EPT
]Welcome to the second iteration of my modifications and additions to the current BNet UI. My first set of designs and concepts were met with really great enthusiasm and feedback and I'm honored by the compliments. I felt like there were a number of things I needed to change/add to best satisfy the community, so I've continued the project.
The purpose of these designs is to give Blizz some community input on how the UI could look and what features we'd really like to see down the line. To that effect: please comment on my designs and ideas, if there's something that everyone wants, I'll add/change it and hopefully we can keep everyone happy. This is probably the iteration I will send to Blizzard in email form, unless we decide it needs more work.
I understand that design doesn't magically make features appear and function, and that some of these ideas/features are unfeasible. But having well developed concepts of how things could and should work ought to give the developers inspiration and direction. I don't want to insult anyone or downplay their work, rather I laud the achievements of the SC2 team. But I also want them to know that it can be improved and I know they can access the resources to do it.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kFfVz.jpg)
To Begin
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Starting with the Fun or not page (as it was the main screenshot I was working with), I'll bring your attention to reorganized left and right panels, as well as a slightly larger chat channel button at the bottom right.
The left panel buttons are arranged: Home/Welcome, Community, News, Galaxy Editor, Replays, Event, Help. The right panel buttons include your profile, achievements, ladder and Clan. The reasoning here is to create consistent design; functions centered around your profile (summary, achievements, ladder and clan) are kept by your player icon, and other functions (including social, informative, etc.) are kept separate. The player's icon and create party button are made smaller to make room for these buttons and your clan's name is added to the top right of the right panel (although it disappears when you're in a party).
The left panel buttons are arranged: Home/Welcome, Community, News, Galaxy Editor, Replays, Event, Help. The right panel buttons include your profile, achievements, ladder and Clan. The reasoning here is to create consistent design; functions centered around your profile (summary, achievements, ladder and clan) are kept by your player icon, and other functions (including social, informative, etc.) are kept separate. The player's icon and create party button are made smaller to make room for these buttons and your clan's name is added to the top right of the right panel (although it disappears when you're in a party).
Full Screen
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While I have not modified my other designs to fit this, I would like to present a view of how the UI could maximize it's use of space.
First, the Starcraft 2 logo has been shrunk (we have a login screen for a large logo). The panels to the left and right have been squashed upwards to match, however the icons are proportionally smaller. Notice how the buttons still seem plenty large enough and there still is plenty of room (for the icons of partymembers, for instance). The bottom social/menu space has been squashed downwards, but again at no detriment to useability or visual style. The major change is that the central window has been maximized in all directions. If not being able to see the 3d elements (planet/hyperion) on either side was a problem, I have made the main window's background slightly transparent.
Across all types of displays it would be a boon to be able to use more space.
First, the Starcraft 2 logo has been shrunk (we have a login screen for a large logo). The panels to the left and right have been squashed upwards to match, however the icons are proportionally smaller. Notice how the buttons still seem plenty large enough and there still is plenty of room (for the icons of partymembers, for instance). The bottom social/menu space has been squashed downwards, but again at no detriment to useability or visual style. The major change is that the central window has been maximized in all directions. If not being able to see the 3d elements (planet/hyperion) on either side was a problem, I have made the main window's background slightly transparent.
Across all types of displays it would be a boon to be able to use more space.
Chat Channels
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After the overarching UI changes, I'll return to the first UI element I worked at redesigning. Here we see the channel fills the main window by default but retains it's current functionalities of resizing, etc. On the right you can see the players' names now have their clan attached. The mod for the channel would have a specially colored name/icon. At the bottom right I have added three buttons: Emoticons, Moderation/voting, and Channel options. The functions for emoticons and moderation would also be based in chat commands. Channel options would include public/privacy, user cap, password control, preferred moderators and so on for a moderator. Any ideas for options a non-moderator might want in a channel?
FYI the channel discussion is taken from a design by LzGaMeR, which included a functionality which I felt was pretty cool: in-line "join as observer" links (which one would assume add you as an obs to a game). I think they could even look like buttons.
Continuing the idea of consistent design, IM/social functions should mainly be kept at the bottom of the screen. This also makes sure you are always able to chat with others.
