Discussing what bothers me. Mostly the UI.

[tranquillant]

Please Larian do something with the UI. The character sheet is carbage. Simplify it quite a bit. Why have so many drop down menus to find the basic information relevant to rpg's. Take a look at the character sheet of BG1 and B2 to and have that as your starting point, I hate the UI how it is now. I know you have tried to modernise the franchise put a simple paperus page with all the relevant info (saving throws, ability scores, attack, defence, skills) would be so much better than this drow down menu mess you have created now.

I love the game otherwise but the UI could be so much better if it would be simplified quite a bit.

[Lax]

I may be grasping at straws here, but I would like some more hot bars, tbh. Possibly on the left and/or right on the screen that could be turned on and off like in WoW. I don't like cycling through difference hotbars.

[tranquillant]

Originally posted by Lax:

I may be grasping at straws here, but I would like some more hot bars, tbh. Possibly on the left and/or right on the screen that could be turned on and off like in WoW. I don't like cycling through difference hotbars.

Yes, the ability to have 2, 3 different hotbars behind a shortcut would be absolutely fantastic.

[Heu, Iterum Id Feci]

Just had to look up screenshots of the bg2 char screen..it has been 15-20 years...and yeah, sorry, it's not that great. I mean it might look good, however so much wasted space etc...most likely bc it's from a time where they had to fill a full screen with that stuff and also had to make sure it would still be readable on old crt tvs...
That's hardly a good example for a modern ui.
Also in 5e you don't need constant access to all this. All your skills, to hit, saving throws, AC etc are derived from the corresponding ability score and the proficiency modifier, if the later is applicable. While there certainly are things that could be improved, I don't think it's that bad. Certainly better than filling the whole screen with stuff you don't need all the time or showing you something taking up 80% of your screen where more than 50% is just blank filler.

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Rusty ♥:

Just had to look up screenshots of the bg2 char screen..it has been 15-20 years...and yeah, sorry, it's not that great. I mean it might look good, however so much wasted space etc...most likely bc it's from a time where they had to fill a full screen with that stuff and also had to make sure it would still be readable on old crt tvs...
That's hardly a good example for a modern ui.
Also in 5e you don't need constant access to all this. All your skills, to hit, saving throws, AC etc are derived from the corresponding ability score and the proficiency modifier, if the later is applicable. While there certainly are things that could be improved, I don't think it's that bad. Certainly better than filling the whole screen with stuff you don't need all the time or showing you something taking up 80% of your screen where more than 50% is just blank filler.

Honestly I can't even find pictures of the original BG1 character screen. I just tried to search a bit and every single one was a mod or the EE.

I finally found a brief moment at 13:19 or 17:16 in this video (the extra space on the borders is from resolution mods, so don't blame it for that at least)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmmejv8F9bE

So, no, don't use that as the starting point for anything! It's a bunch of unexplained numbers and a big scrolling text box.

The BG2 character screen before the EE looks a little prettier, but is effectively identical.

Now the BG1/2 EE character screens are a bit better from what I remember, but the originals really don't hold up today.

[brendan_in_china]

Only thing I'd like to see better at a glance on the character sheet are each character's skills.

[colma]

Yeah, I agree with the OP. Also, what the heck is the point of having a character portrait on the toolbar? It takes up so much space and there's an identical portrait about hundred pixels (depending on your resolution, that is) to the left. If you open up your inventory, you can have your character visible on screen in four different places at a time.

Not to mention that having to include a textfield type searchbar in the inventory UI is just bad design.

A minimap that takes up a third of the screen isn't ideal, either.

[brendan_in_china]

Sometimes when I click on the left side portrait it doesn't work, so having the portrait at the bottom to confirm helps. Also the leftside portrait selection is quite subtle and easy to mistake. The bottom less so.

[PocketYoda]

Yeah we need more hotbars.

[2]

The UI is pure garbage.

[Miyagi]

At this point I'd take a copy paste of the DoS2 UI. The current BG3 UI is hot garbage and incredibly buggy. For a game with as much useless loot as this, inventory management sure is tedious.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

The UI has gone through some massive improvements, and I mostly like the character sheet now.

