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The default layout of the EC is horrifying and probably chasing people away.

Lord_NythraxLord_Nythrax Posts: 635
in General Discussions

So yeah I happened to install and fire up the EC the other day and what the hell is this crap? What were they thinking?

"Yeah let's put the gameplay in a little window in the center, but still make the chat window awkwardly overlap it. We want the screen to be like 45% dead black space at a minimum. That'll save us lots of room to put two tiny red and green buff brackets. Also make the text borderline unreadable."

Bro @Kyronix dude there is no way this isn't having an outsized impact on F2P newbie churn. I know you've heard all the "we moved a tutorial door five feet to the right and retention went up 10%" game developer stories. This has to be hurting you. If I came in fresh and saw this and wasn't already financially invested I'd just close it out and go play something else.

Seriously just move shit around until it looks like something someone might play on purpose and then save that config as the default. This should take basically no time at all.

Comments

  • PawainPawain Posts: 11,207
    Wait till you see how some mobs look.
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • poppspopps Posts: 4,224

    I said it a lot of times... I have tried moving away from the Classic Client to the Enhanced Client many many times, even tried to force me to accepts its graphics but it is just too much ugly for me, it makes me sick having to look at it... I have always gone back to the Classic Client...

    I would LOVE to play the Enhanced Client for its way much better handling of macros, targeting and all that stuff as compared to the Classic Client but, even if my gameplay ends up getting severely crippled remaining with the Classic Client, I just can't help it... I cannot stand looking at the Enhanced Client graphics.

    I wished it was possible to play the Enhanced Client with the Classic Client Graphics look.
  • MsScarlettMsScarlett Posts: 63
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.
  • keven2002keven2002 Posts: 2,600
    MsScarlett said:
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.
    I think that's the point the OP was trying to make... the game starts up like that as a default and people don't know what's possible and what's not. 

    I barely ever use EC and to this day I don't know how to log out of EC without just clicking the "X" in the top right lol. In CC they dummy-proofed it for me; there is literally a button that says "Log out".
  • MariahMariah Posts: 3,549Moderator
    Main menu?

    keven2002 said:
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.
    I think that's the point the OP was trying to make... the game starts up like that as a default and people don't know what's possible and what's not. 

    I barely ever use EC and to this day I don't know how to log out of EC without just clicking the "X" in the top right lol. In CC they dummy-proofed it for me; there is literally a button that says "Log out".



  • keven2002keven2002 Posts: 2,600
    Mariah said:
    Main menu?

    keven2002 said:
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.
    I think that's the point the OP was trying to make... the game starts up like that as a default and people don't know what's possible and what's not. 

    I barely ever use EC and to this day I don't know how to log out of EC without just clicking the "X" in the top right lol. In CC they dummy-proofed it for me; there is literally a button that says "Log out".



    Cool... where is that located in the OP screenshot? Actions?
  • MariahMariah Posts: 3,549Moderator
    erm, the icon on the base hotbar, main menu? log out is the first option.

  • keven2002keven2002 Posts: 2,600
    Ah it's the paper looking thing; I never hovered over those things to even see Main Menu... thought it would be words like Macros or Actions. Thanks for the info; I don't have to X out anymore! lol
  • Lord_NythraxLord_Nythrax Posts: 635
    MsScarlett said:
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.

    This is a completely meaningless point that has nothing to do with anything in my post, you just saw something negative about "your" client and had to make noise.

    To wit, people who come in cold aren't going to know what they can do with the interface, or even what they should do with it. Furthermore, if the very first thing you give them in the game is a ten minute homework assignment on assembling their own interface out of randomly-placed parts, then a lot of them just aren't going to bother. The first few minutes of a game are critical to retention, and there are a billion free-to-play RPGs out there that don't try to pull that shit.
  • GrimbeardGrimbeard Posts: 3,184
    Ec is so vastly superior 
  • Lord_NythraxLord_Nythrax Posts: 635
    Every first-party UO client is complete embarrassing garbage. EC versus CC fights are like watching people argue over whether cat poop or dog poop tastes better.
  • Victim_Of_SiegeVictim_Of_Siege Posts: 2,445
    Lord_Nythrax said:
    Every first-party UO client is complete embarrassing garbage. EC versus CC fights are like watching people argue over whether cat poop or dog poop tastes better.
    Cat poop, of course . . .
    A Goblin, a Gargoyle, and a Drow walk into a bar . . .