FYI the channel discussion is taken from a design by LzGaMeR, which included a functionality which I felt was pretty cool: in-line "join as observer" links (which one would assume add you as an obs to a game). I think they could even look like buttons.
Continuing the idea of consistent design, IM/social functions should mainly be kept at the bottom of the screen. This also makes sure you are always able to chat with others.
Home/Welcome
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Here I've broken up News and Community into two separate panels. They both rotate between views every few seconds (as the News/Community panel does now). Recent Broadcasts have been lumped in as a view in the community panel. Forums are the second view of Community, showing the top rated threads from the SC2 forums (clicking on one brings you to the thread in the in-game forums). The third view is General Chat Channel, which shows a realtime view of an instance of a chat channel (or just a still image). Clicking on this brings up that chat channel so you can join right in.
These modifications are mostly aimed at getting a new or not previously social player involved with the community ("hey look, people are posting in the forums/chatting in this channel, I guess I could join in"). Broadcasts are an insular social mechanic (friends vs. community) and so I'm leaning toward deemphasizing them on this page.
These modifications are mostly aimed at getting a new or not previously social player involved with the community ("hey look, people are posting in the forums/chatting in this channel, I guess I could join in"). Broadcasts are an insular social mechanic (friends vs. community) and so I'm leaning toward deemphasizing them on this page.
Community/Forums
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At the moment, that's pretty much it: a page to use the SC2 forums in-game. The icon is the forum icon from the SC2 website. I've fiddled with it slightly since my last post to include the important navigation of breadcrumbs, some text I had misplaced and a style more in-line with the rest of the UI.
News
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Again, very simply, this is now the dedicated News page, with a cool UNN icon (;D). I've modified it to mimic the SC2 website, with a header space where featured, breaking, and otherwise important news would be emphasized, and individual news stories have a shortened version with a link to their own page. The tabs down the left give you different types of news, including upcoming events (see Event page). I could see having major sc2 communities getting their own news tabs here (TL, for instance).
Galaxy Editor
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As an in-game web browser was met with a general "meh", I decided to fill it's gap with a Galaxy Editor page. The major use of this page would be to manage and edit your own custom maps/mods, maps you've downloaded from bnet/interwebs, as well as all maps you have on your computer. Also, it serves as a link into the editor itself.
The UI mimics that of joining a custom game, with criteria buttons across the left, a category chooser and a search function. In the list of maps, you are given the author(s) name(s), a green star which indicates maps you've created, and green checks or red exclamation marks along the left.
A map that has been installed in the correct directory (esp those downloaded from Bnet) will have a green check, those that are found on your machine but are not in the right directory for play (esp those downloaded externally) have the red mark. If you are the author of the map, green or red mean whether you've published the map to Bnet or not.
Right clicking on a map in the list gives you several options, including to edit, duplicate, delete, install (copies the map to the correct directory for play), and publish (if you are the author). You can use this to purge unwanted maps you accidentally downloaded without leaving SC2.
The coolest part of this feature would be multiplayer mapmaking: when you're in a party and enter a map or the editor directly, you are prompted whether you'd like to invite your party to help out. You are all taken then into a multiuser session of Galaxy Editor, including the party chat. This would certainly be madness for random groups of players, but for a dedicated mapmaking team, it would be a way to accelerate the map/modcrafting experience.
The UI mimics that of joining a custom game, with criteria buttons across the left, a category chooser and a search function. In the list of maps, you are given the author(s) name(s), a green star which indicates maps you've created, and green checks or red exclamation marks along the left.
A map that has been installed in the correct directory (esp those downloaded from Bnet) will have a green check, those that are found on your machine but are not in the right directory for play (esp those downloaded externally) have the red mark. If you are the author of the map, green or red mean whether you've published the map to Bnet or not.
Right clicking on a map in the list gives you several options, including to edit, duplicate, delete, install (copies the map to the correct directory for play), and publish (if you are the author). You can use this to purge unwanted maps you accidentally downloaded without leaving SC2.
