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Different UI and layout ideas (mobile)

7,325 WarringMunky  4.4 years ago

I put this on User Voice, too, and just copy/pasted it here.

This game is therapy and I try to appreciate it and it's developers every time I build. These ideas might improve the mobile experience even more if you happen to agree and have the time.

Unconnected Part Finder: sometimes parts that aren't connected to the main cockpit either directly or indirectly are hiding, either set aside for later use or inside and forgotten. Maybe a tool that highlights those pieces while making the rest of your build into a skeleton would be a good idea. Also, maybe a list that shows their coordinates.

Multiple light sources in build mode: Sometimes you might want different color schemes on either side of your build or underneath and the uneven lighting can make it hard to get a good look.

An option to have the main cockpit always set to an X coordinate of Zero when returning from testing or reloading: When your build environment is temporarily lopsided, the cockpit seems to set at maybe the mathematical center of the far left and far right pieces. Also, sometimes mirroring doesn't do the trick and you have to manually place a piece. Knowing that the other side will always be a mirrored number would really help ensure accuracy of placement, and with speed. Or maybe instead be able to set the exact default location for the main cockpit for builds with multiple or uncommon points of symmetry.

Multiple color layout options for the build environment. The dark gray and light gray is serviceable, but it makes it hard to see gray pieces when using Multi-select. Having a button that would make the entire environment different shades of green or red or fuchsia would cinch that up.

In Attachment Editor, the arrows that show for the underside connections often don't light up when selecting them. Maybe it's an environment lighting issue, or maybe something was overlooked. Also, you're probably aware that on mobile, there's a bug that turns Touch Select on when adding attachments. Maybe that mode is useful for somebody (though I can't work out how) so I wouldn't suggest getting rid of it entirely, but it can be a little frustrating when you have to decide between either finding the exact locations of all of the pieces you just accidentally moved or hitting 'Undo' and losing all of the settings/XML edits you just worked on since the last time you moved a piece. I'm training myself to always compensate for that bug, but I don't remember as consistently as I'd like and I do a lot of settings at a time sometimes, so what parts I set or edited can be easy to forget, too.

Is there any way to set a light to start in the "Off" position in blink programs? It would make certain sequences easy that I can't figure out with every light beginning in 'On.'

The ability in mobile to change the size of the cursor while leaving the rest of the UI as is. Also, I can't get the "Lock Position" command to work and I think it's because of the location of where the cursor points, so maybe the ability to flip that down so we can reach the bottom of the screen.

I know you must be aviation enthusiasts and want to spread that interest. Links to aviation engineering learning sites and information on how young people might get into it (maybe just on the website).

Links to XML learning tools (maybe just on the website).

You say that Google requires you to have 64-bit something something (encoding?) for modders and Unity only does 32-bit of that something. Is the idea of a unique key for somebody who already purchased from Google Play for a third-party download version that allows for that modding unrealistic? Some of these people make real art and engineer some great tools that people without computers miss out on.

Just ideas and thoughts. I know I write too much. These are by no means complaints or critiques, this game was an all-time favorite before Update 1.9 came out, and it's even better now. It far exceeds my expectations for a $5 game or whatever I paid, and I hope to learn more with it and for it. I'll eventually have some dough to check out your other games too (probably). Thank you for the great pastime. :)

And arresting cables