Info line idea

[Krice]

I have difficulties to decide if "info line" is a good idea. It's a line of text at the bottom of the screen showing context sensitive information about stuff like when you mouse hover on a strip of items (belt items) to see what they are, or simply move on tiles to look at them without pressing any mouse button or key. On the other hand it doesn't work at all with keyboard, it's really only mouse option so you would need also something for keyboard users. It's of course possible, but adds more commands for look, check belt items etc. There is something appealing in info line idea, but I don't know. What are your thoughts about this subject? I would like to tap into your infinite wisdom about this dilemma.

[KhaoTom]

I am a big fan of mouse over tool tips, either displayed in a status bar like you describe or as a popup.

[TheCreator]

Nice thing to have. Myself I am unable to use any new program if it doesn't offer such functionality. Make it as developed as you can. As of keyboard support, many ideas can be "stolen" from MS Windows, where you can use keyboard for virtually every action available with mouse (at least until Windows 7, not sure about the current situation :-)).

[wire_hall_medic]

I really like things like info lines, because I hate not having information that the character would have.  I like the challenge to be making the best choices with all the information, not trying to figure out what the necessary information is.  If you have to spend half the game figuring out what everything is, count me out.

[AgingMinotaur]

For info text that will appear when you mouse-over some element on the map, it would feel natural to me to implement that as a floating tooltip next to the cursor. After all, that's the place on the screen where the player will be directing his attention anyway.

As always,
Minotauros

[reaver]

This "info line" is also called "status bar", and it has been useful since kinda forever in GUI (and shell?) applications ...
If you'll have mouse cursor, do it, can't hurt.

[Krice]

This "info line" is also called "status bar", and it has been useful since kinda forever in GUI

I think often status bar information is not useful. I've seen it on some programs, but I never look at it, because it doesn't provide any information I need. Maybe an exception is Ableton Live (DAW) which does use it more like I'm planning to.

[Krice]

it would feel natural to me to implement that as a floating tooltip

Tooltips can be annoying. At least in web pages they are (Youtube..). Besides I realized that you can use the bottom line for regular (keyboard) look command, kind of like reserve looking messages for that area which removes them from the regular message buffer.

[akeley]

I don`t mind mouseovers in roguelikes as long as it`s possible to obtain the same info via keyboard without much fuss, which sadly is not always the case.
I much prefer playing with keyboard only and having to move my hand to another device every now and then is quite jarring.

It shouldn`t be too difficult: just make a decent "look/examine" function and also display the info line by default in all other interactions like inventory items, belt, paper dolls, etc.

[Krice]

I much prefer playing with keyboard only and having to move my hand to another device every now and then is quite jarring

That's why I'm trying to fit in mouse without making it something you have to use. There is even an option to completely turn off mouse so you won't even see the mouse cursor.

[Tzan]

I like Status Bars, I've put one in my game for now, might delete it later.
Its mostly for testing purposes now.

I would like to put in a Console so I can see a list of Debug.Log messages, not just one line.

With some applications when you get skilled with it, a status bar doesn't provide useful info sometimes.
If the info is something that could change, like inventory items then that's good.
If its just a tool tip style reminding you what button you are on, its good for a while, but then becomes useless.

Maybe there are different types of status messages and some can be turned off.

[Krice]

I would like to put in a Console so I can see a list of Debug.Log messages, not just one line.

It doesn't work like that.

If its just a tool tip style reminding you what button you are on, its good for a while, but then becomes useless.

It's not like that. Read the first message of this thread. Then go fuck yourself.

[Tzan]

I would like to put in a Console so I can see a list of Debug.Log messages, not just one line.

It doesn't work like that.

Yours doesnt work like that.
I was referring to my game.

If its just a tool tip style reminding you what button you are on, its good for a while, but then becomes useless.

It's not like that. Read the first message of this thread. Then go fuck yourself.

I was talking about several possibilities of operation, some good, some bad, not what you intend specifically.
Perhaps you should read my post more carefully, moron.

There is something appealing in info line idea, but I don't know. What are your thoughts about this subject? I would like to tap into your infinite wisdom about this dilemma.

It seemed you were looking for general thoughts on the subject, thats what I provided.

[Krice]

I was referring to my game.

Which clearly has nothing to do with this subject. I know some people can be really keen about their own game, but you should really open a dedicated thread for your game.

[Aleksanderus]

This thread is just a big hate!