The coolest part of this feature would be multiplayer mapmaking: when you're in a party and enter a map or the editor directly, you are prompted whether you'd like to invite your party to help out. You are all taken then into a multiuser session of Galaxy Editor, including the party chat. This would certainly be madness for random groups of players, but for a dedicated mapmaking team, it would be a way to accelerate the map/modcrafting experience.
Event/Tournament
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A central location to create and participate in Tournaments, as well as check out major events. Icon is a fairly straightforward trophy. Let's start at the top left:
First we have the event/tournament browser, with four major options (as well as more minor sorting options) across the top. "All" shows all events and tournaments chronologically, "Event" only shows major events (ones based in RL locations esp.), "Bnet" shows tournaments based exclusively on BNET, and "LAN" shows tournaments that your compy can currently access via LAN. Checkboxes allow you to focus on new events or ones with vacancies, if you're feeling competitive.
The window itself includes important information about the events/tournaments (date, name, status, format) as well as a link (website/thread opens in browser) and a details button (hovering/r-clicking also work). Popularity of events would be dictated by how many followers they have (see tournament view).
At the bottom we see "Apply" and "Observe" buttons. With an open tournament selected, you can apply to it (assuming they're BNET application enabled) using this. Hitting the observe button brings up a list of replays from the tournament, which can include a recording of the voice input from the observers (mute-able, but allows for built-in commentary). If you are accepted to a tournament, the apply button changes to "join" and you can use this to hop into your next game in the tournament.
At the top right is the create tournament function. The following screen would include lots of options, including number of participants, admin list, obs list, map pool, details, prizes, links, etc. Also, you indicate whether it is a LAN or BNET based tournament (or both, I guess). Once you've made a tournament, you can gather players and begin games, but there are no time limits for when the tournament is finished or when the next game must happen (depends on when the players and obs hit a "ready" button).
My major reasoning in these features and interfaces is to help make organizing and running and participating in tournaments, big or small, easier. And making these things easier means more tournaments. :3
Alternatively, you can always use the existing custom game or the new LAN function (!) to run a tournament if you know what you're doing/have the resources/are baller like that.
First we have the event/tournament browser, with four major options (as well as more minor sorting options) across the top. "All" shows all events and tournaments chronologically, "Event" only shows major events (ones based in RL locations esp.), "Bnet" shows tournaments based exclusively on BNET, and "LAN" shows tournaments that your compy can currently access via LAN. Checkboxes allow you to focus on new events or ones with vacancies, if you're feeling competitive.
The window itself includes important information about the events/tournaments (date, name, status, format) as well as a link (website/thread opens in browser) and a details button (hovering/r-clicking also work). Popularity of events would be dictated by how many followers they have (see tournament view).
At the bottom we see "Apply" and "Observe" buttons. With an open tournament selected, you can apply to it (assuming they're BNET application enabled) using this. Hitting the observe button brings up a list of replays from the tournament, which can include a recording of the voice input from the observers (mute-able, but allows for built-in commentary). If you are accepted to a tournament, the apply button changes to "join" and you can use this to hop into your next game in the tournament.
At the top right is the create tournament function. The following screen would include lots of options, including number of participants, admin list, obs list, map pool, details, prizes, links, etc. Also, you indicate whether it is a LAN or BNET based tournament (or both, I guess). Once you've made a tournament, you can gather players and begin games, but there are no time limits for when the tournament is finished or when the next game must happen (depends on when the players and obs hit a "ready" button).
My major reasoning in these features and interfaces is to help make organizing and running and participating in tournaments, big or small, easier. And making these things easier means more tournaments. :3
Alternatively, you can always use the existing custom game or the new LAN function (!) to run a tournament if you know what you're doing/have the resources/are baller like that.
Tournament View
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Expanding on the Event view, this is a concept for the homepage of a particular event (tsl woo). It presents all any current matches, all the matches of the tournament, important information, brackets, a list of admins and players, and a heads up of the number of spectators and followers.
At the top left, there is the event panel and title of the event. There is space for an image, whether it's uploaded or selected from a few tournament brackety images. The creator of the tournament is credited here as well.
Navigation tabs line the left side of the page and include access to a list of recent series, in depth information about the tournament, the brackets (with links to replays of the series), and the player list.
