GoughGhan
04-03-2010, 09:52 AM
The new User Interface
The first, and by far the most obvious, part of the new update is the updated User Interface. As I said in the previous blog the new UI comes across as very slick, compared to the one currently in use. For anyone who has not yet seen screenshots of the new UI (and really, I doubt that there are any people left at this point) here you go:
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2225/ncply.jpg (http://img717.imageshack.us/i/ncply.jpg/)
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2225/ncply.th.jpg (http://img410.imageshack.us/i/ncply.jpg/)
I must admit that I like it, and I welcome the change to something a bit more modern. The character name at the top right was removed, and MP received a numerical counter similar to the HP bar. Premium, Nation Bonus and notification icons were shifted to the bottom left of the screen, fitting in rather unobtrusively, which is another aspect of this new UI that I like. On a side note I wonder how long it will be before we see the first new skin...? I would put money on it not taking too long. I would also recommend that you restore the default UI before the update. We will make the files for the default UI available closer to the launch day, for those who somehow managed to lose or corrupt theirs.
Back to the new Interface. The new 'C' button on the right of the skillbar opens up a menu for everything you could possibly need ingame: Crafting, Inventory, Buddylist, Help, etc. The menu also lists the keyboard shortcuts for the various items on it, which is a decent touch.
http://imgur.com/1Njyl.jpg
New Cabal Menu
You will also notice that the EXP and AEXP bars shifted right down to the bottom of the screen. This is not a big change, but it fits in with the overall new look. The little jukebox bar also got an upgrade:
http://imgur.com/hkDTE.jpg
New Jukebox UI
The extra quickslots on the skillbar are very useful, and I have gotten used to having them there in a remarkably short time. You can access the skills either by mouseclick or by using Alt+number of whichever slot you want to use. Especially on a Force Blader the expanded UI is fantastic, and I am sure most FB will agree with me.
The first, and by far the most obvious, part of the new update is the updated User Interface. As I said in the previous blog the new UI comes across as very slick, compared to the one currently in use. For anyone who has not yet seen screenshots of the new UI (and really, I doubt that there are any people left at this point) here you go:
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2225/ncply.jpg (http://img717.imageshack.us/i/ncply.jpg/)
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2225/ncply.th.jpg (http://img410.imageshack.us/i/ncply.jpg/)
I must admit that I like it, and I welcome the change to something a bit more modern. The character name at the top right was removed, and MP received a numerical counter similar to the HP bar. Premium, Nation Bonus and notification icons were shifted to the bottom left of the screen, fitting in rather unobtrusively, which is another aspect of this new UI that I like. On a side note I wonder how long it will be before we see the first new skin...? I would put money on it not taking too long. I would also recommend that you restore the default UI before the update. We will make the files for the default UI available closer to the launch day, for those who somehow managed to lose or corrupt theirs.
Back to the new Interface. The new 'C' button on the right of the skillbar opens up a menu for everything you could possibly need ingame: Crafting, Inventory, Buddylist, Help, etc. The menu also lists the keyboard shortcuts for the various items on it, which is a decent touch.
http://imgur.com/1Njyl.jpg
New Cabal Menu
You will also notice that the EXP and AEXP bars shifted right down to the bottom of the screen. This is not a big change, but it fits in with the overall new look. The little jukebox bar also got an upgrade:
http://imgur.com/hkDTE.jpg
New Jukebox UI
The extra quickslots on the skillbar are very useful, and I have gotten used to having them there in a remarkably short time. You can access the skills either by mouseclick or by using Alt+number of whichever slot you want to use. Especially on a Force Blader the expanded UI is fantastic, and I am sure most FB will agree with me.