Here are some ideas I had for the launcher.
Bug: After choosing the location, Titan's Island, you are brought to a loading screen again. The words 'City of Titans' is duplicated.
Ideas:
- I would suggest adding a border to big color boxes. For example, on the screen where you choose either 'Choose Character' or 'New Character', the big blue box that is in I think would look nicer if it had some sort of border. I think each of the button options themselves should also have borders that make them look like buttons. I was just watching the latest D4 update video and they showed some footage of the D3 character screen and, despite what one may think of D3 gameplay, the character screen is awesome. Specifically look at the screen when you are creating a new character; each class option is a distinct button. In the CoT character screen, you see a line box around your choice but I think it would look better if each clickable choice had a border and that similar choices have the same border (for example, in the D3 example, all the class buttons are the same but the gender button is different).
- Not sure what it is called, but I would remove the effect when you pan over the options that gives them a shadow-like effect that duplicates the letters.
- Loading screens. After you click on 'New Character', you see a short loading screen. I'm not sure if it rotates screens or if there is only one but the one I saw has the purple logo, I believe its a class logo. I think that looks great; nothing wrong with simple loading screens but I would look into some kind of border along the screen edge. Perhaps there is a design somehow related to CoT, like some sort of Phoenix design, that could be used as a border.
- once you are in the character creator, I would remove the faint 'City of Titans' in the bottom left of the screen. I think its bad positioning and just faint enough to be seen and draw my eyes away from the avatar. Instead, I would put a thin banner along the top, or perhaps even just the top middle, of the screen with the City of Titans words, but not in faint letters.
- separate the gender button into two, one for each gender, give a solid border to the buttons (I keep saying border, I think it would just look better if all clickable buttons in these screens looked like buttons and not just when you hover over them). I would then place the buttons under the avatar instead of where it's currently at.
- In the general categories, the first option is "Titan Height" but all the rest are just the thing...like Fitness, Definition, Age, etc. I would remove the word Titan.
- The same picture is used for 'Head' on both sides of the avatar. Maybe try to come up with a different picture just so it doesn't look like you are using the same picture for multiple things.
- Mousing over the circle body options on the left side of the avatar causes them to enlarge and get a little darker maybe, but there is no effect when you pan over the options on the other side. Not sure if this is by design or not.
- if you zoom all the way in to the avatar and the click and hold to slowly drop the avatar down, you can get it to where only eyes are visible and the body totally disappears. feature or bug?
- I feel like the scroll wheel zooms the avatar in/out at much too small of increments.
- It's important for it to be obvious that "Material/Color" is different than "Global Material/Color"; it actually took me a minute to find the Material/Color because even though I was seeing it...it was registering to me because it doesn't look like a button. I suggest, like above, making it look like a button.
- It's not obvious that you have to save the character before the 'Select Powers' button will become available. I suggest removing where you input your name and moving it right above the 'Select Powers" button. Instead of then having to click save, have the 'Select Powers' button greyed out until a name is entered and then clicking the 'Select Powers' button will both save it and then take you to the powers selection screen.
CLASS SELECTION SCREEN
- I made the tallest character and the top of his head is above the screen. Perhaps some sort of auto function that will zoom the character depending on the selected height so the character is always displayed fully.
- Again, I suggest making the class selections look like buttons with borders, preferably borders that aren't just a thick line.
- I think the class type (Support, Control, etc) at the bottom right of the class name needs to be separated more; it doesn't look good when they overlap like they are.
- Again, the 3 secondary class options on the right of the screen I suggest making them look like buttons.
- I think it would look better if instead of checking the box "Make This Your Specification" if you just click the specifcation you want, so whichever is highlighted when you hit "Next" is your choice.
POWER SELECTION SCREEN
- Obviously you already know the bug where SuperJoe appears instead of your avatar
- Again, borders and buttons.
- I think you should change this screens UI to be the Primary power on the left, and the secondary on the right. So on the left, you'd have the small box of choosing your primary then the larger box under it with the specific powers. The same for secondary on the right. I think that will feel more intuitive.
- I think you should add some direction, like "Choose 1" in a format that makes it obvious, like blinking in and out, or in a color that stands out from the rest of the UI.
- If possible, it may feel better to implement the 'pan over' feature where when you pan over a primary, the powers show up. When you actually click on it, make that 'click' feel like a decision by having the button stick with either a different color, bolder border and font, or something. Didn't TOG have the buttons turn gold or yellow or something? Obviously you are still not locked in until you hit save, so you can still click on another primary/secondary or power, but it would help the player to know what their selection is. I'm not a fan of the alternating darker background as the delineation of choices.
- If above suggestion is taken, remove the check box at the top right; it doesn't seem intuitive to choose an option on the left and then have to go to the top right to 'lock-in' the choice, especially if you miss it on the primary and move to secondary, you'll see the box checked and may not realize you have to go back and click on the Primary and then go check that box again. Clicking the choice should lock it in once the Save button is clicked on the bottom right.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
I like your ideas.