The body of the recent matches page is topped by a current games panel, with a link to spectate in a special "viewing session" of the game in progress (separated from the game itself so as to not affect gameplay). The current matches will rotate like the news panel on the homepage, and you can see the players involved and time elapsed. This is of course a feature that would take some doing, and I would personally acquiesce to this space being used to spotlight headline/latest matches' replays. Also, if none are underway this space is used to keep viewers up to date on when the next set of matches are coming. The list of matches are grouped by series, and show the names of the players, the bracket and the match date. There is a pronounced lack of win/lose stats here in order not to spoil the results. The bracket view shows the full breakdown of the tournament. Drilling into a particular matchup on either of these shows you a list of the replays (with fake replays included to fill out the series).
At the far right of the page there are the "join next match" button and Spectator panel. Only participants in the tournament can use the join next match button (organizers/admins would have a control button here) and it joins you to the lobby of your next match. The spectator panel keeps track of users that are following/viewing the tournament and the follow button keeps you up to date with the happenings of the tournament (in a broadcast-type field).
At the top left, there is the event panel and title of the event. There is space for an image, whether it's uploaded or selected from a few tournament brackety images. The creator of the tournament is credited here as well.
Navigation tabs line the left side of the page and include access to a list of recent series, in depth information about the tournament, the brackets (with links to replays of the series), and the player list.
The body of the recent matches page is topped by a current games panel, with a link to spectate in a special "viewing session" of the game in progress (separated from the game itself so as to not affect gameplay). The current matches will rotate like the news panel on the homepage, and you can see the players involved and time elapsed. This is of course a feature that would take some doing, and I would personally acquiesce to this space being used to spotlight headline/latest matches' replays. Also, if none are underway this space is used to keep viewers up to date on when the next set of matches are coming. The list of matches are grouped by series, and show the names of the players, the bracket and the match date. There is a pronounced lack of win/lose stats here in order not to spoil the results. The bracket view shows the full breakdown of the tournament. Drilling into a particular matchup on either of these shows you a list of the replays (with fake replays included to fill out the series).
At the far right of the page there are the "join next match" button and Spectator panel. Only participants in the tournament can use the join next match button (organizers/admins would have a control button here) and it joins you to the lobby of your next match. The spectator panel keeps track of users that are following/viewing the tournament and the follow button keeps you up to date with the happenings of the tournament (in a broadcast-type field).
Clan
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yay clan support! Located within your player profile, you have access to a roster of your clanmates, a button to join your special clan chat channel, as well as clan broadcast and events spaces. The icon is a modification of the achievement icon, hopefully evoking images of winged family crests. I wasn't sure what info would be best to include in the roster list (besides names, rank, connection status), any ideas?
Clan news functions like the player broadcast function, showing the latest post from clan admins. Clan events includes a rotating trophy case-esque (or list/calendar if that's preferable) of the upcoming events. Each of these has a "+" button next to them for admins to create new news posts and events. The event builder has a choice of icon, choice of date/time and text boxes for title and description. Clan events will have an achievement toast-like alert when they're starting. Finally, these two areas could be made much larger if the roster needs less space (or exchanges places with the clan news space).
Clan news functions like the player broadcast function, showing the latest post from clan admins. Clan events includes a rotating trophy case-esque (or list/calendar if that's preferable) of the upcoming events. Each of these has a "+" button next to them for admins to create new news posts and events. The event builder has a choice of icon, choice of date/time and text boxes for title and description. Clan events will have an achievement toast-like alert when they're starting. Finally, these two areas could be made much larger if the roster needs less space (or exchanges places with the clan news space).
Parties (Full screen)
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While on one hand it makes sense that the max party count is 4 for 4v4 league play, it totally doesn't on the other. Parties should exist to make joining games as a group easier at any number. I would recommend pushing the cap on party numbers to 8 or 11 (as per my concepts), or even 16 with some sort of scrollable UI (or even a "view party" button), because it should match the max player cap possible. You'll notice there isn't room for players' names, so when you hover on the partymember's portrait you get their name/clan as feedback.
Players in a party should not be limited in what they can do; you should be able to start a ladder game, 1player game, or replay while in a party, but you'll get a popup if your party decides to ladder/join a game. The popup has options to leave your current game and join them, or continue your game and stop the party's attempt (will probably get you kicked).
