Game menu redesign

[tomreyn]

I'm not completely happy with the current structure of the game menu - I think it's not very clear nor intuitive, but it really should be.

I think the following menu structure would improve on this:

Code: [Select]

LEVEL 1           LEVEL 2                        LEVEL 3

Single Player  -> Tutorial (List of Tutorials)
                  Scenario (List of Scenarios, filtered by difficulty (default: normal), increasing order, 2nd sort key is tutorial name)
                  Custom Game (Custom Game menu: 2 player map, 1 human vs 1 CPU normal)

Multi Player   -> Internet Game (Server List) -> Join (replace current '->' button by either an active button saying 'Join' or a text saying 'wrong version' and - possibly - move this to the first column)
                                              -> Host (Custom Game menu: Publish on master server, 4 player map, 1 human +1 network slot vs 2 CPU normal, tech tree: megapack, map: Conflict, tileset: [first listed])

               -> LAN Game                    -> Join
                                              -> Host (Custom Game menu: Do not publish on master server, 4 player map, 1 human +1 network slot vs 2 CPU normal, tech tree: megapack, map: Conflict, tileset: [first listed])

Game Mods

Options

About

Exit Game


[MuwuM]

Sounds nice for me 

[ElimiNator]

I don't think LAN game and Single player Custom game are different.

[Omega]

Definitely an improvement, though I'd personally switch join and host, since joining is easier for a new player than hosting, and that seems to be what your menu layout is about.

[tomreyn]

I agree, 'join' should probably be positioned before 'host', and have just modified the first post accordingly.
The reason why I initially listed 'host' first was  because I was in hopes that this would result in more people hosting. But this is probably rather wishful thinking, and causes more inconvenience than it does good.

[ultifd]

Hmm...sounds good, I guess.

[tomreyn]

It turns out (thanks titi) I forgot about ensuring that the IRC chat becomes visible to everyone. Here's how this can be achieved.
Hyphons mean that these options are listed on the same menu as the option above them, but are just presented visually as sub-options. I.e. you have a 'Multi Player' option on the main menu, with the 'Internet Game' and 'LAN game' options also in the main menu but visually arranged below the 'Multi Player' option. For Multi-Player -> Internet games, you now end up on the chat + server list, and can then decide to 'Join' or to 'Host' a server.

Code: [Select]

LEVEL 1           LEVEL 2                        LEVEL 3

Single Player  -> Tutorial (List of Tutorials)
                  Scenario (List of Scenarios, filtered by difficulty (default: normal), increasing order, 2nd sort key is tutorial name)
                  Custom Game (Custom Game menu: 2 player map, 1 human vs 1 CPU normal)

Multi Player
 - Internet Game  Server List
                    - Join (replace current '->' button by either an active button saying 'Join' or a text saying 'wrong version' and - possibly - move this to the first column of the server list table)
                    - Host (Custom Game menu: Publish on master server, 4 player map, 1 human +1 network slot vs 2 CPU normal, tech tree: megapack, map: Conflict, tileset: [first listed])

 - LAN Game    -> Join
               -> Host (Custom Game menu: Do not publish on master server, 4 player map, 1 human +1 network slot vs 2 CPU normal, tech tree: megapack, map: Conflict, tileset: [first listed])

Game Mods

Options

About

Exit Game


[tomreyn]

Here's what titi + I came up with, this is even better.

Main Menu:

• New Game
• Game Mods
• Options
• About
• Exit

New Game Menu:

• Single Player:
  
  • Tutorial
  • Scenario
  • Custom Game

• Multi Player:
  
  • Internet Game (goes to Lobby)
  • LAN Game (goes to LAN game menu

• Return (to Main Menu)

[Coldfusionstorm]

Here's what titi + I came up with, this is even better.

Main Menu:

• New Game
• Game Mods
• Options
• About
• Exit

New Game Menu:

• Single Player:
  
  • Tutorial
  • Scenario
  • Custom Game

• Multi Player:
  
  • Internet Game (goes to Lobby)
  • LAN Game (goes to LAN game menu

• Return (to Main Menu)

+1