Interface changes

on team games i seeing a problem that there seems to be no regulation on the rank or skill of players in team ups for example i in a game yesterday where 2 skill level 0 and rank basic where against two player one skill rank 111 and the other 40 something i think and both there rank where very high so the game was over before it was started. i think a system that teamed up lower level player with teh higher level players would make the game more fun in those team matches

I think there is a "balanced" team setting in the backlog somewhere, but it is not trivial to write. I have some pretty cool ideas about showing how balanced games are as well, but I don't think we will have time to implement that in the short term. Either way, this is not really the right thread to discuss this, since this is about redesigning the interface on many parts of the website.

What if the game was more visual? I like the simplicity of D12 however I think it could be cool with a simple active graphic when there is attack movement to follow the game visually better. I wonder if these gifs I've made could give an idea to programmers on how it could be programmed so when a territory is attacking, that the attacking territory could blink. (the colors are blinking from Color to Neutral). Watching a live game could be fun, or even a multiplayer sametime game :) [spoiler=attack circles] [spoiler=green][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/1.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=lignt blue][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/10.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=dark blue][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/2.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=red][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/3.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=pink][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/4.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=purple][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/5.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=orange][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/7.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=black][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/8.gif[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=yellow][img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/9.gif[/img] [/spoiler][/spoiler]

I think it would give a very busy and uneasy look to the screen if things start blinking. If I understand correctly, the problem you are having is that from an observer's perspective it is difficult to see where things are happening in the game? Maybe an alternative solution would be to flash the numbers of a territory red when troops are dying there. Not sure how to do that with a conquered territory, but maybe it's a start. I think it is a good idea to have something like it, but I am not a fan of the flashing circles at all to be honest :)

Not having any problems with how it is, just remembering tho, when i was a noob here, having played elsewhere with the graphics and audio of the hasbro PC version (RISK 2), I was wondering if anything was happening, was this live? I didnt intuitively check the game log, but of course as a long time risk player I'd eventually figure it out. I'm thinking of the total noob to risk, who happen to come and check out D12. Would it be appealing from an observation point of view to follow the game better with a visual of the attack in play rather than thinking they are looking at a static gameplay with nothing happening. Maybe the gamelog could be the default rather than the chat..something moving. Other sites, use like a beam of light, or territories highlighted, or crosshair display. The blinking circles are infinitely blinking now, and are irritating but they can be tweaked to seconds timing,[img]http://www.dicepatch.com/blinkcircles/captured.gif[/img] and the idea is that they just blink on attack. Main thing is that it isn't super annoying of course. Maybe a google chrome extension with these, hmmm. wish i knew how to try, lol. But yeah that idea of the numbers dying 'flashing red' sounds like a v good idea to me.

Additionally to the red numbers of the defending territory, I think it would be good to show the attacking territory as bright green as well. This way, it will be a world standard colour system of Go & Stop, Allowed & Not Allowed, Good & Bad, Correct & Wrong, Port & Starboard ^^ (not relevant), showing who is attacking who. Although I would prefer a static additional outer circle colour, of course, only shown until the territory is conquered or the attack is ended. This will also help very much in Same Time games, that is until 2 armies are attacking each other. I guess the first to act in milliseconds will be green? [i]I am at work, so I can't make a graphic example[/i]

I like the current create the game interface, but the lobby is really throwing me off... I am sure some updates could improve it, but as of now it looks messy. Maybe I am biased since I grew attached to the old look, but I really think it needs some major updates to achieve that slick look it used to have (but with a new interface). (Wow it's been awhile since I have been here, didn't realize how much I missed d12)

Do you also have suggestions on what to improve? I kinda like it as it is...

We are able to display much more information in a smaller amount of space with the new live game lobby design. The old design was barely usable. No one knew what all those icons meant.

Agree, definitely more functional as it is now. @Votazap, you can also switch to [u]"list view"[/u] if you want. Personally I prefer [u]"box view"[/u] also for the Long Term lobby. If it is possible I would like the view setting in both lobbies to stay recorded. The only thing I would have saved of the old one, honestly, is the dark background for the Live lobby. It seemed more appealing to me, more ideal for passing the night playing live games. Well, we cannot agree on everything, you know... when one says "black" another says "white"!

Note: you can now choose to always use the lobby layout (list view or box view) in the [url=https://dominating12.com/account/settings]account settings[/url].

Thanks Matty. account settings are nice and also the game filter is very functional for searching the LT's you like. I noticed I am not the only who prefers the dark background: [quote]23 Jan, 00:52 UltrasPlot: also is there any way to get back the old black background, white is too glare-y[/quote][i](from chatbox)[/i] But I would keep it white for long term games, so even if one use the "box view" in both lobbies, they still look different

I understand you like the dark background better, but the entire Live Game Lobby used to look completely different from the rest from the website. We had to make compromises to make it fit better within the site of the style again. Giving it a dark background would clash with pretty much every web design principle I am aware of. I think it may just be a matter of getting used to it.

Ok got it, thanks Cireon. Probably I only need to get used to it.

[quote=Cireon]I understand you like the dark background better, but the entire Live Game Lobby used to look completely different from the rest from the website. We had to make compromises to make it fit better within the site of the style again. Giving it a dark background would clash with pretty much every web design principle I am aware of. I think it may just be a matter of getting used to it.[/quote] Note: I still want to try a couple of things with the layout there. However, I have been busy for quite a while now, and will be very busy again in a week or so, so for now I'm going to take it slow for a bit. And yes, the hard part is not to put something dark in the background, but it's to make that dark look consistent with the rest of the site.