If the party has more members than a team ladder matchup and tries to join one, the leader gets a popup which forces him to choose (checkboxes) the correct number of players from the party. The same goes for joining custom games (if insufficient slots are available). Players who aren't picked can do other stuff and aren't kicked from the party (can even chat with those in game with the party chat).
Also, if you create a custom game with too few slots for your party members, by default all will be asked to join and excess are added to the observer team (and can be moved from there or elect to leave).
Finally, a new button ("View with Party") should exist on the replay page to allow party viewing of replays. When you hit it, your party is invited, the replay is shared to them and you are all taken into the replay together.
Players in a party should not be limited in what they can do; you should be able to start a ladder game, 1player game, or replay while in a party, but you'll get a popup if your party decides to ladder/join a game. The popup has options to leave your current game and join them, or continue your game and stop the party's attempt (will probably get you kicked).
If the party has more members than a team ladder matchup and tries to join one, the leader gets a popup which forces him to choose (checkboxes) the correct number of players from the party. The same goes for joining custom games (if insufficient slots are available). Players who aren't picked can do other stuff and aren't kicked from the party (can even chat with those in game with the party chat).
Also, if you create a custom game with too few slots for your party members, by default all will be asked to join and excess are added to the observer team (and can be moved from there or elect to leave).
Finally, a new button ("View with Party") should exist on the replay page to allow party viewing of replays. When you hit it, your party is invited, the replay is shared to them and you are all taken into the replay together.
Join custom game (LAN)
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The standard join custom game view has a couple of modifications. Specifically, there are two new tabs (open lobbies, LAN), a join private button and a right-click option on games to view open lobbies. The join private button brings up a popup with a game name (and password?) textbox, with which you can join a game that has a name and hasn't been made public.
The Open Lobbies tab shows a list of open lobbies with numerous sorting options (defaulting to latest created). The list includes the name of the games, the host's name and number of slots available. There is also the option (a checkbox) to include games without titles in the list of open lobbies (checked by default). If you use the r-click "view open lobbies" on a particular map, the map has a similar view with a list of open lobbies for that map specifically.
Next, the LAN tab: simply a list of visible LAN based custom games with open lobbies. If there are no available LAN games, the list is replaced with a "no LAN games found" overlay. I haven't included in these designs, but on the create new custom game page, there'd be a separate "create LAN game" button, so there isn't overlap between LAN and Bnet(or should there be?).
The implementation of LAN is of course a sticky proposition to Blizz for "protective" reasons, but I know it's the most requested feature that should have been in at launch, and that there's a simple and safe way to do it:
Everyone happy?
The Open Lobbies tab shows a list of open lobbies with numerous sorting options (defaulting to latest created). The list includes the name of the games, the host's name and number of slots available. There is also the option (a checkbox) to include games without titles in the list of open lobbies (checked by default). If you use the r-click "view open lobbies" on a particular map, the map has a similar view with a list of open lobbies for that map specifically.
Next, the LAN tab: simply a list of visible LAN based custom games with open lobbies. If there are no available LAN games, the list is replaced with a "no LAN games found" overlay. I haven't included in these designs, but on the create new custom game page, there'd be a separate "create LAN game" button, so there isn't overlap between LAN and Bnet(or should there be?).
The implementation of LAN is of course a sticky proposition to Blizz for "protective" reasons, but I know it's the most requested feature that should have been in at launch, and that there's a simple and safe way to do it:
- 1. LAN games can be accessed after logging in with your BNet credentials
2. but if you want to play w/o BNet connection, you can authorize a specific computer for "offline" play
3. If your computer is authorized, you can play LAN in "offline" mode
4. Only one of your authorized computers can have LAN access at a time (requiring at least a temporary connection to BNET when you migrate this function)
5. ???
6. Profit
Everyone happy?
Game Lobby
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Here's a couple of ideas for how a few modifications to the basic game lobby could expand the usefulness of this feature. First, just next to the GAME LOBBY text, you have some text informing you of whether the game is private or public. There are several additional controls across the top of the central area for the creator of the game. Here is a view of a public, named game lobby.
