Item slots... :D

[iforgotmysocks]

Is it just me or are 4 slots waaaay too few for that amount of usable equipment?
Would make things alot less tedious if we could hotkey more items. :S

Instead of having 4 skills and 4 items cross like u could instead sort them in line and then put 2 lines of 4 over each other, so we'd have 4 skills slots and 12 item slots. ^^

Altho i'd be happy enough just to have 8 item slots. ^^

There are sooo many items in the game, 4 that u just need for basic shield and armor defence, mines, torpedos, items that disable certain systems, items against enemy fighters, mobile turrets, utility items everyone uses frequently like salvage bots or t-jump thingys.... how do u guys manage with just 4? xD

Example:
https://i.imgur.com/0eQjVqr.png
https://i.imgur.com/bGNUvW6.png

[kontrec]

Interesting suggestion, right now you can set your skills and items in a line instead of a cross by selecting "inline quickbar" option in the game settings, however it's only one line hotkeyed on numbers 1-8 by default.

[timsv09]

I got tired of reloading item slots, i need at list 4 more slots.

[iforgotmysocks]

Ya, adding 4-8 slots should be easy and fast to implement and would make the game sooo much more enjoyable, especially on higher difficulty when u actually want to utilize more items to stay alive and get the job done. :D

[SnugSnug]

Even if it weren't hot keyed but the context wheel allowed for options from ones inventory... click on asteroid/gas/salvage there's the mining option if you have the gear etc, that would allow the quick slots to be slotted with the more clutch items.

Didn't spg2 already have some of these things on the wheel?

[iforgotmysocks]

Originally posted by SnugSnug:

Even if it weren't hot keyed but the context wheel allowed for options from ones inventory... click on asteroid/gas/salvage there's the mining option if you have the gear etc, that would allow the quick slots to be slotted with the more clutch items.

Didn't spg2 already have some of these things on the wheel?

Hm, that wouldn't really fix the issue tho, or would u rather prefer spinning up that wheel for every wreck u wanna salvage? And it would only reduce the items that can be hotkeyed by 3. From... like what? 30? xD

Originally posted by kontrec:

Interesting suggestion, right now you can set your skills and items in a line instead of a cross by selecting "inline quickbar" option in the game settings, however it's only one line hotkeyed on numbers 1-8 by default.

Ya, found that option already, that's where i got the idea for expanding the slots from actually. :D
Shouldn't be much work, just 4-8 more slots added to the ui and the equipment window, registering them as hotkeys and the game would be so much more fun.
I best most ppl don't even use 80% of the items simply cause they're too lazy to swap them everytime.

[SnugSnug]

Originally posted by iforgotmysocks:

Originally posted by SnugSnug:

Hm, that wouldn't really fix the issue tho, or would u rather prefer spinning up that wheel for every wreck u wanna salvage? And it would only reduce the items that can be hotkeyed by 3. From... like what? 30? xD

No, it's just a different approach.

Personally i don't like to play with too many hotkeys, have a habit of hitting the wrong ones especially under pressure. So if the context wheel takes all the mining/salvage tools onto it i can control those actions with ease (albeit a little slower than straight hotkey but way faster than swapping out inventory slots). This could be expanded to adding repair drones and similar utility tools to ones own ship when self targeting which would reduce the 4 inventory slots to combat only, one still has to make a choice which to slot but with greater quality of life as utility actions aren't competing with combat buffs. Could probably get about 50% onto wheel as rough estimate.

The other benefit of context wheel, is 'pause on wheel' toggle for taking the stress out a situation and allowing one to play a little more casual outside of dogfights.

[iforgotmysocks]

Originally posted by SnugSnug:

Originally posted by iforgotmysocks:

Hm, that wouldn't really fix the issue tho, or would u rather prefer spinning up that wheel for every wreck u wanna salvage? And it would only reduce the items that can be hotkeyed by 3. From... like what? 30? xD

No, it's just a different approach.

