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Active: 11278 users

new Idle Worker button is too hard to notice

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 HotS
Post a Reply
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Zelniq
Profile Blog Joined August 2005
United States7166 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-02-21 01:29:55
February 08 2013 17:34 GMT
#1
=================
EDIT:


What's so vexing about the new UI for the idle worker button, is that while I'm looking at the center of the screen, even if I am deliberately trying to tell if the icon is active or not, I cannot tell whether or not the button is active (meaning I've idle workers). No matter how hard I try I cannot.

Try this test out yourself, it's easy.

Just click these images to open them but look away or close your eyes as you do so, or you may accidentally look directly at the icon, then stare at the center of the screen and try to determine if you have any idle workers or not.

test 1
test 2

You cannot, unless you look at an area pretty close to the bottom left, and even then it's not that noticeable.


It goes without saying that the old icon is clearly visible even if you're staring at your supply cap at the top right:

test 1

=================



People have been complaining about this for a while now but Blizzard hasn't done anything yet, so I made this gif to help show the difference, especially for those who haven't been able to play HotS yet. Try focusing your eyes on the main screen area, keeping the bottom left to your periphery, and it'll be even harder to notice.

[image loading]

Most players I've talked to agree that the new button is hard to notice now and they're still not getting used to it after playing many games. It's annoying and I think they should do something about it, if not change it back.

I'd be fine if they just made it more noticeable if they didn't want to change it back.
I liked the suggestion someone made to have it lightly pulse with a red tint when you've idle workers.

What do you think?

Poll: Should something be done?

Change it back to the old button (537)
 
68%

Keep it the way it is (142)
 
18%

Make it more noticeable somehow (113)
 
14%

792 total votes

Your vote: Should something be done?

(Vote): Keep it the way it is
(Vote): Change it back to the old button
(Vote): Make it more noticeable somehow




edit: I should have made a gif of the zerg ui, it's worse since it blends in quite a bit more. it'd be nice if you could customize your UI/layout somewhat
ModeratorBlame yourself or God
Erehaimu
Profile Joined August 2012
Argentina23 Posts
February 08 2013 17:36 GMT
#2
Totally agree with it, it's WAY too hard to see.
ETisME
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
12702 Posts
February 08 2013 17:38 GMT
#3
the problem with the idle worker going back to WoL style would mean that they need to somehow make that idle army tab looks clean as well.
Personally I find the idle worker in Hots kinda ok but the idle army tab is pointless
其疾如风,其徐如林,侵掠如火,不动如山,难知如阴,动如雷震。
Shade_FR
Profile Joined June 2010
France378 Posts
February 08 2013 17:44 GMT
#4
Yes. I am pressing CTRL + F1 from time to time to check it out, it's stupid because the notification is supposed to warn me like in WoL, after 4-5 months playing HoTS I'm voting yes, bring back the old Idle Worker button, we can't be used to the new one.
EU Zerg player - Streaming @ http://twitch.tv/shade_cst
HappyZerGling
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Ukraine161 Posts
February 08 2013 17:45 GMT
#5
agree.
happy me, happy skill, happy win :D twitch.tv/happyzerg https://twitter.com/HappyZerG1
emc
Profile Joined September 2010
United States3088 Posts
February 08 2013 17:45 GMT
#6
it's fine, you have hotkeys, so bind idle worker to an appropriate hotkey. I play zerg so this really doesn't bother me, toss and terran should both be shift-q'ing their workers anyways.
Deleted User 135096
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
3624 Posts
February 08 2013 17:50 GMT
#7
I can certainly agree that the idle worker indication is much more impactful when outside the UI as the visual difference is far more noticable, but, It seems like a matter of just getting used to the new layout (warpgate/army/idle worker/clock differences) as we've been using the same UI for close to 3 years now (or more if you played the beta). Do you have a similar problem to the warpgate hotkey change or clock as well?
Administrator
Zelniq
Profile Blog Joined August 2005
United States7166 Posts
February 08 2013 17:56 GMT
#8
I've heard people complain about the warpgate button too, but I don't play protoss so I don't know
ModeratorBlame yourself or God
Thieving Magpie
Profile Blog Joined December 2012
United States6752 Posts
February 08 2013 17:57 GMT
#9
People need the idle worker button to be visible?
Hark, what baseball through yonder window breaks?
Tppz!
Profile Joined October 2010
Germany1449 Posts
February 08 2013 18:04 GMT
#10
I have to say I got used to it during the beta. At first its pretty damn hard to notice but now I dont have any issues with the new design
ALPINA
Profile Joined May 2010
3791 Posts
February 08 2013 18:05 GMT
#11
Agree it's harder to notice but this button overall removes little bit awareness of the game. So either make it very noticeable, for example blinking color or just remove completely.
You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity
Belha
Profile Joined December 2010
Italy2850 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-02-08 18:13:30
February 08 2013 18:08 GMT
#12
On February 09 2013 02:56 Zelniq wrote:
I've heard people complain about the warpgate button too, but I don't play protoss so I don't know

I'm curious if any good protoss is complaining about the warpgate button, cose I'm pretty sure most P's spam the warpgate key instead of watching the screen for it.
On topic, I second this, I got very pissed for the smaller Idle worker icon even after a couple of months with hots beta.
Chicken gank op
joeyBanana
Profile Joined October 2010
Germany77 Posts
February 08 2013 18:26 GMT
#13
Totally agree with you there! One of the most annoying things regarding the interface atm.
Premature Egrackulation
B1itZZ
Profile Joined July 2012
United Kingdom70 Posts
February 08 2013 18:33 GMT
#14
Knew I wouldn't be the only one thinking this!!
Torte de Lini
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Germany38463 Posts
February 08 2013 19:04 GMT
#15
It needs to flash like something from a treasure chest. Little twirl of sparkle or something.
https://twitter.com/#!/TorteDeLini (@TorteDeLini)
Beakyboo
Profile Joined May 2010
United States485 Posts
February 08 2013 19:15 GMT
#16
I think it's less obvious, but people just aren't used to it either. After a while, I kinda doubt anyone will care.
dUTtrOACh
Profile Joined December 2010
Canada2339 Posts
February 08 2013 19:52 GMT
#17
I don't really think it's less noticeable. They actually moved it closer to the game timer and the minimap, which are things you should be looking at. If it's greyed out, you know you're fine, and the moment it lights up, bam! idle worker. I prefer it where it is.
twitch.tv/duttroach
Psychobabas
Profile Blog Joined March 2006
2531 Posts
February 08 2013 19:56 GMT
#18
If they want to keep it in that position, make it red or yellow so it stands out more.
Mistakes
Profile Joined February 2011
United States1102 Posts
February 08 2013 20:07 GMT
#19
Holy ahmg! I made a thread about this on the Blizzard forums for HotS and all I got was a bunch of the standard, "Just adapt to something new you stupid twat" style responses. Glad to see I'm not alone. I hate the new button!
StarCraft | www.psistorm.com | www.twitter.com/MistakesSC | www.twitch.tv/MistakesSC | Seattle
wUndertUnge
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States1125 Posts
February 08 2013 20:14 GMT
#20
well, I play zerg and am learning terran. Zerg rarely has idle workers since our workers become buildings. While learning Terran, I had to be aware of idle workers anyways, so I've adapted.

It's so funny how particular the community is about what features make the game too hard and too easy and whether things should go in either direction. What do we really want?
Clan: QQGC - wundertunge#1850
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