Just above the team containers is a textbox for input of a game name. Giving a game a name lets you explain you intentions and lets other players join it by name. The game name can only be changed when the lobby is private.
Also, there is now a checkbox for auto-matchmaking. This defines whether your game lobby will be available to players clicking "join game" on a map itself (rather than drilling down into the list of open lobbies and selecting from there), and is active by default.
Finally, there is an additional add player button labeled "+observer". This allows you to add players directly as observers to the new Observer team, which is available in any map (with an option to deny this in the map editor).
Just above the team containers is a textbox for input of a game name. Giving a game a name lets you explain you intentions and lets other players join it by name. The game name can only be changed when the lobby is private.
Also, there is now a checkbox for auto-matchmaking. This defines whether your game lobby will be available to players clicking "join game" on a map itself (rather than drilling down into the list of open lobbies and selecting from there), and is active by default.
Finally, there is an additional add player button labeled "+observer". This allows you to add players directly as observers to the new Observer team, which is available in any map (with an option to deny this in the map editor).
Options/Hotkeys
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I wanted to give a view of how the offline LAN and cross-regional play could work in the options screen.
The offline authorization function is essentially just a checkbox which allows expanded offline play, but requires an internet and bnet connection (if you've already authorized a computer, Bnet will have recorded that and will deny further authorization until you uncheck that box in the previously authorized computer). While you shouldn't need this feature to play LAN when connected to Bnet, it should be nice for a person who wants to be able to play while traveling or when connection to the internet is a problem.
Further down this page are options for cross-regional interaction and play. As detailed in the information popup, these checkboxes enable you to play and chat with players from other regions, at the expense of game stability. This is an option mainly aimed at top tier players, who I feel like would benefit greatly from easier interaction across regions (or for players who want a different languaged SC2 to where they live, but don't want to deal with lag). Activating this might require a restart of the game client to download appropriate font sets.
Finally, a really simple and awesome suggestion I got from Clamev on the TL forums: interface hotkeys! Want to start a quick match? Hit control+G! Navigate the UI with Function keys! or customize to your own delight in the hotkey menu! This seems like a completely realistic and reasonable request which would benefit everyone.
The offline authorization function is essentially just a checkbox which allows expanded offline play, but requires an internet and bnet connection (if you've already authorized a computer, Bnet will have recorded that and will deny further authorization until you uncheck that box in the previously authorized computer). While you shouldn't need this feature to play LAN when connected to Bnet, it should be nice for a person who wants to be able to play while traveling or when connection to the internet is a problem.
Further down this page are options for cross-regional interaction and play. As detailed in the information popup, these checkboxes enable you to play and chat with players from other regions, at the expense of game stability. This is an option mainly aimed at top tier players, who I feel like would benefit greatly from easier interaction across regions (or for players who want a different languaged SC2 to where they live, but don't want to deal with lag). Activating this might require a restart of the game client to download appropriate font sets.
Finally, a really simple and awesome suggestion I got from Clamev on the TL forums: interface hotkeys! Want to start a quick match? Hit control+G! Navigate the UI with Function keys! or customize to your own delight in the hotkey menu! This seems like a completely realistic and reasonable request which would benefit everyone.
Okay so that's it for now. What do you think? Any questions? Are these features/pages you would want? Are there any you would get rid of or change? Is there anything I'm not thinking of?
Your humble servant,
Goblinoid
Original post
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To Begin
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Starting with the join custom game page (as it was the main screenshot I was working with), I'll bring your attention to reorganized left and right panels, as well as a slightly larger chat channel button at the bottom right.
The left panel buttons are arranged: Home/Welcome, Community, News, Web Browser, Replays, Event, Help. The right panel buttons include your profile, achievements, ladder and Clan. The reasoning here to create consistent design; functions centered around your profile (summary, achievements, ladder and clan) are kept by your player icon, and other functions (including social, informative, etc.) are kept separate. The player's icon and create party button are made smaller to make room for these buttons and your clan's name is added to the top right of the right panel (although it disappears when you're in a party).