    Never be afraid to challenge the status quo

  • Victim_Of_SiegeVictim_Of_Siege Posts: 2,445
    I'm going to agree that it should have a better starting layout , along with a Tutorial with basic use. I long ago create templates for my basic character typs with spells and macros, then saved them to a folder. When I create a new character, i rename the file whatever name i'm using and paste it in the appropriate shard folder. a beginning layout would look better as something like this, or whatever others feel is best.


    A Goblin, a Gargoyle, and a Drow walk into a bar . . .

    Never be afraid to challenge the status quo

  • Victim_Of_SiegeVictim_Of_Siege Posts: 2,445
    keven2002 said:
    Mariah said:
    Main menu?

    keven2002 said:
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.
    I think that's the point the OP was trying to make... the game starts up like that as a default and people don't know what's possible and what's not. 

    I barely ever use EC and to this day I don't know how to log out of EC without just clicking the "X" in the top right lol. In CC they dummy-proofed it for me; there is literally a button that says "Log out".



    Cool... where is that located in the OP screenshot? Actions?
    just hit the ESC key and it'll pop up 

    A Goblin, a Gargoyle, and a Drow walk into a bar . . .

    Never be afraid to challenge the status quo

  • LokeaLokea Posts: 294
    keven2002 said:
    MsScarlett said:
    You do realize you can adjust sizes and positions of all that right? I like the ability of adding what i need and in the places that I need them to be rather than a set location.
    I think that's the point the OP was trying to make... the game starts up like that as a default and people don't know what's possible and what's not. 

    I barely ever use EC and to this day I don't know how to log out of EC without just clicking the "X" in the top right lol. In CC they dummy-proofed it for me; there is literally a button that says "Log out".
    If those people play other MMOs they will start in on adjusting the layout to whatever they are used to.  It’s literally the first thing I do once I get logged into a new MMO.  Most, if not all, MMOs that ship these days have highly customizable interfaces. With UO, when I came back, first thing I did was expand the size of the game window and fiddle with UI scaling, because I have a large 4K monitor.

    I do agree that it could perhaps be better, starting with things like the backpack/containers having a brighter background.  It’s there in the settings but still.

    As for logging  out of the EC, I just hit the ESCAPE key and it brings up a menu with logout, exit game, user settings, Macros, Actions, Ultima Store, Help. Etc.

    Is it perfect? No, but for players coming in from other MMOs, it’s going to be the one they gravitate towards.
  • RockoRocko Posts: 197
    The OP makes a valid point and offers a simple solution.  Don't you agree @Kyronix? 
    Former content creator for UO Stratics.
  • Lord_NythraxLord_Nythrax Posts: 635
    Lokea said:
    If those people play other MMOs they will start in on adjusting the layout to whatever they are used to.  It’s literally the first thing I do once I get logged into a new MMO.  Most, if not all, MMOs that ship these days have highly customizable interfaces.

