Development:UI
From Damasca
A breakdown of each screen, and what each should allow the user to do. Try to avoid descriptions of what each individual control does; instead describe what the screen as a whole should do.
Contents |
Loading/Welcome Screen
Simply shows a "Welcome to Damasca" message, with a loading bar / message below it. May only be visible for a very short time, depending on how much data is loaded when starting up. Could be a splash-screen.
Stop-point, fullscreen or splash.
Main Menu
Provides the user with all the necessary options that they will need to play the game, setup the game, and leave the game. The screen will most likely also have the Damasca title logo on, with the buttons below it.
Stop-point, fullscreen.
Exit
Provides the user with a confirmation message. Are they sure they want to return to their boring lives?
Window.
Closing
A simple message informing the user that the game is closing down.
Stop-point, fullscreen.
Login
Requests various bits of information needed to connect to the server, such as server name, username and password. Server name should be specified by either ip address, or from a list of pre-configured servers.
Fullscreen.
Connecting
Simple message informing the user that the game is connecting to the requested server. There should be the ability to leave the screen and return to the login screen.
Window.
Options
A menu of the major settings groups. The menu should provide the user with the ability to adjust the display settings, controls, audio settings and network settings. There should also be the option to cancel the screen and return to either the main menu or the main game screen.
Fullscreen.
Controls
A menu of the games controls that can be configured. The screen should give the user the ability to bind each control to a specific key. See game controls for a list of the available controls.
Fullscreen.
Display
A menu of display settings to configure. This should include the resolution, the bit-depth, and whether the game is running fullscreen or in a window. There could also be the possibility of selecting a rendering device here, though any change to this wouldn’t take effect until the engine is restarted.
Any other display specific options should also be selectable here. Things such as user interface skin, presentation method of in-game status (bars or numerical values), etc.
Options to switch off special effects could also be found here. Things like weather effects, particle effects etc.
Fullscreen.
Audio
A menu of audio settings to configure. Output frequency, stereo / mono, midi or mod music.
Fullscreen.
Network
A menu of network settings that could be configured. This will most likely have a list of pre-sets (56k modem, isdn, cable / adsl, lan) and the ability to custom configure the settings. Things like keep-alive packet rate, update packet rate, expected latency.
Fullscreen.
Server Welcome
A message from the server, welcoming them. The message is provided from the server, so as far as the GUI is concerned, a giant text box would suffice.
Fullscreen, stop-point.
Main Game
As far as the UI is concerned, this screen will have to provide information of the most critical stats (health, mana, attack levels), in a format that is easy to glance at. The actual format can be decided in the Display options. The screen will also have to provide a panel of buttons to access the other sub menus. The user interface should take up as little space as possible, but not be so small as to make it difficult, or slow, to grab the information from it quickly.
The screen will also need to show the quick items and quick spells that have been selected on a panel, along with the key that relates to each item (or spell).
Fullscreen. Stop-point.
Character Sheet
Provides the full set of character statistics, and gives the option to upgrade the character stats, if they’ve earned it.
Window.
Quests
A list of the current quests that the user is doing, or knows about, with the option to get a more verbose description of the selected quest.
Window.
Spellbook
A graphical list of all the spells that the player can select to use. Spells can be dragged onto the quick spell panel.
Window.
Trade
Similar to the inventory screen, except that both the user’s inventory and the trader’s inventory is shown, and the paper doll isn't. Items can be dragged between the inventories, which sells or buys the item depending on the direction of drag. As with the inventory, details about items can be brought up (see Item Details screen).
Window.
Item Details
Describes the item. Should include the item's icon, a description of the item, its stats, and value.
Window.
Inventory
Shows a graphical list of what items the player is currently carrying, and a paper doll of the player. Items can be dragged onto the paper doll to equip them, and dragged off the paper doll to unequip. Items can be dragged off the window (onto the main screen) to drop them. As with Trade, details about an item can be brought up on request.
Window.
Messages
Allows the user to receive pm's, and to send them. The screen will need to provide a way of selecting the destination user, and a way of entering the message and to send it. There will also need to be a way of browsing through new messages.
Window.
Disconnect
A simple "Are you sure?" confirmation message to the user.
Window.
