New Features and User Interface Improvements (11/17/2010)

[miokomioko]

http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...1b1ab2f941c524

The large-scale version update tentatively scheduled for November 25 will bring about a number of changes to the user interface (UI). Among these will be improvements to controls on various menus and screens, an item-sorting feature, and further improvements to targeting and chat systems. In addition to reworking numerous facets of the UI, we will also be implementing a number of new features. This Topics post will introduce and detail a portion of these planned.


Menus
Under the main menu, the Attributes & Gear option will be split into two options, Attributes and Gear. There will also be a Loot option that will be displayed under the Interactions menu whenever an item occupies a player's loot list. Improvements to menu navigation when using a gamepad or keyboard will be made. And finally, the experience and skill point bars currently displayed in the upper left portion while the main menu is open will now be visible on the screen at all times in the same manner as the HP bar.

Attributes
- The general layout of the Attributes window is being redesigned.
- Character information will be organized into General Attributes, Skills, and Key Items tabs.

Gear
- Selecting a slot will restrict the items displayed in the gear list to only those that may be equipped in that slot.
- Mousing over an item will display that item's icon, statistics, and other information.
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...f96058b070cc72

Inventory
- The number of items players and retainers may have in their inventory will be increased by twenty.
- Currency and Loot tabs will be added.
- The upper portion of the Inventory window will display a list of items in a player's possession. Highlighting an item will display its icon, statistics, and other information below.
(The Wear value for items can currently be viewed at the bottom of the Items tab by clicking on the arrow icon in the lower right, pressing left or right on the directional pad of a gamepad, or by pressing the left or right arrow keys on a keyboard. To eliminate this additional step, an item's Wear value will be incorporated into its details window in the December version update.)
- A sort feature will be added to player inventories.
(Enabling the sort feature will organize an inventory by item type. While disabled, items will be listed in the order in which they entered the inventory.)
(Future version updates will bring additional sort options, both automated and manual.)
- Selecting an item will open a menu containing the Sell Item, Purchase Item, Seek Repairs, Repair, Discard, and Toggle Sort options.
- Sale prices will be displayed next to items in player and retainer bazaars.
- Icons representing Unit Price, Set Price, Purchase Item, and Seek Repairs will be added to player and retainer bazaars.

Journal
- Area names will be displayed on the journal map screen.
- A player's current location will be displayed on the journal map screen.
- A history of completed quests will be added.

Retainers
- Simply selecting an item will move that item to a retainer's inventory.
- It will become possible to easily exchange gil with retainers from the new Currency tab.

Map
- Zoom-in and zoom-out functionality will be added to the map screen.
- Scrolling on the map screen will be possible by dragging the mouse.
- The log will remain visible while the map screen is open.
- A map menu will be added in the upper right of the map screen.
- The location of party members will be displayed on the map screen in real-time.
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...d4ec7f2facec81

Configuration
- A Chat-specific Keyboard setting will be added for players using gamepads. When enabled, this setting allows text to be entered directly without first pressing the spacebar to open the chat prompt.
(Key mapping will not be possible while the Chat-specific Keyboard setting is enabled.)
- It will be possible to create new chat log tabs with unique filter settings from the Chat Filters screen. Tab display will be locked regardless of whether the log is active or inactive.
- Chat filter options will be added for synthesis- and gathering-related messages.
- Font colors for different chat modes will become selectable.
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...fcf4006fed6809

Other
Chat Feature
- The input bar of the chat log will be displayed continuously.
- Pressing Ctrl+R will open a /tell prompt addressed to the last player from whom a /tell was received.
- Pressing Ctrl+S, Ctrl+T, Ctrl+H, Ctrl+P, and Ctrl+L will open /say, /tell, /shout, /party, and /linkshell chat prompts, respectively.
- The text commands /s, /t (/t <player name>), /p, and /l will be usable to set the chat mode to /say, /tell, /party, and /linkshell modes, respectively.

Text Commands
- The <pos> command will be usable to display coordinates on the map.
- The /equip and /item commands will accommodate high-quality items (i.e., items with names containing a +1, +2, etc.).
- Simultaneously equipping multiple items of the same name to multiple slots with the /equip command will become possible.

Targeting
- While engaging multiple enemies, a player's cursor will automatically move to the next target when the current target is defeated.
- Players with no target who are attacked by an enemy will automatically target that enemy.
- It will be possible to open treasure chests by targeting and selecting them, rather than via the Interactions menu.

Awesome.

Selecting a slot will restrict the items displayed in the gear list to only those that may be equipped in that slot.

The number of items players and retainers may have in their inventory will be increased by twenty.

A sort feature will be added to player inventories.

Mousing over an item will display that item's icon, statistics, and other information.

The location of party members will be displayed on the map screen in real-time.

While engaging multiple enemies, a player's cursor will automatically move to the next target when the current target is defeated.

Players with no target who are attacked by an enemy will automatically target that enemy.

Font colors for different chat modes will become selectable.

It will be possible to create new chat log tabs with unique filter settings from the Chat Filters screen.

Pressing Ctrl+R will open a /tell prompt addressed to the last player from whom a /tell was received.

Pressing Ctrl+S, Ctrl+T, Ctrl+H, Ctrl+P, and Ctrl+L will open /say, /tell, /shout, /party, and /linkshell chat prompts, respectively.

[Dooom]

All nice stuff, but alas, should have been there from the start.

[sruon]

Epic.

[miokomioko]

See, now we're getting to actual improvements of systems that were in XI. Real-time party members on the map, multiple chat logs with individual filter settings, auto-targeting, etc.

