Radial Menu

[bigbishounen]

Just a quick comment here on the new Radial Menu. Is it just me, or does anyone else find it annoying to use? It just seems to be both overly simplified and yet unelegant and clunky. I have to admit that I preferred the old "notebook" style of menus and interface much more than the "all white text floating on the screen" style. I found it much more immersive and easier to use.

I did remap the keys to better positions, with the TAB key bringing up the medical/condition interface and the "E" key bringing up the backpack interface (because the default keybindings were less than optimal.) But now with the new radial menu I have a third key to use, the Spacebar. Also, I now have to HOLD it down to navigate the menu, which consists of just a bunch of symbols instead of actual words that tell me what they are for. The entire process is slower and less intuitive ( I would NOT have found it had I not read the patch notes telling me how to use it).

Please bring back the "notebook" style interface with all of it's lovely earthy brown and tan tones and delightfully Skeuomorphic design ethos. This is TLD, a gritty survival game set in the wilderness of Canada. Not Google or Apple's cheesy "The Future's been white since the '70's" world.

[Selfless]

Yeah, but there's only so many buttons on an XBox controller, so we PC'ers get to suffer during development. Hopefully we get the option of re-mapping everything in hotkeys once they decide on a final User Interface. But until then, we are testers. So bring the feedback. It helps.

[mmille14]

Yes, it takes a bit to get use to. BTW, if you want to use your bedroll in a car you have to access it using the campcraft icon.

[bigbishounen]

Originally posted by Selfless:

Yeah, but there's only so many buttons on an XBox controller, so we PC'ers get to suffer during development. Hopefully we get the option of re-mapping everything in hotkeys once they decide on a final User Interface. But until then, we are testers. So bring the feedback. It helps.

Yes, but the NEW system takes MORE buttons than the old one! (3, instead of 2) It's also uglier, and less intuitive.

I say: Don't dumb down the interface for dumb controllers. Don't make the larger fanbase of PC users have to suffer the indignity of dealing with a "herp-a-derp" console interface.

Also, why should I recommend a "dumbed down for console" game to my fellow PC game players? Why reward UI design laziness?

[Topplenaut]

I am still unsure of this menu. On one hand I've gotten used to it pretty quickly and it seems to be quicker than the previous menu for SOME purposes, but on the other hand the buttons seem to be prioritized badly and I would frankly rather just use hotkeys.

I think it could work, it just needs some adjustment. Maybe also have that "worn" look to fit better into the game. Either the "rough surface" or "chipped edges" effects would be nice, I think, if not overdone.

[reggiedunbar]

Two things that bother me about the radial menu: 1) I can't easily check my current carry weight by holding tab; 2) I can't see my current calories when viewing the inventory. This makes no sense. Fix these and I'll be fine with the radial menu.

[mmille14]

Originally posted by reggiedunbar:

Two things that bother me about the radial menu: 1) I can't easily check my current carry weight by holding tab; 2) I can't see my current calories when viewing the inventory. This makes no sense. Fix these and I'll be fine with the radial menu.

Have you sent this feedback to the devs?

[ew, david]

Originally posted by reggiedunbar:

Two things that bother me about the radial menu: 1) I can't easily check my current carry weight by holding tab; 2) I can't see my current calories when viewing the inventory. This makes no sense. Fix these and I'll be fine with the radial menu.

+1 on the carry weight thing.

I actually kind of like the radial menu. The spacebar is unused as a hotkey, and since your thumb is lying there anyway, why not put it to good use? I think they've done a good job of balancing mouse and keyboard control, and they did it again with the radial menu. Space, click, click, done. Much easier than hunting through your inventory for the bedroll and then placing it.

[Graorgh]

Originally posted by Mrs. Refrigerator:

Originally posted by reggiedunbar:

Two things that bother me about the radial menu: 1) I can't easily check my current carry weight by holding tab; 2) I can't see my current calories when viewing the inventory. This makes no sense. Fix these and I'll be fine with the radial menu.

+1 on the carry weight thing.

I actually kind of like the radial menu. The spacebar is unused as a hotkey, and since your thumb is lying there anyway, why not put it to good use? I think they've done a good job of balancing mouse and keyboard control, and they did it again with the radial menu. Space, click, click, done. Much easier than hunting through your inventory for the bedroll and then placing it.

Everybody knows that space bar is for jumping! Ouch...

Seriously, I find the radial menu weird, even ugly, but not specially annoying, I can cope with it and it's fast once you get used to. But I still hope that tey make the radial menu optional and allow us to keybind EVERYTHING

[Chasey]

I liked the way that the notebook menu was styled. Gave me the feeling of actually looking up stats and notes like my character might. Glad there are still notebook pages in the crafting at workbenches.
At first I disliked that there was the radial menu but so far I'm okay with it now. I would still probably choose the old one given the choice, but I guess I'm used to the radial one now.

[Scoundrel]

The radial menu has not bothered me at all.

Given a choice, I would probably take the older 'notebook' way but only for aesthetic reason. As far as utility goes, they feel about the same to me.

I totally understand why they did the radial menu though. Someone said above that it actually takes MORE buttons than the old way....but that's only true for PC players, and we have all the buttons in the world. For console players it allows them to use 1 button for many different purposes which they need to be able to do.

Now that I really think about it, the ONLY thing I use my radial menu for is dealing with my afflictions and checking my journal. Apparently you don't actually NEED it for anything else if you are a PC player like me.

[DefunctDepth]

I dislike the radial menu, but it isn't killer imo.

[Benedar]

I think it's elegant and better than that "journal" thing. And more expandable for the future updates. I like it.

[ccwylde70]

Originally posted by mmille14:

BTW, if you want to use your bedroll in a car you have to access it using the campcraft icon.

+1 to this. I've been scratching my head wondering why I couldn't place my bedroll in either the front or back seat anymore, but still hearing people talking about sleeping in cars. I was about to post something about that !

[Lord Flenser]

Originally posted by reggiedunbar:

Two things that bother me about the radial menu: 1) I can't easily check my current carry weight by holding tab; 2) I can't see my current calories when viewing the inventory. This makes no sense. Fix these and I'll be fine with the radial menu.

+1

Couldn't agree more!!!

[contrabored]

How do you select something from that menu? My fella is about to bleed to death because I can't figure out how to access the first aid section and it's been a while since I've played!