The left panel buttons are arranged: Home/Welcome, Community, News, Web Browser, Replays, Event, Help. The right panel buttons include your profile, achievements, ladder and Clan. The reasoning here to create consistent design; functions centered around your profile (summary, achievements, ladder and clan) are kept by your player icon, and other functions (including social, informative, etc.) are kept separate. The player's icon and create party button are made smaller to make room for these buttons and your clan's name is added to the top right of the right panel (although it disappears when you're in a party).
Chat Channels
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After the base level UI changes, I'll return to the first UI element I worked at redesigning. Here we see the channel fills the main window by default but retains it's current functionalities of resizing, etc. On the right you can see the players' names now have their clan attached. There is a bit of space at the bottom right of the channel which should be filled out, I'm thinking chat/mod buttons, any suggestions? (currently it's just an extension of the channel user list)
FYI the channel discussion is taken from a design by LzGaMeR, which included a functionality which I felt was pretty cool: in-line "join as observer" links (which one would assume add you as an obs to a game). I think they could even look like buttons.
Continuing the idea of consistent design, IM/social functions should be mainly kept at the bottom of the screen. This also makes sure you are always able to chat with others.
FYI the channel discussion is taken from a design by LzGaMeR, which included a functionality which I felt was pretty cool: in-line "join as observer" links (which one would assume add you as an obs to a game). I think they could even look like buttons.
Continuing the idea of consistent design, IM/social functions should be mainly kept at the bottom of the screen. This also makes sure you are always able to chat with others.
Home/Welcome
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Added another window obscuring Tychus' face (sorry pardner) which focuses on player interaction, giving links to the forums and a stream from a general chat channel (clicking on it pops up the channel so you can write in it). I don't know how much of the majority use/look at the "recent broadcasts" window, I might remove it to make more room for a chat channel window built directly into the homepage. Also moved around buttons to make room, and removed the 'Community' from 'News and community'.
Community/Forums
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At the moment, that's pretty much it: a page to use the SC2 forums in-game. The icon is the forum icon from the SC2 website. Alternatively, this view could be used for dedicated channels, but I felt that'd be a bit redundant. Any thoughts/suggestions?
News
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Again, very simply, this is now the dedicated News page, with a cool UNN icon (;D). Modified this page so the tabs down the left give you different types of news, including upcoming events(!) and clan news (see Clan, below). I could see having major sc2 communities getting their own news tabs here (TL, for instance). Maybe even a "add to my feed" button, so you can link up any news source you like (maybe going overboard now).
Web Browser
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WHAT'S THIS?!?! Web browser get out of SC2 you are not a scv, you can't even harvest minerals. Honestly this is a long shot of a feature, and I wanted to gauge interest with some visuals. Co-opted the current icon for news/community since it seemed to fit. Included all the expected functions: tabs, back, forward, reload/stop, home, search, options, history/favorites. Links that would take you to an out of game browser would now load here. Would you want a browser in your SC2, or is it just overkill?
Event/Tournament
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A central location to create and participate in Tournaments, as well as check out major events. Icon is a fairly straightforward trophy. Let's start at the top left:
First we have the event/tournament browser, with four major options (as well as more minor sorting options) across the top. "All" shows all events and tournaments chronologically, "Event" only shows major events (ones based in RL locations esp.), "Bnet" shows tournaments based exclusively on BNET, and "LAN" shows tournaments that your compy can currently access via LAN.
The window itself includes important information about the events/tournaments (date, name, status, format) as well as a link (website/thread opens in SC2 browser) and a details button (hovering/r-clicking also work).
At the bottom we see "Apply" and "Observe" buttons. With an open tournament selected, you can apply to it (assuming they're BNET application enabled) using this. Hitting the observe button brings up a list of replays from the tournament, which can include a recording of the voice input from the observers (mute-able, but allows for built-in commentary). If you are accepted to a tournament, the apply button changes to "join" and you can use this to hop into your next game in the tournament.
At the top right is the create tournament function. This includes lots of options, including number of participants, admin list, obs list, details, prizes, links, etc. Also, you indicate whether it is a LAN or BNET based tournament (or both, I guess). Once you've made a tournament, you can gather players and begin games, but there are no time limits for when the tournament is finished or when the next game must happen (depends on when the players and obs hit a "ready" button).