    Other MMOs absolutely do not turn 40% of the screen into dead space so they can make room to hold two tiny icons and stupid shit like that. Whoever approved this layout should be ashamed of themselves. So tired of these "actually trash tastes good to me yum yum" UO forum Stockholm Syndrome posts.
  • WhitewolfWhitewolf Posts: 256
    EC has a learning curve, but for the people who can figure it out its definitely worth it, i only play UO because of EC, if i had to play in classic then i wouldn't play.
  • LokeaLokea Posts: 294
    Lord_Nythrax said:
    Other MMOs absolutely do not turn 40% of the screen into dead space so they can make room to hold two tiny icons and stupid shit like that. Whoever approved this layout should be ashamed of themselves. So tired of these "actually trash tastes good to me yum yum" UO forum Stockholm Syndrome posts.
    I'm a little confused - are we talking about the CC now?  Because if we are, I'm sorry, but I'm on a small, albeit 24-inch 4K monitor (scaled down obviously), and the CC has way, way more dead space than 40% - you are being way too generous.  Probably 75% dead space.  This is a default full-screen clean install - I only moved the game window to the side to provide a better perspective on how much dead space there is:



    With that said, we are getting resizable windows in the CC later this summer/fall.
  • PawainPawain Posts: 11,207
    @lokea, you can make CC bigger now.  Under Display, the eye.  Can fill up that CC screen now.
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • MariahMariah Posts: 3,549Moderator
    @Lokea to illustrate what @Pawain is telling you:


  • Lord_NythraxLord_Nythrax Posts: 635
    edited September 1
    Lokea said:
    I'm a little confused - are we talking about the CC now?  Because if we are, I'm sorry, but I'm on a small, albeit 24-inch 4K monitor (scaled down obviously), and the CC has way, way more dead space than 40%.

    The CC is an embarrassing pile of garbage and I've been very outspoken about that for a long time now. News flash, it's not 2008, we're not having a "Classic vs Kingdom Reborn" fanboy argument, both clients have serious problems, and this particular thread is about this one.
  • LokeaLokea Posts: 294
    Pawain said:
    @ lokea, you can make CC bigger now.  Under Display, the eye.  Can fill up that CC screen now.
    I was pointing out default layouts. 
  • LokeaLokea Posts: 294
    Lord_Nythrax said:
    Lokea said:
    I'm a little confused - are we talking about the CC now?  Because if we are, I'm sorry, but I'm on a small, albeit 24-inch 4K monitor (scaled down obviously), and the CC has way, way more dead space than 40%.

    The CC is an embarrassing pile of garbage and I've been very outspoken about that for a long time now. News flash, it's not 2008, we're not having a "Classic vs Kingdom Reborn" fanboy argument, both clients have serious problems, and this particular thread is about this one.
    By the way, I don’t necessarily disagree with you, having been a long-time player who has also played pretty much all of the other major MMOs, and who still semi-actively plays a few others currently (Final Fantasy and EVE, with a little Lord of the Rings and RuneScape thrown in).  I wouldn’t be as harsh.  

    I have introduced my middle school-aged son to UO this summer, and he’s enjoyed it, but there are quirks that would be problematic if he and I were doing it having never played UO before.  He did know enough about games and MMOs to resize the playing window right away and having seen my setup, he went about configuring his screen, hotbars, etc. If he had not seen my screen or seen screenshots of other players, he could/would be lost in a few places.  

    Even if he hadn’t seen my setup or screenshots of other UO players, having played other MMOs, he would have been trying to setup up his UO desktop in a similar fashion to how he plays elsewhere.  

    I do think there could be a much better tutorial for setting UO up, especially for a new account, and not requiring much in the way of dev resources.  Even if it was only web-based, as long as it was put in front of a new player, it could help.  I think the learning curve is steep, but that doesn’t have to be a barrier for new players. It’s about getting them over that period of time where they could get frustrated and walk away or never convey to a paying customer.  

    At a minimum, the web tutorial needs to be far more comprehensive. We are talking a day or two of somebody setting down and doing a few walk throughs with more screenshots. 

    UO is very lucky in that there are groups that seek out new players and take them under their wings.  
  • PawainPawain Posts: 11,207
    Lokea said:
    Pawain said:
    @ lokea, you can make CC bigger now.  Under Display, the eye.  Can fill up that CC screen now.
    I was pointing out default layouts. 
    Ya that does fit the topic.  What you see at first login.
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
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