*sam* Posted May 11, 2007, 6:06 pm	Just a couple of small things: 1. Fixed text cut-off and colour being lost on multi-line pieces of text 2. Added a ?find my car!? option to the game top-menu. This moves the camera to your first car (you can cycle to the ones after that using prev/next). And a big thing: The java lobby program is now relegated to being a patcher only. Logging into it automatically runs the main game client. We're hoping this will reduce confusion in new players. You'll see some extra buttons in the game client. I will add an option to run the java lobby as a stand-alone chatroom, since it is actually useful as that; but not as the first point of entry into the game.
*viKKing* Posted May 11, 2007, 8:06 pm	Hey, fine. Just a problem... could the green color be a bit darker. I have some problems reading it. Of course, you are fully aware they will then request an option to set their own colours?
*Speedealer* Posted May 11, 2007, 8:12 pm	I agree with Vikk. The blue too I don't mind dark type on a light background, or light type on a dark background, but it should be one or the other. My eyes hurt trying to switch from black text to bright blue and green. Just an old graphic designer (and his fading eyes) POV.
*viKKing* Posted May 11, 2007, 8:49 pm	In fact, it seemed fine in Junk2, so it is related to the background color...
*JD_Basher* jd.basher@charter.net Posted May 12, 2007, 12:36 am	Quote: You'll see some extra buttons in the game client. Nice additions Sam.... When I run the client though, it runs full screen. When I click on "Forums" for example, it automatically runs my browser to the correct page but since the Client is in "full screen" mode I cant get to the browser page that opened without quitting the client. I know it's an easy fix but I don't know how to make the client "windowed" so I can get to the browser. edit: Found it..In the options. Now only using the java for updates since the client now has the buttons needed like the lobby had! Thanks again Sam!
Falconeer Posted May 12, 2007, 1:57 pm	Great! Two things: 1) Colour of text is identical to join/leave messages. I think they should have different colours. 2) Game client lacks a MY GANG button. Great job!
*sam* Posted May 13, 2007, 7:52 pm	Thanks guys. Is the 'my gang' button useful then? I guess it must be ;-) I'll see about changing that green colour..
Falconeer Posted May 14, 2007, 3:59 pm	I don't know if the "my gang" button is useful or not. POint is, lots of my friends who had a peek at the game at my house said it was painful for them to have to switch between the 3d client and the browser. I know it's not so easy to push it all up in a standalone client and I don't think that will change anytime soon (although that could be a major boost to the game I guess). BUt the "mygang" button gives you the feeling that the 3D client is the "deck" which launches the various instances, like "gang" screen, 3D races, event diary and so on. Maybe it's just me and my friends, but not having a gang management tool built into the 3D client itself, the "my gang" button is the closest to it.
*sam* Posted May 14, 2007, 4:21 pm	Thanks for the explanation, it does make good sense. I actually will look into the possibility of having a browser integrated into the game client, since I believe this is something that has been done before with the Torque game engine..
Acierocolotl Posted May 14, 2007, 4:29 pm	With the utmost of respect, actually, and understanding the difficulty of the task, I'd like to suggest an overhaul of how the information is presented. Travel can only be accessed from "Map" which is only available once on the webpage, but requires squads to have been made first, which requires "My Gang" then "Squads". Crew can be added from the vehicles tab in "My Gang" but fuel, ammo and cargo can't, which requires going to "Town" or a few more clicks (characters->appropriate character in the town->the town link), and it starts to add up with a lot of browser windows (or in my case, browser tabs) open. If you were to imagine the menu system a logic tree, there's a lot of vertical connections, and the short form of what I'm suggesting is that there should be more horizontal connections as well.
*sam* Posted May 14, 2007, 4:39 pm	Makes sense Acie.. more 'horizontal' connections, as you call them, shouldn't be too hard to do. For example, the vehicle page could have a link to 'mechanic' which opens up that vehicle in 'mechanic' mode; it could also have a link to 'marketplace' which opens up that vehicle in the marketplace for cargo load/unload tasks. Maybe we need some nice-looking icons for these activities..
Falconeer Posted May 14, 2007, 6:23 pm	*sam* said: Thanks for the explanation, it does make good sense. I actually will look into the possibility of having a browser integrated into the game client, since I believe this is something that has been done before with the Torque game engine.. A browser integrated in the client would be awesome. I think lots of people who hate (pre-emptively.. alas..) browser games would look at Dark Wind differently.