Do you prefer the new GUI (beta version), or the current GUI?

[EldarOfSuburbia]

The problem with the new TPA UI, and indeed any new UI for something you've used a lot, is that the very first thing anyone notices is how it looks. This is natural, but it's also not a good thing. What's most important about a UI is how it functions and how accessible its functionality is. Maybe it's because I could probably consider myself a "professional" UI designer, that I am able to take this step back. And thus my single biggest gripe with the new UI is not how it looks - let's face it, it isn't really any better or worse than the current one or any number of other UIs out there - but in how it is interacted with. In this respect, it is a dismal failure. It looks like it was only ever tested with a mouse. And if you're using a mouse, guess what, it functions quite nicely. But not everyone plays TPA with a mouse. A lot of people have a controller, and may even be several feet away from the nearest mouse, or keyboard.

My rules of UI design, and program design, are pretty simple:
1. Make sure it works the way it's supposed to.
2. Make it so you can easily change the way it looks without messing with the functionality.
3. Make it look nice.
4. Now make sure it still works the way it's supposed to.
5. Write documentation outlining what it's supposed to do, and not how it looks.

Farsight started at 3. And have failed at 1.

 

[SilverBalls]

The new UI is seriously poor. This is a game, not a banking system. It's fine to have a sophisticated admin tool UI to define favourite groups, define sorting, etc. but once done you need a simple table selector that functions from about 3 keys. Like the PinballX wheel where you can then easily change between favourite lists, filter on criteria such as manufacturer, etc

I would vote for the existing UI, but allow us to do define favourite lists, and add a topdown screenshot of the table as you scroll down the wheel. Probably 2 days of dev work Max.

 

[Metalzoic]

The new one adds functions, but looks like it was designed decades ago.
It doesn't look like a game. It doesn't represent pinball in any way. It doesn't inspire fun. It is colorless, characterless and horridly ugly. It makes Excel spreadsheets look exciting and fresh.

If they do actually release this abomination I hope and pray to God that they also leave the option to simply keep using the current one.
Because if they actually go with this I can't see myself buying the next season. Unless they add support to CMD line directly into every table so I never, ever, ever have to see it.

It's bad and they should feel bad and may God have mercy on their souls.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

I would like to see a return to the preview of the tables from the previous UI. Without it, it just makes it less of an "arcade" feel.

 

[invitro]

It doesn't inspire fun. It is colorless, characterless and horridly ugly. It makes Excel spreadsheets look exciting and fresh.

If they do actually release this abomination I hope and pray to God that they also leave the option to simply keep using the current one.
Because if they actually go with this I can't see myself buying the next season. Unless they add support to CMD line directly into every table so I never, ever, ever have to see it.

It's bad and they should feel bad and may God have mercy on their souls.

+1, et al., though I don't think this is quite enough to send Farsight to Hell.

 

[Jeff Strong]

You'd hope that, after years of development, it would be a welcome sight. If it doesn't blow our socks off, it should at least be an upgrade in just about every way. It sounds as though it's missing the mark a bit (that may be an understatement after reading some posts heh). Hopefully it's something they can improve upon quickly now that it's finally in place.

 

[Tann]

The new one adds functions, but looks like it was designed decades ago.
It doesn't look like a game. It doesn't represent pinball in any way. It doesn't inspire fun. It is colorless, characterless and horridly ugly. It makes Excel spreadsheets look exciting and fresh.

This.

To be honest, I don't really care if the new GUI is ugly (it can't be uglier and so far of pinball spirit though), if it's functionnal.

BUT...

1) From the Beta testers, it seems there's a lot of flaws and inconsistencies.

2) FS showed the first mockups of the new GUI, what... almost two years ago? (here)

The global opinion was: "It seems functionnal but Oh, Lord Lyman, it's just so ugly. But hey, it's just mockups, it can be still greatly improved."

Two years later, Beta is out... and...

 

[Fredrik Lundholm]

You'd hope that, after years of development, it would be a welcome sight. If it doesn't blow our socks off, it should at least be an upgrade in just about every way. It sounds as though it's missing the mark a bit (that may be an understatement after reading some posts heh). Hopefully it's something they can improve upon quickly now that it's finally in place.

The problem I have with he old GUI is as soon as you purchase a season pass the tables move into "my tables" which makes searching very difficult.
If we could retain the season directories even after purchase it would help me as the season grouping is an important element for me in selecting a table. Ie if I know a table is season one I have certain expectations regarding look and feel compared to a full blown season four game.