My major reasoning in these features and interfaces is to help make organizing and running and participating in tournaments, big or small, easier. And making these things easier means more tournaments. :3
Alternatively, you can always use the existing custom game or the new LAN function (next paragraph) to run a tournament if you know what you're doing/have the resources/are baller like that.
Finally, I have included at the bottom right the functionality for LAN games. Drilling down here you can create a game or see a list of available LAN games. LAN could also be located in the multiplayer section (Example), which would free up more room for tournament stuff. The implementation of LAN is of course a sticky proposition to Blizz for "protective" reasons, but I know there's a simple and safe way to do it:
Everyone happy?
First we have the event/tournament browser, with four major options (as well as more minor sorting options) across the top. "All" shows all events and tournaments chronologically, "Event" only shows major events (ones based in RL locations esp.), "Bnet" shows tournaments based exclusively on BNET, and "LAN" shows tournaments that your compy can currently access via LAN.
The window itself includes important information about the events/tournaments (date, name, status, format) as well as a link (website/thread opens in SC2 browser) and a details button (hovering/r-clicking also work).
At the bottom we see "Apply" and "Observe" buttons. With an open tournament selected, you can apply to it (assuming they're BNET application enabled) using this. Hitting the observe button brings up a list of replays from the tournament, which can include a recording of the voice input from the observers (mute-able, but allows for built-in commentary). If you are accepted to a tournament, the apply button changes to "join" and you can use this to hop into your next game in the tournament.
At the top right is the create tournament function. This includes lots of options, including number of participants, admin list, obs list, details, prizes, links, etc. Also, you indicate whether it is a LAN or BNET based tournament (or both, I guess). Once you've made a tournament, you can gather players and begin games, but there are no time limits for when the tournament is finished or when the next game must happen (depends on when the players and obs hit a "ready" button).
My major reasoning in these features and interfaces is to help make organizing and running and participating in tournaments, big or small, easier. And making these things easier means more tournaments. :3
Alternatively, you can always use the existing custom game or the new LAN function (next paragraph) to run a tournament if you know what you're doing/have the resources/are baller like that.
Finally, I have included at the bottom right the functionality for LAN games. Drilling down here you can create a game or see a list of available LAN games. LAN could also be located in the multiplayer section (Example), which would free up more room for tournament stuff. The implementation of LAN is of course a sticky proposition to Blizz for "protective" reasons, but I know there's a simple and safe way to do it:
- 1. LAN games can be accessed after logging in with your BNet credentials
2. but if you want to play w/o BNet connection, you can authorize a specific computer for "offline" play
3. If your computer is authorized, you can play LAN in "offline" mode
4. Only one of your authorized computers can have LAN access at a time (requiring at least a temporary connection to BNET when you migrate this function)
5. ???
6. Profit
Everyone happy?
Clan
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yay clan support! Located within your player profile, you have access to a roster of your clanmates, a button to join your special clan chat channel, as well as clan news and events spaces. Icon is a modification of the achievement icon, hopefully evoking images of winged family crests. I wasn't sure what info would be best to include in the roster list (besides names, rank, connection status), any ideas?
Clan news includes posts from clan admins and longer posts have a button labeled "..." with a link to a separate page/popup. Clan events includes a rotating trophy case-esque (or list/calendar if that's preferable) of the upcoming events. Each of these has a "+" button next to them for admins to create new news posts and events. The news builder is essentially a text box, and the event builder has a choice of icon, choice of date/time and text boxes for title and description. Clan events will have an achievement toast-like alert when they're starting. Finally, these two areas could be made much larger if the roster needs less space (or exchanges places with the clan news space).
Clan news includes posts from clan admins and longer posts have a button labeled "..." with a link to a separate page/popup. Clan events includes a rotating trophy case-esque (or list/calendar if that's preferable) of the upcoming events. Each of these has a "+" button next to them for admins to create new news posts and events. The news builder is essentially a text box, and the event builder has a choice of icon, choice of date/time and text boxes for title and description. Clan events will have an achievement toast-like alert when they're starting. Finally, these two areas could be made much larger if the roster needs less space (or exchanges places with the clan news space).
