New UI Discussion

[neilpinbot]

As long as I got a button to press to select the table That I want to play I'm Happy.

 

[Deltaechoe]

Personally I think the new UI was a good change, it's much cleaner and easier to look at in contrast to a single "scroll wheel" with little information

 

[jbejarano]

I think the new UI looks great. I like all of the additional information, and I'm VERY curious about that token thing. Yes, I'd love to see the backglass of the machines, but maybe there could be an option once you enter the table to get a nice close up of the backglass; maybe an option right next to the option to see the introduction text for the table. I'm digging the new UI.

 

[jkonami]

Yeah, I like the new UI screenshots too. It looks 100x more professional, even if it was first designed with mobile in mind. And it's not just a table selection overhaul! They seem to have added wizard goals, a friends high score to beat, and most exciting of all to me, something to do with credits! Hopefully it will finally make specials and free match games meaningful. If I were them I'd have somebody making unlockable extras to buy with the credits, like certain toy models from the playfields to view in 3D, soundtracks, and.. wishful thinking.. maybe some tables? Perhaps gimme tables like Jive Time that would be cool for free given everyone's disdain for it. Or maybe work on Sorcerer and hide it in there as a bonus. I hope they do Sorcerer, I kinda liked that game.

Anyway, good job guys, it looks a lot nicer. Just don't forget about adding a section for favorites! (pretty please!)

 

[MegaDrive (Mark Wyda)]

Yeah, I like the new UI screenshots too. It looks 100x more professional, even if it was first designed with mobile in mind. And it's not just a table selection overhaul! They seem to have added wizard goals, a friends high score to beat, and most exciting of all to me, something to do with credits! Hopefully it will finally make specials and free match games meaningful. If I were them I'd have somebody making unlockable extras to buy with the credits, like certain toy models from the playfields to view in 3D, soundtracks, and.. wishful thinking.. maybe some tables? Perhaps gimme tables like Jive Time that would be cool for free given everyone's disdain for it. Or maybe work on Sorcerer and hide it in there as a bonus. I hope they do Sorcerer, I kinda liked that game.

Anyway, good job guys, it looks a lot nicer. Just don't forget about adding a section for favorites! (pretty please!)

Maybe you can use the tokens to unlock some lesser tables like Sorcerer, Jive Time, or Ace High. I say "lesser" I just mean non-season 3 stuff. Just a guess. Could be anything. Maybe you can use them to play a free game of a table you don't own.

 

[jaredmorgs]

For sure, the new UI looks overall better than the current one... but it's still so "mobile-cheap-style". (It makes sense though) But for consoles, it will always be awkward.

And adios the full table and backglass pictures. :/ (Why not a frame on the right which displays the table/backglass picture? And only a square of 3x3 icons)

But it's better than nothing, I guess.

I hope it will be possible to sort the tables by era/year.

What exactly is "mobile-cheap-style"?

 

[Jeff Strong]

For the people saying Zen's menu was made for mobile...it's not accurate. They had that menu style long before their game was available on mobile platforms. When you have a ton of tables, you need a quick and easy way to navigate through them. A grid system is obviously one of the best solutions on ANY platform, regardless of whether you're using a controller or touchscreen. It really doesn't matter.

With that said, the new UI looks great to me. It will be a huge upgrade in terms of polish and ease of navigation.

 

[Tann]

What exactly is "mobile-cheap-style"?

As it was said above, maybe there will be some submenus, with additionnal pictures and infos.

But on these three screenshots, I only see BIG icons (the play button, could it be even more bigger?), no pictures, no text. It's very basic, 90's DVD menu style.

It surely looks good on a mobile device (and it's designed for it), but it will look dull on a big HD screen regarding the consoles versions. The biggest fanbase is on mobile devices, so, we have to deal with it.

But no misunderstanding, it's still such a big improvement compared to the current UI.

 

[SilverBalls]

The existing UI is better for a cabinet. Just two flipper buttons to go up and down list, however this looks like a four button affair to navigate.

 

[Jeff Strong]

The existing UI is better for a cabinet. Just two flipper buttons to go up and down list, however this looks like a four button affair to navigate.

Unless when you get to the end of one row of icons, it automatically moves to the next row. Then it would only require the same two buttons.

 

[Clawhammer]

That picture is a huge improvement imo. Does this mean they will change the garish front screen after you open the game (on mobile, can't speak to console)?

 

[shutyertrap]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe FS is working with the cab supplier (who's name has escaped me) so that the UI works well there too.

Something else to think about...FS gets nothing out of doing a new UI. This is simply because of all the requests we've made here to improve it.

 

[rob3d]

With the amount of tables we have now a grid set up is the only way to go. I also like the quick info, highscore, etc. The only thing that bugs me is that play button, it definitely needs to be there I just don't like the way it looks. Recently played table, and random table are great too.

Also the cab makers they've partnered with are virtuapin.net

 

[vpalmer]

good looking for me, may be only blue "PLAY" ball looks little weird, but its only prototype so some things can change.
and what are this tokens for?..for tournaments?

 

[shutyertrap]

I wish I could spill about the tokens, but their use still isn't finalized. I will say it's not going to affect how you currently play TPA.

 

[jkonami]

For the people saying Zen's menu was made for mobile...it's not accurate. They had that menu style long before their game was available on mobile platforms. When you have a ton of tables, you need a quick and easy way to navigate through them. A grid system is obviously one of the best solutions on ANY platform, regardless of whether you're using a controller or touchscreen. It really doesn't matter.

With that said, the new UI looks great to me. It will be a huge upgrade in terms of polish and ease of navigation.

I think this stems from the icons used in the screenshot looking so much like iOS app icons. I think it looks better either way.

 

[SilverBalls]

Unless when you get to the end of one row of icons, it automatically moves to the next row. Then it would only require the same two buttons.

Oh yes good point - that would work nicely.

 

[kimkom]

Honestly, I think this looks okay. Obviously a lot of consideration has been made for multiple platforms.

As long as navigation and function is slick, then I think this should work just fine.

Like others have suggested, the one thing I would like to see is the use of exisitng backglass artwork in the background, instead of just the plain blue texture (or is that blue carpet?! ).

Oh, and since we are all about pinball, shouldn't the big 'Play' button be a 'Start' button? Something like this:

Bad picture, I know, but you get the idea.

 

[Byte]

If any of the FS people working on the new UI are reading this: please make sure to use the correct spelling in the "text version" of the menu. For instance T2 should be "Judgment Day" not "Judgement Day", it's "Goin' Nuts" with an apostrophe, etc. Attention to detail is expected everywhere.

 

[Tabe]

I think this is a major improvement over the existing UI. However, I'd like to see more graphics and...uh.... "oomph" in what is written on each button or ball in the menu. Look at Medieval Madness, for example. That banner is incredibly small and hard to read. Contrast that with Zen's menu highlighted above - there's not as much "dead space" on the icon and it's full of graphics and detail.