My biggest issue with hotbars at this point is that Larian is still stuck in this thought where culling and adding skills and spells (instead of leaving stuff greyed out) sounds like a good idea to them.

Like how when certain icons that are only needed after activating another skill or spell are available, so the hotbar adds another segment to the right hand side (like 'cancel' icons for things like Wildshape and Rage, for example) with those icons.

Constantly transforming the hotbar to accommodate abilities as they become relevant seems messy and unnecessary. Just let us add all the icons to our hotbar where we want them, and then keep the one's that can't be used at the moment greyed out. Also use 'transforming' icons for things like Rage or Wildshape (since you can't Wildshape or Rage if you're already Raged or Wildshaped, have the icon change into the 'cancel' Rage or Wildshape icon while you are Raging or Wildshaped).

Also, I liked the "combat" hotbar that was distinct from everything else that we had before (the one that had basic attack action, etc. on the left hand side). It helped to keep the main hotbar clutter free, so I'd like that to come back.

Generally, I LOVE what they did with the spells - clicking on the appropriate level and then selecting a spell from it is so much more convenient - I don't have to put spell icons on my hotbar at all now. However, I would hope for some sorting options, perhaps by school/domain?

Some more work for items on the hotbar needs to be done too. Maybe a light source slot for torches and lanterns (their implemented method, of having a torch icon on the hotbar that automatically swaps with your weapon is a little bit messy).

Also, having weapon skills that appear and disappear from your hotbar is annoying, because I have to rearrange them every time I switch weapons. Just like spells, weapon abilities and basic attack icons (attack, off hand attack, sneak attack, etc.) should be treated the same as spells. Have an "attack" icon somewhere above the hotbar that then contains ALL possible attack style options for that character that you can choose from. This would also simplify the hotbar.

[tranquillant]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Kairos:

The UI has gone through some massive improvements, and I mostly like the character sheet now.

My biggest issue with hotbars at this point is that Larian is still stuck in this thought where culling and adding skills and spells (instead of leaving stuff greyed out) sounds like a good idea to them.

Like how when certain icons that are only needed after activating another skill or spell are available, so the hotbar adds another segment to the right hand side (like 'cancel' icons for things like Wildshape and Rage, for example) with those icons.

Constantly transforming the hotbar to accommodate abilities as they become relevant seems messy and unnecessary. Just let us add all the icons to our hotbar where we want them, and then keep the one's that can't be used at the moment greyed out. Also use 'transforming' icons for things like Rage or Wildshape (since you can't Wildshape or Rage if you're already Raged or Wildshaped, have the icon change into the 'cancel' Rage or Wildshape icon while you are Raging or Wildshaped).

Also, I liked the "combat" hotbar that was distinct from everything else that we had before (the one that had basic attack action, etc. on the left hand side). It helped to keep the main hotbar clutter free, so I'd like that to come back.

Generally, I LOVE what they did with the spells - clicking on the appropriate level and then selecting a spell from it is so much more convenient - I don't have to put spell icons on my hotbar at all now. However, I would hope for some sorting options, perhaps by school/domain?

Some more work for items on the hotbar needs to be done too. Maybe a light source slot for torches and lanterns (their implemented method, of having a torch icon on the hotbar that automatically swaps with your weapon is a little bit messy).

Also, having weapon skills that appear and disappear from your hotbar is annoying, because I have to rearrange them every time I switch weapons. Just like spells, weapon abilities and basic attack icons (attack, off hand attack, sneak attack, etc.) should be treated the same as spells. Have an "attack" icon somewhere above the hotbar that then contains ALL possible attack style options for that character that you can choose from. This would also simplify the hotbar.

I played through the easy access when it first came out and now started again when the bard class was implemented. I have to say everything seemed way smoother with my first play through.

Definatelly agree with the pointless searching for skills etc. by expanding and diminishing the hotbar to find an item, spell or skill to use and then just doing it all over when looking for another. Seems pointless. Simple shortcuts like shift+1 or something to pull up a second hotbar etc.

