Thread Tools Display Modes
07-26-10, 01:39 AM   #1
Beoko
Guest
Posts: n/a
GUI Discussion

Over the past year or two I have experimented with, created, used, and implemented far too many different designs for GUI's to count. I've been using a set of templates that I constantly revise due to my own indecisiveness about what makes a GUI useful, user-friendly, and fulfill its purpose. So, I thought that I would ask others what they consider to be useful and user-friendly. I'm curious not only from a developer perspective but also from a user's perspective.

Some questions I can think of to start it off:
  • Do you prefer to use/see wow themed GUI's over custom themes?
  • Which widgets do you prefer to use/create for certain tasks?
  • Do you prefer to use templates provided by Blizzard or your own?
  • Do you prefer to use certain color themes (I.E.: class colors)?
  • Do you prefer toolbars, lists, trees, or dropdowns?
    • Toolbars are something I'm currently experimenting with, so this one is something I'm especially curious toward.
I'm hoping that this will spark a healthy discussion over improving GUI standards inside of WoW.
  Reply With Quote
07-26-10, 06:10 AM   #2
Waverian
A Chromatic Dragonspawn
AddOn Author - Click to view addons
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 188
Do you prefer to use/see wow themed GUI's over custom themes
Ones that use textures from the client.
  • Consistency in design between different addons is one of the most important features of GUI implementation because it relates to intuitive use. We have a simple API that integrates seamlessly into the UI as is with no downsides*. Having every addon configuration screen accessible from one place in the options menu is better than slash command exclusive ones.
  • They're friendly to skinning addons & texture replacement.

Which widgets do you prefer to use/create for certain tasks?
When you should use each widget type seems pretty obvious to me.

Checkbox for binary on/off options. Dropdowns for mutually exclusive multiple choice options. Sliders for numbers, and always include a linked editbox.

Do you prefer to use templates provided by Blizzard or your own?
The Blizzard templates are inadequate for fully streamlining the process. If I were doing complex GUI work (something I can't already do with a couple dozen lines of code myself) I'd use AceGUI or one of the smaller similar options libraries (i.e. tekkub's).


I don't know what a toolbar is in this context.


The most important element of a GUI however is how intuitive it is. It shouldn't take a user more than 20 seconds (arbitrary number) to find an option if they make an effort. I'm not going to pick on any particular addon, but I will say that even as an experienced user I still have trouble finding options I've used before in some addons.

I'm a fan of list/sub-menu as well as tabs for more complex GUIs, but once again you need to have an intuitive labeling scheme for these. In my opinion, DXE is a great example of having all of the positive traits I mentioned in most cases. It's has very complex options because of the need to edit individual alerts, but it handles it elegantly; I've rarely spent more than a few seconds at any one point trying to find an option.

*Note: I recall there being a bug at some point with the addons menu if you had too many addons registered for display in the option's window - I don't know if this still exists. If it does that's a downside, but users will rarely have that many option-dependent addons installed even if every addon author switches to this consistent integrated method.
  Reply With Quote

WoWInterface » Developer Discussions » General Authoring Discussion » GUI Discussion

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off