other posts in the forum... But  I didn't read everything.
I have noticed a few minor flaws that should be be solve in order to improve the user intreface.
I just hope these remarks will help the developpers to make SoaSE greater than it is already.

When you build a structure, I think it would be very appreciable to see how many logistics/tacticals slot(s) remain available in the construction info card because you can only see it in your planet one.
Something like "Uses X logistics/tacticals slots ON X AVAILABLE".
It is a little thing but so frustrating when you always spend time switching between the differente info cards to plan your constructions.

Furthermore, it is possible to set a rally point on a ship leader button in order to make a produced ship joining the fleet directly but I didn't find any command (icon or shortcut) to make an already built ship joining it, only by selecting the fleet+the new ship and then creating a new fleet that generally change the leader and force me to change the leader again.
So, I can only create or leave a fleet with the icons... It's a pity, this command would be bery useful and I saw free icon slot, guys... ;)

Also, concerning the leader choice, is it possible to simply choose/click on your leader by any shortcut instead of winding on the sub selected circle with the SHIFT or SHIFT+TAB command ?
I didn't find any command either and within a large fleet, it is very tedious too.

Well, sorry for my frenglish.
Ironclad, your game is awesome but the demo is too short.
I want to give you my money. So, hurry up, please! :)
4,069 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
Sorry, I posted it twice and I don't know how to delete it with the edit function.
I really must have problem with interface...
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
the point about logistics slots of X available is a good point that has been suggested before. Not implemented yet. There may be a way to mod the infocards to do this, but that's not really my scene. Although I found this feature less necessary after I played the game a bit more. (there's really no point in micromanaging your logistics like this too much)

It sounds like you've got the fleet thing down. It was a little wierd for me at first too. But when you recreate the fleet (with the new ships) just be sure to tab/shit+tab to the ship you want to be the leader before creating it, this way it won't change the leader. Usually when you select the fleet, the leader will already be subselected so you won't to worry about it.

It seems a little cumbersome at first, but it works pretty well once you get used to it, and any other options, like clicking on the icon to subselect, would probably interfere with other elements.


Hope this helps.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
Thanks for the answer.

I think I have to practice. But there are so many shorcuts that you don't use at all. And sometimes, you hope to have those which are convenients for you.
But I keep sure that a shortcut allowing your ships to join a fleet directly would be more pleasant and faster for the gameplay.

One other question : It doesn't seems possible to create sub-fleets without the Ctrl+Number shortcut, no? Any which way the 0-9 numbers are not enough for the galaxy.

For exemple, you want to create a large fleet commanded by a capital ship (so if you move the leader every ships follow it) with specialized smaller fleets whiwh have their own banners and diversified types of ships, and with which you can make targeted assault.
I mean you can't really create frigate squads within a large fleet. If you want to do so, you usually select ships with the same type (pressing Alt) or draw an rough frame on a ships group... And the fleet/squad is not keeping in memory. A little lack of subtlety in my opinion but I agree with a kind of Star Wars mess is fun too.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
the point about logistics slots of X available is a good point that has been suggested before. Not implemented yet. There may be a way to mod the infocards to do this, but that's not really my scene. Although I found this feature less necessary after I played the game a bit more. (there's really no point in micromanaging your logistics like this too much)It sounds like you've got the fleet thing down. It was a little wierd for me at first too. But when you recreate the fleet (with the new ships) just be sure to tab/shit+tab to the ship you want to be the leader before creating it, this way it won't change the leader. Usually when you select the fleet, the leader will already be subselected so you won't to worry about it.It seems a little cumbersome at first, but it works pretty well once you get used to it, and any other options, like clicking on the icon to subselect, would probably interfere with other elements.Hope this helps.
End of quote


Yes, the joining fleet thingy works that way. I also use it in that matter but I have to admit it is overly complicated. A simply "join nearest fleet" button would be so much easier.
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
What I'd like to see is a splitting of the left hand pane, so it has minimised list of planets/fleets in the bottom half, and an expanded version of the currently focused system in the top half. At the moment it can be a real pain when trying to click on an individual ship, as when ships move around the whole pane jumps around. Perhaps having it so that when ships are destroyed/leave the system the top list doesn't jump suddenly, but the icons drift slowly into the new space, so you get a chance to click on things.