Hi Dark, I pretty much agree with what you said below. I don't generally have a problem with menus in games accept that in certain adventure games like Chillingham the menus are a bit too clunky. Plus would be rather time consuming to program. A parser system would be far more appropriate in that situation.
However, in turn-based strategy games like Trek 2000 and STFC I don't see a real problem with menus. I can see a lot of games where a menu would be preferable over other methods of user interfaces. They are even better when certain hot keys are assigned to various menu actions like n for new game, c for continue game, s for save, whatever. Cheers! On 5/21/14, dark <d...@xgam.org> wrote: > Hi. > > I don't see a problem with menue driven interfaces for the sort of tactical > > combat type game your developing, or indeed for various other sorts of > games. Entombed for example uses a very minimal walking system for moving > around the dungeon, but everything like equipping your characters, deciding > > on actions and targets in battle and grabbing loot is all menue driven. > > My only personal issues with menus as the only interface, are firstly, the > time it takes to go through them, and secondly, that in some situations > (particularly in games like adventure games), with heavy item management > they can be rather clunky and limit the games' content. > > For example in the now defunked game from bavisoft chillingham, every action > > takes going through at least two menus. If you are in a room and want to > travel somewhere else, you need to arrow across to "go" and then across to > the direction. if you want to tie rope onto a hook to create a grapling hook > > you have to arrow across to use in the main menu, arrow across a list > composed of both your inventory and objects in the room to rope, then be > asked "with" and arrow across your inventory to hook. > > Similarly, if you examine a desk and find a secret draw, you have to arrow > across to examine, arrow across to desk, get the description of the draw, > then repeat the process and look in the draw. this also provides complexity > > for the programmer having to continually add items to the menus, complexity > > that could easily be fixed with a limited parza system, sinse it's much > quicker to typ "x desk" than go through all those menus. > > That being said this is a very specific issue with adventure games, and > possibly rpgs with multiple characters, attacks and weapons. It does not > affect other games at all, for example yesterday i was playing a quick hand > > of spoonbill's blind gamers nomination whist, which just involves menus for > > looking through your cards and deciding what to play, (you also hit the > number for the number of tricks to bid). > > so yes, menus are an okay idea, but depending upon game complexity they may > > run into issues of being overly clunky.From reading the documentation for > your first game I don't think that will be the case, (we'll see for certain > > when it's released), but that might not be so of some of the more complex > things your doing in the future. > > As regards pausing the game, well to be honest Shades of doom already has an > > instructional menu, and the game pauses freely while your in it. It's true > it's not context sensative, but it is well laid out enough to give a very > quick overview. > > Context sensative help is of course a great idea for none real time games, > and indeed something which is really taking off in ios games which don't > usually come with manuals. Pausing a real time game is for me just par for > the course, it then depends upon the quality of the help system and how easy > > it is to navigate to find the information you want quickly. One reason why > shades of doom and the quickhelp with F1 is such a good idea. > > Beware the grue! > > Dark. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
