Strategic interface: let's design some awesomeness.

from Demigod Forums

We all wait for our functional lives to end when Demigod adds voice chat, but even when it's in, it would still be beneficial to have a simple strategic interface in the HUD that lets you handle most team communication needs without speaking.  This is a strategic, team game and it really has an opportunity to define what good built-in team UI looks like.  The fact that it could serve as a management tool for the AI bots is a bonus.

I'm picturing three additions to the demigod UI: a team status box, a simple chat interface and a change to the citadel buying screen.

The status box sits open permanently in the lower left and shows you the team, demigod, name, level, and last known health/possible health of every player in the game.  For allies, that's always the latest info.  For enemies, that's the latest known info, or latest witnessed by a member of your team.  Or whatever.   You can target spells by clicking the teammate's or opponent's name in the status box.  This is the healing interface that makes Oak, Sedna and QoT much better support players.

The chat interface would be really minimal, like counterstrike, you'd have a couple status messages (Run, Heal me, Help needed, OOM, need help left/center/right, focus on this enemy) that are one or two clicks away, and the messages would display in the status box and ping on the minimap.

Finally, every option on the citadel buying screen would have two right click choices, so players could set one of two flags on an item: "let's get this", a request for someone on the team to buy an upgrade or "I'll buy this", stating a promise to buy it yourself.  Each player can set one of each type of flag.  These requests or promises are visible to all players on the team in the status box and whenever they open the citadel screen.

This simple communication framework would make a lot of strategic decisions and planning easier for teams without voice chat and allow for clear, intentional planning for teams that don't speak the same language or that have AI bots on their side.

1,303 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

k1

Sounds like a great idea to me.  To add to the status box:  it would be nice to be able to see what buffs/debuffs your allies and enemies have on them.  (As icons next to or on top of the health bar, maybe.)

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

the UI also need to show how many minions you control at the moment, it is easy to keep tracks in the melee. Just add the number over the invocation icon.

Also, you need to be able to cast a spell on yourself by clicking on your portrait (and a button for that would also be a great help)

The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from Demigod Forums Top

Actually, with the enemy demigods, it might be best to just have Name, demigod icon, then health Green/Yellow/Red if in sight or grey if out of sight.  Then you could right click the enemy DG's line to ask people to focus or avoid him.

Reply #4 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Fred_Bonaparte, reply 2
the UI also need to show how many minions you control at the moment, it is easy to keep tracks in the melee. Just add the number over the invocation icon.

Also, you need to be able to cast a spell on yourself by clicking on your portrait (and a button for that would also be a great help)
End of Fred_Bonaparte's quote

Agree with all this.

In icon form, it's a lot of info, but I don't think it takes much space.  It's really just 6-12 icons in a row in the bottom left of the screen where it's unobtrusive.  People who run full screen will have no problems, and people who run windowed might ask for a couple larger windowed settings.  You make it clickable so it's not wasted space.  It's a healing interface, it's a mini status window.  You can select and follow friendly DGs or ping and remind them of their own statuses and decisions.

name: bisonbison
[sedna icon]
[LvL7]
[Health yellow with 44% of 5k]
[300 meters away to the left (arrow pointing with number overlaid)] or (in base)
[currently moving (not fighting/casting/buying or choosing)] 
[wants Building heal 1] 
[will buy Cash 1] 
[sword icon minions: 2/2] 
[catapult icon minions: 0/0] 
[red cross icon minions 1/2] 
[special icon minions 0/0]

If you mouse-over, you can see their highest ranked skill and their current mana, kills, assists and killed.

 

For enemies:

name: monkeymonkey
[TB icon]
[Lvl10]
[Health Green/Yellow/Red/Grey]
[100 meters away to the right (arrow pointing with number overlaid) or unknown]
[Currently moving/casting/fighting/out of sight]
[3 behavior options for Avoid/Focus/Normal, and a count of how many teammates have voted the same way.

If you mouse over you can see their kills, assists and killed.

 

 

After a kill, names light up and such.

Reply #5 from Demigod Forums Top

ha, and a little annoying detail, I often wish that the numbers on the hp/mana bars were always visible.

Reply #6 from Demigod Forums Top

I like it, I would also like some type of unique audio cue with or without floating icon above your DG that you could trigger(ala BF2). For example if diffferent sounds if you need help, heal or sighted a demigod, or wanted to get a flag. Often times I am so into the game around my DG that I miss messages that get sent to me.