[Elcura]

All nice stuff, but alas, should have been there from the start.

Could've been, if the game wasn't released so early. But still, what's with this type of comment? It makes me believe that no matter what is done, or no matter how good it is, this will always pop up.

I think at this point, people are being cynical for the sake of it. I kinda see 3 camps, those who have decided to hate it no matter what, those who like it no matter what, and then those inbetween (the undecided or apathetic).

[Hyan]

It makes me believe that no matter what is done, or no matter how good it is, this will always pop up.

Of course. It's invaluable ammunition for the haters. It'll never go away as long as there is someone out there hating the game.

I thought retainer inventory increase didn't come until March? Well, I'll take it.

They also seem to have split up the updates more than what was probably planned?

[Gokulo]

Another thing they couldn't reuse from XI: predefined colors instead of R/G/B selection

[Hyan]

Another thing they couldn't reuse from XI: predefined colors instead of R/G/B selection

Many features seem to have "here's something for the time being, the rest will come a bit later" status.

And finally, the experience and skill point bars currently displayed in the upper left portion while the main menu is open will now be visible on the screen at all times in the same manner as the HP bar.

I don't really like this change. Hopefully they'll make it toggleable in the future. I hate seeing my progress at all times, but I guess that's just me.

[Dooom]

Could've been, if the game wasn't released so early. But still, what's with this type of comment? It makes me believe that no matter what is done, or no matter how good it is, this will always pop up.

Because as it stands, it's still not quite enough for me to call this a good game. Or maybe my expectations are too high when I thought such things would have been there from the start? It's also quite amusing that yourself and Hyan are implying I'm some sort of "hater", when really I'm still just feeling disappointed, but am undecided about my overall opinion.

[Hyan]

Oh, I didn't want to make it sound that way. I doubt you would keep saying that if things get better, but there is always a lordender out there who will.

[Telliani]

Yay.. Maybe my inventory list and stat information menu will stop jumping around when I go to swap out my rings and things and have to be really, really careful or I miss them by a line.


And yea, there's an interview that was posted on zam from PC Gamer and half the comments are like "TOO LATE! I will never go back!" ...darn! I don't mind waiting, but I guess I'm just annoyingly patient. I've got my list of problems with the game, though this list here wipes out most of them. Now all that I have to hope is my husband won't get 2 levels ahead of me again even though we level together 100% of the time on our fighting jobs.

[Tomino]

A Chat-specific Keyboard setting will be added for players using gamepads. When enabled, this setting allows text to be entered directly without first pressing the spacebar to open the chat prompt.

Ok but,
why was it possible to do that in FF11 (with no gamepad) and I'm now forced to buy one? Given how good people speak of playing with one I'd probably buy one anyway but still...

[Hyan]

Ok but,
why was it possible to do that in FF11 (with no gamepad) and I'm now forced to buy one? Given how good people speak of playing with one I'd probably buy one anyway but still...

I doubt there's anything to stop you from using the same setting with Keyboard.

Good luck playing the game that way though o_0

[Dooom]

Oh, I didn't want to make it sound that way. I doubt you would keep saying that if things get better, but there is always a lordender out there who will.

My bad for misunderstanding you then, or for thinking you were implying things you weren't. You're basically right though, the past few announcements have made my opinion more positive than it was, and I hope it carries on that way - I'm not someone who will be negative just for the sake of it. The emphasis of my first post is on the first part (nice additions) rather than the later (that it's all stuff I expected there at launch).

And yea, there's an interview that was posted on zam from PC Gamer and half the comments are like "TOO LATE! I will never go back!" ...darn!

Yeah, I think people who are all "NEVER GO BACK!" are kinda silly, as it's very possible that SE turn this game around and make it something really good.

[Shaskoru]

Could've been, if the game wasn't released so early. But still, what's with this type of comment? It makes me believe that no matter what is done, or no matter how good it is, this will always pop up.

I think at this point, people are being cynical for the sake of it. I kinda see 3 camps, those who have decided to hate it no matter what, those who like it no matter what, and then those inbetween (the undecided or apathetic).

Of course. It's invaluable ammunition for the haters. It'll never go away as long as there is someone out there hating the game.

I thought retainer inventory increase didn't come until March? Well, I'll take it.

They also seem to have split up the updates more than what was probably planned?

A good portion of these additions are considered along the lines of the bare essentials for interface interactivity in general (not just in games, mind you). Every MMORPG (except FFXI) has had these if the game so required it (IE: Not all games have such a bad inventory system and thus do not need to provide an inventory sort function). Basically:

See, now we're getting to actual improvements of systems that were in XI. Real-time party members on the map, multiple chat logs with individual filter settings, auto-targeting, etc.

SE is trying to catch up with the rest of the world.

Regardless of what you think, Dooom's comment was spot on.

[Saroyan]

Nice, I'm looking forward to the changes.

[Hyan]

Regardless of what you think, Dooom's comment was spot on.

Who has claimed otherwise?

[Tomino]

I doubt there's anything to stop you from using the same setting with Keyboard.

I'm troubled by the fact they mentioned the gamepad.
I really hope it will work keyboard only because, again, FF11 was just like that and it also had character/camera controls

[Shuichi]

Good stuff. Keep it coming SE.

[Kuya]

Of course. It's invaluable ammunition for the haters. It'll never go away as long as there is someone out there hating the game.

I thought retainer inventory increase didn't come until March? Well, I'll take it.

They also seem to have split up the updates more than what was probably planned?

You mean to say that expecting these sort of things from the start is not a valid criticism?