Personally i don't like to play with too many hotkeys, have a habit of hitting the wrong ones especially under pressure. So if the context wheel takes all the mining/salvage tools onto it i can control those actions with ease (albeit a little slower than straight hotkey but way faster than swapping out inventory slots). This could be expanded to adding repair drones and similar utility tools to ones own ship when self targeting which would reduce the 4 inventory slots to combat only, one still has to make a choice which to slot but with greater quality of life as utility actions aren't competing with combat buffs. Could probably get about 50% onto wheel as rough estimate.

The other benefit of context wheel, is 'pause on wheel' toggle for taking the stress out a situation and allowing one to play a little more casual outside of dogfights.

Sounds like u're more the type of person that enjoys turn based games then. :S Having to pause the game constantly just to select abilities that are directly tied to the ongoing combat is a terrible mood killer. ^^

The games controls and it's UI are very simple for a space game of this size. It doesn't get much easier to handle. I still enjoy it because they managed to keep the game very simple yet still fun, but with simplicity also comes tediousness.

+ u can't sell me on the fact that having 4-8 more buttons u CAN use, (u don't have to) will throw you off ur game, no matter how often u click a wrong one. :p

[SnugSnug]

Originally posted by iforgotmysocks:

I do like turn based games, but not in space :)

Started on x-wing,tiefighter,x-wingvztiefighter,x1,2,3,spg 123, spaz, ufo interceptor, freelancer, void destroyer, spaceforce etc etc...

And i've enjoyed them all.

But assuming one is going keyboard mouse, personally i have 7 buttons on mouse and 17 on keybouard that i use regularly although the game already allows for more. Having more function on right mouse button or hot key quick menus (x /battlezone series) rather than adding to the list will help players who are less manually dextrous.

I'm not trying to 'sell' you just providing an alternative view point. That said for arguments sake, i'm not against those that wish it having more options available to them just hoping that they aren't the only options :)

[iforgotmysocks]

Originally posted by SnugSnug:

I'm not trying to 'sell' you just providing an alternative view point. That said for arguments sake, i'm not against those that wish it having more options available to them just hoping that they aren't the only options :)

Gotcha. Well, lets hope they concider making changes at all. :D

[Bucketsmith]

A swappable set for combat and out-of-combat for equipment would already be really nice. I mentioned that in my own suggestion thread in the right subforum. :)
Especially if it also automatically swaps if the tactical overlay is engaged, either by manually hitting the key for it or by entering combat.

[iforgotmysocks]

Originally posted by Bucketsmith:

A swappable set for combat and out-of-combat for equipment would already be really nice. I mentioned that in my own suggestion thread in the right subforum. :)
Especially if it also automatically swaps if the tactical overlay is engaged, either by manually hitting the key for it or by entering combat.

Wouldn't it make more sense to just add more slots instead? Most things u'd set to ur non-combat setup would also be used while still being in combat, like salvager drones or t-jump thingies for a quick escape.

[Bucketsmith]

Originally posted by iforgotmysocks:

Wouldn't it make more sense to just add more slots instead? Most things u'd set to ur non-combat setup would also be used while still being in combat, like salvager drones or t-jump thingies for a quick escape.

Would it make more or less sense? No. It's personal preference and you can't quantify that data.
Same with what people use in what scenarios.
The equipment I use in combat, I never use outside of combat. I don't need shield boosters, damage amplifiers, repair drones and such when out of combat.
And I don't need T-drives and salvage swarms during combat.

Then comes the part of good UI design.
I don't mean to come of as an ass, but the Starpoint games feel like they do not have any graphic designers in their team.
The UI looks and feels as if made by programmers; functional, but nothing more.
It's unneccesarily big, it doesn't have options to set the scale or move portions around, and it has a lot of unnecessary clutter on screen.
The cleaner you get an UI, the more people will like it.
So simply adding more slots on the HUD will clutter it even more, I don't want that.
I want the functionality, but not have that take up even more space on the screen.