The tutorial UI has fewer options than the full game UI. Any specific tweak suggestions for the full UI?
The tutorial slaves are available in the full game by visiting the smugglers in the slums.
Great to know!
It's true, I've been checking and thinking for a little and this are some of my first ideas. Of course, they're all personal and therefore subjective and debatable but maybe they can be helpful. I apologize in advance because english is not my native language and I'm writing in a rather quickly and disorganized manner:
BEFORE STARTING
1) I'll use "main menus" for writing about the group of menus currently located on the left side of the screen, such as: "Slave activities", "Slave assignments", [...], "End of the day".
2) I'll use "quick symbols" for writing about all the interactive images located on the right side of the screen (ex.: purple/training book). If I want to be more specific I'll use "secluded quick symbols" for writing about those interactive images that are outside the room (portraits, influence slave, question slave, etc.).
3) "Top bar" for the info and symbols secluded at the top (Day: 1 (800$) [...]).
4) I consider the changes made in the tutorial positive so, unless I specify something different, consider it'll be my starting point (position on the main menu, position of the slave, etc).
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
1) The movement of the mouse should always be reduced for efficiency (without breaking the aesthetic or readibility).
In this area, the main objective would be reducing the huge gap between the main menu on the left and the quick symbols on the right of the screen. This is something the tutorial UI already achieves by moving the main menu to the center.
2) The visual movement should be reduced for comfort (related to the previous point).
Personally, I find more comfortable the movements that are a straight line up-down (and then reading left-right) or a straight line left-right. So, the starting lines and finishing lines of reading and menus should be as alligned as possible in those axis with the others. I find the main menu on the center to be perfect distribution since its easier to fix your gaze to the center of the screen.
3) Readibility should be as quick as possible, this includes improving not only text but symbols and images to make them lighter.
For example, the new separation lines between the room and the top bar/secluded quick symbols is great.
SOME SPECIFIC IDEAS
1) The letter font of the (current) left sided menus could be changed to be more legible without losing elegance.
The filigree on the capital letters (and others, like the "m", "u", "e", "h") and their close grouping makes them less quickly recognizable.
2) The letter colour of the main menus should be changed.
I find the tutorial use of yellow easier to read than the current orange, since it makes more contrast with the background.
3) Having the option to use the arrow keys/wasd, enter/spacebar and esc, for navigating the main menu would be great.
The use of the mouse could be reserved for navigating the quick symbols, leaving it already strategically located. This would be specially comfortable if you play in a laptop with a touchpad (and your left hand).
4) The not secluded quick symbols could be reorganized and (some) visually changed.
4.1) First, the organization:
4.1.1) The events (races, fights and guild actions) could be moved to the left side of the screen, since they are clickable but used more rarely.
4.1.2) The travel and leave home/return home symbols could be moved to the left-down side of the screen, same principle as before.
4.1.3) The purple book (personal training with your slave) can be smaller in size, like in the tutorial, and be located on the right-top side of the screen. That position would make it closer to the secluded quick symbols, since it'll be frequently used in case of playing with the mouse and, that way, its closer.
4.1.4) Prison/barn, and laboratory should be the same size as purple book and be located following and horizontal line to the left (top) in decreasing order of use.
With these changes we allow the slave to continue being on the right-bottom-middle side of the screen.
4.2) Second, the visual changes:
4.2.1) For the events: fights and guild auctions are quickly recognizable, I don't find that to be the case with races. I like the image but it has too many elements for its size.
4.2.2) The laboratory symbol could be changed to a different less purple/pink colour (maybe green or blue?): if it's going to be side by side with the purple book this would make it quicker to recognize.
4.2.3) The barn symbol is recognizable but a little insatisfactory, it looks like blond hair, maybe something different and equally recognizable like a metallic jug of milk would be better.
4.2.3) The travel symbols could be the same size as the house symbol and share that design/aesthetic: using golden initial letters or representative simple symbols (for example a golden cross for white town, a golden skull for necropolis and so on). Now they are too small and their huge separation from the house button doesn't make sense to me.
5) On the main menu the little images previous to the texts could be: A) Removed. B) Moved to the right side of the same menu. C) Changed.
Personally I find the option A or B+C to be the best. Currently, most of them are not quickly recognizable (for example, difference between slave activities and slave assignments) and, being on the starting left, interfere with the reading of the text of the main menu.
Alternatively, if moved to the right side, at the end of each option, they would be less annoying and closer to the other symbols: which would make it easier to "read" them if you play with the mouse and only symbolic interacting. But, maybe, this would make the general image look heavy, since they would be close to the slave.
6) A quick access symbol to aura would be great since it's frequently used and only accesible by mouse. A good location could be under "influence slave".
7) The images of question and influence slave are great, but the textures seem low quality. They could be upscaled. (I don't have a good computer so maybe it's a problem on my side).
This is all for now, I tried to restrict myself to the home UI and not propose too many radical changes (though I know changing interactive things in size/design and place is not as easy as drag and drop).
Greetings!
