Malekith

That's why i always prefer when the devs don't take our opinions seriously. Trying to please your audience is backwards. You should be making the game YOU as a dev wants to make, and have the audience form around that game, not the game formed around the audience preference since there isn't a consencous of what makes a good game among people. That is Bioware's biggest problem in my opinion. They have listened to their audience way too much. But in kickstarted games that can't work since we paid for the game already, and deserve to know what is being made with our money. But as you see noone can agree in anything. So, in my opinion, the devs should always make the choice that is closer to IE (thats what we paid for anyway, so if someone complain about that his complains are invalid), and only stray for that model if THEY genuinely believe that what they want to change would make for a better game for the people who liked the IE games.

Kickstarted game's audience is a special case. A large portion of them genuinely consider that modern games has moved in a bad direction. UI, combat, text focus vs cutscene focus, design direction in general. Many can't stand these modern elements. On the other side, if someone considers IE games meh and outdated, he shouldn't had donated in P:E. If someone wanted the IE experiense streamlined and "modernized", he has DA:O. Many of us considered that game mediocre at best, a pale shadow of the IE games, and hope that P:E will be way more "old school" for a lack of better word.

Inquisitor is a game with great artwork (even if I think it is a terrible game), and the UI is indeed quite pretty. But, I'm not sure what works for a Diablo-style hack-and-slash is appropriate for a game like Project Eternity. I also really like the idea of UI-as-a-frame as seen in the old Infinity Engine games and don't want that to disappear entirely. That. Also, someone above said that the complains about NWN2 UI are because it looks terrible and not about fanctionality. Wrong again. It sure looks terrible, but IE UI (Torment excepted) were way more easy for me to use. NWN2 and ToEE UIs were a nightmare to use.

What about a right L, where the portraits are vertical and the action icons on lower right? So you minimize the distanse and you only have a slight up/down mouse movement. And you can put combat log on center and invintory,map,options,etc. left if you don't want to put combat log there.

Many of the proposed mock-ups (other than Sensuki's) use more screen real-estate than the original. http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?attachments/bg3ui-jpg.1565/ Something like this maybe?

:chokes:

Yes, i always prefered BG2 spell icons to IWD ones. Here the icons fit even les than they did in IWD grey UI. But it's a mockup so no harm done.

I'm definitely all for a hotkey to turn the UI off completely, even if it gets rid of the portraits too, An option in settings that would automatically switch the UI on when in combat mode, then off when not in combat mode would be awesome. Well, BG had that so i don't see why P:E can't. What ? Seriously, I just re-played BG1 2 and tob not long ago but I didn't find this option anywhere. Well, I might not have looked hard enough... I'm currently playing IWD2 for the first time so I'll have a look I don't remember if it's posible in IWD, but in BG just press [H]

I hope maps are like the IE games and not that minimap crap at the top of the screen.

I sure hope so.

I'm definitely all for a hotkey to turn the UI off completely, even if it gets rid of the portraits too, An option in settings that would automatically switch the UI on when in combat mode, then off when not in combat mode would be awesome. Well, BG had that so i don't see why P:E can't.

Obsidian and Bone all the way. Way more kewl.

Good idea if it is appropriate. The UI should be integrated with the general theme of the game, but i prefer a more exotic material than wood or stone as well.

That. More BG, less IWD2

Not true. For me in modern RPGs like DA:O and NWN2 the UI is part of why i didn't enjoyed the games so much.

Many people hate minimalistic customizable UI. If it was up to me i would have an even bigger UI, like BG2. That UI was the best in the history of gaming. It's kind of like 2D vs 3D in Torment. Whatever Obsidian desides, one side will be dissapointed.

Our interfaces are going to look like something based in the world, like the IE games. Sorry. Me happy!!!! I know this is a divisive matter like the 2D vs 3D dabate in Torment, but personally i consider NWN2 and DA:O UI abominations, and i don't want anything even remotely similar in P:E. Whichever way the devs had desided to go, some people would be disapointed anyway.

Love the direction the UI is going. Recent games (last ten years) have teririble UI with their MMO inspiration and minimalistic approach. I understand this is work in progress, but my only problem with the UI is the positions. I would prefer the combat-feedback box at the left sid of screen, and the portraits and abilities to the right. Other than that, great job!