I am loving the combat though. Been playing DnD since 3rd edition and I am so loving the variety of skill checks and the visualized dice rolls. My second character is a drow bard and I have very much invested in deception and intimitade and persuade and basicly built my whole party around the idea of using mind affecting spells, confusing, sleep, debuffing. It feels so satisfying to have real consequences with the rolls and not just exp.

I pretty much have no complaints other than the messy UI, the too generic character sheet with no relevant info as a character sheet in DnD should have and the map.

[tranquillant]

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Rusty ♥:

Just had to look up screenshots of the bg2 char screen..it has been 15-20 years...and yeah, sorry, it's not that great. I mean it might look good, however so much wasted space etc...most likely bc it's from a time where they had to fill a full screen with that stuff and also had to make sure it would still be readable on old crt tvs...
That's hardly a good example for a modern ui.
Also in 5e you don't need constant access to all this. All your skills, to hit, saving throws, AC etc are derived from the corresponding ability score and the proficiency modifier, if the later is applicable. While there certainly are things that could be improved, I don't think it's that bad. Certainly better than filling the whole screen with stuff you don't need all the time or showing you something taking up 80% of your screen where more than 50% is just blank filler.

Honestly I can't even find pictures of the original BG1 character screen. I just tried to search a bit and every single one was a mod or the EE.

I finally found a brief moment at 13:19 or 17:16 in this video (the extra space on the borders is from resolution mods, so don't blame it for that at least)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmmejv8F9bE

So, no, don't use that as the starting point for anything! It's a bunch of unexplained numbers and a big scrolling text box.

The BG2 character screen before the EE looks a little prettier, but is effectively identical.

Now the BG1/2 EE character screens are a bit better from what I remember, but the originals really don't hold up today.

Yes exactly.

The character sheet in this video is perfect.

Modernize that idea.

The idea that when you open up a character sheet you open up a book, like in a DnD campaing and in that book is all you need. That text with numbers, attack bonuses, ac, your saving throws: Explanation behind those numbers should be given as help where DnD rules are explained. I know that 5th edition rules differ a bit from 4th edition etc. but it is still based around multiplied dice rolls and added bonuses. At least for a DnD fan I would like to see that info and I know that many other fans would too.

[colma]

Also, I liked the "combat" hotbar that was distinct from everything else that we had before (the one that had basic attack action, etc. on the left hand side). It helped to keep the main hotbar clutter free, so I'd like that to come back.

Yep, they should really consider bringing it back. Especially that they can easily clear up some space by removing the hotbar character portrait.

[Berserk Belta]

Originally posted by tranquillant:

Please Larian do something with the UI. The character sheet is carbage. Simplify it quite a bit. Why have so many drop down menus to find the basic information relevant to rpg's. Take a look at the character sheet of BG1 and B2 to and have that as your starting point, I hate the UI how it is now. I know you have tried to modernise the franchise put a simple paperus page with all the relevant info (saving throws, ability scores, attack, defence, skills) would be so much better than this drow down menu mess you have created now.

I love the game otherwise but the UI could be so much better if it would be simplified quite a bit.

Interesting. I won't pretend to be intimately familiar with the BG3 UI, although one thing I've noticed it does in places (that I really don't like) is try to show information for all of the characters at once, side-by-side.

The concept of the character sheet as in BG is pretty good, but I am not sure it ends up all that simple if you stick with that. The Pathfinder games expand on the concept and turn it into panes with your numbers laid out and tooltips on a lot of things if you hover, and while I absolutely love it, it isn't perfect and maybe even confuses some people.

I'd like to see Larian's take on that sort of UI (and people's feedback).

I am +1 on hotbars all round, though. The more there are and the more configurable the better (although let's never cull/change the position of hotbar buttons in real time unless the user explicitly asked for that).


Small note: I do notice people who have been rudely explaining to BG fans what BG 1/2 were actually like ..had to bloody well google what some of the most used parts of the UI were like because they neither remember or have the Baldur's Gate games to hand... funny that.