There is no such thing as a "monk" or a "barbarian". Just because in D&D it works a sertain way, it doesn't mean that it must work that way everywhere. Moreover, if you remember from the kickstarter, classes like monk,paladin and bard wheren't in Obsidian's original plan. They were included only because backers wanted them, but they made no sense settingwise. So the devs reimagined them so that they will fit the setting. Sure, they would be better with other names as well, but blame the backers from this.

fixed

What about drug usage? Won't someone who has faced that problem in real life find it disturbing? How about rape? Slavery? Hunger?Child killing? If someone is close to child killing incidents in US may have negative emotions about this. I disagree partly with your stance because if a creator sit and think what someone out there can find disturbing,, he will run out of options very fast. Mature themes based on real life from their nature can rub some people the wrong way. For me the creators should be free to put everything they want in their work. If their creative vision doesn't include sexism for example because in their setting it doesn't make sense to have it, then good. The highlighed part is the key. If their artistic vision is of a bleak world where nothing good happens and racism,sexism and whateverism are the norms, they should go for it. There seems to be a misunderstanding. I don't endorse a "politically correct" (for a lack of better term) stance purely on ethical grounds. I don't really care if a statistically irrelevant (on general principle, <5%) minority of the potential buyers finds the game offensive - so I think hunger or drug use are almost certainly fine, slavery and child killing are probably okay. On the other hand, rape and racial issues should only be used with a good reason, because I'd prefer if there was no backlash of any kind, which could adversely affect sales. P:E is already a niche product. (Although, one could argue that this niche has not much overlap with those who would get offended by these themes, so they could be included anyway; a sentiment I can get behind, but keep in mind that those customers will also not boycott the product if it lacks the aforementioned themes - so why put them in?) I couldn't agree more. If the developers feel that their artistic vision would be compromised by a lack of racism, bigotry and rape, they should include these themes. But there can be a million (logical!) ways to have a setting without these, and grimdark is already getting tired. That's why i used the words "partly disagree". I agree with what you are saying that some issues should only be used with a good reason and not just because. But to tell the truth i have yet to see evidence that "offending content" for a lack of better phrase and forum backlash for that content affects sales negatively. Gamers who are interested in those issues are an extreme minority. And it works both ways. Many people were outraged that DA:O included gay romances, and a lot of buzz was created, but their sales were unhurt. The same with Witcher and sexism critisism.And DA2 had more serious problems. Only EA's CEO blames the homophobes for low sales. If someone knows one game that political issues caused sales drop feel free to correct me.

What about drug usage? Won't someone who has faced that problem in real life find it disturbing? How about rape? Slavery? Hunger?Child killing? If someone is close to child killing incidents in US may have negative emotions about this. I disagree partly with your stance because if a creator sit and think what someone out there can find disturbing,, he will run out of options very fast. Mature themes based on real life from their nature can rub some people the wrong way. For me the creators should be free to put everything they want in their work. If their creative vision doesn't include sexism for example because in their setting it doesn't make sense to have it, then good. The highlighed part is the key. If their artistic vision is of a bleak world where nothing good happens and racism,sexism and whateverism are the norms, they should go for it. If someone is so offended and realy can't stand something, nobody forces him to play the game. I don't think someone should put something offensive in the game just for shock value or by trying to be edgy and dark, but he shouldn't be afraid to put something either.

Why? Nothing forces them to be pollitically correct except publisers trying to be as inoffensive as possible to as big an audience as they can. Indie games have not the same restrictions, older games did not have the same restrictions, books and movies don't have the same restrictions. And still manage to sell very well. Why AAA publisers try to be as PC is beyond me. P:E will be publiser free, and only digital. So nothing restricts Obsidian. I'm not saying that they sould go out of their way to make the game as disturbing as possible, but they should not go out of their way to make children unkillable either for example. Aren't you forgeting something? Public pressure? All the PC white knights who are going to gleefully attack such a game with all their might? All the negative ratings it would get because of that? Or are you forgetting what happened to some other games and movies? IIRC, the resident evil that took place in rural africa, and there was outrage that zombies were black (zombies being white in previous games went by unnoticed). You either get alogn with the program, and your'e going to be brainign a hatefull bigot/chauvinist ot whatnot, and that is not the kind of publicity a company wants. Many would avoid the product simply because of association. Will it affect game sales negative? That's the only thing that matters and i have yet to see evidence that no-life white knights in blogs affect sales. Those other games you mentioned. Did the negative buzz affected them negativelly or boosted sales? After all is free publisity. Or it didn't have an effect at all? I know about books and movies that have been ripped apart for being sexist in the extreme, but it didn't affect their sales. They have their loyal fans, plus all those who bought them just to see what the buzz was about and those who read it just to be able to complain In games the only example that i can think of is Witcher, that has been critisised as sexist by some. And yet it does well finansialy. If a game had killable children, would sales drop? i don't think so. The people who would be offended(political groups mostly) aren't the people who generaly buy these games.

Highly unlikely. While a game that doesn't go all "united colors of Benneton, peace, love and tolerance = greatest thing ever, perfect ending" would certanly be something new and I'd love to see it, it will enver happen. Games have to follow the Political Correctness bandwagon. Why? Nothing forces them to be pollitically correct except publisers trying to be as inoffensive as possible to as big an audience as they can. Indie games have not the same restrictions, older games did not have the same restrictions, books and movies don't have the same restrictions. And still manage to sell very well. Why AAA publisers try to be as PC is beyond me. P:E will be publiser free, and only digital. So nothing restricts Obsidian. I'm not saying that they sould go out of their way to make the game as disturbing as possible, but they should not go out of their way to make children unkillable either for example.